of all contefts, a bellum fervile, might probably have enfued, to the reproach, if not the extinction of the Chriftian name. The truth is, the emancipation of flaves fhould be gradual; and be carried on by provifions of law, and under the protection of civil government. Chriftianity can only operate as an alterative. By the mild diffufion of its light and influence, the minds of men are infenfibly prepared to perceive and correct the enormities, which folly, or wickednefs, or accident, have introduced into their public establishments. In this way the Greek and Roman flavery, and fince these the feudal tyranny, has declined before it. And we truft that, as the knowledge and authority of the fame religion advance in the world, they will banish what remains of this odious inftitution. Chapter IV. CHARITY. PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE. THIS kind of beneficence is chiefly to be expected from members of the legiflature, magiftrates, medical, legal, and facerdotal profeffions. 1. The core of the poor ought to be the principal object of all laws, for this plain reafon, that the rich are able to take care of themselves. Much has been, and more might be done, by the laws of this country, towards the relief of the impotent, and the protection and encouragement of the industrious poor. Whoever applies himself to collect obfervations upon the ftate and operation of the poor laws, and to contrive remedies for the imperfections and abufes which he obferves, and digefts these remedics into acts of parliament, and conducts them by argument or influence through the two branches of the legislature, or communicates his ideas to thofe, who are more likely to carry them into effect; deferves well of a clafs of the community fo numerous, that their happiness forms a principal part of the whole. The ftudy and activity thus employed is charity, in the moft meritorious fenfe of the word. 2. The application of parochial relief is entrusted in the first inftance to overfeers and contractors, who have an intereft in oppofition to that of the poor, inafinuch as whatever they allow them comes in part out of their own pocket. For this reafon, the law has depofited with juftices of the peace, a power of fuperintendence and control; and the judicious interpofition of this power is a moft ufeful exertion of charity, and ofttimes within the ability of those, who have no other way of ferving their generation. A country gentleman of very moderate education, and who has little to fpare from his fortune, by learning fo much of the poor law as is to be found in Dr. Burn's Juftice, and by furnishing himself with a knowledge of the prices of labour and provifion, fo as to be able to eftimate the exigences of a family, and what is to be expected from their induftry, may, in this way, place out the one talent committed to him to great account. 3. Of all private profeffions, that of medicine puts it in a man's power to do the moft good at the leaft expenfe. Health, which is precious to all, is to the poor invaluable; and their complaints, as agues, rheumatifms, &c. are often fuch as yield to medicine. And with respect to the expenfe, drugs at first hand coft little, and advice cofts nothing, where it is only bestowed upon those who could not afford to pay for it. 4. The rights of the poor are not fo important or intricate as their contentions are violent and ruinous. A Lawyer or Attorney, of tolerable knowledge in his profeffion, has commonly judgment enough to adjust these difputes, with all the effect, and without the expenfe, of a law-fuit; and he may be faid to give a poor man twenty pounds, who prevents his throwing it away upon law. A legal man, whether of the profeffion or not, who, together with a fpirit of conciliation, poffeffes the confidence of his neighbourhood, will be much reforted to for this purpose, efpecially fince the great increase of cofts has produced a general dread of going to law. Nor is this line of beneficence confined to arbitration. Seasonable counfel, coming with the weight which the reputation of the adviser gives it, will often keep or extricate the rash and uninformed out of great difficulties. Laftly, I know not a more exalted charity than that which presents a fhield against the rapacity or perfecution of a tyrant. 5. Betwixt argument and authority (I mean that authority which flows from voluntary refpect, and attends upon fanctity and difinterestedness of character) fomething may be done amongst the lower orders of mankind, towards the regulation of their conduct, and the fatisfaction of their thoughts. This office belongs to the minifters of religion; or rather whoever undertakes it becomes a minifter of religion. The inferior clergy, who are nearly upon a level with the common fort of their parishioners, and who on that account gain an easier admiffion to their fociety and confidence, have in this refpect more in their power than their fuperiors: the difcreet use of this power conftitutes one of the most refpectable functions of human nature, Chapter v. CHARITY. PECUNIARY BOUNTY. I. The obligation to bestow relief upon the poor. III. The pretences by which men excufe themselves from it. I. The obligation to bestow relief upon the poor. THEY who rank pity amongst the original impulfes of our nature, rightly contend, that, when this principle prompts us to the relief of human mifery, it indicates the divine intention, and our duty. Indeed the fame conclufion is deducible from the exiftence of the paffion, whatever account be given of its origin. Whether it be an instinct or a habit, it is in fact a property of our nature, which God appointed and the final caufe, for which it was appointed, is to afford to the miserable, in the compaffion of their fellow-creatures, a remedy for thofe inequalities and diftreffes which God forefaw that many must be exposed to, under every general rule for the diftribution of property. Befide this, the poor have a claim founded in the law of nature, which may be thus explained. All things were originally common. No one being able to produce a charter from heaven, had any better title to a particular poffeffion than his next neighbour. There were reafons for mankind's agreeing upon a feparation of this common fund; and God for these reasons is prefumed to have ratified it. But this feparation was made and confented to, upon the expectation and condition, that every one should have left a fufficiency for his fubfiftence, or the means of procuring it: and as no fixed laws for the regulation of property can be fo contrived, as to provide for the relief of every cafe and distress which X may arise, these cases and distresses, when their right and share in the common ftock was given up or taken from them, were fuppofed to be left to the voluntary bounty of those, who might be acquainted with the exigencies of their fituation, and in the way of affording affistance. And therefore, when the partition of property is rigidly maintained against the claims of indigence and diftrefs, it is maintained in oppofition to the intention of those who made it, and to his, who is the Supreme Proprietor of every thing, and who has filled the world with plenteoufnefs for the fuftentation and comfort of all whom he fends into it. The Chriftian fcriptures are more copious and explicit upon this duty than upon almoft any other. The defcription which Chrift hath left us of the proceedings of the last day, establishes the obligation of bounty, beyond controversy. "When the Son of Man fhall come in his glory, and all the holy angels. with him, then shall he fit upon the throne of his glory, and before him fhall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another.-Then fhall the King fay unto them on his right hand, Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was fick, and ye vifited me: I was in prifon, and ye came unto me. And inafmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."* It is not neceffary to understand this paffage as a literal account of what will actually pafs on that day. Suppofing it only a fcenical defcription of the rules and principles, by which the Supreme Arbiter of our deftiny will regulate his decifions, it conveys the fame leffon to us; it equally demonftrates, of how great value and importance thefe duties in the fight of God are, and what ftrefs will be laid upon them. The Apoftles alfo defcribe this virtue as pro * Matth. xxv. 31. |