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wickedness, to undo the heavy burthens, and to let the oppreffed go free; and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are caft out to thy houfe? When thou feeft the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thy own flesh? Nothing is more agreeable to the nature of God, and renders us more conformable to the excellencies of that most perfect pattern, than the exercife of beneficence and goodnefs. The divine nature is goodness itself; and his bountiful kindness extends itfelf perpetually over all his works. This is the attribute which he principally delights to exercife; and in which, of all others, he most expects and requires we should imitate him. Our Saviour in all his difcourfes propofes this example to us to follow; and frequently repeats it, that hereby only we can truly become the children of our Father which is in heaven. Some portions at least of what - we enjoy are due to God, as an acknowledgment of our dependence upon him for the whole; and inftead of coftly facrifices and burnt-offerings to himself, he requires only that we be willing to relieve the neceffities of men like ourselves: and he feems in the wifdom of his providence to have made a very unequal diftribution of the bleffings of this life, on purpose that we might have continual opportunities of paying this reasonable homage to him, according to our refpective abilities. He undoubtedly defigned the good things of this world, not for the gratification of a few of his creatures, but for the bencfit of all. And he hath divided them unequally amongst us: not that one part of the human race should fink under mifery and want, and the other look down with contempt upon them: but that pity and gratitude should be mutually exercised, and the pleasure of doing and receiving good felt among men: that the poor should be ferviceable to the rich; they, in return, kind to the poor; and both united in the bonds of mutual good-will, from a fenfe of their mutual dependency. It is the return he principally expects from us for all the benefits that he has done unto us. This he declares he will accept as the beft expreffion of our love towards him.

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With refpect to our neighbour, the obligations we are under to practise this excellent duty are likewise great and many. The inducements we have to spects our relieve the miferies and promote the good of our neighbour. fellow-creatures are, God be thanked, both many in number and of various kinds. Our hearts naturally incline us to it: our reafon approves of it as right. The more benevolent difpofition we are of, the truer peace we have within, and the greater capacity of focial happiness, the sweetest part of the enjoyment of life. Willingness to do good is always rewarded with the esteem of mankind; and felfishness of temper is the constant object of every one's avertion. We have frequent experience in ourselves, what fuffering is; and are therefore inexcufable, if we overlook it in others. We live in a world, where, if it was not for the exercise of mercy and pity, the face of things would look dreadful with miferable objects; and the multitudes of perfons driven to despair make society unfafe. Befides, we know the viciffitudes of human affairs; and are nearly concerned to encourage by our example that spirit of goodness and compaffion, which we or ours may, on one occafion or other, eafily come to have great need of. We are all partakers of the fame common nature, and are therefore under the fame ties of common humanity. We are all fubject to the same infirmities, all liable to fall under the fame misfortunes, all obnoxious to the fame wants; and therefore have all of us reason to exercise that compaffion which no man knows but he may stand in need of himself. God has in the whole an equal regard to all his creatures; but in the present state has made an unequal distribution of temporal bleffings, that one man's abundance should supply another man's want, that there may be an equality, that the wants and neceffities of all may be proportionably fupplied.

With refpect to our felves, it is almost as natural for us to feel an agreeable fatisfaction and inexpreffible As it repleasure of mind, upon fatisfying an hungry foul pets ourwith bread, or cloathing the naked with a gar- felves. ment; as it is for them to be pleased with the fenfe of their being relieved from these natural wants. On the contrary,

what pleasure, what benefit is there in the poffeffion of those good things, which after fupplying our own neceffities, and making reasonable provifion for our families, are laid up as useless and unprofitable fuperfluities, if we intend only to secure ourselves against future contingencies? A reafonable provifion of this kind is neither contrary to religion, nor inconfiftent with charity; but, beyond this, an unbounded defire of heaping up great riches is by no means fo very advantageous in this very refpect, as a charitable difpenfing them in wife proportions would be. For fuch is the inftability of all temporal things, that no man can ever befo happy as to be out of the reach of misfortune. Before God, the best of men are finners; and there are but few, whofe converfations with men have been fo inoffenfive as not to deferve fevere returns; and how profperous foever aman's circumftances may be, the next turn of affairs may tumble him headlong into wretchednefs. Since therefore every man may be miferable, what can be more juft than to deal with them that are fo, as we would be dealt by, if we were in the fame circumftances? Confequently it is highly reasonable that every one should give and afk by the fame measures or allowances. Because, as we are equal by nature, whatfoever is fit for one must be fit for another in the like condition. It is either not fit that I fhould defire relief, when miferable; or elfe it is fit, that I should grant relief to others, when they are fo: which if I refufe, I condemn myfelfeither for being unreafonable in defiring charity when I need it, or for being unjust in denying when I am afked charity by thofe whom I am able to relieve. We know not how foon riches may be fnatched from us, by numberless unforeseen accidents; or we may as fuddenly be taken from them, and our fouls be required of us this very night. In this cafe no other part of them will be really beneficial to us, but that by which works of charity have been before lent to the Lord, who in the life to come will repay it again. And even in refpect of our continuance in this prefent world, that which has been well laid out in doing good to mankind, has a greater probability of turning to our advantage even here (confidering the variety of accidents all huInan affairs are fubject to) than that which may have been covetously

