enjoins, but common reason dictates; and if we are deficient, the poor widow, with her two mites *, will far outdo us in that very virtue, by the practice of which our Maker justly expects we should appear diftinguished.

Nor is it sufficient for the rich to give plentifully, but they must do it, on every fit occafion, speedily; be ready to diftribute, and not stay till the circumstances of the poor are beyond recovery, or their spirits broken under the weight of their misfortunes, but make hafte to help them, and, as far as poffible, prevent distress. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by theet, and delay not to shew bim mercy‡. Nor is it enough to be outwardly expeditious, but we must be inwardly willing to communicate; not part with our benefactions grudgingly and of neceffity, as obeying the divine command merely because we dare not disobey it; for God loveth a chearful giver §. To the poor indeed it is all one from what principle we give, but to us the difference is infinite. In the heart lies all the value. Ever so little will be accepted of heaven, if it proceed from a mind that would gladly have done more; and ever so much will be despised, if we fecretly with we could have saved it. St. Paul's exhortation therefore is of unspeakable importance: He that sheweth mercy, let him do it with chearfulness **. And indeed, what can we have more cause to rejoice in doing? It is very comfortable to think that we are able; it is delightful to think, that by our means the miseries of God's creation are lessened; it is no small fatisfaction to be loved and blessed in this world, but it is the greatest poffible to lay up in store for ourselves a good foundation against the next, that we may lay bold on eternal life ††, and have it said to us by our judge at the Jast day, Well done, good and faithful fervant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord‡‡.

1

SERMON XX.

THE DUTIES OF THE POOR.

MATTH. Xi 5.

And the poor have the gospel preached to them.

THESE words are part of our Saviour's answer to the difciples of John the Baptist, who came to inquire, whether Jesus were himself the Meffiah, or only a prophet commiffioned to foretell his coming. For it appears from the first chapter of St. John's gospel, that many of the Jews expected, befides Elias, another prophet to precede or accompany their great deliverer; mistaking perhaps the prophet described, Deut. xviii. for an attendant of the Meffiah, instead of the Meffiah himself, whom they were apt to confider only in the character of a king. And as Jesus had now manifested himself fome time to the world, without taking this character upon him, it was natural enough for John's disciples to imagine, that perhaps he came in the other only. John himself indeed knew, and probably had told them the contrary; but finding them still defirous of further fatisfaction, was extremely willing they fhould have it and to make the inquiry as easy to them as possible, directs them to propose the question, not in their own name, but in his. On their doing it, Jesus performs in their fight a confiderable number of his usual beneficent miracles, joined, as it should feem, with suitable instructions, and then, without declaring himself expressly, (which he chose, for wife and kind reasons to avoid before the multitude) dismisses them with an answer, taken, the greatest part of it, out of the words of Ifaiah; in which he had foretold, that the Messiah should perform just such miracles, and give just such instructions.

For

For we read, that in that fame hour be cured many of their informities and plagues, and unto many that were blind he gave fight *. Then he anfwered and faid unto them, Go and shew Jobn again those things, which ye do hear and fee. The blind receive their fight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleanfed, and the deaf bear ; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

The prediction of his applying himself peculiarly to instruct the lower part of the world, it is probable, he purposely reserved to the last place; because his doing it, (befides its being the completion of a prophecy) was, though not a miracle, as the last were, yet a fingular proof, both of the humanity of his temper and doctrine, and of his disinterestedness too. For this method was incapable of doing him service, and in fact did him no fimall prejudice with those, who had the power of that nation in their hands. The Jewish teachers and rulers, who were the fame, kept the common fort at a very great distance; and on that, amongst other accounts, were highly reverenced by them. The familiarities therefore, to which Jesus condescended, immediately fet all these against him; and furnished them with an opportunity of representing him and his disciples as equally contemptible. Thus, when their own officers, (whom it feems his difcourses had struck as powerfully as they did the rest of the multitude) could not help applauding him before their faces. Never man spake like this man; their anwer is, Have any of the rulers, or the Pharifees, believed on bim? This people, which knoweth not the law, are curfedt. But indeed the humble and unbiafsed minds of the illiterate are much better judges of truth, when proposed to them, than such as are blinded with learned prejudice, worldly interest, or fenfual pleasures. To the former therefore principally our Saviour vouchsafed his instructions, grieving to fee them fcattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd †; and they, receiving his doctrine into honest and good hearts §, became in great numbers his followers: and at first were almost the only ones he had. For St. Luke tells us, be lifted up his eyes on his difciples and faid, Bleffed be ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. The gospel indeed makes all blessed who receive it,

