pence, together with the favings they have refolved to lay by, will not exhaust: never reflecting whether it be in their power, or that it is their duty to retrench their expences, and contract their plan," that they may have to give "to them that need;" or rather that this ought to have been part of their plan originally.

2. "That they have families of their own, ❝and that charity begins at home." The extent of this plea will be confidered, when we come to explain the duty of parents.

3. "That charity does not confift in giving money, but in benevolence, philanthropy, “love to all mankind, goodness of heart, &c." Hear St. James. "If a brother or fifter be “naked, and deftitute of daily food, and one of

you fay unto them, depart in peace, be you "warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye give "them not those things which are needful to the body, "what doth it profit ?" (James ii. 15, 16.)

4. "That giving to the poor is not mentioned "in St. Paul's 'defcription of charity, in the "thirteenth chapter of his first Epistle to the "Corinthians." This is not a description of charity, but of good nature; and it is not neceffary that every duty be mentioned in every

place.

VOL. IA

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5.

"That

5.

They

"That they pay the poor rates. might as well allege that they pay their debts

for the poor have the fame right to that portion of a man's property, which the laws affign them, that the man himself has to the remainder.

6. "That they employ many poor perfons :" —for their own fake, not the poor's—otherwise it is a good plea.

7. "That the poor do not fuffer fo much as "we imagine; that education and habit have "reconciled them to the evils of their condition, " and make them eafy under it." Habit can never reconcile human nature to the extremities of cold, hunger, and thirst, any more than it can reconcile the hand to the touch of a red-hot iron befides, the queftion is not, how unhappy any one is, but how much more happy we can make him.

8. "That these people, give them what you " will, will never thank you, or think of you for "it." In the first place, this is not true in the fecond place, it was not for the fake of their thanks that you relieved them.

9. "That we are liable to be impofed up"on." If a due inquiry be made, our merit is the fame befide that, the distress is generally real, whatever has been the cause of it.

pa

10. "That they fhould apply to their "rishes." This is not always practicable: to which we may add, that there are many requifites to a comfortable fubfiftence, which parish relief does not always fupply; and that there are fome, who would fuffer almost as much from receiving parish relief, as by the want of it; and lastly, that there are many modes of charity, to which this anfwer does not relate at all.

11. "That giving money encourages idleness "and vagrancy." This is true only of injudicious and indifcriminate generofity.

12. "That we have too many objects of charity at home, to bestow any thing upon ftrangers; or that there are other charities, which

are more useful, or ftand in greater need. The value of this excufe depends entirely upon the fact, whether we actually relieve thofe neighbouring objects, and contribute to those other

charities.

Befide all these excuses, pride, or prudery, or delicacy, or love of eafe, keep one half of the world out of the way of obferving what the other half fuffer.

By anger, I mean the pain we suffer upon the receipt of an injury or affront, with the ufual effects of that pain upon ourselves.

By revenge, the inflicting of pain upon the person who has injured or offended us, farther than the juft ends of punishment or reparation require.

Anger prompts to revenge; but it is poffible to fufpend the effect, when we cannot altogether quell the principle. We are bound also toendeavour to qualify and correct the principle itself. So that our duty requires two different applications of the mind: and for that reafon anger and revenge may be confidered feparately.

CHAP.

CHA P. VII.

ANGER.

"BE

E ye angry and fin not;" therefore all anger is not finful: I fuppofe, because fome degree of it, and upon fome occafions, is inevitable.

It becomes finful, or contradicts however the rule of fcripture, when it is conceived upon flight and inadequate provocations, and when it continues long.

1. When it is conceived upon flight provocations; for "charity fuffereth long, is not eafily provoked." "Let every man be flow "to anger." Peace, long fuffering, gentleness, meekness, are enumerated among the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22, and compofe the true Christian temper, as to this article of duty.

2. When it continues long; for "let not the ❝ fun go down upon your wrath."

These precepts, and all reafoning indeed upon the subject, fuppofe the paffion of anger to be within our power: and this power consists not fo