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I think it, by no means, a fit and de- SERM. cent thing to vie Charities, and to erect the Reputation of One upon the Ruins of another: This is, for the fake of Charity to forget the True Character, and Effential Properties of it; which are, as St. Paul tells us, to be kind, and not to envy, not to vaunt it self, or bé 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 stands upon, be not fo Large as that of fome Others, yet is it in the Defign of it fo Comprehenfive and Full, as not any where, I think, to be parallell'd.

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Here are Supplies to Outward Want and Neceffity liberally imparted; The Poor and Fatherless, not only taken Care of, but for 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 Best of Leffons, Labour; inur'd to it, and made acquainted with it; and then fent out with fuch a

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SERM. 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 Discipline, and Vagrants by Confinement: Punishment it felf is made an Inftrument of Mercy and Goodness; and, as Meat is provided 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 its utmcft 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 fingle Instance in this kind is not confin'd to the Perfon who receives the Benefit, but is a real Service to an

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Whole Community. It puts a ftop to a SERM fpreading Plague; nay, it gets Ground upon it, by making Thofe, who have had the Infection, turn Physicians to Others, by their Example, and Future Good Man

ner's.

Nay, Here, Men recover their Understandings as well as their Virtues; 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 Knowledge of it; to pay their ReaJonable 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 Eminent Skill, affifted the Hospital to be Charitable in This Way, to much greater Numbers of Lunaticks, than have been known to be Cured in Former Times.

So that this Geart Receptacle of Miserable Objects of every kind, feems to be like that Medicinal Pool at Bethesda,where there were Virtues proper for every Malady; all Infirmities were equally heal'd, VOL. I.

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SERM in Thofe, who had the Happiness to get into it. I can carry the Parallel no farther, I thank God. For the Prudence and Vigilance of its Governours, as it hitherto bath, fo, I question not, always will take Care, that (Contrary to what happen'd to the Impotent Man in That Story) They who have moft 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 Use and Beauty to the most Useful and Beautiful Thing in the World.

To give You, therefore, in little the true Character of This Great Benefactiong As Charity comprizeth almost all Kinds of Virtues; 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 Miferable 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

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Hands ofthe Rich, and direct the Hearts SERM. of the Merciful, to build upon the Foundation Their Forefathers have laid; and to supply what is wanting, to compleat Their Designs Approving Themselves 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 Virtuous A&s and Atchievements of the first Founders of Noble Families, will become a Reproach, rather than be an Honour, tò a Degenerate and Worthless Pofterity.

Confider with Your Selves, 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 a Man carry his Thoughts back to that Time, when thefe Good Designs were first set on foot, and He fhall find, that from thence the Rife and Growth of this City in Trade, Wealth, Intereft, and Greatness, is precisely to be dated.

May it grow on, in the fame Proportion! and by the fame Means alfo ! That is, may there still be found fuch a Number of Charitable Persons in it, as will continue

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