both by its useful precepts, and its gracious promises; yet the poor especially, as they have most need of those directions and supports in this life, and assurances of happiness in the next, which it communicates. But then, to receive them, they must be not only poor, but his disciples. It is not being in a low condition, but being virtuous and pious in that condition, that intitles persons to God's favour, as it is not being wealthy and great, but making an ill use of wealth and greatness, that provokes his displeasure. So that the happiest or the wretchedest here, may, according as they behave, be infinitely more happy or wretched hereafter. Our Saviour therefore, we find, in St. Matthew expresses himself thus: Blessed are the poor in Spirit*, they, whose dispositions are fuited to their mean circumstances, reasonable and refigned, lowly and fubmiffive.

Preaching the gospel to the poor comprehends therefore, of neceffity, instructing them in the duties, as well as the comforts, belonging to their state. And as our Lord and Master did both, so should his ministers. The duties of the rich and great I have lately recounted, and pressed upon them, very freely from this place. And now, I hope, you, that are the inferior part of the world, will patiently bear, in your turn, the same well-meaning plainness of speech that your betters have borne; and make the proper use of it, as God grant them to do. Under the general term, poor, is contained a confideraable variety of degrees; each therefore, should apply peculiarly to themselves the precepts that peculiarly belong to them, and take no offence at the rest. Of fuch as are common to all, they may all reap the benefit; and the highest may receive some admonition from what is said to the lowest; as it will contribute to regulate, not only their way of thinking and behaving to their inferiors, but their temper and conduct in other respects. For to be poor in spirit, a very different thing from mean-spiritedness, is incumbent on the wealthiest and the nobleft.

1. The first duty to be enjoined you, is contentedness in your poverty. A hard faying, you will be apt to think, when scarce any one is contented in the midst of riches and honours. But the discontent of such, you will own, is without reason. And if it can at all arise from mere humour, without any thing

Matth. v. 3.

thing in fact, to justify it, poffibly yours may be unjustifiable too. In order to try then, whether it be or not, let us confider what ground for complaint, you can alledge.

That fome should have greater plenty than others, is no more a hardship, than that some should have better health or understandings, or longer lives. If there could be a claim of right to any of these things, all men would have an equal claim; but as they are intirely the free gifts of God, he may certainly give them in what proportion he pleases. He hath made fome orders of beings, as we fee with our eyes, much lower than the lowest of men; he hath made others, as we are taught in fcripture, much higher than the highest of men: and doubtless he could have made them unspeakably higher than they are. If then any part of the creation may complain of mere inferiority, every part may complain without end. If any part may complain merely because it fuffers something, no part, that we are acquainted with, is exempt from all fuffering. And amongst other evils, why may not God permit some to feel poverty?

Indeed, without perpetual miracles, how can it be prevented? For fuppofing equality of circumftances were to be established at this very time, it could never fubfift. One perfon would be induftrious and prudent, and mend his affairs; another, negligent, or injudicious, and ruin them. Now that each should poffefs for his own, what his own care and labour hath acquired, is no more than strict justice; that what each dies poffefsed of, should defcend to his own children and relations, preferably to others, is surely but réafonable. And yet from hence will of course follow, by degrees, all the wealth, and all the poverty, that we now fee.

The first Chriftians indeed at Ferusalem had all their poffeffions in common *; but this neither appears to have been their practice any where elfe, nor to have lafted there, nor to have been designed to last, nor to have been more than a voluntary agreement. For St. Peter tells Ananias and Sapphira, that they needed not unless they pleased, either to have fold their land, or put any of the purchase-money into the common stock; but that pretending they had put it in all, (which intitled them to a maintenance) when indeed they had fecreted