SAINT Paul being about to conclude his Letter to the Galatians, and having heard ('tis very likely) that the Paſtors of that Church were much neglected, exhorts them to the exerciſe of due and decent liberalitytowards the Miniſtry; in the 6th Verſe, Let him that is taught in the word, communicate to him that teacheth, in all good things. Agreeable to what he ſaith, 1 Cor. 9. 11. If we have ſown unto you ſpiritual things, is it a great thing if we ſhall reap your carnal things? Do ye not know, That they which miniſter about holy things, live of the things of the Temple; and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers of the things of the Altar? And, leſt any one ſhould object, that this refers to the Jewiſh practice, and concerneth not the Chriſtians; He adds in the 14th Verſe, Even ſo hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel.

And foreſeeing what Excuſes and Pretences men would make; ſome, That their Families were to be maintain'd; others, that they had not wherewithal: and all of them ſhifting it off, as well as they could; he proceeds in the 7th, Be not deceived, God is not mocked Don't think it ſuch a light and trifling matter, this that I have mentioned: God will not ſuffer himſelf to be deſpiſed and mocked in the Perſons of his Miniſters: He that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me; and he that deſpiſeth Luke 10. 6. me, deſpiſeth him that ſent me; i. e. God, ſaith our Saviour. And tho he may for a while defer his Judgments, yet he will one day, in its proper ſeaſon, puniſh the Contempts and Injuries that are pour'd upon his Servants. And leſt they ſhould think that all, that goes beſides their own hands, were loſt, and ſo ſhould be withheld from contributing, as they ſhould, and ought to do; He tells them, That whilſt they were doing good, they were, in a manner, ſowing, what in time would riſe up to a plenteous Harveſt: that it was not thrown away, that they advanc'd to this, or any other other good purpoſe; that they ſerv'd a very Righteous, and a Faithful Maſter, one that would not forget their labour of love, in miniſtring to good Ends, and good People; One that was able, and engag'd by frequent Promiſes, to make them good amends, and fair Returns, for all the expence they ſhould be at, on his account: and One that on the other hand would take a ſtrict account, how 'twas they ſpent the Stock he made them Stewards of in this life, how they employed the Talents he committed to their truſt: For what a man ſoweth, that ſhall he alſo reap: for, He that ſoweth to the fleſh, He that conſiders nothing but the neceſſities, conveniencies and pleaſures of this life, without regard to, or proviſion for the next; he that ſeeketh his own only, and looks after nothing but himſelf, and mindeth neither God, nor God's Servants, ſhall of the fleſh reap corruption: the Harveſt ſhall be anſwerable to the Seed ſown, he ſhall heap together what ſhall come at laſt to nothing. Whereas he that ſoweth to the ſpirit, he that liveth a ſpiritual life, whoſe heart is with God, whoſe thoughts are above, and who mindeth heavenly things, and whoſe Actions conſequently are guided by God's Rule, and accordingly does all the good he can; this Man ſhall, from this Spiritual Seed, reap life everlaſting. And then by way of encouragement adds, And let us not be weary of well-doing; whilſt we are here on Earth, let us be doing all the good we can; let us with chearfulneſs and readineſs of mind be exerciſing our Charity to good people, and ſowing to the Spirit all we can; for in due time we ſhall reap. The Apoſtle perſiſts in his Metaphor ſtill, and diſtinguiſhes the Seaſons of ſowing, and of reaping; Now is the time of ſowing whilſt we live, now is the ſeaſon of doing good, whilſt Chriſt in his Goſpel ſhines upon us in this life; and the time of reaping is that to come. Solomon ſays, that he who obſerveth Eccl. 11. 4. the winds, ſhall never ſow; and he that will, in like manner, wait till the world goes well with good men, and all things ſucceed to the deſires of the charitable and bounteous perſon, before he will do good, ſhall never do any good at all; for men will always be unthankful, and the World will always return evil for good: and therefore, that we ſhould not be weary of well doing, the Apoſtle propounds the greateſt reward imaginable, but in the other World, and that too upon ſuppoſal of perſeverance to the end,—if ſo be that we faint not: for they who perſevere not to the end, are like thoſe fooliſh Husbandmen, who, when they have plowed and ſowed, proceed no farther, take no care to cover it from the Fowls, or from the nipping Froſt, or ſcorchings of the Sun; they have thrown their Seed, and Time and Pains away to bad purpoſe; and ſo do they who begin in ſowing to the Spirit, but faint before the time of reaping come. In hopes then of this glorious Harveſt, Let us, whilſt we have opportunity, do good to all men, but eſpecially to them who are of the houſehold of faith, to God's Domeſtic Servants in eſpecial manner. In which words we have theſe things to conſider.

