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FIRST, Because it is beft to give, while we have opportunity and ability fo to do, both which may fail us afterwards, although we have them at present. We may be furprized by fudden death, and fo deprived of the opportunity of doing the good we had defigned; and likewife of the reward thereof, if our delay in fo doing proceed from any unwillingness to the duty, as probably enough it did. And then again, we know not how our estates may vary, what changes may poffibly come upon us, and therefore 'tis prudent to do good, while it is in the power of our hand to do it.

And

BUT, fecondly, Another reason that may press the quick and fpeedy relief of those who want, is, that the delay of fo doing, continues them under their fears and griefs, their wants and miferies; and it must be a mighty caufe, which can excufe the delay of relief in this cafe, and much more juftify it. therefore, the longer we needlefly delay to relieve them, after we are convinced; or may be fo, if we please, of their neceffity, the more we shall expofe our felves, to be anfwerable for what they fuffer in the mean time; and let it be remembred, that God who will be the Judge both of their neceffities and our charity, knows the hearts of men, and all the several shifts and fallacies, whereby they are wont to deceive themselves in the delays of doing good.

II. I am now to explain the true meaning of this particular caution, of not doing our alms before men, to be seen of them. And this will best be done, by confidering; (1.) How, or in what manner, we must give our alms. (2.) With what defigns or ends.

(1.) I fhall begin with the firft; how, or in what manner, we must give our alms. Sometimes it must be done with all the privacy that is poffi

ble,

ble, and that both for their fakes to whom we give, and for our own likewife. For their fakes, in compliance with their modesty and reputation (especially, when they are fuch, whose quality and education has been above the common rank) left we do a prejudice to their credit, while we do a charity to their perfons, and fpoil the comfort which our gift would afford them, by mingling a difgrace with it, and make our bounty a reproach, and upbraid the poverty we relieved: So alfo, we muft give with as much fecrecy as we can, for our own fakes, as well as theirs; left we do, or feem to do as the Pharifees did, found a trumpet before our alms, and give to ferve our own glory, not the neceffities of our neighbour; give to feed our own vanity, and not the hunger of those that want; for while men labour thus to magnify their liberality in the eyes of men, they leffen it in the eyes of God; not but that fometimes it must be done publickly, as when the example may have great influence upon others in drawing them in, to give more largely, to the greater benefit and advantage of the poor; as is the case of fubfcriptions to charitable ufes, money given at the facrament, collections for briefs, and the like. Befide, publick charities are, generally fpeaking, of greater ufe than private, as extending farther, and may be done without offence againft our Saviour's caution. For it is not the doing them openly, but doing them with a vain-glorious purpose to be seen of men, that renders our alms defective in God's esteem. And therefore, those who excuse themfelves from publick almf-giving, under a pretence that they fhould not do it openly, are guilty either of a great prevarication, or mighty weaknefs; either perverting or mistaking the true defign of this paragraph of our Saviour's fermon, which brings me to the

(2.) SE

(2.) SECOND point; with what defigns, or for what ends, we must bestow our alms; and thefe are in fhort to honour God, to do good unto our neighbour, and to lay up treafure for our felves in heaven.

*

THE first thing to be propounded to our felves in this duty, is, the glory and honour of God, who takes that as given to himfelf, which we give to the poor, with regard to him, and in obedience to his laws. This is evident, by the whole tenour of our Saviour's difcourfe in the twenty fifth chapter of St. Matthew's Gofpel. I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a franger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye cloathed me, &c. Verily I fay unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the leaft of thefe my brethren, ye have done it unto me. He looks upon himself, as honoured with our fubftance, and with the firft-fruits of our encreafe; when tho' we cannot now, as the Jews did of old, express that honour, in facrificing the best of our herds, and flocks before his altar, as free-will offerings, in acknowledgment of his goodness to us, we freely and generously relieve the poor, out of our eftates, and make the fame acknowledgments to him, by honouring them as his receivers. For even, while thofe very rites were both accepted and required, this duty of honouring God by almf-giving was fo much more acceptable, that it was preferred before them. Mercy was always efteem'd by God, as better than facrifice. He needs not any thing from his creatures, the world is his, and the cattle upon a thousand hills, and therefore what he requires from us in honour of him, is to communicate of the plenty he has given us to thofe that want.

To do

* Prov. iii. 9.

† Heb. xiii. 16.

good

good and to communicate, forget not; for with fuch facrifices God is well pleafed.

THE next defign or end we ought to have in almf-giving, is, to do good to the receiver, a thing moft neceflary in this duty, to render it pleasing either to God or men; for even men are not pleased with what we give, unless it apparently proceed from kindness to them: be the gift it felf never fo beneficial to them, they cannot think themselves obliged to the giver, if therein he aimed at his own credit and reputation, or other private interefts, and gave not out of any prevailing tenderness for them. And in God's efteem, who eyes and values the hearts of men in all their actions, and never accepts of any thing as good, which flows not from a good difpofition; mercy and compaffion are altogether neceffary in all our almf-giving. St. Paul, when he fays, Though I beftow all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing, implies, that it is poffible for a man to give all his goods away to charitable uses, and yet to have nothing in him of the principle, or grace of charity: For as he may perform the outward act of humility out of pride and ambition, to gain the applaufe of men; fo doubtless, he may the outward acts of beneficence to the poor, out of a principle of oftentation, and vain-glory, fo get the credit, without either the defire or care of doing good, though it may also have this effect, and be a real advantage to thofe to whom he gives. Now fuch a charity, as well as fuch an humility, fpringing only from pride and oftentation, is merely mechanical and material; but has nothing of the fubftance of true virtue in it. Self-love, and not compaffion to others, is at the bottom of it; and therefore, whatsoever good it does, that good is

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accidental, and for want of an honest principle, the reward is loft. So fays our Saviour, Ye have your reward; that is, ye have the praise of men indeed, (which is all ye aim at) but it is in vain for you to hope for any reward hereafter.

BUT yet, notwithstanding all the kindness and compaffion that is required, to purify our intention in the charities we beftow, thus far it is lawful to mind our felves, and to confider our own advantage, as well as others, in this duty. We may justly hope to be rewarded by God for it, and very lawfully do the duty, with an eye, or respect to this reward. God hath promised to reward it, *He that feeth in fecret fhall reward thee openly. Charge them who are rich in this world, fays St. Paul, that they be ready to give, and glad to diftribute, laying up in ftore for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may attain eternal life. And certainly it is very lawful to act in hope of God's promises, and ufe the rewards therein promised, as a motive to discharge the duty, elfe were these promises not only useless, but even a fnare and temptation to us.

FROM these points well confidered, we may have fufficient knowledge of what our Saviour would have us to avoid, or do, defign, or not defign, in the performance of this firft great duty of almfgiving.

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