Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

other Debts, yet Love and Charity is a SERM. Debt we shall still owe. And our Bleffed IX. Saviour puts it out of all doubt, in that remarkable Paffage in St. Luke, where having been talking of the unjuft Steward, he thus concludes, And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another Man's, who shall give you that which is your own? From which it is evident, that the good things of this Life are not properly our own; and that we are only Stewards, and are accountable for them to our Mafter, from whom we received them: For though that which is tranflated another Man's, is rendered by fome, Things foreign, or without us, yet both Interpretations will amount to the fame thing in this cafe; for it will follow from both, that we are not Proprietors of thofe good things, but are only entrusted with the Care of them, to dispose of them to those that want; the Neglect of which is here made a manifest Breach of Truft. And indeed this is the voice of Nature likewife, as well as Scripture: For what can be more reasonable, than that, as every thing we have comes

from

194

IX.

SERM. from God (for what have we that we have not received) we fhould be always ready to make a grateful Return. As we have freely received, we fhould alfo freely give. Not that we can give any thing to our Maker, whereby he may receive any Ad+ vantage; for a Man cannot be profitable to God, as he that is wife may be profitable to himself; but we are to give it to the

L

Poor, whom God has taken under his Protection, who are the proper Perfons appointed ro receive it. But further, it is certain that we were born for the mutual Help of each other, not to moleft and disturb, but to aid and affist one another; and whoever does not do fo, when it is in his Power to do it, acts contrary to Nature So that it is plain, that Charity, or the affifting our Fellow-creatures, is a Debt, and that too by the Law of Nature, antecedent to any written Law whatsoever.

"

Tho it be certainly true, that Charity is a Debt, which we owe all Mankind, yet it is true likewife, that this, as well as any other Duty, how univerfal foever it may Seem to be, is Subject to Limitations and

[ocr errors]

IX.

n

and Restrictions: One in particular is men- SERM. tion'd, and another implied, in the Text; that we have it in our Power to dif charge this Debt, and that it is to be paid only to those to whom it is due. For whenever we are enjoined to do Acts of Charity and Beneficence, if it be not exprefs'd, there is always implied an Ability of doing them: It being required of every Man in thofe Cafes, according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not, And therefore, tho' we are not to withhold Good from them to whom it is due, yet this Precept is so far limited, as to fuppofe it to be in the Power of our hand to do it. But there are very few who act befides the Precept, by doing more than their Abilities will permit; the greatest Part will not do fo much as they are able, but with poor Excufes and Objections, which are always ready at hand, when we have not a Mind to do our Duty, refufe to do that Good, which it is in the Power of their hand to do. But God, who knows the Secrets of all Hearts, knows alfo our Abilities and Wants, and how

Bb

SERM. how far we are able to affift each other; IX. and however we may with falfe Excuses

impofe upon Men, yet I prefume we need not be informed, how little they will avail in the Sight of God. Thofe, who have the Talent in their Hands, are certainly accountable for the Mifmanagement of it. If we confider this as we ought, and remember likewise how uncertain all things are, we should let flip no Opportunity of doing Good, when it is in our Power to do it. This is the Advice of the Wife Man in the Words immediately following the Text, Say not unto thy Neighbour, go, and come again, and To-morrow I will give thee, when thou haft it by thee. And what can be more reasonable; for (not to mention that whatever it is that hinders a Man from doing Good To-day, when he has it in his Power, will likewise do fo To-morrow,) how does he know, what may happen To-morrow? How is he certain what a Day may bring forth? But why To-morrow, any more than To-day? To-morrow we may die, and lose all Opportunity of doing Good: But fuppofing

7

we

we should not, yet as every Morning SERM.
brings along with it a new Day, fo does it IX.
also a Variety of new Circumstances and
Revolutions. But fhould à Man live never
fo long, perhaps he may never meet with
an Opportunity of doing fo much Good
any more: The Seafonableness of the
Charity much increases the Value of it;
for as a Word spoken, so also a Gift given
in Season, how good is it? We must be care-
full how we say it is not in our Power to
do Good, when we ourselves are the Occa-
fion of it: For tho' this Debt is limited and
reftrained, and can extend only to those
who are able to discharge it, yet they will
by no means be excufed from doing it,
who put it out of their Power, and throw
away their Abilities in idle and useless Di-
verfions, when they have fo many Oppor
tunities of employing them to relieve the
Neceffities of the Poor, who are all the
while perifhing for want of the common
Neceffaries of Life: For indeed this is
throwing away what is not our own; it
is withholding Good from them who are
the proper Owners of it, and to indulge
B b 2

and

[ocr errors]
« FöregåendeFortsätt »