SERM. I.

tune; but he has too little Spirit truly to relish and enjoy it, by communicating it to others. For Joy like Light grows greater by being communicated: and that Happinefs, which is folitary, is but Happiness by Halves. And if, as our Saviour fays, it is more bleffed to give than to receive, then you are to look upon him who afks, and deferves your Charity, as your greatest Benefactor. He that brings you an Opportunity of doing Good, fubftantial Good, in Effect obliges you; he brings you what is far more valuable, and more valued by every good Man, than the Gold and Silver which you part with to him. To be rich in good Works is the most lasting Riches.

But this brings me to the laft Motive which at present I fhall fuggeft for our Charity, which is,

3. Thirdly, The Recompence of the Reward.

We are all, Rich and Poor, travelling to one Country; and we should not fcruple to accommodate our indigent Fellow-Travellers with Neceffaries on the Road, when we are fure of being repaid at our Journey's End with an immenfe Reward. And remember that at the last Day, the great Question

Question will not be, whether you have SERM. I. been negatively good, whether you have done no Harm? but, what Good you have done? What Hungry ye have fed? What Sick ye bave vifited? The Rich-Man in the Gospel is not charged with injuring any Perfon, or defrauding his Neighbour. The only Fault recorded is, that he fared fumptuously every Day, while Lazarus lay at bis Gate perishing for Want of common Neceffaries. He was One of that Set of Men, a numerous Set, who are very hospitable to those that do not want, and very unfriendly to those that do.

This then was his Crime; and yet the next Report that we have of him is; that in Hell be lift up his Eyes, being in Torments. A melancholy and fhocking Confideration to those who have this World's Goods, and yet shut up their Bowels of Compaffion against their Brethren in Distress.

Our Saviour has made the Poor his Reprefentatives: Inafmuch as ye have done it to the leaft of my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. And Solomon fays, He that giveth unto the Poor, lendeth unto the Lord. Charity is then a Treasure transferred to Heaven. It beftows on the Receiver the Comforts

SERM. I. Comforts of this Life; and on the Giver the Glories of another.

It is the laft Thing I fhould believe, that the Man who acted by a Principle of Obedience to his Maker, has cherished each generous and liberal Movement of the Soul, with a Head ever-ftudious to contrive, a Heart ever-willing to promote, and Hands ever-active to distribute to, the Good of his Fellow-Creatures, fhould notwithstanding be doomed to be an Affociate for ever of thofe accurfed Spirits, in a Place where Benevolence never sheds it's kindly Beams: But Malice and Anguish, and Blackness of Darkness reign for evermore.

No: the Riches that we have given away will remain with us for ever. Charity never faileththe fame Habit of Love which we have begot and confirmed by many repeated Acts of Kindness will accompany us into another World. When we have shewn Mercy to our Fellow-Creatures we may fafely expect it from our Creator.

To whom, &c.

SERMON

SERMON II.

The Chriftian Life a progreffive

State.

PROV. IV. 18.

The Path of the Just is as the Shining Light; fhining more and more unto the perfect Day.

A

Great many, and fome too who call SERM. II,
themselves Philofophers (who, by
the Way, never underftood the

true End of Living) have represented hu-
man Life, as a dull Bufinefs not worth a
Man's Care; where the fame Things.come
over and over again, like a Tale that is
told: Which, however entertaining it
may appear while it is new; yet, by
frequent Repetitions, at last becomes per-
fectly tedious and infipid. The Confe-
quence of which has been, that many,
viewing the Picture in this difagreeable
Light,

.D 2

SER. II. Light, have been inclined to throw off all Concern about it; any farther than to arrive at a secure Indolence of Body, and a peaceful Tranquillity, or rather Infenfibility of Mind; to fhut out all Reflexion any farther than just to remedy or remove fuch Inconveniences, as the common Accidents of Life may occafionally produce: And others, loathing the fame Viands so often ferved up, or fretted and foured by the many Croffes and Calamities intailed upon this imperfect State, have, as ridiculoufly as rafhly, put an End to their Being.

And true it is, that the Lives of too many have been but one barren Circle, to which they have been as it were inchanted, going round and round continually; ever in Motion, but never ridding any Ground. But though many may have made Life a dull Round of infignificant Actions, yet no. Man had ever Occafion to make it fo. It is fo indeed to Brutes, which foon 'arrive at that Pitch of Perfection which is allotted to their Nature: where they muft stop short, without a Poffibility of going any farther. Senfe, which is the highest natural Power they have, moves in a narrow Sphere; it's Objects in Comparison