Of theſe in their order: and,

Iſt, Of the Duty exhorted to, Let us do good. I.

To go good, is a phraſe of large and comprehenſive ſignification, and takes in the whole duty of a Chriſtian man, to which we are undoubtedly exhorted in the general; but in this particular, to do good, ſignifies to do acts of charity and beneficence. And indeed it is hardly poſſible to do good with reſpect to ones Neighbour, but that good muſt be a kind of Charity, a relief or ſuccour to them in ſome particular or other, where they wanted it, or elſe it could not deſerve the name of good, which muſt have relation to ſome evil or inconvenience they would otherwiſe have ſuffered; and it has obtain'd by cuſtom, that doing good, and being charitable, are phraſes of the ſame importance. And ſo it is frequently in the New Teſtament, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath-day? ſaith our Saviour, when he was curing Diſeaſes, Mark 3. 4. Ye have the poor with you always; when you will, you may do them good, Mark 14. 7. Charge the rich, that they do good, 1 Tim. 6. 18. But to do good, and to communicate, forget not, Heb. 13. 16. And that doing good in this and in all ſenſes, indeed, is the general duty of us all, is not only plain from Reaſon and Scripture, but acknowledged and confeſs'd by all the World.

When a man is the Object of this Charity and Good himſelf, then he ſees nothing ſo clear and evident, as that all mankind are by Nature obliged, and urged by Reaſon, and compelled by Scripture, to ſhew that Charity, and do that Good he finds he wants; and he thinks the man injurious to him, that refuſes him what he ſtands in need of, and the other could ſupply without his detriment and loſs. And when the ſcene changes, and he himſelf becomes the party applied to, he does not plead that he is not oblig'd to relieve the diſtreſſed Supplicant, but makes excuſes of his inabilities, and ſeems concern'd that he wants the power to anſwer to his will. And whether mens Excuſes are good or bad, whether their wants be true or pretended ones, is no great matter here; they ſerve alike to ſhew, that in Reaſon and Conſcience all men are, and hold themſelves oblig'd to do all the good they can. So that there needs no proving the reaſonableneſs and neceſſity of mens complying with the Exhortation in the Text, Let us do good.

One might alſo, if there were occaſion, enforce this matter farther, from the conſideration of the pleaſure, and the profit too, that attends the practice of doing Good. There is nothing fills the mind with more content and ſatisfaction, than acting agreeably to natural Light, and to the Rules of Reaſon: There is a ſecret joy, moreover, ſprings up in the heart, at helping of a fellow-creature, in reſcuing Humane Nature from the wrongs and miſchiefs that it ſuffers in our Brother: There is an innocent and pleaſing kind of pride in being ſuperior to the evils that afflict another; and it makes up a triumph in the mind, to free that other from them. There is nothing, in a word, that is more pleaſing in contrivance and deſign, nothing more grateful and delightful in the acting, nothing that leaves a ſweeter odour after it, and raiſes more complacence in the mind, and glad remembrances, than doing good. Neither is the profit any whit inferior to the pleaſure, as might be ſhewn at large from ſeveral Heads, if it were neceſſary. I rather chuſe to paſs on to the Second thing to be conſidered;

