the number of evil examples will every day be leffened; a great many families, knowing and fearing God, will in his good time be eftablished:-A great many of thefe, remembering the hand that raifed them, and the way in which this was done, will be ready to continue this kind of charity to future generations. In the mean time, we shall be no lofers by what we give. They that have children will entail a bleffing upon their own pofterity; and they that have none are better able to help those who have more than they can well bring up after a christian manner.

In one word:-It is by the good bleffing of God, that fo many of us want nothing that is needful either for our fouls or bodies.Whatever we are able to give, cometh of God, and of his own do we give him. Let us then beseech him to pardon all our vain expences; to make us fo careful of his bleffings, as that we may always be able to offer fome testimony of our gratitude to God for the many favours we have received from him, to be given where his providence shall direct us to give.

And the good Lord give a bleffing to all our charities, and especially to this, that it may continue, and answer the ends proposed by it!

SERMON

SERMON LXXX.

A CHARITY SERMON, PREACHED AT ST. DUNSTAN's, FEBRUARY 16, 1723.

CONTINUANCE IN WELL-DOING RECOMMEMDED AND INFORCED.

GAL. vi. 9.

LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL-DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, IF WE FAINT NOT.

T 'HESE words fuppofe two things:-First, That there is an effential difference betwixt good and evil, between well-doing and evil doing; which every body is capable of seeing, if it is not plainly their own fault:—and,

Secondly, That Chriftians, through the corruption of nature, and the wiles of Satan and his inftruments, are fubject to be weary of well-doing; and had need to be often put in mind of their duty in this particular, and guarded against the temptations which may otherwife shake their faith and conftancy, and deprive them of their reward.

These things are fuppofed:-That which is exprefly affirmed is, That if Chriftians, notwithstanding the difcouragements they meet with, faint not, (that is, grow not weary in

well

well-doing) they fhall certainly receive a reward that will fufficiently recompenfe, their perfeverance.

I. To apply these things to your present improvement, I would firft obferve to you, that there are feveral truths fo very plain, that to go about to prove them would be to weaken the faith, and puzzle the understanding of the hearers, rather than be any real advantage to them; and therefore the spirit of God, in his holy word, is not folicitous to prove fuch things as every body endued with reason, is fuppofed to know. For inftance: Every man is fuppofed to know there is a God who made the world, and all things in it. Mofes therefore begins the Bible with these words, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth; fuppofing moft justly, that he who will not, from the greatnefs and beauty of the creatures, acknowledge the Maker of them, all the arguments in the world will not convince him. And the Apoftle faith exprefsly, that all fuch are without excufe; let them pretend want of capacity, want of proof, or what else they please.

The difference betwixt good and evil is another of those things which require no arguments to make it plainer than it is at first fight. The Apoftle tells us, That the Gentiles, which had not the law to direct them particularly what to do and what to avoid, had yet the work of the law written in their hearts, and knew very well when they did amiss, and

when

when they did otherwife; their confcience witneffing with them. And therefore the Prophet makes no fcruple to pronounce a fevere woe to all that call evil good, and good evil.

And they that make it a queftion, or would make it indifferent, which a man chooses, are either fuch as are not willing to see the truth, because they will not obey it; or fuch as take a pleasure in confounding men's notions, that they may have more partners in their infidelity; or laftly, fuch whofe confciences are feared, who are given up to a reprobate mind, who feeing, fee not, as our Lord expreffes it, who, being under the conduct of Satan, are by him compelled to do all the mischief that is in their power.

And indeed no other account can be given why fome men are fo indefatigably industrious to fet up and promote the kingdom of darknefs, by publishing the most blafphemous books; by confounding the diftinction betwixt vice and virtue; and by undermining the very foundations of the Chriftian religion. They have rejected the Lord that bought them; the master they ferve will have it fo; they are led captive by him at his will.

But although good and evil, virtue and vice, are fo easily distinguished, that the wayfaring men though fools, as the prophet fpeaks, need not err, need not be mistaken; yet because the nice bounds which feparate good and evil are not so easily perceived, that a man can say,

Thus

Thus far I can go without fin; this is made a matter of complaint, when in truth it is fo ordered for our good, that we may be obliged to keep at the greatest distance from fin, which we fhall certainly do, if we truly fear God; and that we may not content ourfelves with the lowest degrees of virtue, which we shall never do, if we fincerely love God. The very best we can do, confidering the talents we have received, the circumftances we are placed in by Providence, the temptations we meet with, and the weakness of our nature; these things, I fay, confidered, the very best we can do is THE MEASURE OF OUR DUTY.

And therefore God has commanded unlimited holiness;-Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and foul, and ftrength; that as our endeavours are, fo may our reward be. He has alfo forbidden every the leaft degree of fin, that fuch as truly fear him may not be tempted to come near the borders of it, left by little and little they fall into deftruction.

Now, this plain diftinction between good and evil, betwixt well-doing and evil-doing, as it leaves all men whatever without excufe, who act against reason and against conscience, and makes them liable to an account and judgment to come, and confequently to rewards and punishments, as their works fhall deferve; it muft fure be one of the greatest acts of piety and charity to hinder people

from