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knows he was once as poor as we are: while you and I are labouring and
toiling from morning to night, and can but just get enough to fill our
children's mouths, and keep ourselves coarsely clothed, and hardly
that." "Wife," answered the man, "having food and raiment, let us
therewith be content. And if it please God that even these things should
fall short, let us submit ourselves to God in patience and well-doing,
for he gives us more than we deserve." "There, now you are got to
preaching again," said the woman; "you never give me an answer, but you
must always go to your Bible to help you out." "And where can I go so
well?" replied the husband. "Is it not God's own word for our
instruction?" "Well, that may be, but I don't like so much of it,"
answered she. "And I do not like so little of it as I see and hear from
you," returned the man. "Why, that book has taught me that it is an
honour and comfort to be a poor man, and, by the blessing of the Spirit
of God, I believe and feel it to be true. I have, through mercy, always
been enabled to get the bread of honest industry, and so have you; and
though our children feed upon brown bread, and we cannot afford to buy
them fine clothes, like some of our vain neighbours, to pamper their
pride with; yet, bless the Lord, they are as healthy and clean as any in
the parish. Why then should you complain? Godliness with contentment is
great gain!" "An honour and a comfort to be a poor man, indeed! What
nonsense you talk! What sort of honour and comfort can that be? I am out
of patience with you, man," the wife sharply cried out. "I can prove
it!" replied he. "How?" returned his partner, in no very pleasant tone
of voice. "My dear," said the good man, "hear me quietly, and I will
tell you." "I think it an honour, and I feel it a comfort, to be in that
very station of life which my Saviour Jesus Christ was in before me. He
did not come into the world as one that was rich and great, but as a
poor man, who had not where to lay his head. I feel a blessing in my
poverty, because Jesus, like me, was poor. Had I been a rich man,
perhaps I should never have known nor loved him. 'For not many mighty,
not many noble, are called.' God's people are chiefly found among the
base things of the world, and things which are despised. This makes my
poverty to be my comfort. "Besides, 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? This t

---Adjuntos---