II. The extent of this Duty of doing Good, whichII. is to all men.

The Galatians were in danger of Judaizing in their Practices as well as Doctrines, i. e. of loving none but themſelves and Countrey-men. The Jews were grown ſo famous for this churliſh and uncharitable temper, that the Heathens took great notice of it. They would not ſo much as direct a Wandring-Paſſenger into the Rightway, nor ſhew a Thirſty Traveller a Fountain where he might refreſh his Thirſt, unleſs he were a Jew or Proſelite. And our Saviour ſeems to hint at this, when he tells them who their Neighbour was, Luke 10. 30. where he diſcovers this ill-natured practice, by the Prieſts and Levites paſſing by the Stranger, who were both of them Jews, and informs them, they muſt leave off thoſe unneighbourly, ungenerous and narrow Notions, and muſt do good to all mankind, as it came in their way; and not imagine that the Jews alone were the Neighbours intended by God, when he commanded them, to love their neighbours as themſelves. And it is with this proſpect that St. Paul adviſes the Galatians to do good to all men; not to ſuffer themſelves to be led away by the example of the cloſe and and narrowhearted Jews; but to account that all that wanted their aſſiſtance, had a right to it, by virtue of that title of Want: That our Saviour had commanded them, not only to do good to thoſe they loved and were beloved by, but to thoſe that curſed, hated, and deſpitefully uſed them; That they might be the Children of their Father which is in heaven, who maketh the ſun to riſe upon the evil and good, and ſendeth rain on the juſt and unjuſt. Not that they ſhould make no difference and diſtinction in their charitable acts, but give promiſcuouſly, and alike to all; for that cannot be the meaning of the place, which is contradicted in the next words, but eſpecially to thoſe of the houſhold of faith; But that no Nation, Party, or Religion, ſhould exclude men from their charity, if their wants had made them objects of it: That all mankind was ſitted for their love and pity, and was to partake of it in time and place convenient, notwithſtanding his Opinions in Religion, difference of Nation, Practice, or Belief: That People's wants made them Objects of Charity, and not their Agreement in Opinion, or their being of ſuch a Party. And therefore he that would be Charitable, muſt relieve the wants of the Neceſſitous, whoever they were, as it came in his way. When therefore he exhorts us to do good to all, he only means that no one ſhould be abſolutely excluded and incapacitated from receiving benefit, when his condition calls for it, and ours will bear the doing it. He does not hereby make void the difference and diſtinction that the Laws of Nature, Nations, and Religion, have already made, and ſuch as are certain; nor ſuch as by unfortunate accidents, or unforeſeen, or unavoidable calamities, are become ſuch. The calls of Nature muſt and will be heard firſt, and no Laws can or will ſuperſede them: And the Poſitive Laws of God are to be heard next, and next to them the Laws of the Land; and after theſe are ſatisfied, men are left to govern themſelves by the rules of Prudence and Diſcretion, by the Affections of their Minds, and the Examples of wiſe and good People. It would be tedious to recount the Particulars that are to be preferred in doing good; I will only give a word or two, to the inſtance St. Paul uſes here, eſpecially to thoſe that are of the houſehold of faith, becauſe ſome men are not ſo well ſatisfied in this Particular, as in the reſt. But the reaſonableneſs of this will appear, 1. From the practice of all Times and Nations, conforming to each other, and agreeing in this, That the Prieſthood was to be provided for apart, and that it was to be maintained in honour and eſteem: Where-ever there has been People, there has been Religion, ſuch as it was; whereever there has been Religion, there have been Perſons conſecrated and ſet apart from Secular Employments to attend its ſervice; and where-ever it has been ſo, there was a maintenance provided for them at the Publick Charge. 2ly. It was ſo by God's Appointment with the Jews. 3ly. It was ſo by Chriſt's Appointment under the Goſpel, as appears from the Paſſage before cited by St. Paul, 1 Cor. 9. 14. Even ſo hath the Lord ordained, That they who preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel. And tho St. Paul himſelf work'd for his Living in a Secular Employment, and ſome perhaps at that time with him; yet the caſe was ſingular, and he choſe to do ſo for particular ends and purpoſes he had, and argued ſtrongly in behalf of others proviſion, tho he made no uſe of it himſelf: And there has been no other Inſtance ſince his time, of any Church-man that hath taken up a profeſs'd Employment or Trade to live by, without great Scandal to the Church, and againſt its Rules and Canons. No People, till of late, ever thought it decent to remove from the Shop to the Pulpit: None from the days of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, till ſome years ago, have dar'd to ſay with them, That all the Congregation were holy, every one of them, and the Numb. 16. 3. Lord among them, in the ſenſe of thoſe deplorable Sufferers. 4thly. The Canons of the Church have not only forbid them taking up any Trade or Calling, but the Laws of the Land have made it highly Penal for them ſo to do, 21 H. 8. c. 13. even to the taking of a Farm to rent, which yet is one of the moſt innocent, and leaſt ſcandalous ways of living, amongſt us. Laſtly, Tho this ſhould be permitted them, yet the way of Education that is abſolutely neceſſary to the accompliſhing and fitting People for the Miniſtry, does perfectly unqualifie them for any other Employment; and the time that is neceſſarily ſpent in the due diſcharging of that Office, will afford them but little leiſure to attend any other gainful one. Theſe Reaſons, whoſe Heads I have on • y mentioned, with a great many others that eaſily occur to any thinking perſon, may be ſufficient to ſhew the reaſonableneſs and equity of St. Pau • 's remembring the Galatians, That in their doing good to all men, they ſhould have a more eſpecial regard to ſuch as are of the houſhold of faith.

