him who gave thee to thy self, and them un∣to
thee; and hath provided all that thou enjoyest
both for thee and them. Provide for them a com∣petency
or sufficiency; but deny not unto God of
thy abundance and superfluity.
But I may answer thee in thine own words; He
that provideth not for his family, is worse then an Infi∣del.
If thou art a Believer, Christ's Family is thy
Family, Epth. 3. 15. Heb. 2. 11, 13, 14, 16, 17. They
are thy Mother Brethren and Sisters. If we be mem∣bers
of one body, we should think the discom∣modities
of our Brethren pertain to our selves:
Men do well to provide for their Wife and Babes,
but not then when the present necesstities of o∣thers
cannot be supplyed, without the same bee
lessened. How did they in the second and fourth of
the Acts, provide for their Families, Wives and
Children, when they sold their Houses and Lands,
and gave away all the money? Were they worse then
Infidels, because they were more careful to supply
the present wants of the Saints, then to provide
for themselves, Wives and Children, 2 Cor, 8. 14.
Acts 4. 34, 35, 36, 37. The Psalmist speaking of the
wicked, says, They leave their substance to their Babes,
Psal. 17. 14. They put Wife and Children into
their Wills, but leave out Christ and his Children,
because they love Wife and Children more then
Christ. But let such know, He that loveth Father or
Mother more then me, is not worthy of me, Matth. 10.
37. Luke 10: 36, 37, ••8. If any man come to me, and
hate not his Father and Mother, and Wife, and Chil∣dren,
yea and his own life also, he cannot be my Disciple,
Luke 14. 26. And the Apostles could say, Behold,
we have for saken all, and followed thee, Mat. 19. 27. 29.
2 Cor. 4. 18.