XIV.

GIVE ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my

mouth.

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech

shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.

He is the Rock, his work is perfect for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is

he.

[Deuteronomy xxxii. 1-4.]

Charity.

I.

HE

E that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

II.

[Proverbs xix. 17.]

REPROACH not a man that turneth from

sin, but remember that we are all worthy

of punishment.

III.

[Ecclus. viii. 5.]

CAST thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

[Ecclus. ii. 1.]

IF

IV.

F there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother. [Deuteronomy xv. 7.]

V.

MAKE way for every work of mercy: for every man shall find according to his works.

GIV

VI.

[Ecclus. xvi. 14.]

LIVE unto the most High according as he hath enriched thee; and as thou hast gotten, give with a cheerful eye.

For the Lord recompenseth, and will give thee seven times as much.

VII.

[Ecclus. xxxv, 10, 11.]

WHEN thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward : it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

[Deuteronomy xxiv. 20-22.]

VIII.

WHEN thou cuttest down thine harvest

in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

IX.

[Deuteronomy xxiv. 19.]

MY son, be mindful of the Lord our God

all thy days, and let not thy will be set to sin, or to transgress his commandments: do uprightly all thy life long, and follow not the ways of unrighteousness. For if thou deal truly, thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee, and to all them that live justly.

Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee.

If thou hast abundance, give alms accordingly: if thou have but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little :

For thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity.

Because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness. For alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of the most High.

[Tobit iv. 5-11.]

X.

BLESSED is he that considereth the poor:

the LORD will deliver him in time of

trouble.

The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make his bed

in sickness,

XI.

[Psalm xli. 1-3.]

BEWARE that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. [Deuteronomy xv. 9, 10.]

XII.

THE poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

[Deuteronomy xv. 11.]

Conscience.

I.

THE

'HE wicked flee when no man pursueth:
but the righteous are bold as a lion.
[Proverbs xxviii. 1.]

II.

BLESSED is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.

Blessed is he whose conscience hath not con

demned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.

III.

[Ecclus. xiv. 1, 2.]

THERE is no peace, saith the LORD, unto

the wicked.

[Isaiah xlviii. 22.]

Consolation.

I.

THOUGH the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand, and shall save me.

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever forsake not the works of thine own hands. [Psalm cxxxviii. 6—8.]