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DISC. fon of the Saviour, the images of his poverty, the citizens of his kingdom, the heirs of his promises, the stewards of his bleffings. Let it be allowed me, in paffing, barely to fuggeft a hint in favour of the Religion, which has thus furnished a remedy for the inequality of mankind, and, while it's precepts fhall be obeyed by the rich, has provided for the welfare and comfort of the poor.

But in what measure, it may be faid, are these precepts to be obeyed? How are we to proportion our donations to our fortunes ? The number of those who call upon us for affiftance is daily increasing; and so are the expences of life, which render us lefs able to affift them.

In answer to these questions, it might perhaps be afferted, that, were the Chriftian principle firmly rooted in the heart, they would never be asked. True Charity stands not in need of being told how much it fhould give. It is in it's nature free and unbounded,

unbounded, as the air diffused through the DISC. spaces around us, or the light which flows *II. in every direction from the centre, for the fupport and animation of the world. It fulfils the law, or rather, goes beyond all law, and of it's own will effects that wherein law itself fails. It not only "works "no ill to it's neighbour;" it does him all the good in it's power, and wishes it could do him more. Thus much might be replied in general. But as this is a part of our fubject, which comes home to men's business and bofoms; as, through the infirmity and corruption that are in us, the divine principle may at times be upon the decline, and the felfifh principle likely to gain the afcendant, it may not be improper to dwell a moment longer upon it, and to lay down a rule or two, the observance of which will greatly conduce towards fuftaining the one, and repreffing

the other.

* See Bourdaloue fur l'Aumône, et Bib. Choif. 14. 291.

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The first rule shall be this

Let every

perfon, at thofe feafons when he is in the receipt of his income, lay afide a certain proportion, as he is difpofed in his heart, for charitable ufes; and let it be, ever after, facred to those uses. A bank of this kind would enable a man to answer bills of confiderable value at fight, which otherwise not being able to do, or at least not without great inconvenience, many opportunities of fuccouring the distressed must needs be loft. The money being once appropriated, he feels not the lofs, nor grudges the payment, when demanded. Thus he is always giving, and has always fomething to give.

The fecond rule, if you please, may be the following-Practife economy, with a view to charity. The fame charity, which is defirous of doing the utmost for the benefit of it's poor neighbour, is likewise very ingenious in devifing the ways and means of doing it. And though, in the present ftate of fociety, it be not required, that

the

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the opulent should fell their poffeffions, and DISC. divide the produce among the indigent, or that perfons of all ranks and conditions fhould live in the fame ftyle; yet, surely, no one can furvey the world, as it goes now among us, without being of opinion, that something—and that very far from inconfiderable -- fomething, I fay, might bẻ retrenched from the expences of building, Something from those of furniture, fomething from those of dress, something from those of the table, something from thofe of diverfions and amusements, public and private, for the relief and confolation of the many, whohave neither a cottage to inhabit, garments to cover them, bread to eat, medicine to heal them, nor any one circumftance in life to lighten their load of mifery, or cheer their forrowful and defponding fouls, in the day of calamity and affliction. Certainly a man would be no lofer, who fhould fometimes fit down to a less profuse and costly board at home, if at his going abroad, "when "the ear heard him, then it blessed him ¿ "and when the eye faw him, it gave wit" nefs

S 3

DISC. "nefs to him; because he delivered the

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poor that cried, and the fatherless, and "him that had none to help him; if the

bleffing of him that was ready to perish "came upon him, and he caufed the widow's "heart to fing for joy."-Beneficence is the most exquifite luxury, and the good man, after all, is the genuine epicure.

Here, then, is a mine opened, which, when worked by œconomy, under the direction of prudence, will be found inexhaustible, furnishing a constant and ample revenue for the disbursements of charity, to the profit of multitudes, without oppreffing or injuring any one human being. Nay, from that diverfion (if it can be called fuch) under the effects of which the nation now groans through all it's powers, the evil might foon be extracted, could a law be poffibly carried into execution, enacting, that the fums respectively loft and won fhould be applied to the fame blessed purpose. The amusement might continue, and pleasure be employed in the interest of virtue.

The