28. And as for Clothing, why should ye be fo much concerned about that? The Flowers of the Field take nooCare at all for them felves, and yet God gives them a continual increase, and clothes them with inimitable Beauty, 29. For this their Clothing is of fuch Beauty and Comeliness, as far exceeds all that the Art of Man 'can invent, or the Coft of the greatest Princes procure; fo that all the Glories even of Solomon's Court, were dull and mean in comparison of thefe, 30. If then God thus clothes the short lived Flowers, which are but of a few Days continuance; How unreasonable is it for you to diftrust his Care and Providence, whom he hath fent into the World for fo much nobler Purposes! i ٢٢ 31 Therefore take! Be not therefore anno thought, saying, xioufly folicitous for the What shall we eat? things of this present Wold' br what shall we for for Meat, and Drink, and Clothing. 32. For upon these things do the Gentiles, who know not the greatness of God's Power and Goodness, and the excellency of his true Religion, employ their Thoughts: But God, who hath revealed to you far nobler things to be the Objects of your Care and Meditation, knoweth that these things are necessary for your present subsistence, and will provide them for you. 33. Make it therefore your first and principal Business, to understand true Religion, and live according to the Precepts thereof: And all these smaller things shall be abundantly supplied to you by the Providence of God. 34. And be not too eagerly concerned to make provision of these earthly things against the Time to come: For it is time enough to take Care for drink? or where withal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Fa ther knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take there fore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self: fufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, thefe these things by a moderate Industry as they are wanted: Sufficient to the present Time are the preTent Troubles of Life; and God would not have you add to them by an unreasonable solicitousness for the future. CHAP. : ment upon others, that ye provoke not God to use severity towards you. 2. For in what manner ye judge, and deal with others; whether with Candour, Mercy and Charity; or with Severity and Rigour; in the same manner will God, when he comes to Judgment, deal with you. 3. Be not therefore so rigid in paffing Judgment upon others, as the hypocritical Pharifees and Jewish Doctors are; But be more strict in the examination of your own Lives. For how exceedingly unreasonable is it, to condemn the lighter Offences of others, while you are guilty of greater Crimes your selves! Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged : and with what mea fure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but confiderest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 3 ९ 4. With what ground and confidence can you undertake to reprove others for their smaller Sins, while ye your selves are confcious of more heinous ones? or with what Skill can you instruct and direct others to correct and amend their Faults, while ye have not Judgment or Integrity enough to be sensible of your own? 5. Lay aside therefore this foul Hypocrysie. First effectually amend and reform your own Lives: and then you may with Judgment direct, and with Authority urge and press others to Reformation. 6. And yet even in this Case there is a Difcretion to be ufed The wife Instructions and Admonitions of the Gofpel, are not to be always caft away upon obftinate and incorrigible Men, who probably instead of being corrected and amended by them, will return you only Scoffs, Reproaches and Contempt. 7.. Thefe |