But tho the Apoſtle's Argument do neceſſarily require, That by the Houſhold of Faith, be here eſpecially meant the Paſtors of the Church, and them that teach; yet thoſe terms do alſo comprehend the whole Chriſtian Church, all the body of Believers, as oppoſed to the Prophane Gentiles, and to the Unbelieving Jews; and then the words are to be taken in this ſenſe; You are in danger to be taught by the Jews, with whom I find you frequently converſe, That all your Charity is to be tied to one Nation, and confined to People of the ſame perſuaſion; but this is too narrow a Notion of the Chriſtian Charity, which is deſigned to enlarge mens hearts, and to extend their love and kindneſs over all the world; the Commands of Chriſt, and conſequently his Apoſtle's Exhortations are, That Chriſtians ſhould do good to all men; but that where a preference can be made, without offence to Charity, it be made in behalf of Chriſt's Servants; If there come a competition betwixt a Jew, a Gentile, and a Chriſtian, and the Merits and the Wants be equal, the preference ſhould be made in favour of the Chriſtian, in honour of our Lord, and to the encouragement of his Religion. And the ſame reaſon there is, that in our diſtributions among Chriſtians, reſpect be had to thoſe that are the beſt, that behave themſelves more devoutly towards God, and carefully and honeſtly towards their Neighbours, where the diſtreſs is equal, and the neceſſities alike; for the better people are, the nearer relation they have to God, and the higher Offices they bear, as it were, in God's Houſhold, and conſequently have a better title to the benefits exhorted to in the Text, To them eſpecially that are of the houſhold of faith.

