Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

most unworthy, though the greatest enemy we have SERM. in the world, yet the greatnefs of his diftrefs does CLVIII. fo ftrongly plead for him, as to filence all confiderations to the contrary; for after all, he is a man, and is of the fame nature with ourselves; and the confideration of humanity ought, for that time, to prevail over all objections against the man, and to prefer him to our charity, before the nearest relation and friend, who is not in the like extremity. In other cafes we not only may, but ought to relieve our friends, and those that have deferved well of us in the first place: but if our enemy be in extremity, then that divine precept takes place, "if thine "enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirft, give him "drink."

Secondly, In the next place, I think, that the ob ligation of nature, and the nearnefs of relation, does challenge a preference; for there is all the reafon in the world, if other things be equal, that we should confider and supply the neceffity of thofe, who are of our blood and kindred, and members of our family, before the neceffities of ftrangers, and those who have no relation to us. There is a special duty incumbent upon us, and another obligation befide that of charity, to have a particular care and regard for them. In this cafe not only chriftianity, but nature ties this duty upon us, 1 Tim. v. 8. "If any man provide not for his own, efpecially for thofe "of his own houfe," for them that are of his family, " he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an "infidel," that is, he doth not only offend against the law of christianity, but against the very dictates of nature, which prevail even amongft infidels. And our SAVIOUR hath told us, that when our parents ftand in need of relief, it is more acceptable to

[ocr errors]

GOD,

SERM. GOD, to employ our eftates that way, than to deCLVIII. Vote them to him, and his immediate fervice; and

that it is a kind of facrilege to confecrate that to GoD, whereby our parents may be profited, and provided for in their neceffity.

Thirdly, the obligation of kindness, and benefits, lays the next claim to our charity. If they fall into want, who have obliged us by their former kindnefs and charity, both justice and charity do challenge from us a particular confideration of their cafe; and proportionably, if we ourselves have been obliged to their family, or to any other that are nearly re'lated to them.

Fourthly, thofe "who are of the houshold of faith," and of the fame religion, and members of the fame myftical body, and do partake of the fame holy myfteries, the body and blood of our bleffed SAVIOUR, the ftrictest bond of love and charity; these fall under a very particular confideration in the exercife of our charity and of this the apostle puts us in mind, in the laft words of my text; "Let us do "good unto all men, efpecially unto thofe that are "of the houshold of faith." GOD hath a fpecial love and regard for fuch; and those whom God loves ought to be very dear to us.

:

And this, perhaps, was a confideration of the firft rank, in thofe times when Chriftians lived among heathens, and were expofed to continual wants and fufferings; but it fignifies much lefs now, that Chrif tianity is the general profeffion of a nation, and is too often made ufe of to very uncharitable purposes; to confine mens bounty and benefits to their own sect and party, as if they, and none but they, were “the houshold of faith;" a principle, which I know not whether it hath more of judaifm or of popery in it,

Fifthly,

Fifthly, after these, the merit of the perfons who SERM. are the objects of our charity, and all the circum- CLVIII. ftances belonging to them, are to be valued and confidered, and we accordingly to proportion our charity, and the degrees of it. I fhall inftance in fome particulars, by which a prudent man may judge

of the rest.

[ocr errors]

Those who labour in an honeft calling, but yet are oppreffed with their charge, or difabled for 'a time by fickness, or fome other cafualty; these many a 'time need as much, and certainly deferve much better than common beggars; for thefe are ufeful members of the commonwealth; and we cannot place our charity better, than upon thefe, who do what they can to fupport themfelves.

Thofe likewife who are fallen from a rich and plentiful condition, without any fault or prodigality of their own, merely by the providence of GoD, or fome general calamity; thefe are more especially objects of our charity, and liberal relief.

And thofe alfo, who have been charitable, and have liberally relieved others, when they were in condition to do it; or the children, or near relations of those who were eminently charitable and beneficial to mankind, do deferve a particular regard in our charity. Mankind being (as I may fay) bound in justice, and for the honour of God's providence, to make good his promise, to preserve such from extreme neceffity.

And lastly, thofe, whofe vifible wants, and great age and infirmities, do plead for more than ordinary pity, and do, at firft fight, convince every one that fees them, that they do not beg out of laziness, but of neceffity, and because they are not able to do any thing towards their own fupport and fubfiftence.

There

SERM.

There are innumerable circumstances more, which

CLVIII. it would be endless tò reckon up; but these which I

have mentioned are fome of the chief; and, by proportion to thefe, we may direct ourfelves in other cafes.

Sixthly, those whom we certainly know to be true objects of charity, are to be confidered by us, before those who are ftrangers to us, and whofe con dition we do not know, yea though, in common charity, we do not difbelieve them; because in reafon and prudence we are obliged to prefer those, who are certainly known to us; fince we find by experience, that there are many cheats and counterfeit beggars, who can tell their ftory, and carry about testimonials of their own making; and likewise becaufe we run the hazard of mifplacing our charity, when there are objects enough befides, where we are fure we shall place it right; and charity mifplaced, as it is in truth and reality no charity in itfelf, fo it is hardly any in us, when we fquander it fo imprudently, as to pafs by a certain and real object, and give it to those of whom we are not certain that they are true objects of charity. In this blind way a man "may give all his goods to the poor," as he thinks, and yet do no real charity. And therefore, unless we be able to relieve" every one that afks,' we must of neceffity make a difference, and use our best prudence in the choice of the most proper objects of our charity.

39

And yet we ought not to obferve this rule fo ftrictly, as to fhut out all whom we do not know, without exception; because their cafe, if it be true, may fometimes be much more pitiable, and of greater extremity, than the cafe of many whom we do know; and then it would be uncharitable to reject

fuch,

fuch, and to harden our hearts fo far againft them, SER M. as utterly to difbelieve them; because it is no fault CLVIII. of theirs, that we do not know them; no, their wants may be real, notwithstanding that; especially when their extremity feems great, we ought not to stand upon too rigorous a proof and evidence of it, but should accept of a fair probability.

Seventhly, those who fuffer for the cause of religion, and are stripped of all for the fake of it, ought to have a great precedence in our charity to most other cafes. And this of late hath been, and still is the cafe of many among us, who have fled hither for refuge, from the tyranny and cruelty of their perfecutors, and have been, by a most extraordinary charity of the whole nation more than once extended to them, most seasonably relieved: but especially by the bounty of this great city, whose liberality upon these occafions, hath been beyond all example, and even all belief. And I have often thought, that this very thing, next to the mercy and goodness of Almighty GoD, hath had a particular influence upon our prefervation and deliverance from those terrible calamities, which were just ready to break in upon us; and, were we not fo ftupidly infenfible of this great deliverance which God hath wrought for us, and fo horribly unthankful to him, and to the happy inftruments of it, might still be a means to continue the favour of GOD to us. And what cause have we to thank GOD, who hath allotted to us this more bleffed, and more merciful part, to give, and not to receive; to be free from perfecution ourselves, that we might give refuge and relief to thofe that are perfecuted!

III. We must consider the measure of our charity, ws xαigov xouer, which our tranflation renders,

[ocr errors]

as

« AnteriorContinuar »