of their help: fo that we may do a great kindness to both at once. And if fuch occafions do not offer, it may frequently be worth while to beftow fome pains in search of them: not contenting ourselves with wishes in their behalf, when a moderate degree of diligence would procure them what we wish; nor counting the happiness of a deserving person so small a matter, and our own trouble, so very great a one, as to make a difficulty of taking a few steps, that we should not have chosen else, when it may promote so defirable an end. Thefe, and others that might be mentioned, are unexpensive ways of doing good; which generally will enlarge, not restrain, our capacity of doing more. But the most usual notion of this duty is communicating of our plenty to fupply the necesfities of our poor brethren. And wealth may often be expended to the great benefit of others, yet at the fame time, with no mighty loss, if not a profpect of gain, to ourselves. For as the beft method of relieving the able poor is employing them; fo there are many, who, if they would contrive for it, might employ them to their own profit; as others might in fuch works, as would be conveniences, ornaments, and rational amusements. And fo far as helping them to live comfortably is the real motive to these things, they are all real charities. But fuppofing that we have no other way of doing good by laying out money, than what in ftrictnefs of fpeech is called alms; bestowing without expectation of any return from the receivers: there are very few, but can give in this manner, now and then, enough to be a moft welcome relief to one or another of the wretched objects every where to be found. And many more than do, can afford frequent and large liberalities of various kinds. Now these greatly mistake, if they imagine, that the duty of beneficence out of their worldly fubftance is füfficiently difcharged by fome small and almost infignificant distributions to the lowest part of the poor. As the providence of God hath placed different perfons in different ftations, whatever is truly requifite (for I speak not of fuch imaginary wants as vanity and fancy frame, but whatever is really needful) to fupport men decently in the rank which propriety obliges them to maintain, is nearly as neceffary to them as meaner accommodations are to others. And if they have much less, their difficulties and ftraits may be extremely pitiable; which is one thing that merits the careful attention of the rich; efpecially with regard to their relations, friends and dependants. But But indeed we should all attend to every thing, from whence a claim upon us, either of mercy or of bounty can arife. Many perhaps have not fufficient knowledge of particular perfons in diftress to beftow amongst them fo much as they ought to bestow in charity. But it is eafy for them to find those who have. And if they are unwilling, though it must be without reafon, to trouble, or even to truft fuch; there are public charities of various kinds, in any of which, both the smallest and the largeft fums may be undoubtedly well employed. It is true, extending our bounty fo wide may cramp our other expences and poffibly fo much the better. It may prevent or leffen the increase of our fortunes: but that may well happen, without the leaft harm done us. What we have no occafion for, and probably never fhall, can be of no value to us. And therefore, as it is impoffible that men fhould for ever have occafion to lay up ftill more for their families, there must be multitudes, to whom parting with what will make many of their fellow-creatures laftingly happy, is in effect parting with nothing. But where it is fomething, and even much, furely the confideration for which we part with it, the good of one or more of our brethren, is a very just and weighty one: befides that our own good is moft deeply concerned in it, as I hope you have feen. Indeed, had we no other inducements to acts of charity, it would be adviseable to do frequently fuch as are adapted to our abilities, were it only to prevent the love of money from fixing and growing upon us, and to mortify that wretched craving for more, by withdrawing from it part of its food. But all motives of worldly prudence in favour of any kind of beneficence, are infinitely weaker than those by which religion invites us to every kind: the love, the example, the command of our Maker and Redeemer; enforced by the affurance, that we are then employing moft wifely our thoughts, our time, and our property, when they are spent in the most judicious endeavours that we can use, to serve and benefit any part of mankind; and are then most effectually fecuring our own intereft for ever, when we fhew the most affectionate and extenfive concern for the interefts of thofe around us, in proportion to the importance of each. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men. And let us not be weary in well-doing for in due feafon we shall reap, if we faint not *. Gal. vi. 9. SER SERMON XII. ON DOING GOOD. GAL. vi. 10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men: efpecially unto them, who are of the household of faith. IN difcourfing on these words, I have already shewn, what various opportunities we have of promoting the happiness, and preventing, removing, or alleviating the afflictions of our fellow-creatures: by the good nature and courtesy of our com mon behaviour to them; by information and counsel occafionally given them; by a due concern for their characters and reputations; by our countenance, favour, and interest; and, if their condition require it, by affifting them with our substance alfo. I proceed therefore at prefent, as I originally proposed, to fhew you II. Who are the proper objects of our kindness. Now concerning this, the only general rule undoubtedly is that of the text: Let us do good unto all men. He who hath created us in his own image *, is loving unto every man; and his mercy is over all his works. He maketh his fun to rife on the evil and on the good, and fendeth rain on the juft and on the unjust. We ought therefore to approve ourselves the children of the Higheft, by being merciful, as our Father alfo is merciful : and, whatever station the wifdom of his providence hath allotted us, fill up the sphere of our influence, be it greater or lefs, with acts of kindness. The affection of benevolence was • Gen. i. 27. + Pfal. cxlv. 9. planted planted in us, and the exercise of it enjoined us, not for the advantage of some few particulars, but of all human kind: and whoever is capable of being the better for us, ought to be the better, if we can make him fo, without neglecting others, who have ftronger claims upon us. In many cafes which I have mentioned to you, doing the most important fervice to one perfon will not at all diminish our ability of doing as great to others. Communicating of our property indeed will and here we are not to understand our Saviour's precept, Give to every man that asketh of thee *, in the utmost extent of the words, any more than several other of his precepts. Giving to every one thus, unless it were fo little as to be of no ufe, would foon disable us from giving to any one; indeed from fupporting ourselves. And therefore his meaning must be only that no perfon fhould be excluded; either out of selfishness, which is a common fault, or out of malignity, as the Samaritan woman at first would have excluded him for being a few †, and as many of the Jews excluded the Heathens for being idolaters: but that we fhould extend our beneficence to all of all forts, on proper occafions, as far as can be reasonably expected. : But Suppofe therefore an entire ftranger to apply for our cha rity if the law provides a method, as in this nation it doth, by which the truth of his complaint may be examined, and relief granted him, in cafe it proves to be true; directing and referring him to that, will, ordinarily speaking, be sufficient; and doing more will encourage idle vagrants and cheats. if the legal provifion doth not reach to his cafe; or if the offi cers intrufted with it are fo hard-hearted as to reject him; (which is too frequent ;) and we have means to find out, and leifure to inquire, whether he wants help; and have caufe to think he doth, and are able to give it him; it is relation enough to us, that he is of the fame nature with us; and recommendation enough, however unacquainted with him we were before, that his neceffities have brought him to our acquaintance now. Suppofe farther, that fuch a one is of a different party, a different country, a different religion from our own; these things ought to be no bar in the leaft to any needful good of * Luke vi. 30. † John iv. 9. fices fices from us and we shall do the more honour to the party, the country, the religion, of which we are, the more tender compaffion we fhew him. : Farther fill let perfons have done us injuries; let those injuries be as great as we think them, though they feldom or never are in reality: yet they remain human creatures, which alone requires of us humanity towards them and we have perhaps alfo injured them; at leaft in other inftances we have offended both God and man; and ought to forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. If indeed any unneceffary kindness will certainly, or in all likelihood, produce harm upon the whole; whatever appearance of good nature, friendship, generofity, it may wear; we must remember it is a falfe appearance, and abstain from it as immoral. But otherwife the rule is, to do fervice gladly to every one of our fellow-creatures. Not that we are bound to do them equal fervice. Their titles to it may be very unequal: and where there is a difference, we ought to make one. Nor, be that of any one ever fo ftrong, fhould we fo exhaust ourselves upon any fingle object, as to leave nothing for others, which in the common course of things muft fall in our way, and may deserve at least as much notice. But then, on the other hand, we must not reject those, who need affiftance now, under pretence of referving ourselves for worthier petitioners hereafter; be always waiting for a fitter occafion than the prefent, and perhaps never find it an artifice, which, it may be feared, fome have employed. Indeed, evafions are easily invented, in this whole matter of doing good, by those who seek for them. And all, that the teachers of religion have in their power towards preventing it, is, first to remind men, that every one's true intereft confifts, not in fencing against his duty, and getting rid of it, but in learning and performing it; then to state the grounds, which different forts of claimants have to look for kindneffes from them and so leave it, both to the benevolent and the selfish, to fhew what they are, and take the confequences. The first and usually strongest claim, is proximity of kindred. They who are nearly related to us, belong immediately to our care. Others have a care of the fame kind, incumbent on them. And the good of the whole is beft fecured by the due attention of every one to his own part. Accordingly VOL. I. :. R God |