for, his difpenfations towards us.

Admit

the honeft and industrious man to meet with many and grievous misfortunes; these are the portion of the human race, and he is not to plead exemption from the lot of mortals. But he will find fure refuge in an unaccufing confcience; he will not feel the ftings of felf-condemnation, his own reflections will peak peace to his mind; these comforts and confolations he is poffeffed of within himself, and they are poffeffions which will not fail him. But, befides thefe, where all honeft means have failed of fuccefs in obtaining a competency, every neighbour would, I truft, be ready and willing to contribute his reasonable share, according to his ability, towards the relief of our fober and induftrious, but unfortunate and diftreffed brethren. It is indeed the industrious poor; thofe, who, like the great apoftle and his followers," have wrought with labour and "travail night and day, that they might

not be chargeable to any of you,*" that ought to be the firft objects of our bounty. To relieve every being clothed in rags, with

out distinction, or inquiry into the occafion of their diftrefs, is indifcretion, at the best; and must, in its confequences, leffen our benefactions to more deferving perfons. Suppofe that we are fatisfied from our own knowledge, or from other reasonable affurances, that thefe miferable objects are able, but unwilling to earn their bread by labour ; or, having earned it, have wasted it on their vices, they ought rather to be configned to the correction of the laws of our country, in order to make trial of that expedient towards their reformation, and to be an example to others, than to be nurtured by the fame fostering care, which is chiefly due to the fober and industrious. By giving indiscriminate affistance, we should difcourage honest industry in our more deferving poor neighbours, and caft a damp over all their commendable endeavours to obtain the means for their own maintenance and support. There is a jealousy, and there are certain feelings, in every honeft heart, which are hurt by being reduced to the level, and treated in the fame manner, with the idle, the profligate and undeferving. For want of

making a proper difcrimination, we fhall, in more ways than one, make an heavy rod for our own backs, and, at one stroke, help to raife up vice, and deprefs the drooping head of virtue.

When the infirmities of age have made their advances, to a certain degree, upon the poor man, it may then be too late to rule our conduct by the exact measure of his deferts. His age is his privilege, and it

must be allowed him. He may have been reduced by his vices, and in the proportion of the number of his years, having added fin to fin, he is become the more unfit to die, though his wafting life is nearly run out we must not, however, in fuch a cafe, wreft judgment into our own hands; indeed, human nature is not inclined to do it. When time hath wreaked its vengeance on one of our fellow-creatures, nature recoils at the thought of any rough measures; and though his vicious life fhall justly deserve our abhorrence, his near approach to death will receive commiferation.

This poffible case should, for obvious reafons, make us double our diligence and at

tention

tention to the poor, before they have paffed the prime or meridian of life, that while we encourage honeft industry, and improve their comforts and happiness in this life, we may, by the very fame means, fecure their virtue, and improve their title to that infinite happiness tendered to them in the world to

come.

SERMON

SERMON V.

FAST SERMO N.

EZEKIEL Xviii. 31, 32.

CAST AWAY FROM YOU ALL YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS, WHEREBY YE HAVE TRANSGRESSED; AND MAKE YOU

A NEW HEART, AND A NEW SPIRIT; FOR WHY WILL YE DIE, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL ?

I HAVE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF HIM THAT DIETH, SAITH THE LORD GOD; WHEREFORE TURN YOURSELVES, AND LIVE YE..

THE invitation and warning given by almighty God to the Ifraelites,. by his prophet Ezekiel, are highly deferving our ferious

Preached in the parifh-church of Swinderby, in the county of Lincoln; on Friday February the 8th, 1782'; being the day appointed, by proclamation, for a general fast. "The church," faith Dr. Jortin, "ought to be very cau"tious and fparing in appointing ftated fafts and thankf

givings; elfe her children will be refractory; and "like thofe children in the market-places, mentioned in "the gofpels, fhe may pipe to them, and they will not "dance; and mourn to them, and they will not * lament."

TOL. I.

Jortin's Tracts philological, &c. vol. i. p. 442.

H