indigent Families, when they themselves, their only prefent Support, fhall be taken from them. And this carries me to the fecond Thing I propofed, to obferve to you,

II. How truly Chriftian, and excellent in its Kind, that Charity is, which is the End and Defign of this annual Solemnity.

The Objects of this Charity, are the Widows and Orphans of thofe who spent their Lives in the Service of the Altar, and were found faithful in the Sight of God. Confidered in themfelves, they are not, I truft, the meaneft of Chrift's Difciples: the Example of their Hufbands and Fathers; the pious Instruction under which they have lived; the regular Devotions to which they have been always accustomed; and their conftant Communion with the Church; are fure Pledges to us, of their Faith and Holinefs. But to their own, they add the Prophet's Claim to your Charity, who has left them nothing else to maintain them. The Age and Infirmities of the one, the Youth and Inexperience of the other; and the near Relation they bear to Christ, by his Servant now at Reft with him; contain all the Motives and Arguments that can be used to excite the Charity of a Chriftian.

Were

Were this Poverty the Effect of Luxury or Idleness, we might well be ashamed to plead its Cause in public: but the Reasons of it are too well known; and it is fo far from being our Reproach, that in fome Measure it is our Glory: for notwithstanding the meanest of our parochial Cures, and the Discouragements of Want and Poverty, yet the Service of God has not been neglected, nor his Altar forfaken: and the numerous Objects of Charity, that are to be found among the Defcendants of the English Clergy, are an Evidence on their Behalf, that they fed the Flock of God which was among them, taking the Overfight thereof, not by conftraint, but willingly; not for filthy Lucre Sake, but of a ready Mind. And let no Man grudge us this our Boafting; that we can in this Church fhew more Labourers worthy of their Hire, who, without Gold or Silver in their Purses, or Scrip for their Journey, preach the Gospel of Chrift, than any other

Church in the Christian World can do.

Some who fubfift upon the Charity of this Corporation, are living Teftimonies of the Faith and Conftancy of the English Clergy, to God, and to their King. I fhall easily be understood to mean the Widows of

the

the fequeftered Clergy; who ftill labour under that Poverty, which their Husbands willingly chofe to fubmit to, rather than to facrifice their Faith and their Allegiance to the Wickedness of the Age they lived in. And is this a disgraceful Poverty to the Minifters of the Gospel, which fo evidently bears the Marks of the Lord Jefus ?

Never does Chrift more truly suffer in his Members, than when his Members fuffer for him nor can our Acts of Mercy ever more nearly approach him, than when we relieve those who endure Afflictions for his and the Gospel's Sake. Here then, my Brethren, is Christ Jefus evidently fet forth before your Eyes, fuffering among you; fuffering in thefe Members, who inherit the Poverty of his Prophets; which they, for his, and the Gofpel's Sake, embraced.

Had the Parents of these Children been turned to the more advantageous Employments of the World; had they, with the Substance which was spent in their Education, and in fitting them for the Ministry, bought any Knowledge but the Knowledge of the Gospel; it would have made an anfwerable Return to them and their Families; for every Workman receives his Hire,

and

and a due Recompence for his Labour, except the poor Minifters of Chrift, who have this only for their Comfort, that they are worthy of it.

It is this Poverty of the Prophet, which was the undeserved Lot of his holy Office, that now claims our Charity: and have not the Children a Right to afk in the Prophet's Name, fince it is the Prophet's Po verty that afflicts them? Is it not just that they should plead their Father's Relation to Chrift, for a Support under their present Wants; fince their Father's Relation to Chrift has entailed thefe Wants upon them?

If therefore there be any Arguments for Pity, in Age and Infirmities, oppreffed with Poverty; or if Youth and Innocence, expofed to Want, have any Charms to move Compaffion; if the Poverty of the Gospel has any Right to a Chriftian's Charity; or if the Chriftian Priesthood has for its Work's Sake, and its near Relation to Christ, any Title to Love or Honour; Behold! how all these Motives unite to plead the Cause that is now before you.

If the least Charity, bestowed on one of Chrift's little Ones, fhall draw down the Bleffings of Heaven upon us; if to receive a Right

E

a Righteous Man, shall entitle us to a Righteous Man's Reward; and if by fhewing Mercy to a Prophet, we shall receive a Prophet's Reward; what Rewards may we not expect to reap from this Charity; where the little Ones and the Righteous are united into one Object, by suffering under the fame common Calamity; and where both have the Prophet's Name, and the Prophet's Poverty to plead ?

To thefe Motives what further can we add, but only our Prayers; that God would regard this poor Family of his Prophets, and raise them up Friends for their Comfort; that he would open the Hearts of the People towards them, for his Servants the Prophets Sake.

And may the Charity beftowed on these poor Orphans, be ever had in Remembrance before the Lord. May he whom their Fathers ferved in the Gospel, and with whom they now reft from their Labours, be ever mindful of the Kindness fhewn to his Household of Faith.