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in order to promote that Reverence to the SERM. I. Deity which is the Bafis of all Virtue.

No Man, of whatever Order or Condition in Life, can think himself unconcerned in the Duty of Charity considered in this View; and though this be not the principal Point under our present Confideration, yet it may help to direct us in that which is fo, and is our firft Enquiry; namely,

Ift, Who are the Persons within the Obligations of this Duty, as reftrained to the Relief of the Helpless, the Sick and the Needy, &c.

One would think we fhould need few Arguments to perfuade the Great, the Opulent, and the Able, to prefent themselves the foremost in this Rank, and to undertake the principal Share in this Duty. They are Stewards, it is true, and must give an Account: but happy fure is the Steward when his Truft is of such a Nature, that the more freely he difpenfes, the more faithful he fhall be accounted: When the Merit of his Liberality fhall be placed, not to his Mafter's, but to his own Account: When the Prayers of the Poor fhall draw down him the Praise and Reward of his Lord. B 2 This

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SERM. I.

This too is a Virtue whereof one would hope They would be inclined to fhew themfelves more eminent Patterns; because as their Station fits them peculiarly for it, fo it denies them the Occafions of practising many Virtues of another Sort. They meet with few Affronts, or Injuries, or Oppreffions to employ the Virtues of Meeknefs, Forgiveness and Patience: They experience but little of hard Fortune, lefs of hard Labour, and nothing at all of the Distreffes of Poverty, Hunger, and Cold and Nakednefs, to call forth the Virtues of Patience and Refignation and an humble Reliance on Providence.

Now what more proper Method of fupplying the Abfence of thefe Virtues in themfelves than by extending their Charity to those very Perfons who do practise them,

by letting Their Bounty render the Practice of them fomewhat more easy-by allowing themselves to become, in some Measure, the Inftruments in God's Hand of rewarding them?

Their Good Deeds then ought to bear Proportion to their Abilities. GOD, who is the Fountain-Head of every good Gift, has made Them the Channels whereby He intends

intends to convey His Bleffings to Mankind. SERM. I. Their Charity may begin at Home; but after the Stream of it has watered their own Garden, they ought not to confine it there; but let it flow abroad to enrich the neighbouring Soil, and to difpenfe Plenty and Fruitfulness all around.

This is so agreeable to the common Notions of Mankind, that Every-Body condemns the mean and fordid Spirit of that Wretch; who, though God has bleffed Him with Abundance, and confequently with a Power of bleffing others, is yet relentless to the Cries of thofe who have nothing to plead for them but, what is the moft powerful Pleader with every generous Mind, extreme Mifery: and have nothing to return but their Prayers; Prayers, poured forth from the Fulness of a grateful Heart. They look with Abhorrence upon a Man, who is ever amaffing Riches without laying any Thing out in Charitable Ufes; as greedy as the Sea, and as barren as the Shore.

Numbers, it is true, think they have done enough in declaiming against the Practice of fuch Perfons: for upon the Great and Opulent they think the whole Burden

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SERM. 1. Burden of this Duty ought to reft: but for Themselves, they being of fomewhat a lower Class, they defire to be excufed. Their Circumstances, they fay, are but just easy; juft fufficient to answer the Demands of their Families, and their own neceffary Expences; and therefore they plead utter Inability, and expect to be totally exempted from the Performance of this Duty. But,

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before this Excufe will be of any Avail, it behoves them to confider; whether they do not indulge themselves in Expences unfuitable to their Rank and Condition; such as Luxury, Gaming, or other prodigal Diverfions. If this be the Cafe, it is no flight Matter to wafte that Fortune in Idleness and Riot, which fhould make them Feet to the Lame, and Eyes to the Blind; as Father to the Orphan, and as a Hufband to the Widow. It is no flight Matter to fquander away That which, if rightly used, would purchase for them the most valuable Treasures; Treasures in Heaven: but, if abused in unneceffary Expences or finful Intemperance, lays a Weight upon the Soul, which will make them as dead to all Sentiments of Piety, as they are to those of Charity.

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Competency will be a Word of much too SERM. I. large a Signification, if we are to underftand by it Supplies for coftly Eating and Drinking; Supplies for high Enjoyment of Life; for Retinue and Equipage. Imaginary Wants are boundless, and Charity muft never begin if it is poftponed till these have an End.

He, it is true, is worse than an Infidel, who does not provide for his Family: but it is as true, that our Family ought not to engrofs all our Subftance exclufively of the Poor, who have a Right; even God's Right. For fome Part of what we have is due to God as an Acknowledgment that we derive from Him the Whole: and God has made the Poor His Substitutes.

I know not whether feveral of the inferior Sort may not have taken up a Notion, that They have nothing to do in the Works of Charity a Notion very falfe, and withal very dangerous. Rich and Poor are equally concerned in the Duty, but in Proportion to their Circumstances. And he that has Little is as ftrictly bound to give fomething out of that Little, as he that has more is obliged to give more. According to that of Tobit: If thou hast Abundance, give

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