4, 5.

St. Paul tells us, to be kind, and not to en- 1 Cor.xiii. vy, not to vaunt it felf, or be puffed up, not to behave it felf unfeemly. However, This, I think, I may fay, with Modesty and Truth, to the Advantage of That Charity to which we belong; That, though the Bottom of Wealth, it ftands upon, be not fo Large as that of fome Others, yet is it in the Design of it fo Comprehenfive and Full, as not any where, I think, to be parallell'd.

Here are Supplies to Outard Want and Neceffity liberally imparted; The Poor and Fatherlefs, not only taken Care of, but fo bred up, as to be useful to the Common-wealth, and perhaps to take care of many Others. Here Idle, and Ufelefs, (and therefore Neceffitous) Perfons are taught the Beft of Leffons, Labour; inur'd to it, and made acquainted with it; and then fent out with fuch a Stock of Industry, as will do them more real Service than any Other Kind of Benefaction, if They will but make use of it, and improve it.

Here, Loose Men and Women are reduc'd by wholfome Difcipline, and Va, grants by Confinement: Punishment it felf is made an Inftrument of Mercy and Goodness; and, as Meat is provided

F

for

for the Belly, fo is there a Rod for the Back of Fools. These Particular Inftances of Charity deserve to be enlarg'd on : It is an Argument that hath not yet been handled in it's utmoft Extent, and may perhaps ask Your Patience, on fome Other Occafion: but the Time to which I am confin'd, is now almoft run out; and there are yet Other Inftances behind, to be infifted on.

For

Here, not only External Neceffities are relieved, but Inward Wants also are fupply'd; not Ill Manners only are outwardly corrected, but Ill Difpofitions alfo are better'd, Ill Minds reform'd. And Every single Instance in this kind is not confin'd to the Perfon who receives the Benefit, but is a real Service to an whole Community. It puts a ftop to a fpreading Plague; nay, it gets Ground upon it, by making Thofe, who have had the Infection, turn Phyficians to Others, by their Example, and Future Good Man

ners.

Nay, Here, Men recover their Understandings as well as their Vertues ; that is, they recover their Very Selves; and are made once again Members of the Rational Creation, able to See and Know their Duty, and to Guide themselves by

that

that Knowledge of it; to pay their Reafonable Service to God, and to maintain a Civil Intercourfe with Men.

And on this Occafion, that Worthy and Learned Perfon deferves a particular, and Grateful mention, who hath, by his Emipent Skill, affifted the Hofpital to be Charitable in This Way, to much greater Numbers of Lunaticks than have been known to be Cur'd in Former Times.

So that this Great Receptacle of Miferable Objects of every kind, feems to be like that Medicinal Pool at Bethesda, where there were Vertues proper for every Malady; all Infirmities were equally heal'd, in Those, who had the Happiness to get into it. I can carry the Parallel no farther, I thank God, For the Prudence and Vigilance of it's Governours, as it hitherto bath, fo, I queftion not, always will take Care, that (Contrary to what happen'd to the Impotent Man in That Story) They who have most need of the Pool, fhall ever have the Happiness to get firft into it. Impartiality is the Soul of Mercy, as well as Juftice; and adds Farther Degrees of Ufe and Beauty to the moft Useful and Beautiful Thing in the World.

To

To give You, therefore, in little the true Character of This Great Benefaction; As Charity comprizeth almost all Kinds of Vertues; fo doth This Foundation take in almost all Sorts of Charities!

But tho' all the Chief kinds of Beneficence are here purfu'd, yet many Miserable Objects in Each Kind are not poffible to be reach'd, with the present Stock of Charity, which belongs either to This Hofpital, or to all Her Other Rivals in This Labour of Love. God open the Hands of the Rich, and direct the Hearts of the Merciful, to build upon the Foundation Their Forefathers have laid; and to fupply what is wanting, to compleat Their Defigns! Approving Themfelves thus, the true Heirs of Their Piety and Bounty, as well as of their Wealth! Elfe, thefe Great Buildings and Endowments of a former Age, like the Vertuous Acts and Atchievements of the First Founders of Noble Families, will become a Reproach, rather than be an Honour, to a Degenerate and Worthlefs Pofterity.

Confider with Your felves, how God hath bleft this City for the fake of the mighty Works that have been done in Her; I fay, for the fake of them.-For

let

let a Man carry his Thoughts back to that Time, when these Good Designs were firft fet on foot, and He fhall find, that from Thence the Rife and Growth of this City in Trade, Wealth,Intereft,and Greatnefs, is precifely to be dated.

May it grow on, in the fame Proportion! and by the fame Means alfo! That is, may there ftill be found fuch a Number of Charitable Perfons in it, as will continue the Character which hath hitherto belong'd to it; and, by That means, fecure the Continuation of God's Bleffings upon it. May Charity go on to have it's Perfect Work; not Living meerly upon the Old Stock, not continuing at a ftay; but Growing and Increafing ftill, as the Neceffities of Some Men increase, and the Abilities of Others to Relieve them! And thus fpreading it felf to a wider Compass, it fhall affuredly procure a Greater Share of God's Mercies, and Cover a greater Multitude of our Sins.

That This may be the Cafe, the Good and Merciful God grant, through the Great Steward and Difpenfer of his Mercies, Chrift the Righteous! To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghoft, be afcrib'd, as is most due, all Honour, Adoration, and Praife; Now, and Ever! Amen!

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