SERM. Certainty) that he has fuch a Principle: XII. And it is a material Obfervation, which

may still give us a deeper Senfe of the Goodness and Wisdom of God in framing our Nature, that we are more paffionately and feelingly affected to behold the extreme Anguish of a Perfon that is even a Stranger to us, than we are to fee the Happiness of one that is indifferent to us. We are more apt in this Cafe to weep with them that weep, than we are in the other to rejoice with them that do rejoice. Now the Reason, why God has given us more quick and vigorous Touches of Compaffion in the one Cafe, than of Joy in the other, is plainly this; it is more in our Power to relieve Diftrefs, than it is to promote Happiness. When a Perfon has had fome confiderable Succefs, our hearty Congratulation is in a great measure, if not altogether, ufelefs and unavailing; he has already gained his Point, and our Joy will add little or nothing to his. But when we fee a Perfon in Distress, a quick and pungent Senfe of his Pains is of great Ufe to him: It prompts us immediately to relieve him, or to follicit his Relief; and, in relieving him, we in fome Senfe relieve ourfelves. Reafon, however noble a Principle, is like Old-Age; too flow, languid and unrefolving: But the Paffions, like Youth, when they are heartily interested, fet every Engine at Work;

and

XII.

and leave nothing unattempted to compafs SER M. their End. Whoever then thou art, whofe Heart is hardened and waxed grofs, put thyfelf in the Room of fome poor unfriended Wretch, befet perhaps with a large Family; broken with Miferies, and pining with Poverty; his Mind as it were bleeding inwards, while filent Grief, like a Worm at the Core, preys upon his Vitals: In fuch a Cafe what wouldeft Thou think it reafonable thy rich Neighbours fhould do?

that they, like the Priest and Levite in the Gospel, fhould look on Thee with an Eye of Indifference, and then pass by on the other Side regardless? or that, like the good Samaritan, they fhould pour Balm, into thy wounded Spirit? Be thyfelf the Judge, and whatever thou shalt think reasonable thy Neighbour fhould do unto Thee, in fuch a Situation; go now, and do likewife unto them. Make the Cafe of the Poor your own, and then confider how much you would, or might with Reason, expect from the Rich and Eafy, and then give accordingly.

2. The fecond Motive is the Pleafure of Benevolence:

The Reason and Foundation of Charity, the principal End and Defign of Almsgiving, looks not more at the Relief of the Indigent, than at the training Men up to mutual Love and Good-will, in order to qualify

U 2

XII.

SER M. Certainty) that he has fuch a Principle: And it is a material Obfervation, which may ftill give us a deeper Senfe of the Goodness and Wisdom of God in framing our Nature, that we are more paffionately and feelingly affected to behold the extreme Anguish of a Perfon that is even a Stranger to us, than we are to fee the Happiness of one that is indifferent to us. We are more apt in this Cafe to weep with them that weep, than we are in the other to rejoice with them that do rejoice. Now the Reason, why God has given us more quick and vigorous Touches of Compaffion in the one Cafe, than of Joy in the other, is plainly this ; it is more in our Power to relieve Diftrefs, than it is to promote Happiness. When a Perfon has had fome confiderable Succefs, our hearty Congratulation is in a great measure, if not altogether, ufelefs and unavailing; he has already gained his Point, and our Joy will add little or nothing to his. But when we fee a Perfon in Diftrefs, a quick and pungent Senfe of his Pains is of great Ufe to him: It prompts us immediately to relieve him, or to follicit his Relief; and, in relieving him, we in fome Senfe relieve ourselves. Reafon, however noble a Principle, is like Old-Age; too flow, languid and unrefolving: But the Paffions, like Youth, when they are heartily interested, fet every Engine at Work;

and

and leave nothing unattempted to compafs SER M. their End. Whoever them thou art, whofe XII. Heart is hardened and waxed grofs, put thyself in the Room of fome poor unfriended Wretch, befet perhaps with a large Family; broken with Miferies, and pining with Poverty; his Mind as it were bleeding inwards, while filent Grief, like a Worm at the Core, preys upon his Vitals: In fuch a Cafe what wouldeft Thou think it reafonable thy rich Neighbours fhould do? -that they, like the Prieft and Levite in the Gospel, fhould look on Thee with an Eye of Indifference, and then pass by on the other Side regardless? or that, like the good Samaritan, they fhould pour Balm into thy wounded Spirit? Be thyfelf the Judge, and whatever thou shalt think reasonable thy Neighbour fhould do unto Thee, in fuch a Situation; go now, and, do likewife unto them. Make the Cafe of the Poor your own, and then confider how much you would, or might with Reafon, expect from the Rich and Eafy, and then give accordingly.

2. The fecond Motive is the Pleasure of Benevolence.

The Reason and Foundation of Charity, the principal End and Design of Almsgiving, looks not more at the Relief of the Indigent, than at the training Men up to mutual Love and Good-will, in order to U 2 qualify

SERM.

qualify them for Heaven. Mean and illiXII. beral is the Man, whofe Soul, the Good of himself can intirely fill and ingrofs. True Benevolence, extenfive as the Light of the Sun, takes in all Mankind. It is not indeed in your Power to fupport all the Incurable and Aged; it is not in your Power to train up in the Paths of Virtue feveral helpless, friendless, fatherlefs Children. But if, as far as the Compafs of your Power reaches, nothing is hid from the Heat of your Bounty, and, where your Power falls short, you are cordially affected to fee the Work done by others, or heartily forry to fee it is not done: Thofe Charities which you could not do, nay which were never done, will be placed to your Account. To grafp thus the whole Syftem of Reasonable Beings with an overflowing Love, is to be— what fhall I call it? it is to be almost infinitely good- -it is at least to make as near Approaches as poffible to infinite Goodness. And can there be any Thing more tranfporting than to poffefs this humane, this God-like Quality? Yes, the Pleasure rifes higher, if our Abilities be great, as well as our Inclination. What can affect a generous Soul more, than to make Mifery and Woe vanifh before him, like Darkness before the Light; to raise a Heart that was finking beneath the Weight of Grief? To brighten up that Countenance, which was

overcaft