God hath interwoven in our nature powerful instincts, which admonith us continually of this obligation and yet hath admonished us of it again by express words of scripture. If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel *. But then it must be observed, that providing plainly appears from the context, and from the use of the word in other places, to mean in this, not, laying up for them without end still more and more, which is often no duty at all; but, maintaining them properly out of what we have, which is always an important duty. And even, where both these things are needful, both may be done; and much room left, in large fortunes especially, for acts of beneficence to others. But here now is one instance, how easy it is to make plausible excuses for neglecting plain precepts. What plea can look fairer, than making provision for those who are united to us by blood or affinity? And who can fix the bounds of that provifion for another person's family? Yet bounds there are, beyond which we cannot really increase their happiness; nay, beyond which we ought not to confult their interests. The duty of taking care to put them in good circumstances is but one of many, concerning the disposal of our income: and if it be carried farther, than is fairly confiftent with the rest, great wickedness may be committed under colour of it, and often hath been. Another ground of preference in doing good is friendship: which indeed we are not bound to contract with any one: but when it is contracted, (and we find our Saviour himself had his beloved disciple) the ties of it are by no means to be difregarded. Friendship, when strict, comprehends a tacit agreement and covenant between those who enter into it to look upon the concerns of each other in a great measure as their Mere intimacy of acquaintance is a lower fort of friendship. Cultivating both forts by mutual kind offices contributes very much to the enjoyment of life: and may contribute to the improvement of each party in knowledge and goodness, as well as to the advancement of their worldly prosperity. Others, it must be supposed, have their own friends zealous for them; and we are to have a proper zeal for ours. Not but that one, who was unknown to us before, may often, if own. *1 Tim. v. &. if his merit or want be confiderably greater, justly expect, that we should give him the preference. And it is no less blameable, than common, to promote the interests of those, with whom we are connected, beyond reasonable bounds: raifing them to stations, perhaps of confequence, for which they are not qualified; and depreffing, for that end, others, who have pretenfions far better founded. Such friendships are plain confederacies against equity and public good. And if this be true, even in the case of real and well-chofen friends, much more strongly doth it hold in that of mere favourites, whom we have adopted from arbitrary fancy, or liking to their obsequious behaviour. For indeed worthy characters will feldom condescend to the meanesses requifite for gaining and preferving immoderate degrees of fondness. But were that otherwise, private partialities ought never to take place of reason and justice. When they do, it is false good nature, and gross iniquity. A third title to peculiar regard, is that which perfons acquire by having done us favours. We are in strictness the debtors of those to whom we have obligations: and should always be contriving to make as prompt payment, with as large interest, as possible. It is perhaps one of the heaviest discouragements to useful and kind actions and undertakings, that a suitable return for them is so seldom made. The hopes of gratitude prompt even the selsish to many obliging deeds, of which they would not otherwise have thought. And the exercise of gratitude propagates and multiplies new kindnesses continually. We should therefore treasure it in our memories, that if the inequality of other circumstances be not very con fiderable, we are always to do good, where we have received it. Yet still, when there would be any shocking impropriety in this, we must excuse ourselves for the present, and make the speediest and fullest amends, that we can, some other way. But befides those, who have a right to the especial notice of fome, there are others peculiarly intitled to the compaffion of all. And the first rank of these consists of fuch, as the scripture calls, in a spiritual sense, wretched and miferable, and poor and blind and naked *: who are wholly or nearly destitute of Christian faith and hope, and ignorant of the indifpenfible R2 rules • Rev. iii. 17. i rules of life. Multitudes there are of such, even in this enlightened nation: and multitudes more, who can scarce help knowing their duty, live in almost a total disregard to it. Now their cafe is the fadder, as it gives little concern to the generality of other persons, and perhaps none at all to themselves. Yet their feet go down to death, their steps take hold on hell *. Therefore, as parents are chiefly bound to fee, that there be none such amongst their children'; masters and miftresses, to look after them in their families, and ministers in their parishes; so all people are bound in proportion to think, what they can do likewife towards causing the glorious light of the gospel to shine into the hearts of men t. Of temporal claims to the kindness of all without diftinction, the principal constant one is undoubtedly that of poverty: especially when fickness or lofsses happen, or work is scarce, or seasons rigorous, or provisions dear, and many mouths to be filled. They indeed who prefer an idle and vagabond life of beggary before honest labour, ought not to be encouraged in it by relief, but abandoned to the wretchedness, which they chuse. The law of God passes sentence on them, If any one will not work, neither