covetously treasured up. If I fhould want relief, with what face can I expect it, who am deaf to the wants of the poor? If I will fhew no compaffion, I must take heed that I never need any for it will be very unreasonable to expect it; becaufe by my unmerciful treatment of others, I fet an example against myself, where it would be impudence in me to plead for mercy either in heaven or on earth.

If we give alms out of mercy and compaffion, we must do it chearfully for God loveth a chearful giver. By Manner of compaffion we make others miseries our own, and almsgiving. byrelieving them we relieve ourselves, and are partakers with them in the comfort. Is it not a matter of great Chearfully. pleasure and delight to fee the joy which a seasonable benefaction brings to one in diftrefs? And when I fee a man groaning under neceffity, if I relieve him, I refresh my own bowels, and nature within me melts into compaflion. Therefore when we bestow our alms with an unwilling mind,. it is not charity but shame or importunity that moves us; and there is no virtue in them, nor can we expect any reward. To contribute towards another's relief, because I am ashamed to do otherwise, is rather paying a tax than giving alms: and when nothing can be wrung out of me, but what is diftrained by importunity, I gave not for the poor's relief, but for my own quiet, as he did who neither feared God nor man.

Such a one will be fo far from being difcouraged in his works of mercy by the vain and impious fear of The vain impoverishing himself thereby, that he will still a- and impious bound more and more in charity, upon a due con- fear of imfideration that altho' this hazard were never fo ap- ourjelves by poverishing parent, yet it is the command of God. Do not it. men reft very well fatisfied in their condition, and look upon themselves to be fafe enough from want, if they have fecurity given them by fome wealthy friend, that he will always fupply their need and support them? And has not the charitable man this fecurity given him by God himself, who bids men to trust in him, and to do good, with this affurance, that fuch fhall dwell in the land and be fed ?

We must give feafonably: not but that all times Give feasonmay be thought seasonable to relieve the poor; ably.

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yet there are particular seasons when their wants call louder; as times of ficknefs, fcarceness of work, dearnefs of provifions, or on arrefts, before the prifon hath devoured them, or after a great loss, when their fortunes are dwindling away. When children are young, and capable of work or inftruction, and parents not able to difpofe of them; when the placing them out to fome honeft calling may prevent their turning thieves or beggars, and render them ufeful to the world; or when they are fetting up their trades with an infufficient stock, and a little help may encourage their diligence, and advance them to a corafortable livelihood: thefe are the more proper feafons of almsgiving, in which, by our helping hand, we may rescue many a poor wretch out of deplorable mifery, and render their future condition profperous and happy.

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Whenever it is in our power to practise this duty of almfHow to be giving, it ought to be performed with a merciful practifed. intention; not to court the applauses of men, or to ferve any fecular defigns; but to exprefs our gratitude and duty to God, who has filled us with an overflowing plenty for that very reason, to do good therewith. If we give our alms to ferve a worldly intereft, they proceed from felf-love; and such pharifaical alms are fordid traffick for applause and intereft: and our Saviour cautions us to take heed that we do not our alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise we have no reward of our Father which is in heaven. Neither are we to give that in alms which is none of our juft gain. own, fuppofing it hath a rightful owner, to whom we can make a reftitution; but where there is no vifible owner, the property reverts to the hands of the fupreme Lord of the world, who hath settled it as a penfion on our poor brethren. To feek after and exact unlawful gains, which we are obliged in justice to restore to the rightful owners, is to make ourfelves the thieves, and the poor the receivers; iffuch practices are done with a view to gather riches for fuch purposes: for to give away any man's right to fupply another's ditor's fub- neceffity, is not fo much an alms as a robbery, in the fight of God. And debtors are obliged in conscience not to difable themfelves from being juft to their creditors, by being merciful to fuch as are in need.

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