Thirdly, Here is the Time expreſſed of doing thisIII. good, namely, whilſt we have opportunity. Yet a little while is the light with you, walk while ye have the light, leſt darkneſs come upon you; for he that walketh in darkneſs, knoweth not whither he goeth; While ye have light; believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light, ſaith our Saviour, Joh. 12. 35. Give glory to the Lord your God, ſaith the Prophet, Jer. 13. 16. Before he cauſe darkneſs, and before your feet ſtumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the ſhadow of death, and make it groſs darkneſs. I muſt work (ſaith the Lord of Day and Night himſelf, John 9. 4.) the works of him that ſent me, while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work. There is a Light, and a Day, and a Time given us all, to work out our Salvation in, to do the Will of God, to perform his Commands, and to perfect the buſineſs in, he ſent us hither for. And behold (as St. Paul ſays, 2 Cor. 6. 2. now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of ſalvation. The Light and the Day is this life, and the place is this world, and it is now, and it is here, that we muſt walk in the ways of God, and do the works of his Commandments. Now while we live, is the time of making matters ſure; now is the only opportunity of doing good, which if we once let ſlip, there is no more recovering it; for there is no Eccl. 9, 10. wiſdom in the grave, ſaith Solomon; and he that goeth down thither, ſhall come up no more to his houſe, neither ſhall his place know him any more, ſaith Job 7. 9. Since then it is agreed upon at all hands, That it is all our Duties to do all the good we can, as we have opportunity, and that we have no opportunity of doing it, beyond this life. Why is not doing good, the conſequence of theſe two Premiſes? How comes it that men know the neceſſity of doing it, and the benefit of it when done, and the time allotted them to do it in, and yet there is ſo little done? The reaſon, I think, is this, That men promiſe to themſelves ſtill better opportunities than the preſent time, they think, affords them: They put the execution of their good Purpoſes off from day to day, and imagine that a more convenient ſeaſon will preſent it ſelf; That to morrow and the next day may produce ſome new matter, and change the circumſtances of things to their advantage; and waver about in theſe uncertainties, till Life it ſelf, the great Opportunity, is unexpectedly cut off, and all their thoughts periſh. Whereas if they were as wiſe in this, as in other matters, they would rather argue thus; I find I am obliged by Nature, Reaſon, and Religion, and (God be thanked) by my own inclinations, to do all the good I can; and I know aſſuredly withall, that the good to be done by me, is to be done in this life, while it pleaſes God to continue me in this World; and becauſe I can't poſſibly tell how long I have to live, and what is like to be the number of my days, and that every day produces ſome ſtrange inſtance of the uncertainty of life, and the ſuddenneſs of Death, therefore I muſt put my deſigns of doing good, in execution preſently, for fear I ſhould be prevented; my deſires and reſolutions may prove abortive, if I defer them any longer; therefore my Purpoſes ſhall be, as ſoon as poſſibly they can, Performances. Can any Premiſes be plainer? Can any conſequence be juſter and more reaſonable than this? I muſt do good whilſt I have opportunity, but I can't tell how long this opportunity may laſt, or when it will end; I am only ſure of the Preſent time, that which I have in poſſeſſion is only mine; therefore if I will ſecure my ſelf, I muſt do all the good I can immediately, and whilſt the time is in my hand; the time to come is none of mine; I am not Maſter of the enſuing Year, nor can command the Month that's entring: If I bid the Morning haſten, or the Evening ſlacken its pace, becauſe that I intend to do ſome good, they neither hear nor mind me, but proceed according to appointment, and each of them may find me cold and ſenſleſs, and incapable of either doing, or receiving any farther good in this world. And therefore when St. Paul adviſes to do good whilſt we have opportunity, he adviſes us to do it as ſoon as poſſibly we can, and that we loſe no Opportunity by delay: It may otherwiſe happen to us, as it did to the poor man that promiſed himſelf ſuch eaſe and pleaſure in the enjoyment of the Fruits and Riches he had treaſur'd up; Thou fool, this night ſhall thy ſoul be required of thee, and then whoſe ſhall thoſe things be which thou haſt provided? We frame a great many fine projects in our heads, contrive abundance of good deſigns, and intend to do the Lord knows how much charity; but the Sentence paſſes out from God upon us, and cuts us off in the midſt of all our Purpoſes, and what is then become of all our good intentions? We are gone to a place where great account will be had of all the good we actually have done, and would have done, if we had had but opportunity, but little or none at all will be had of that which vaniſhed in deſign, and went no farther than the Brain. But that may not be the worſt in ſome caſes, where we ſhall give account for all the Abilities and Opportunities we had of doing good, but over-ſlipt or quite neglected.