let him eat: and the law of the land corrects them justly for the needless weight, which they hang upon society. Nay, such as cannot now labour, if they have brought themselves into straits by debauchery, negligence or extravagance, though they must have fome, yet it should be a sparing maintenance, unless deep repentance plead in their favour. But the distresses of those, who are brought low without their own fault, and have striven to fupport themselves as long as they could, should be alleviated with the tenderest pity. Especially, if they be friendless, as well as helpless, this makes the height of a compaffionable cafe. A man in this fituation may nominally have many and able friends; yet if they will take no competent care of him, he is to be confidered as really having none: and their neglecting him is far from being a reason, why others should do likewife. We may indeed alledge, to excuse our 'parfimony towards the poor, that we are afraid of impostures, and of throwing away our charity. But then why will we not, where there is any likelihood of truth, make inquiry? Believing every one, to be fure, is feeding the unworthy with what the deferving ought to have. But refolving to disbelieve every one is a mean contrivance to spare our money, which both God and man will fee through. Very poffibly, after our best care, we máy sometimes be deceived. But the more danger there is that many of our endeavours to do good may fail, the more care we ought to use, that some part however may fucceed: imitating the wisdom of the husbandman, who commits to the earth perhaps more than double of the corn that he expects to bear fruit; and observing, that under a fimilar image, the fcripture hath expressly given this very injunction. In the morning fow thy feed, and in the evening withhold not thine band: for thou knowest not, whether shall profper either this or that; or whether they both shall be alike good. But one thing we certainly know, that all attempts, directed by our beft judgment to the benefit of others, will at least benefit ourselves. For they will improve in us by exercise a merciful difpofition; and recommend us to his approbation, who gracioufly accepts the will for the deed. Every way of doing good hath some advantage, peculiar to itself: but relieving the distressed poor hath many confiderable ones. Uneasiness is much more stronger felt, than fatisfaction: 'and therefore taking away pain is making a greater change for the better, than adding pleasure. Besides, there is oftener room for it: and it is commonly fooner done, and at less expence. Bestowing what would scarce make one in moderately good circumftances happier at all, would give comfort and joy to great numbers of the indigent. And further still, the fufferings of the poor are true and real: the wants of others are frequently imaginary, and on several accounts unfit to be fupplied. But though poverty, I mean when joined with fobriety and industry, hath the strongest title to our regard; yet the two. latter alone, though accompanied with no distress, greatly merit countenance and favour. Frugality and diligence in a lawful calling are hopeful marks of an honest mind. And it would be very hard, that they, who do their best, should for want of encouragement, fail to thrive and rise: especially confidering, that, while they labour for themselves, they labour for the public too. 1. • Eccl. xi. 6. Thefe These good qualities are yet more deserving of notice when they are adorned by knowledge and skill. For not only every thing valuable ought to have its value properly acknowledged; but prefering persons of less abilities to others of greater, may occafion many to fuffer by their ignorance: and it disheartens men from attempts of excelling, to which they should always be excited. But the highest fort of merit, beyond comparison, is that which the apostle singles out in the text, to recommend by the expreffion of the household of faith. All good Christians, being through the grace of God conformed to his likeness, and adopted by him to be heirs of salvation, are therefore, when taken separately, called the children of their heavenly Father; when jointly, his family or household. And there being no admittance into this family, or continuance in it, but by such a belief of religion, as produces an uniform practice of it, therefore it is called the household of faith. And one reafon for directing the primitive Christians to do good, especially to their brethren in the faith, probably was, because the generality of them were of the poorer fort, and yet were least likely to meet with assistance from others: their heathen neighbours being offended by the fingularity of their notions, and condemned by the strictness of their lives: on which account it was very needful, that the rich members of their own communion should confider them in the first place. But another main reafon doubtless was, that Christians were, what the design of christianity is to make them, more religious and virtuous than other men, and therefore bound to treat one another as being fo. They were to prefer a fellow-believer in their benefactions, not only for belonging to the fame body, but because the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour * And this points out a way for us also, though the household of faith, in outward profeffion and appearance, is of equal extent with our country, to observe however the spirit and intent of the apostle's precept, by making it one great rule of all our charities, to be most liberal to the truest Christians; that is, the most pious and virtuous and honest persons. In this sense his direction is so extremely reasonable and important, that the heathen Emperor Julian, writing, 300 years after, to the heathen high priest of these very Galatians, to whom this epistle • Prov. xii. 26. |