the highest of their betters. And, in the latter case, their families are disburdened of them: their lodgings are much quieter and wholesomer, than their own can easily be: their physic is duly given, their diet and whole regimen suited to their condition; and the symptoms and turns of their disease watched over, and reported, by experienced nurses. Then further, the art of healing is improved in these places beyond all others: not, as the vulgar sometimes fancy, by rash trials of dangerous experiments; but by frequent occasions for able professors to consult, and ingenious candidates to learn from them, to the common advantage of all ranks of men.

But, though public infirmaries are in general highly useful; and have accordingly been set up in many parts of this nation lately; and in none, I believe, laid down, again or disliked: yet they are the most useful in the most populous cities. For to these, helpless wretches need not be sent from a distance, but are always at hand in them: they contain many poor strangers, that come occasionally; many sojourners, that have no legal settlements. And besides, even such as have, are less known to the rich, and less minded, amidst their hurry of business or pleasure, than in villages or smaller towns. Now multitudes of these are continually falling sick, and receiving hurts: and, if left to themselves in their miserable cellars and garrets, must suffer beyond conception, and most of them die. As therefore this is, to speak moderately, one of the largest of cities; and the busiest also, which increases accidents; hospitals are peculiarly necessary for it.

Some may think there were enough before the erection of ours. But the contrary is manifest: for the others are not emptier since. And though, in

stead of six beds, with which it began thirteen years ago, it hath now one hundred and thirty-five, which have been filled near nine times each during the last year; yet a large proportion of pitiable objects, brought in or recommended, have been rejected for want of room: how cutting a disappointment to them, you may, by supposing their misfortunes your own, in some low degree imagine. Of out-patients, there have been nine thousand four hundred within the same time; and were, on the first of January last, sixteen hundred on the books: which great resort, a remarkable distinction of our hospital from all others, proves the necessity of it, particularly in that quarter; and, at the same time, the good success of the remedies administered in it. But still that success would be vastly augmented, if more could be taken in because from a distance many cannot come at all for advice; and few will come for it so often, or follow it so strictly, as they should: nor will they be either dieted or nursed at home near so well.

It may seem an objection to the enlargement of hospitals, that the inhabitants within the bills of mortality are lessening. But alas! their diseases and distresses are increasing at the same time. Intemperance, especially in spirituous liquors, and debauchery, destroy their health and fruitfulness: love of pleasures and amusements, makes them idle and necessitous; and contempt of religion leaves bad inclinations unrestrained. Were we wise, the utmost zeal would be shewn to stop this torrent of folly and sin, by the authority, and above all by the example, of superiors; which, especially when it is bad, the next beneath them will imitate; and so downwards, to the lowest of all. For it is a strange defect in policy, not to think of preventing persons from making them

selves useless and wretched, but only of restoring them to a condition of doing it again. But unless the former be vigorously attempted by well-advised methods, of which God grant us better hope, there will be a growing demand for hospitals, till the number of our people is reduced yet further.

Still it may be alleged, that the burthen of supporting them, instead of resting, as it doth, on a few, should be laid on the community by a law. But the poor cannot make this law; nor doth it appear that the rich will: not to say, that if it were made, the charitable would lose one principal method of satisfying their own minds, as well as others, that they are truly such. And besides, how are we sure that the care would be so effectual, and the charge, indeed our own share of it, less, or so little, under the management of legal officers, taking the oversight by constraint, or for lucre, as of those who take it willingly, and of a ready mind *? However, at present, hospitals must depend on voluntary gifts, as they have done in time past.