But Secondly, There is an Opportunity of the Will, as well as Time, which muſt be taken hold of; for tho the Opportunity of Time may be continued to a man, yet the Will and Inclination may be changed: The Will, we know, is very uncertain, and tacks about with every new Variety of Accidents; the Inclinations alter with and without reaſon, as they ſee convenient; and he that promiſes to himſelf at this time, that Six Months hence he will have the Mind and Inclination to do ſuch and ſuch things, underſtands his Temper but a little, and is but indifferently acquainted with the inconſtancy of humane Nature, and the deceitfulneſs of his own Heart. He may be ſure enough indeed, that if he be then of the ſame Opinion he is now, that he ſhall do the things he now reſolves on; but, for ought he knows, his mind may be then averſe from the purpoſes he now makes; and therefore if they are good, he had beſt fulfil them in their propereſt ſeaſon, which is Now, when Time and Inclination meet and are agreed. The Mind (I ſay) is humorous and fantaſtick, toſs'd up and down in great uncertainty, and even the graveſt, ſobereſt and moſt neceſſary Reſolutions, are oftentimes perverted by the moſt inconſiderable and trivial accidents, and therefore we muſt ſtrike in with the Inclinations preſently, and not permit the deſigns of doing good, to cool and grow remiſs.

Sometimes it happens that the mind is warm'd with ſome unuſual ſupernatural Heat, and is ardently enflamed with the deſire of doing good, and it looks like an Impulſe from Heaven; but if it be not preſently complied with, it returns no more, but vaniſhes. Sometimes a man returns from Church, and the Sacrament, and ſometimes riſes from his Prayers, or from reading or hearing an affectionate Diſcourſe; ſometimes is ſeiz'd upon the ſudden, with a heart full fraught with godly Purpoſes, charg'd with good Intentions, and excellent Reſolves; he finds himſelf ſenſibly affected with what paſſed, ſees the reaſonableneſs and the neceſſity of changing his courſe, and doing all the good he can, whilſt he continues in this world; but returning to his Buſineſs and Employment, entertaining his Friends and Gueſts, repeating the News, giving Orders to his Servants, reſolving to proſecute one Affair to morrow, and another the next day, and ſo on, the deſigns of doing good begin to wear out of his mind, and all thoſe thoughts periſh; and if by accident they are again reviv'd the next good Opportunity, they have ſtill the ſame fate to dye abortive, for want of being preſently complied with, and exerted into good Acts. So that he who intends to follow Saint Paul's Advice of doing good whilſt he has opportunity, muſt by all means reſolve, to attend to the motions of his heart, and to take himſelf, as it were, in the good humour.

