IX.

SERM, and recreate ourselves at the Expence of others. And indeed this is a Custom too much obferv'd, and which can never be too much lamented. People fquander away that very often in unlawful, or at leaft, in vain and trifling Pleasures, which, by a well-timed Charity, would refresh the Spirits of the Needy, and fave a Soul alive. There is another Sort of People, who if a Brother or a Sifter be naked, and deftitute of daily Food, will fay unto them, Depart in Peace, be ye warmed, or filled, notwithstanding they will not give them those things, which are needful to the Body; and that, because they fay, they cannot afford it, when perhaps their Income is much greater, and their Outgoings much lefs, than any of their Neighbours. I put it thus, because a Man may have a great Income, and yet may not be able to do fo much Good as one who has lefs, because his Outgoings may be greater, upon the account of a numerous Family and poor Relations, which we are preingaged to provide for in the first Place, and other Cir cumftances which demand greater Expens

ces

ces, according to the Station of Life he is SERM.
in; but the greater a Man's Income is, IX.
and the lefs his Outgoings, the harder will
it be for him to prove, that he cannot af-
ford to do Good with it. But there are a
Sort of People in the World, who think
they were born for their own private Ends,
and that a good or bad Life confifts in the
Quantity of Money they have fcraped to-
gether; without confidering they were born
for the Goodof Community; and that if
God had not been more merciful to them,
than they are to their Fellow-creatures,
notwithstanding all their Endeavours, they
would not have fo great a Talent put into
their Hands to do Good withal. However,
in People of this Temper one thing is very
furprizing, that as they withhold Good
from others, fo they do generally from
themselves too, and out of a strange fort
of Frugality, fuffer themselves to want
even for fear they fhould want; which is
to run into Danger in order to avoid it,
and to anticipate future Miferies, which
are only poffible, by making them certain
and prefent; which is fuch an odd Mix-

SERM ture of Inconfiftencies, and fuch a fhame IX. ful Miftruft of Providence, and Abuse of Common-Senfe, that barely to mention it, is fufficient to expofe it: And then these very People, when they die, by as strange, and undefigned a Sort of kindness, leave their Substance to they know not whom, for no other reason, than because they cannot keep it any longer. But after all, tho' we may not withhold Good from them to whom it is due, yet we may withhold it from them to whom it is not due: For they who are able to help themselves, and fuch there are, who nevertheless refufe to do fo, can never be entitled to that Good, which it is in their own Power to help themselves to, and which should they receive, they must of neceffity rob those, to whom the Scripture has given a Title to it. The Rod of Juftice is the greatest Charity that can be beftowed on them, who by their voluntary Neceffities impofe upon Mankind, and deprive those who are truly neceffitous of that Help and Affiftance, which they would otherwise enjoy. They certainly are the

only

IX.

only Objects of Charity whofe Neceffities SE RM. are not of their own making, fuch as they could prevent, or can deliver themselves from. The Impotence of Old Age, just dropping into the Duft, and haftening to put off its earthly Tabernacle, calls upon us to fupply the Defects of Nature, and if poffible, to give fome Refpite and Refreshment to the short Remains of Life. They who labour under any grievous Disorder of Body, whether they be old or young, loudly call for Succour; having befides their Pain a pinching Neceffity likewife to strug gle with: But more efpecially they whom thefe Misfortunes have befallen in the Service of their Country, have a juft and equitable Claim to our Affiftance, and to fhare with us in the common Bleffings they have been fo inftrumental in procuring us. Nor are they to be forgotten, whom God has afflicted with a troubled Mind, whofe Reafon, if any there be, is kept under by exorbitant raging Paffions, and left to the extravagant Guidance of unaffifted Nature. Since I am defcribing to you the feveral Objects of Charity, indulge me a few

Words,

SERM. Words, while I recommend to you one IX. thing more, in which your Charity would

be exceedingly well beftowed, I mean in the Education of Youth. Every one knows, and has feen, and fome indeed to their Sorrow, the difmal Confequences that have attended the Want of Education in our Youth. Young People are prone enough to Vice, notwithstanding any Restraints that are put upon them, even under the Influence of Virtue and Religion; but when they are let alone to follow their Inclinations without Controul, they rush on adventrous in the Paths of Sin, till Old Age, if fome unlucky Accident does not take them off before, hardens them into a reprobate and ftupid Infidelity, fo that, for want of remembring their Creator in the Days of their Youth, the Evil days come upon them, and the Years draw nigh, when they fall fay, I have no Pleafure in them: But when they are timely accustomed to virtuous Habits, and by good Inftructions trained up in the way wherein they should go, they will not eafily depart from it, but

grow, as in

Years