when it is more than could be expected from us, our charity should be private, if privacy be practicable; when it is not more than might be expected, it may be public: for we cannot hope to influence others to the imitation of extraordinary generofity, and therefore want, in the former cafe, the only justifiable reason for making it public.

Having thus defcribed feveral different exertions of charity, it may not be improper to take notice of a fpecies of liberality, which is not charity in any fenfe of the word: I mean the giving of entertainments or liquor, for the fake of popularity; or the rewarding, treating, and maintaining, the companions of our diverfions, as hunters, shooters, fishers, and the like. I do not say that this is criminal: I only say that it is not charity; and that we are not to suppofe, because we give, and give to the poor, that it will stand in the place, or fuperfede the obligation, of more meritorious and difinterested bounty.

III. The pretences by which men excufe themfelves from giving to the poor.

I." That they have nothing to fpare," i. e. nothing, for which they have not provided fome other use; nothing, which their plan of ex

pence,

pence, together with the favings they have refolved to lay by, will not exhauft: never reflecting whether it be in their power, or that it is their duty to retrench their expences, and contract their plan, "that they may have to give "to them that need;" or rather that this ought to have been part of their plan originally.

2. "That they have families of their own, “ and that charity begins at home." The extent of this plea will be confidered, when we come to explain the duty of parents.

3. "That charity does not confist in giving money, but in benevolence, philanthropy, "love to all mankind, goodness of heart, &c." Hear St. James. "If a brother or fifter be "naked, and deftitute of daily food, and one of

st

you say unto them, depart in peace, be you "warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye give "them not those things which are needful to the body, "what doth it profit?" (James ii. 15, 16.)

4. "That giving to the poor is not mentioned "in St. Paul's defcription of charity, in the "thirteenth chapter of his first Epistle to the "Corinthians.' This is not a description of charity, but of good-nature; and it is not neceffary that every duty be mentioned in every place.

VOL. I.

S

5.

"That

5. "That they pay the poor rates." They might as well allege that they pay their debts; ' for the poor have the fame right to that portion of a man's property, which the laws affign them, that the man himfelf has to the remainder.

6. "That they employ many poor persons :" -for their own fake, not the poor's-otherwise it is a good plea.

7. "That the poor do not fuffer fo much as "we imagine; that education and habit have re"conciled them to the evils of their condition, " and make them cafy under it." Habit can never reconcile human nature to the extremities of cold, hunger, and thirst, any more than it can reconcile the hand to the touch of a red-hot iron: befides, the queftion is not, how unhappy any one is, but how much more happy we can make him.

8. "That thefe people, give them what you "will, will never thank you, or think of you for it." In the first place, this is not true: in the fecond place, it was not for the fake of their thanks that you relieved them.

on.

9. "That we are liable to be impofed up

If a due inquiry be made, our merit is the fame befide that, the diftrefs is generally real, whatever has been the cause of it.

3

IO. "That

IO.

"That they should apply to their "parishes." This is not always practicable: to which we may add, that there are many requifites to a comfortable fubfiftence, which parish relief does not always fupply; and that there are fome, who would fuffer almost as much from receiving parish relief, as by the want of it; and laftly, that there are many modes of charity, to which this answer does not relate at all.

II.

"That giving money encourages idleness "and vagrancy.” This is true only of injudicious and indifcriminate generofity.

12. "That we have too many objects of charity at home, to bestow any thing upon strang66 ers; or that there are other charities, which are more useful, or stand in greater need." The value of this excufe depends entirely upon the fact, whether we actually relieve those neighbouring objects, and contribute to those other charities.

Befide all these excufes, pride, or prudery, or delicacy, or love of eafe, keep one half of the world out of the way of obferving what the other half fuffer.

By anger, I mean the pain we fuffer upon the receipt of an injury or affront, with the ufual effects of that pain upon ourselves.

By revenge, the inflicting of pain upon the perfon who has injured or offended us, farther than the juft ends of punishment or reparation require.

Anger prompts to revenge; but it is poffible to fufpend the effect, when we cannot altogether quell the principle. We are bound alfo to endeavour to qualify and correct the principle itself. So that our duty requires two different applications of the mind: and for that reafon anger and revenge may be confidered feparately.

CHAP.