Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 3:11

11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none, and he that hath meat▪ let him do likewise.

Altho the Preaching of the Law, doth not immediately Conduce to work in us Faith in Christ, yet mediately it doth, as it brings Men to cry out as those, Acts 2.37. Men and Brethren what sha[illegible: 1 letter]l we do? Or as the Jaylor, Acts 16: Sirs what shall we do [illegible: 1 letter]o be saved? Iohn Preaching Gods Terrors, hath this effect upon the People, they ask him, what shall we do then? t[illegible: 2 letters] Baptists Answer may seem a little strange to those who do not consider, that it amounts to the same with Daniels Counsel to Nebuchadnezar, Dan. 4.27. Wherefore O King let my Counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy Sins by Righteousness, and thine Iniquities by shewing mercy to the Poor, and what Iohn had said, v. 8. Bring therefore Fruits worthy of Repentance. Our Saviour said much the same, Ch. 11.41. Give Alms of such things as you have, and Peter commandeth, 1 Pet. 4.8. Above all things have fervent Charity amongst your selves, for Charity shall cover a Multitude of Sins. Solomon saith it covereth all Sins, Prov. 10.12. The Peoples question was, What shall we do? What are the Fruits meet for Repentance, that is, truly indicative of Repentance? To this now Iohn answereth. He that hath two Coats, let him impart to him that hath none. Which must not be interpretted, as obliging every one that had two Coats, to give away one, but as Instructive of us, that Ceremonies, and Ritual performances, in which that Age aboundeth, would not serve their turn, but true, and real good Works, relieving the Poor to their Ability, out of their Superfluities, out of Obedience and Love to God, not meerly pitying them, and saying to them▪ Go ye and be ye Cloathed, or be ye warmed, not saying Corban, and thinking that would excuse them from relieving their Parents, or other poor People, but according to their Ability relieving them. Iohn doth not here Countenance Anabaptistical Levelling, he only Cautions them against Pharisaical Hypocrisy, trusting to External Priviledges, such as having Abraham to their Father, or some Ritual, and Ceremonial Performances, whiles in the mean time they neglected the weighty things of the Law, of which Christ hath taught us that Mercy is one.

Marginal references: Jam. 2.16. 1 Joh. 3.17. & 4.20.