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* Are

but instead of this, he reminds them to confider the Sparrows: not Two SPARROWS fold for a farthing, and one of them fhall not fall on the ground without your Father? Fear ye not therefore, Ye are of more value than many Sparrows. What then, are Sparrows of no value at all? The comparifon itself, on which the argument is founded, fhews that they are of fome, though small value. And if the fimilar queftion of St. Paul fhould here occur, -Doth GOD take care for Sparrows? Yes furely, as certainly as he takes care for men, if our Saviour, who had + the words of eternal Life, fpake fo as to be understood. We have here then it seems the judg

*Matt. x. 29, 31. † John vi. 68.

ment

ment of JESUS, whose authority alone is fufficient, and the judgment of Paul on the authority of Mofes, that Sparrows and Oxen are objects of the care and providence of GOD: but with this difference, that whilft GOD fhews his care for Oxen mediately, by recommending them to the care of men; he takes care for Sparrows immediately, by providing for them himself. The meannefs or apparent infignificancy of the crea ture, how despicable foever in the judgment of Men, is no obftruction to the love of GOD towards it; and upon the debasement of the fubject, Chrift and his Apostle thought most to exalt the divine Goodness, and thereby to prove the Love of GOD unto Men.

Shew

Shew me then the Chriftian who denies the providence of GOD over the Birds of the Air, and I fhould doubt whether his faith. were fufficient to support him in the day of trial. Or fhew me the Minister of Chrift, who imagines. that GOD doth not take care for Oxen, and I should think he deferves to be muzzled, till he hath better learned CHRIST. But as our Saviour in the one cafe proves the Providence of GOD over Men. from his Providence over the Birds. of the Air; fo doth the Apoftle evince the reasonableness and juftice of the Maintenance of the Ministry from his Commandment of justice and mercy to the laboring Man and Beaft of the Field; For the Scripture faith, Thou shalt

not

not muzzle the OX that treadeth out the corn: and, The LABOURER is worthy of his reward*. And again, Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or Who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I thefe things as a Man? or faith not the Law the fame alfo? For it is written in the Law of Mofes, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the OX that treadeth out the corn †. The

cafes being fimilar, the

rule of

equity

* 1 Tim. v. 18.

I

+ 1 Cor. ix. 7, 8, 9.

The Similarity of thefe cafes explain to us the reason why men, who are cruel to their Cattle, do generally bear hardeft upon their Minifters; and why they, who make no fcruple to defraud their Minifters of their juft

and

And the

equity is the fame. conclufion is this; that, fince it is the merciful Sanction of both Teftaments, that the Ox that labours for the Service of man fhall not be muzzled; the laborious Beaft of every kind, whether Ox, or Horse, or Ass, has a juft right to every refreshment of nature. And though he may not always be at work, yet, as his whole life and strength is devoted to the fervice of his master, and awaits his pleasure to work or not to work at his command, the Master's care

and legal maintenance, are generally most cruel to their Cattle. The Precept of the Apostle seems to contain a Prophecy, that Cruelty and Sacrilege are fins that will go hand in hand together. I beg to recommend this obfervation to the ferious confideration of the Clergy.

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