Parallels.

HE is a poor Man, that hath nothing that is really or truly good, that hath no Clothes to cover him, but is naked as ever he was born; that hath never a Bit of Bread, nor any thing that is good, to eat, but lives upon Husks, Chaff, and Ashes, &c. Now wicked Men are so poor and miserable, that they have nothing that is truly good: they are naked, as we have shewed, their Souls are naked; they have nothing to eat but Husks and Ashes; for such are those empty and perishing Things of the World compared to in the Scripture, on which they feed: He feedeth on Ashes,* &c. The Prodigal would fain have filled his Belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat. Ephraim (saith God) feedeth on the Wind, &c. Therefore wic∣ked Men are poor and miserable.

II. He is a poor Man, that as he hath nothing, so he can do nothing, whereby to help or relieve himself in his Necessity: Wicked Men, as they have nothing, so they can do nothing, to relieve their own Souls: They have no Clothes, and none can they, by any ways of their own, obtain, or help themselves unto; they have no Food,* nor can they procure any: They labour for that which is not Bread, and spend their Strength for that which satisfies not: Therefore poor and miserable.

III. He is a poor Man, that as he hath nothing, and can do nothing, so he hath no Body, neither Friend nor Brother, that can do any thing for him: But thus in a spi∣ritual Sence 'tis with wicked Men, and therefore poor and miserable.

IV. He is a poor Man, who as he hath nothing, can do nothing, nor hath any Body to do for him, and yet is many thousand Pounds in debt: Such is the State of wicked Men, they have nothing, can do nothing, have no Friend or Brother to do any thing for them,* yet do owe ten thousand Talents to God's Justice, which is a great, a very great Sum, and therefore poor and miserable.

V. He is a poor Man, that as he hath nothing, can do nothing, hath none to do any thing for him, and is many thousand Pounds in debt; and besides, is a sorry Soul, he has no worth in him, being a vile, base, fordid, and ill-natured Wretch, worthy of no regard or pity, one that no Body will cast an Eye of Compassion upon: But such is the Condition of every ungodly Person,* they have no Worth nor Excellency at all in them, they are not worth regard nor pity, there is nothing in them that can move God to respect them, nor his Angels to regard them, therefore very poor and miserable.

VI. He is a poor Man that is in the Condition we have mentioned, and that which aggravates his Poverty is this, He is not like ever to be in a Condition to help himself, nor to find a Friend or Brother to help him: a Man may be to day miserable, helpless, and friendless, but in a little time possibly it may be better with him, and he may supply his own Necessities, or get some to relieve him. Now ungodly Men are in the State you have heard, and are never like to be in a better Condition, by any means of their own, or by any Friend of theirs, and therefore poor and miserable.

VII. He is a poor Man that is in the Condition above-mentioned, and not only so, but is sick, wounded, and in Prison, &c. Such spiritually is the State of all wicked Men,* viz. sick, wounded, blind, naked, and in Prison, under the Power of Sin and Satan, and therefore poor and miserable.

VIII. Some Mens great and miserable Poverty has come upon them, partly by the Pride, abominable Lust, and Extravagancy of their Parents, and partly by their own Idleness, Lust, and Prodigality: Even so the spiritual Want and Poverty of Men was in part brought upon them by the Sins of our first Parents, and partly by their own actual Sins. This is the State of unregenerate Persons, they are all even thus Page  251 poor and miserable: And happy are they who see this to be their Condition;* Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who see their own Wants, Poverty, and Misery, shall out of the Fulness of Jesus Christ be supplied with whatsoever they need: for tho Man naturally be so poor, that he hath nothing, can do nothing, and hath no earthly Friend or Brother that can do any thing for him; and besides, he owes ten thousand Talents, and is worth no regard nor pity; yet the eternal God hath found out a Way, for the manifestation of his own glorious Grace and Bounty, to enrich him, and make him happy for ever.* He that was rich became poor, that we through his Poverty might be made rich.

Disparity.

POor Men are full of Complaints, they commonly bewail their Poverty, and would gladly have all their Wants supplied, and be made rich, if they knew but which way it might be done: But wicked Men, tho they are poor, so poor and miserable as hath been shewn, yet they are contented, being wofully blinded by the Devil, &c. So that tho they are daily told how they may be made rich, yet they slight all Advice and Counsel, and stubbornly refuse the Riches of Grace and Glory.