DISCOURSE XIII.

2 COR. ix. 12.

For the Adminiftration of this Service not only Supplieth the Want of the Saints, but is abundant alfo by many Thanksgivings unto God.

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O take in the full Senfe of the Apostle upon this Subject, the 14th Verfe ought to be read together with the Text; and then the Whole will run thus: For the Adminiftration of this Service not only fupplieth the Want of the Saints, but is abundant alfo by many Thanksgivings unto God; and by their Prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding Grace of God in

you. The Occafion of thefe Words was in fhort this: The Apoftle had been making Collections among the Chriftians of feveral Coun

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Countries, for the Relief of the poor distreffed Brethren in Judea; and intending fhortly to vifit Corinth, he fends before him an Exhortation to them to be in Readiness to answer the Hopes and Expectations which themselves had raised in him, that he should receive a large Supply at their Hands. The Chapter of the Text is entirely spent in this Argument: the Apostle introduces it with excufing his Writing upon this Subject, fince he knew how forward they were of their own Accord, and how much their Zeal had provoked and ftirred up others to be liberal: but then from this very Circumftance he justifies his Application to them, and urges them in a very powerful Manner to make good their fair Promises, left haply if they should after all be found unprepared at his Coming, both he and they should be ashamed in their confident Boafting. I fhould not have taken Notice of this Argument made use of by the Apostle to ftir up the Corinthians' Charity, which is not indeed founded on the Nature of the good Work itself, or in the Promises of the Gofpel, but for the Sake of obferving to you, that it is not only lawful, but laudable, to make the natural Paffions and

Inclinations of Men subservient to the Cause of Virtue and Religion; that it is no Way unbecoming a Preacher of the Gospel to apply to that Sense of Shame, to that Love of Credit and good Report, which God has implanted in Men, to be perpetual Incitements to Actions virtuous and praiseworthy. Thefe Motives however must be kept in their proper Place; we may recommend, but they cannot make a Duty; the Ground of our Obedience lies deeper. The Honour of God, the Good of our Brethren, the Care of our own Happiness, are the Springs from whence all Duties flow; and though we may confider these as diftinct Heads, yet they always unite in one Stream, and run together without Divifion: for whilft we do good to others, we do Honour to God, and take the beft Care of ourselves: and the Honour we have for God will as naturally fhew forth itself in the Love of the Brotherhood, as it will certainly end in our own Happiness.

From these Principles the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians to fet forward the Charity propofed to them with a liberal Hand, affuring them, that it would be abundant to the Honour and Glory of God, through

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through many Thanksgivings; that it would fupply the Wants of the Saints; and that it would return to them in Bleffings, through the Prayers that would be offered to God in their Behalf.

We must not imagine that these Principles are peculiar to Works of Charity and Beneficence, for they really extend to all Parts of our Duty; all Religion is derived from them; and there is nothing we are bound to, but as it relates either to the Honour of God, or the Good of Mankind, or our own Welfare.

In treating therefore of this Subject, I fhall confider,

Firft, How thefe Principles influence Religion in general.

Secondly, How plainly and evidently they lead us to Works of Charity and Mercy.

Thirdly, I will fhew you how effectually they do confpire to recommend to us that good Work, for the promoting of which, we are this Day met together in the Prefence of God.

First then, let us confider how these Principles influence Religion in general. Man is a religious Creature, in Confequence of his being a rational one; our Obligations

ligations to do right arife from the natural Powers with which we are endowed, to diftinguish between Right and Wrong; and when in any Cafe, in which we are concerned to act, our Reason discovers to us what is Right, it at the fame Time unavoidably fixes our Duty and Obligation.

It is but too plain, that to know and feel the Obligations we are under, is one Thing, and to comply with them in Practice, is another all wilful Sinners feel the Obligations they are under to do right, and yet are carried by other Inducements, which have greater Force upon their Minds, to do wrong; and where Men comply with their Duty, it is not always, nay, it is perhaps but rarely, for the Sake of that natural Light of Reason only, which creates the Duty; but for other Reasons, which affect their own Intereft and Convenience. And this fhews the Difference between the Principles, and the mere Motives of Religion.

A rational Mind ought efpecially to be influenced by the Power of Reason; and if we could feparate Men from the corrupt Paffions and Affections which hang about them, the fame Light of Reason which fhews them their Duty, would fufficiently