Not that this excellent institution began early in the world: which may seem very strange. But possibly distempers were formerly fewer. And certainly among the ancient heathens, tenderness of heart towards the wretched was no common virtue +. Nor

1 Peter v. 2.

+ The direction and practice of Cato the censor was, to sell slaves, when they became diseased, or otherwise unfit for labour. Cato de Re Rustica, Plut. in Cat. And Suetonius saith, that in the reign of Claudius, (when the Romans were polished in the highest degree, and philosophy had tried its utmost influence upon them), some exposed their sick slaves to perish in the isle of Æsculapius at Rome: on which account the emperor ordered, that exposing them should be deemed giving them their liberty, if they recovered; and that, if any chose rather to put them to death, it should be punished, as murder. Suet. in Claud. c. 25.

did it among the Jews extend far: though Moses enjoins it towards all men, repeatedly and pathetically *. But our blessed Saviour, the singular good nature of whose doctrine is one strong evidence of its divine original, besides teaching more efficaciously than had ever been done before, the obligation of mutual love in general, hath particularly enforced mercy to the sick, by his miracles of healing, by his parable of the good Samaritan †, by his affecting description of his own future behaviour at the great day of judgment. In consequence of this, we find the primitive Christians the most benevolent of men §: and the affection of their successors to each other, a subject of general wonder ||. We find those of Rome, who were the richest, sending alms to their brethren throughout the earth I: and those of Alexandria and Carthage, in the desolations of a dreadful plague, ministering to the infected with astonishing courage, while the heathens gave proofs of the most shocking neglect and barbarity **. Nay, those of the whole eastern empire, just after the several cities of it had been persecuting them, in the reign of Maximin, were the only persons, who assisted others in the double distress of pestilence and famine; attending on the dying, burying the dead, feeding the hungry,

Exod. xxii. 21. xxiii. 9. 12. Lev. xix. 33, 34. xxv. 25. 36, 37. Deut. x. 19. xxiv. 14, 15. 17-22. xxvii. 19.

Matth. xxv. 31-46.

+ Luke x. 30-37. § Acts ii. 44, 45. iv. 32—37. xi. 27–30. xxiv. 17. Rom. xv. 25, 26. 2 Cor. viii. 1-4. ix. 1, 2. Col. i. 4. 1 Thess. iv. 9. 2 Thess. i. 3. 1 Tim. v. .10. Philem. ver. 7. Rev. ii. 19. Clem.

Rom. Ep. 1. § 1, 2. 55.

Tert. Apol. c. 39. 42.

Dionys. ap. Euseb. H. E. 1. 4. c. 23, & l. 7. c. 5.

** Dionys. ap. Euseb. H. E. 1. 7. c. 22. Cypr. Vit. per Pontium, p. 5.

without distinction: which they did continually, with such tenderness and bounty in every respect, that they and their God were publicly celebrated and honoured for it by all men*. Nor do Christian writers alone ascribe to them this character. The profane Lucian acknowledges and ridicules their plentiful almsgiving t. The apostate emperor Julian confesses, that the worshippers of his gods disregarded their own poor, and the Christians maintained those of both professions. He gives exhortations to the former, undeniably taken out of the New Testament, to amend, and imitate the Galileans in this and many other points. But, distrusting their effect, he had begun to appropriate large revenues to the support of the credit of paganism, against the influences of the charity of Christians. Nor were these bountiful only to make and preserve converts; for they continued so after their faith became the reigning one §. Then, for it was impracticable before, a vast variety of beneficent foundations, and, amongst them, hospitals for the sick, things unknown to preceding ages, rose from the private liberalities of believers ¶, and were authorized and regulated by

1615.

Euseb. H. E. 1. 9. c. 8.

De morte Peregrini, p. 996, 997, 998. Ed. Bourdelot. Par.

Julian. Fragm. Ep. p. 290, 305. Ep. 49. p. 429, &c. Ed. Spanh. Lips. 1696. Greg. Nazianz. Orat. 3. p. 101, 102. Ed. Billii, Par. 1630. Sozomen. Hist. Eccl. 1. 5. C. 16.

Chrysost. Hom. 66. in Matth. p. 658. tom. 7. Ed. Montf.

The word valetudinarium is in several Roman authors: but seems to mean only a receptacle for the sick servants of a family, in or near the house.

¶ Jerom saith, that Fabiola, a wealthy Christian widow, of a noble Roman family, who died in his time, first erected a public infirmary: Prima omnium voσOKOμETOν instituit, in quo agrotantes colligeret de