H

our debtor.

You have done thefe acts of DISC. kindness to ME; I take upon me to recom~XII. pense them." There is something fo utterly astonishing in all this, that we might have imagined some mistake crept into the text, had no other paffage of Scripture conveyed to us the fame idea. For that our Lord will accept and reward what fhall be for done to him, can be known only from himfelf, and his Holy Spirit.

But to reward, is the great end of his coming; as he has himself declared, in the xxii chapter of St. John's Revelation. "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward " is with me, to give to every man, according as his work shall be.”

66

Before his appearance in the flesh, as at this time, he proclaimed by one of his holy prophets, that whatsoever we give to the poor he esteems as lent to himself; which much resembles the words of the text, "Ye "have done it unto me." And he does not diflain to add, that he will be accountable

for

DISC. for it; fince thus we read, in the book of XIII. Proverbs; "He that hath pity upon the

66 poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and look"

expect, depend upon it, be affured"it shall be paid him again." Sir Thomas More, a famous Lord Chancellor of England, used always to fay, "there was more " rhetoric," more perfuafive argument, “in "this little fentence, than in a whole library."

Again. He affures us by his bleffed Apostle, that every deed of kindness which is fhewn, in this manner, towards his name, will be remembered; for "God

(faith the Apostle) is not unrighteous, "that he should forget your work and la"bour of love, which ye have shewn to"wards his name" (towards his name you fee)" "in that ye have miniftered to the "faints, and do minifter," ftill continuing, perfevering in your charitable contributions; not fuffering any good work of this fort, which has been begun amongst you, to cease, and come to nothing. Without apofto

XIII.

apoftolical authority, we fhould never have DISC. hazarded the expreffion here used; "God "is not unrighteous, that he should for

get;" as if we might even deem him unjust, if he should not remember works of charity done to himself in the persons of the poor. Thus every thing contributes to establish the gracious declaration in my text; "Inafmuch as ye have done it unto "these my brethren, ye have done it unto "" me."

I ask your pardon-I have omitted a word-it runs, "Inafmuch as ye have done "it unto the least of these my brethren." Not men and women only, grown perfons, are meant; children alfo are included; the LEAST of these. They are never left out of the account by our Lord, in his promises and affurances of mercy: "Suffer little

children to come to me: It is not the "will of my Father, that one of thefe little "ones fhould perish." Though the youngeft, and the least, they arc ftill the brethren

1

of

DISC. of the Redeemer. They fhare bis love; XIII. let them fhare yours.

"A cup of cold "water only given to one of these little "ones in the name of a difciple, fhall in no "wife lofe it's reward."

But it is in your power to give them much more. You have given them much more: you have miniftered; continue ftill to minister. Through your bounty it is, that they nowappear in this facred place; their bodies neatly clothed, their minds duly instructed, and qualified, with us, to worship our God in the beauty of holiness. A pleasant and comfortable fight it is to behold. The world cannot shew us one that is more fo. Confider them as fully included in the cafe before us. They are in want; and they bear a near relation to Christ. They can hardly be thought, at this tender age, to have forfeited the high privileges of their baptism, in which they were made" members of Christ, children "of God, and heirs of the kingdom of "heaven." And much indeed may it de

pend

XIIJ.

pend upon you, whether they ever do for- DISC. feit them; the great defign of these excellent inftitutions being to afford them opportunities of inftruction, which their friends are unable to give, or procure for them: to ground them well in fuch religious principles, as may render them good and useful members of society, conduct them safe through a world of temptations, and bring them to never-ending glory. But the fupport of the institution, which is to do this for them, depends upon your farther bounty. On this, deftitute of every other help, they, under the Providence of God, rely; on you their eyes and hopes are fixed, for the continuance of every advantage: and every advantage they enjoy will be continued to them, by the liberality of all fuch among you, as fhall duly meditate upon the affecting scene I have been endeavouring to represent.

This affecting fcene you will as furely fee, these affecting words of the great judge

you