XI.

SER M. nefs; where the greatest Things of the Earth lofe all their Power of Attraction. The awful Contemplation of God's Greatnefs, and the Sense of our Littleness, but too powerfully impreffed by the mortifying View of our Infirmities, will foon bring us to a Conviction that Pride, the great Source of intemperate Paffion, was not made for Man. The due Preparation of the Heart to wait upon God in this ferious and folemn Exercife will be of admirable Ufe to remove far from us all malicious, uncharitable and unbenevolent Thoughts. Strange!, that these fhould find a Place in our Hearts, but for an Hour, against Those whom we expect to be the Affociates of our Happiness to all Eternity.

Now to God the Father, &c.

SERMON XII.

The Duty of Charity stated and enforced.

PROV. iii. 27.

With-hold not Good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the Power of thine Hands to do it.

T O discourse upon any Duty in Ge-SER M.

neral, without applying to Particu

lars ; is little more than idle Declamation and empty Flourish: It is to let our Arrows fly at Random, when we should direct them to a certain Mark.

That

Charity in general is a Duty, No-body will deny But there are Many, who, on the Account of particular Circumstances, think themselves entirely difcharged from the Performance of it: Many, who, though they own the Obligation, yet difown it in it's due Degrees. Suffer me then to confider,

It, Whe

XII.

SERM., Who are the Perfons obliged to XII. Give to charitable Ufes, and in what Proportion.

IIdly, Who are the Perfons qualified to Receive our Charity.

IIIdly, The Manner in which we ought to bestow Charity. And,

Laftly, To lay before you the Motives to this Duty.

Charity, in the most comprehensive Senfe of the Word, takes in a large Compass: It extends itself to a hearty Defire and Endeavour to do all poffible Good by our Heads as well as our Hands; by our Words as well as Works: By inftructing the Ignorant, advising the Miftaken, reclaiming the Wicked, comforting the Afflicted, encouraging the Virtuous and Worthy, &c. Charity even takes in Piety. For, not to mention that Piety, or a Regard to the Deity, is the Foundation of Charity, or Love to our Fellow-Creatures; exemplary Piety is one confiderable Inftance of doing Good: It is letting our Light Shine out before Men, in order to promote that Reverence to the Deity which is the Basis of all Virtue.

No Man, of whatever Order or Condition in Life, can think himself unconcerned

XII.

in the Duty of Charity confidered in this SER m. View; and though this be not the principal Point under our prefent Confideration, yet it may help to direct us in that which is fo, and is our firft Enquiry; namely,

Ift, Who are the Perfons within the Obligations of this Duty, as reftrained to the Relief of the Helpless, the Sick and the Needy, &c.

One would think we fhould need few Arguments to persuade the Great, the Opulent, and the Able, to present themselves the foremost in this Rank, and to undertake the principal Share in this Duty. They are Stewards, it is true, and must give an Account: But happy fure is the Steward when his Truft is of fuch a Nature, that the more freely he difpenfes, the more faithful he shall be accounted: When the Merit of his Liberality shall be placed, not to his Master's, but to his own Account: When the Prayers of the Poor fhall draw down upon him the Praife and Reward of his Lord.

This too is a Virtue whereof one would hope They would be inclined to fhew themfelves more eminent Patterns; because as their Station fits them peculiarly for it, fo it denies them the Occafions of practifing many Virtues of another Sort. They meet with few Affronts, or Injuries, or Oppreffions to employ the Virtues of Meeknefs, Forgivenefs

T

SER M. Forgiveness and Patience: They experience XII. but little of hard Fortune, lefs of hard La

bour, and nothing at all of the Diftreffes of Poverty, Hunger, and Cold and Nakednefs, to call forth the Virtues of Patience and Refignation and an humble Reliance on Providence.

Now what more proper Method of fupplying the Abfence of thefe Virtues in themfelves, than by extending their Charity to thofe very Perfons who do practise them, - by letting Their Bounty render the Practice of them fomewhat more eafy-by allowing themselves to become, in fome Measure, the Inftrument in God's Hand of rewarding them?

Their Good Deeds then ought to bear Proportion to their Abilities. GOD, who is the Fountain-Head of every good Gift, has made Them the Channels whereby He intends to convey his Bleffings to Mankind. Their Charity may begin at Home; but after the Stream of it has watered their own Garden, they ought not to confine it there; but let it flow abroad to enrich the neighbouring Soil, and to difpenfe Plenty and Fruitfulness all around.

This is fo agreeable to the common Notions of Mankind, that Every-Body condemns the mean and fordid Spirit of that Wretch; who, though God has bleffed Him with Abundance, and confequently