Ezek. xi. 16. Thus saith the Lord God, Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries; yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary, in the countries where they shall come.

IX. To the POOR and HELPLESS.

Ps. ix. 18. The needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish for

ever.

Ps. lxviii. 10. Thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

Ps. Ixix. 33. The Lord heareth the poor.

Ps. cxxxii. 15. I will satisfy her poor with bread. Is. xiv. 30. The first born of the poor shall feed: and the needy shall lie down in safety.

Ps. lxxii. 2. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 12. He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. Ps. cii. 17. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

Ps. cvii. 41. He setteth the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

Ps. cxiii. 7. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill.

Jer. xx. 13. Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord, for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evil-doers.

Job v. 15. He saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. 16. So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

Job xxxvi. 15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

Jam. 1. 9. Let the brother of low degree rejoice, in that he is exalted.

Jam. ii. 5. Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him?

Luke xvi. 25. Abraham said, Son, remember, thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and thou art tormented.

X. To the FATHERLESS and WIDOW.

Exod. xxii. 22. Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. 23. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry. 24. And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless.

Deut. x. 18. He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless, and the widow.

Ps. x. 14. The poor committeth himself unto thee thou art the helper of the fatherless. 18. To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Ps. lxviii. 5. A Father of the fatherless, and a Judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. Ps. cxlvi. 9. He relieveth the fatherless and

widows.

Prov. xv. 25. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud; but he will establish the border of the widow.

Prov. xxiii. 10. Remove not the old land-mark: and enter not into fields of the fatherless. 11. For their Redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their. cause with thee.

Jer. xlix. 11. Leave thy fatherless children,* I will preserve them alive: and let thy widows trust in me.

Hos. xiv. 3. In thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

XI. To the CHILDLESS.

Ps. lxviii. 6. God setteth the solitary in families. Ps. cxiii. 9. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children.

Isa. lvi. 4. Thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5. Even unto them will I give in mine house, and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everLasting name, that shall not be cut off.

XII. To the PRISONER and CAPTIVE.

Ps. lxviii. 6. He bringeth out those which are bound with chains.

Ps. cxlvi. 7. The Lord looseth the prisoners. Deut. xxx. 4. If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee.

Ps. lxix. 33. He despiseth not his prisoners.

Ps. cvii. 14. He brought them out of darkness, and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

Is. li. 14. The captive exile hasteneth, that he

• Though the Chaldee Paraphrase understands these words as a promise to the families of the Jews, in their captivity; others, more agreeably to the context, look upon them as a threatening against the Edomites, and thus join them to the 10th verse, and render them, There is none to say, Leave thy fatherless children, &c.

may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

Is. xlix. 25. Thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

Jer. xv. 11. Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil, and in the time of affliction.

XIII. Promises of Deliverance from DEATH.

Job xxxiii. 28. He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

Ps. Ixviii. 20. He that is our God, is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.

Ps. lxvi. 8. O bless our God, ye people; and make the voice of his praise to be heard. 9. Who holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

Ps. cii. 19. From heaven did the Lord behold 20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner, to loose those who are appointed to death.

the earth.

Ps. cvii. 18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death. 19. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble; and he saveth them out of their distresses.

Ps. cxvi. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Ps. xci. 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Ps. ix. 13. Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.

1 Sam. ii. 6. The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth

up.

Deut. xxxii. 39. See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no God with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

CHAP. III.

PROMISES OF SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE.

1. In general.

Psal. xxv. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant. Eph. i. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love. 7. According to the riches of his grace; 8. Wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence.

Gal. vi. 16. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Rom. viii. 30. Whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

2 Pet. i. 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and