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ft. Plentifull. The Word in the Text, Caft thy Bread, implying a Liberality even to Profufenefs, a scattering our Benefits freely without measure or referve, as it is exprefs'd by the Pfalmift, He has difpers'd abroad, he has given to the Poor, his Righteoufnefs endureth for ever, or as God himself by his Servant Mofes, Deuter. 15.11. I command Thee, Thou foalt Open thy Hand wide unto thy Brother, to thy Poor and to thy Needy in the Land. It is indeed impoffible to determin precifely the Proportion of our Charity nor can any general Rule be laid down how much we ought to allot to this Ufe; Men's circumftances being fo different that That may be a very noble gift from One, that would be scandalously mean from Another, as the Widowes two mites were by the Judgement of Our Saviour himself esteem'd a greater Offering than all the Rich Men had caft into the Treafury, tho they Caft in Much. Every Man therefore is left to his Own Discretion and the Direction of his Own Confcience, as to the Measure of his Alms, tho' when he comes to deliberate upon this point, it will be ever more adviseable and more fafe to Err on the Libéral and Bountifull fide, if there can be an Error in that, than on the Other; left by a Judgement like that which fell on Ananias and Sapphira, by being partially Charitable A 2.

and

and doing his good Deeds by halves, he gain nothing by all that he niggardly gives, and perifh for that which he unjustly de

tains.

2dly. Our Charity ought to be Willing and Chearfull. We fhould be Ready to Give and Glad to Diftribute as St Paul fpeaks to Timothy, and as elsewhere he exhorts the Corinthians, that Every Man give, not grudgingly and of Neceffity, for God loveth a Chearfull Giver. He would not of old accept an Offering towards his Tabernacle, Exod.25.2. but of every Man that gave it willingly with his Heart; and again, Exod. 35.5. But whofoever is of a Willing Heart, let Him bring it, an Offering of the Lord. And the fame temper of Mind He requires in all that for his fake we bestowe upon his Living Temples, his poor Servants. It was commanded to the Ifraelites, Deut. 15. 10. Thou shalt furely give Him, thy Poor Brother, and thy Heart hall not be griev'd when Thou giveft Him. The Ready Complyance of the Will, and the Promptnefs and Alacrity of the Affections are fo Neceffary and Effential to the Right Exercifing of Every Religious Duty, that it is no wonder that they fhould be the Very Life and Soul, of This, the moft Excellent of all Other Duties of a Chriftian. Nay it is impoffible to be truly Charitable, without being Pleas'd with being fo, for tho' it

might

might be Enough for a few that His Heart fhould not be Griev'd, the utmoft that Mofes commanded; yet it comes not up to the Dignity of the Chriftian, if his Heart is not Delighted too when He gives.

3dly. Our Charity ought to be Univerfal and without Exception. 'Tis St Paul's advice, As We have Opportunity Let us do good to All Men. He adds indeed Especially to the Houfhold of Faith. Which is highly Reafonable, and if a Chriftian and an Heathen, a Member of our Own and One of another Communion, or a Good and Lefs Good or Vitious Man ftand at the fame time in Equal Need of our Charity, and our Abilities will not reach to the Relief of both, there is no place for doubt to which the preference ought to be given. But This ftill does not take off our Obligation of extending our Bounty as far as our Power, and if That could ftretch it felf out to all Mankind our Beneficence ought to do fo too. There is None fo Bad but if he is in Real and Preffing Neceffity, is a true and fit Object of our Compaffion. Let the Perfon be what he will, his Wants give him a Title to part of our Abundance, and tho' here, as was before faid, we may and ought to make Use of our Chriftian Prudence and Discretion, yet it will be a good and fafe Rule to avoid being over Prudent and over Discreet in A 3 Doing

Doing these Neceffary Works of Mercy. 'Tis dangerous to Ufe Ourfelves to be too Nice and Scrupulous in thefe Cafes, for he that will not part with any thing to the Relief of the Diftrefs'd, 'till he is fatisfy'd of his Defert as well as his Poverty-will never want Reafons to be Excus'd, by Diftinguifhing too narrowly, who is more and who lefs and who not at all fitting to be Reliev'd; he may in time by degrees distinguifh quite away all his Charity. And the moft Covetous and Tenacious Wretch in the World will always have ready a fofter Name for his Sin, and call his Want of Mercy Abundance of Difcretion. But We can have no greater Example, no, nobler Pattern in doing Good, than the Eternal Fountain of All Goodness, even God himself Whofe Mercy is Over All his Warks. And as far as it is poffible, Our Love fhould be like His Unbounded and Univerfal, Matt. 5.45. That We may be the Children of Our Father which is in Heaven, for He maketh His Sun to rife on the Evil and the Good, and fendeth Rain on the Fuft and the Unjust. Be we therefore, in this Particular Perfect, as Our Saviour fubjoins, as Our Father in Heaven is Perfect.

Ahly. Cafting Our Bread upon the Waters implies a generous Diftribution of our Goods without any Profpect of Advantage or Re

quital

quital. So felfish a Principle as that. Profpect can never lodge in the fame Breaft with True Charity, it being One of the Diftinguishing marks of that Grace, Charity feeketh not its own. Whenever we give with fo mean a design and so ignoble hopes as to Receive, we are no longer acting the Chriftian but the Merchant, nor exercising Religion but driving a Trade; and That of all Trades the most fordid and base, it not being to be carry'd on without Diffimulation and Deceit. For he that deals in this paltry Traffic, while he pretends nothing but free Love and generous Friendship, yet at the fame time whatever he beftows, his Gifts have ftill a Hook under them, nor are they Presents to enrich his Friend, but Baites to take him. This poor and contemptible Artifice of making gain of them to whom we pretend to do good is wholly inconfiftent with that largness and openness of Spirit, that freedom from Hypocrify and Defign that becomes a Profeffor of Chriftianity. Therefore that we may be fure that we have no fuch by-Ends, no fuch little Defignes lurking unperceiv'd within Us, Let Our Bread be Caft upon the Waters, Qur Gifts fcatter'd among the Poor, and fuch from whom it would be as abfurd to hope for any Advantage or Return, as it would be to expect a Harveft from Seed caft into

the

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