reverence at all times, we fhould reverence doubly in their diftrefs; and thofe for whom at all times we are bound to pray, we should then with uncommon earnestnefs recommend to the God of all comfort. Let us, therefore, accordingly at present befeech him, that he would be merciful to that house which is now peculiarly the house of mourning: that he would be merciful to thefe nations which have the justest caufe to fhare in all their griefs; that he would turn from us thofe evils that we most righteously have deferved; and continue to us thofe bleffings, which through his infinite goodnefs we enjoy. Grant thefe our petitions, gracious God, for the fake of thy ever-bleffed Son, Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

SERMON CXXIX.

(Preached in the Parish Church of St. Bridget, London, before the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor, &c. on Monday in Eafter Week, 1738.)

ON CHRISTIAN BENEFICENCE AND LIBERALITY.

1 PET. iv. 10.

As every man bath received the gift, even fo minifter the fame one to another, as good flewards of the manifold grace of God.

THE

HE inducements that we have to relieve the miferies, and promote the happiness of our fellow-creatures, are, God be thanked, both many in number, and of various kinds. Our hearts naturally incline us to it; our reafon approves of it as right. The more we cultivate kind difpofitions, the truer peace we poffefs within; and the greater capacity of focial happiness, the sweetest part of the enjoyment of life. Willingness to do good, is always rewarded with the esteem of mankind; and selfishness of temper, the conftant object of every ones averfion. We have frequent experience in ourfelves what fuffering is; and are therefore inexcufable, if we overlook it in others. We live in a world, where, if it were not for the exercise of mercy and pity, the face of things would look dreadful with miserable objects; and the multitudes of perfons driven to despair, make society unsafe. Befides, we know the viciffitudes of human affairs; and are nearly concerned to encourage, by our example, that spirit of goodness and compaffion, of which we or ours may, on one occafion or another, eafily come to have great need.

Thefe

These are powerful motives to beneficence; and yet the influence of them is too commonly exceeding fmall. The hearts of fome perfons have but little fenfibility; and those of others, a very confined and partial one. Some content themfelves with talking of benevolence, inftead of cultivating it; or with the inward feeling of good affections, instead of exerting them; and others give fcope to their wrong inclinations, and their right ones, promifcuoufly; and fo eafily do more harm in the world, than good. To fpeculative reafonings but few perfons attend; and fewer still are governed by them in practice. Their liableness to the common accidents of life, men either forget amidst the pleasures of it, or turn into an argument for attending the more clofely to their own interefts. As for reputation, a few acts of goodness, well managed, will obtain as much of it as they are concerned about. Or, if they cannot be esteemed, they may hope at least to be courted. And even if they fail of this, they can affect to defpife it, and appear, notwithstanding, happy; fome in their wealth, fome in their voluptuoufness.

Our wife and good Maker hath therefore not left us to the influence of these motives only; but, as he faw it neceffary, that in all our ways we should be directed by regard to him ; fo he hath added infinite force to the above-mentioned confiderations, by giving us the knowledge of himfelf, and teaching us to look on them as evidences of his will. He undoubtedly designed the good things of this world, not for the gratification of a few of his creatures; but for the benefit of all. And he hath divided them unequally amongst us; not that one part of the human race should fink under mifery and want, and the other look down with contempt upon them; but that pity and gratitude fhould be mutually exercifed, and the pleasure of doing and receiving good, felt among men; that the poor should be ferviceable to the rich; they, in return, kind to the poor; and both united in the bonds of mutual good-will, from a fenfe of their mutual dependency. Thefe, it appears from the knowledge that we have of his nature, must have been his intentions. The fame thing appears further from the nature he hath given us, and the circumftances in which he hath placed us. But that no fort of evidence of it might be wanting, he hath made known to the

world

1

world his pleasure by exprefs revelation alfo; requiring of us all to do good, and to communicate *, both as we are fervants, bound in every thing to obey him; and as we are ftewards, appointed and entrusted by him for this very purpofe.

Let us therefore confider, with due seriousness,

I. What general influence it should have upon us, that we are ftewards of the manifold grace of God.

II. What influence in particular with respect to thofe methods of charity, which are the occafion of our present meeting.

I. Let us confider the general influence. Every thing, which God hath done for the good of his creatures, is grace or favour to them; and every thing, which he has placed in our hands for their good, is grace of which we are ftewards. All the means and opportunities we have of making the world, or any part of it, better or happier; by our knowledge or wealth, by our power or intereft, our care and pains, our friendly behaviour or good example, are given us in truff, to be fo exercifed. How manifold thefe are, upon the whole, it is not perhaps eafy for us to be fully fenfible; but we fhould each of us think very carefully, what his own fhare of them is, and wherein it confifts. For no one is without his talent, though fome have more committed to them than others; and they who have leaft, will be expected to improve what they have t; as our Saviour's parable very awfully fhews. The pooreft perfon in the world, is capable of being ufeful, fome way, to his fellow-creatures; and the greatest can never be above the obligation of imitating, to their power, the beneficence of their Creator. They who are engaged in bufiness, far from having their attention confined to themfelves, have ufually, by the very means of their business, peculiar advantages both for knowing and fupplying the wants of others. And fuch as have no particular employment, have only the privilege of a freer choice, what part they will take in that general one affigned to us all, of doing good.

Since then we are appointed, each in his proper ftation, difpenfers and Stewards of the manifold grace of God, it con

cerns

Heb. xiii. 16.

Matth. xxv. 14.—30.

cerns us to behave as faithful ones: not to intercept the streams of the divine bounty; nor confine, to our own gratification, what our Maker hath defigned for the common benefit of all around us. He hath not indeed fixed the proportions of any kind of charity; for circumftances vary fo infinitely, that general rules concerning fuch matters are impoffible. And this latitude should not give anxiety to any good mind; for we ferve a moft equitable master. But neither should it give encouragement to bad minds; and make them imagine, that where nothing is afcertained, they may do just as little as they pleafe. For God will expect from every one, what may be reasonably expected from them; and hath left this matter at large, that we may fhew, not our backwardnefs to ferve him, but our zeal. Imprudent zeal he never approves; but goodnefs, confined within the bounds of difcretion, is always more acceptable to him, in proportion as it is more abundant. And, though not every failure in degree fhall expose us to punishment; yet he which foweth Sparingly, shall reap alfo fparingly and he which foweth bountifully, shall reap alfo bountifully*.

However unactive therefore we may naturally be; yet, as perfons entrusted by the Lord of all, it imports us greatly to be diligent. For induftry is a valuable part of faithfulness; and flothful fervants will be confidered, in the day of judgment as wicked ones t. Some ways of doing good may poffibly be less pleafing to us; fome perfons our prejudices, our paffions, or interefts, would tempt us to overlook, rather than serve; and fome things, that are only feeming inftances of benevolence, we should be willing to mistake for real ones; and indulge a falfe good nature, without regard to confequences, however bad. But when we confider, that in all these cafes we are to act for God, this makes a very great change in the view of things; and may both oblige us at fome times to do with our might, what perhaps we could leaft have wisfied; and restrain us, at others, from doing at all, what injudiciously we should have defired the moft. Another important use of looking upon ourselves in this light is, that how great foever our talents may be, and how right foever the ufe that

we

2 Cor. ix. 6.

↑ Matth. xxv. 26.

Eccl. ix. 19.