mitive Church. It would at this Time of Day be no very proper Exhortation to call upon all Chriftians without Diftinction, to work with their Hands, that they might have something to fpare in Charity; but it was not only proper, but neceffary in the Beginning, when there was no other Source of Riches in the Church, but the Work and Labour of Chriftians. In the Text, you fee the Elders, and with them all others, were called upon to labour, that they might be able to fupport the Weak: and in the Epiftle to the Ephefians, the Precept is general, To labour, working with the Hands, that there may be fomething to spare to him that needeth. Can you imagine, that nothing is fit to be dedicated to Charity, but what is earned by bodily Labour? or that those who have plentiful Fortunes and Eftates are obliged to work with their Hands, that they may by their Labour fupply the Wants of others, which they can better and more effectually fupply out of their large Revenues? It may be, and certainly is, very proper for us to exhort you to part with something out of your Abundance, to ease the Wants of the Poor, to fpare something out of the Superfluities of

Fortune, to fupport the Neceffitous: but it had been very improper for the Apostles fo to have exhorted Chriftians, at a Time when there were none who had either Abundance or Superfluity; all they could do was to admonish and perfuade those who were able to labour more abundantly, that they might be in a Condition to contribute to the Relief of fuch as were unfit for work by Age, Sickness, or other Infirmity. Those who are able to work, who are bleffed with Health and Strength, and Soundness of Limbs, are rich with respect to those who are incapable through Want of Limbs, or by the Weight of Years, to affift themselves; and therefore, when bodily Labour was the whole Riches of the Church, there was a Neceffity that the Strong fhould work to fupport the Weak; or that the Weak should perish in their Want and Poverty. And this shews the Reason of fuch Precepts of Charity, in which Men are moved to part with something, even out of the little they can earn by the Sweat of their Brows.

This will help us likewise to understand fome other Paffages of Scripture relating to the Exercise of Charity. St. Paul gives the. Corinthians timely Notice of his Intention,

to

to make a Collection among them for charitable Uses; and exhorts them to lay by a little every Week, as they could spare it, that he might find them prepared to contribute when he fhould come. Now this plainly regards their Poverty and low Circumstances; for had they been rich, there had been no need for it; but they were not fo wealthy as to pay Bills at Sight; and, therefore, their only way was to prepare their Sum by little and little, as their Circumstances would give them leave to fpare it.

In the Second Epiftle to the Corinthians, the Apostle is upon the fame Argument, and presses them to be liberal with great Earneftness; but that he might not seem to bear too hard upon their Neceffities, he thus corrects himself; I mean not that other Men be eafed, and you burthened; but by an Equality, that now at this Time your Abundance may be a Supply for their Want, 2 Cor. viii. 13, 14. What does this Equality mean, which he would introduce between the Givers and Receivers of Charity? Muft we ftrip ourselves fo far as to be upon a Level with the Poor, who afk our Alms? This is a hard Saying, and, if pursued strictly, would introduce great Confufion and Disorder into N 4

the

the World. But if you confider the Condition of the Church when the Apostle wrote, you will fee how properly he addreffes them. They might well have faid to him, Why muft all the Burthen lie on us? What have we, that we do not purchase by irk fome Toil and Labour? To prevent which Complaint, the Apostle is before-hand with them in declaring, that he meant not that they fhould be burthened, and others fet at eafe: had he been applying to the Rich and Wealthy, there could have been no Occafion for this Caution, for they can give with a liberal Hand, and yet not be burthened. So likewife the Equality he speaks of has the fame View; he preffes it not as in itself juft or neceffary; but in respect to the Time, it could not be avoided; for when there are none but Poor to relieve the Poor, it is plain how near the Equality must be between the Giver and the Receiver. This Equality, therefore, the Apostle does not lay down as a general Rule and Proportion, to be observed in Charity; but rather excufes it, as the neceffary Circumftance of the Charity of thofe Times.

From what has been faid, we may learn to give an Answer to the firft Enquiry, namely,

namely, how far the Duty of Charity extends? The Apoftle brings all under the Obligations of it, who are able to labour; but this must be mitigated by the Difference of Circumftances between us and those to whom the Apostle spoke. He preffed all to labour, in order to their being charitable; the Reason is plain, he had none to speak to but fuch as lived by their Labour: but were he in this Place, at this Day, his Exhortation, I doubt not, would be directed efpecially to the Rich and Wealthy, to fuch of you as enjoy the Bleffings of Heaven in an uncommon Degree. Those who live by their Labour, are rich and profperous in Comparison of the poor Wretches who move miferably on Crutches, or who want Hands to help themselves; and they owe a Tribute to God for the Strength they enjoy of his Gift. This is plain from the Apostle's Rule; and if it is, if even the meaner Sort are indebted to their great Mafter, and must pay an Acknowledgment out of the little they receive; how much greater are your Obligations, who neither toil nor fpin, and yet are clothed in Glory, who neither reap nor gather into Barns, and yet are fed in Plenty? This is plain. But it is harder to

fay