from him; committed to us as stewards, not transferred to us as masters: this topic enlarged on.

3. The showing of mercy and bounty is the principal and most proper expression of our gratitude to God; so that in omitting this, we are not only very unjust, but highly ungrateful. We may seem in words and expressions to thank him; but a sparing hand gives the lie to the fullest mouth.

4. Indeed all our devotion, severed from a disposition to practise these duties, is no less than hypocrisy; cannot have any true worth in it; will not yield any good effect. Our prayers, if we are uncharitably disposed, are but demonstrations of egregious impudence and folly: this point enlarged on. 5. The conscientious practice of these duties plainly springs from those good dispositions of mind regarding God, which are the original grounds of all true piety; and the neglect of them issues from those vicious dispositions which have a peculiar inconsistency with piety; being destructive of its very foundation and root this fully shown; and the impossibility of serving God and Mammon proved.

6. Farther we may consider that nothing is more conformable to God's nature, or renders us more like to him, than beneficence and mercy; that consequently nothing can be more grateful to him; that nothing is more contrary to the essential disposition of God than illiberality and unmercifulness; and therefore that nothing can be more distasteful to him: this subject enlarged on.

But before we deny relief to our poor neighbor, let us with the eyes of our mind look on him, and consider who he is; what he is in himself; and what he is in relation to us.

1. He whose need craves our bounty, whose misery demands our mercy; what is he? He is not truly so mean and sorry a thing, as the disguise of misfortune represents him. He who looks so pitifully accoutred, hath latent in him much of admi

rable beauty and glory: he within himself contains a nature very excellent, an intelligent mind, and an immortal soul, by which he in some degree resembles God himself, and is comparable with angels: this subject enlarged on.

2. That distinction which thou standest on, and which seems so vast between thee and thy poor neighbor, what is it? whence did it come? whither tends it? It is not anywise natural, or according to primitive design; for as all men are in natural faculties and endowments equal, so were they all originally equal in condition. Sin introduced these degrees and distances; and God for promoting some good ends, and preventing certain mischiefs of strife and disorder, suffers them in a manner to continue, and enjoins our submission to them: but we mistake, if we think that natural equality and community are in effect quite taken away. No; every man hath still a competent patrimony due to him, and a sufficient provision for his tolerable subsistence: this point enlarged on.

3. It was also one main end of this difference among us, permitted and ordered by God's providence, that as some men's industry and patience might be exercised by their poverty, so other men by their wealth should have the ability of practising justice and charity; that so both poor and rich might thence become capable of recompenses, suitable to such performances.

We should also consider that a poor man, even as such, is not to be disregarded, and that poverty itself is no such contemptible thing as we are apt to imagine. If the world commonly call the rich man blessed, a better author hath pronounced the poor man such : moreover by poverty, the nurse of virtues, we conform to the state of the Son of God himself.

5. Thus a due reflexion on the poor man, his nature and state, will induce us to succor him. But let us also consider him as related to ourselves: every such person is our kinsman,

our brother, by indissoluble bands of blood, and agreement of nature, knit and united to us: this point enlarged on.

6. Farther, as the poor man is so nearly allied to us by the society of a common nature, so is he more strictly joined to us by the bands of spiritual consanguinity; all Christians, high and low, being children of the same heavenly Father, &c.

Moreover, if we reflect on ourselves, we cannot but observe many strong engagements to the same practice.

1. The very constitution, frame, and temper of our nature directs and inclines us thereto; whence by observing these duties, we observe our own nature, we improve it, we advance it to the best perfection it is capable of: by neglecting them, we thwart, impair, and debase the same.

2. And if the sensitive part within us suggests so much, the rational dictates more to us: that heavenly faculty, having such vast capacities and energies, was surely not created to serve mean or narrow designs, to scrape eternally in earth, or to amass heaps of clay for private enjoyment, &c.

3. Farther, examining ourselves, we may also observe that we are, in reality, what our poor neighbor appears to be, in many respects no less indigent and impotent than him: we no less depend for our subsistence on the arbitrary power of another, than he seems to rely on ours.

4. The great uncertainty and instability of our condition also requires our consideration. We that now flourish in so fair and full an estate, may soon be in the case of that poor creature who solicits our relief: this subject enlarged on.

5. And as wisdom advises, so does equity exact these duties from us for were any of us in the needy man's plight, we should believe that our case deserved commiseration; should with importunity demand relief; and complain of cruelty, if succor were denied us.

We should also remember concerning ourselves, that we are mortal and frail: this subject dilated on at length.

Farthermore, if we contemplate our wealth itself, we may therein descry great motives to charity.

1. Thus to employ our riches is really the best use of which they are capable; not only the most innocent, worthy, and plausible, but the most safe, pleasant, advantageous, and consequently most prudent way of disposing of them. To keep them close without use or enjoyment, is a sottish piece of extravagance or madness, by which a rich man impoverishes himself this point enlarged on.

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2. But setting aside the absurd excuses of penuriousness, we may consider that, secluding the good use of them in beneficence, riches are very impertinent, cumbersome, dangerous things; either superfluous toys, troublesome clogs, treacherous snares, or all these in combination.

3. Again, we may consider that to dispense our wealth liberally is the best way to preserve it, and to continue masters thereof what we give is not thrown away, but saved from danger while we detain it at home, it is really abroad and at adventures. Even according to ordinary human estimation, abstracted from the special providence of God, the liberal person hath, in consequence of his bounty, more real security for his wealth than he could obtain by any other method: this point enlarged on.

4. Nay, we may consider that the exercise of liberality is the most advantageous way of improving an estate, whilst tenacity and illiberality tend to the diminution and decay thereof the way to obtain a great increase is to sow much.

5. Farther, the dispersing a part of our goods among the poor will qualify us to enjoy the rest with satisfaction and comfort.

6. One consideration still remains persuasive of this practice : it is this. The peculiar nature of our religion specially requires it; the honor thereof exacts it from us: nothing better suits Christianity, nothing more graces it, than liberality; nothing

is more inconsistent therewith, or more disparages it, than miserable sordidness. No niggard is so absurd as a Christian niggard: this point explained.

7. To all these considerations, examples might be adduced for the practice of this kind of charity. We have for it the patterns of God himself, of our blessed Saviour, of his disciples, and of saints and eminent servants of God in all times: but no words would be so apt to move and excite the audience as the case itself.

The Report read.

For encouragement to the practice of charity, let us now reflect briefly on the latter part of the text; which represents some instances of the felicity which is peculiar to a bountiful person, or some rewards appropriated to him. The first is, His righteousness endureth for ever: which words are capable of various senses; but according to all of them the bountiful man's righteousness doth endure for ever; that is, very lastingly, in any sense; or for an absolute perpetuity, in some sense: the various truths which the words involve briefly touched on.

1. As for future reputation and fame, it is evident that it peculiarly attends on this practice: the bountiful person is especially that just man whose memory is blessed; that is, prosecuted with praise and commendation.

2. The effects of his righteousness are likewise very durable : when he is departed hence, and is no more seen, he remains visible and sensible in the footsteps and fruits of his goodness towards the poor, the sick, and the afflicted, who still rejoice in the comfort and ease which he procured for them; whilst the world in general benefits from his example.

3. His righteousness also endureth in respect to his posterity, on whom his beneficence will have entailed real blessings; entitling them to the rewards of grateful men, and to God's special care and protection.