SERMON XIV.
Motives to Charity and
Beneficence.

377

HEB. X. 24.

Let us confider one another, to provoke to Love and to good Works.

IF

SERM.

F it be at all needful to make a Dif tinction between Love and good XIV. Works, let it only be obferv'd, That by Love is to be understood that Affection or Difpofition of Mind, which inclines and prompts Men to Works of Kindnefs and Charity; and by good Works are fignified thofe Acts of Beneficence which flow from Love. So that the Love and the good Works here spoken of, differ

XIV.

differ from one another no otherwise than

SERM. as a Caufe and its natural Effect; as a Principle, and that which is deriv'd from it; as a Fountain and its Streams, or as a Tree and its Fruits.

IT hath been doubted by fome, whe ther Works of Charity done out of Love to our Neighbour, and Commiferation of his Cafe, be acceptable to Almighty God. The Reason alledg'd for this Doubt is, That in order to render any Work accep table to God, it is necessary that it be done in Obedience to his exprefs Will and Command. But that this is a needlefs Scruple is evident from hence, That brotherly Love and Affection are themfelves ftrictly commanded by God, and perfectly agreeable to his Will; wherefore alfo thofe Acts of Mercy, to which we are regularly excited by Love and Compaffion, must be agreeable to his Will, and deem'd as perform'd in Obe dience to Him, and confequently must be acceptable to Him. He hath planted in us those tender Affections of Love and Pity, on purpose that they might move

and

and ftir us up to Acts of Benevolence and Mercy; and He cannot but be well pleas'd when those Paffions, which He himself hath rooted in our Nature, are effectual to those useful Purposes for which He defign'd them. The Voice of Nature, of pure and uncorrupt Nature, is the Voice of God; and to obey that, is to obey God himself. When the fame Things are enjoyn'd by the written Law of Revelation, and by the unwritten Law of Nature, which is the Case in numberlefs Inftances, Scripture and Reason are then only different Ways of conveying to us the Knowledge of the Divine Will; and if we confcientioufly and honestly fulfil the Divine Command, furely we obey God, and yield an acceptable Service to Him, whether we fulfil it as notified to us by the infpired Penmen of the Holy Scripture, or as difcovered to us by the Light of Nature.

IN fetting forth the Duty of Chriftian Love and Beneficence, I shall have a principal Regard to that Part of it which confifts in diftributing to the Neceffities

of

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XIV.

SERM.

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of the Poor; tho' many Things which I shall deliver will be applicable to the other numerous Branches of Chriftian Charity.

THE Subject is fo very copious, and comprehends under it fuch Variety of Arguments, that it is almoft impoffible to exhauft it. My Difcourfe at this Time fhall be confin'd to the Reasonableness and Equity of this Duty.

In order to convince ourselves of this, let us, Firft, confider who, and what kind of Creature he is, whose Distresses call for our Compaffion and charitable Affiftance. Why truly, no proper Object of Contempt; not one of the lowest Rank or Dignity in the Creation; but a Partaker of the fame Nature with our felves; and every one of human Race is of right noble Extraction, and born to great Things. The Hands of God have formed him, and his Life is a Particle of the Divine Breath. His Body, a curious and admirable Structure, is the Habitation of a Soul endued with wonderful Properties and Powers, and adorn'd with

exquifite Beauties and Perfections, indiffoluble and immortal, next in degree to the Angelic Natures, near of Kin to the Eternal Being, and stamp'd with his Character and Likenefs. How mean and vile foever the Disguise may be in which he appears, he is a Perfon of Heavenly Extraction; his Rags cover the Image of the Deity. He is of that Species of Creatures which God hath crown'd with Glory and Honour above the reft in this vifible World; for whofe Benefit and Ufe the World was made, and under whose Feet the Earth and every living Thing in it are put by Divine Appointment. If our Compaffion be due to Brutes, as it certainly is on many Occafions; if Beafts and Birds are allow'd to have a Share in our Regards; Can it be imagined that he, for whom Beafts and Birds were created, hath no Claim to our Favour?

THE Court of Heaven does not account him beneath their Notice; Angels difdain not to minifter to him. He is the Care of Providence; God himself youch

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XIV.