Poverty and piety.

among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory.

Is. 23. 9. The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.

Mat. 20. 16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Lk. 1. 52. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

Lk. 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

Lk. 10. 21. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O. Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Lk. 14. 21. Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed and the halt, and the blind.

Jn. 7. 48. Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on him?

1 Cor. 1. 26. Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen-That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Jam. 2. 5. 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?

The widow and the fatherless-God will help them.

514. Are we forbidden to oppress, and required to help the widow and the fatherless?

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

Pr. 23. 10. Enter not into the fields of the fatherless: For their Redeemer is mighty; be shall plead their cause with thee.

Is. 1. 17. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widows. Is. 10. 1, 2.

Jam. 1.27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

515. Will God help and avenge the widow and the fatherless?

Dt. 10. 18. He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow. Mal. 3. 5.

Ps. 10. 14. The poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. 17. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble-thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Ps. 68. 5. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

Ps. 146. 9. The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

Pr. 15. 25. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.

Mal. 3. 5. I will come near to you in judgment: and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers,

516, 517 Compassion towards the poor required—Prayer required.

and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

516 Is compassion required towards the poor and wretched?

Job 6. 14. To him that is afflicted pity should be showed from his friend.

Zec. 7. 9. Show mercy and compassion every man to his brother.

Mat. 18. 32. O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me; Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his Lord was wroth.

Lk. 10. 36. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor to him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go thou and do likewise.

Ep. 4. 32. And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another.

Heb. 13. 3. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them: and them which suffer adversity as being yourselves also in the body.

1 Pet. 3. 8. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be piti ful, be courteous.

1 Jn. 3. 17. Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Prayer.

517. Is prayer enjoined upon mankind?

1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.

Is. 55. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near.

Required.

Is. 62. 6. Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Mat. 5. 44. Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

Mat. 6. 9. After this manner therefore pray ye : Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver, us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Mat. 26. 41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.

Lk. 18. 1. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.

Ep. 6. 18. Praying always, with all prayer and sup plication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance.

Phil. 4. 6. In every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Col. 4. 2. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same, with thanksgiving.

1 Th. 3. 10. Night and day, praying exceedingly. 1 Th. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks.

1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.

1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Heb. 4. 15. We have not a high priest which can

Secret, vocal and audible prayer.

not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Jam. 5. 13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. 16. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed.

1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand: Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

518. What is said respecting praying in secret ?

Mat. 6. 6. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet,. and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Mk. 1. 35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed..

519. Is verbal, audible prayer required and exempli fied?

1 Ch. 21. 16. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my Father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

Ps. 5. 1. Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Ps. 55. 16. As for me, I will call upon God: and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning, and at