Thirdly, There is alſo an Opportunity of Power, to be complied withal, and without which the Others ſignify but little; for Men may have both Time and Will to do good, that have not the Opportunity of Power. And indeed it is often ſeen, that when men have Time and Power, they want the Will; and when they have Will and Time, they want the Power: if therefore they would be ſecure, they muſt do it when they are able. Not that any one ſhall be blam'd or puniſh'd for not doing good, when he has no power of doing it, but for omitting it, whilſt he had the power; for not doing it before he was diſabled. And the reaſonableneſs of complying with the Exhortation in the Text, whilſt we have power, depends eſpecially on the uncertainty of humane Affairs, and the inſtability of all Conditions. If a man will patronize the Innocent, protect the Weak, defend the Poor and Fatherleſs, and ſee that ſuch as are in need and neceſſity have right; if he will correct the Diſſolute, reſtrain the Oppreſſor, and proſecute the wicked and malicious Perſecutors of the injur'd Poor, he muſt do it whilſt he is a Judge and Magiſtrate, and has the power and opportunity in his hands, for elſe his Pity comes too late, when his Power is gone: and his love of Juſtice, and deſigns of doing it, end in imperfect wiſhes. And ſo it is in the deſigns of Charity of all ſorts; They muſt be brought to effects, they muſt be accompliſh'd while we have abilities; for many are the ways, and ſudden are the accidents, that diſable men from doing good. As every Element contributes to the enriching, ſo it does to the impoveriſhing of People; and every little thing that makes for, does alſo ſometimes make againſt a Man; and it is hardly poſſible for an Accident that is exceeding favourable to one, but it muſt alſo have an ill aſpect on another, or that one Kingdom ſhould flouriſh mightily without ſome others decaying. So that the uncertainty of mens continuing in a proſperous ſtate, ſhould be an argument to haſten them on to doing good, whilſt it continues, and not as it is commonly made, a pretence for withholding Charity; Men make it an excuſe for doing none at all. They ſee ſo many ſad Accidents, ſo many Families reduced to beggery and want, ſo many Storms and Tempeſts on the Seas, ſo many Inundations and Fires at Land, that though they are at preſent enabled to do good, yet they can't tell how long it will be ſo with them, and therefore they forbear. Whereas for this very reaſon, they ſhould do what good they could immediately. Their Eſtates, they ſay, are expos'd to a great many ſad Chances; Yes, they are, therefore, ſay I, ſecure ſome part of them from all Chance; ſecure them in the bowels of the Poor; ſecure them with the bleſſing of God; Put them into his Protection, and then they will be ſafe: make Him your Bondſman, and he will be reſponſible. Had you rather truſt the Seas with all you have, than God with a very little part? Is it ſafer in a Board two inches thick, within a yard or two of the devouring Sea, and expos'd to the fury of a Storm, than under the protection of the Almighty? Is it ſafer, think you, where it may become a prey to Fire and Thieves, than where no Accidents or Men can reach it? But what if Peoples Fears ſhould come to paſs? what if all they had ſhould indeed be conſumed by Fire, or taken away by Villains? Would the loſs be greater, for having given away ſome portion of it to the Poor? Would it not rather comfort one, to think that ſome was ſaved, and ſaved ſo very well? But what lamentable Excuſes muſt a man be forced to make on theſe accounts? I would do no good when I could, becauſe I was afraid I might, by chance, be diſabled from doing it. Why, what's the difference betwixt chuſing to be diſabled, and being made unable by accident? but that one is a fault, and the other a misfortune, and you choſe the fault, and are fallen into the misfortune? I would do no good when I could, becauſe I was afraid; of what? that I might come to want my ſelf. Then put theſe things together. I was afraid of relieving others wants, leſt I ſhould come to be reliev'd my ſelf. Well, but now you are become an Object of Charity, by ſome of the Accidents you ſo much dreaded, and who ſhall help you? Who ſhall afford you that relief that you denied to others, for very fear you ſhould be forc'd to ask your ſelf? Don't you perceive that the Judgment of God hath overtaken you in this matter, and that you are caught in your own Snare, and that the very fear of falling into miſery your ſelf, ſhould have made you charitable to another, which yet you made the reaſon why you were not ſo? I refus'd to do good, when I was able, but now I would, and cannot: this is the beſt that can be ſaid by you; but how are you aſſur'd of this, that you would, if you could, do good? You remember the time when you could, and would not; and you remember the reaſon which hindred you, i. e. the uncertainty of mens Conditions, and the inſtability of Humane Things; and ſince that reaſon is not like to mend upon your hands, why ſhould you think your mind would not be the ſame again, in the ſame condition? And therefore he that refuſes to do good, becauſe he is afraid of evil times, and ſad miſchances, is a miſerable Man, whether thoſe times and chances overtake him or not. If they do not, he is a miſerable man, that does no good when he is able: and if they do overtake him, then he is miſerable with a witneſs; firſt, in being depriv'd of what he lov'd ſo dearly; ſecondly, in the ſad remembrance, that whilſt he had his Riches, they were uſeleſs to him, and he did no manner of good with them. Whereas, on the contrary, If the Charitable man, by God's permiſſion, fall into misfortune; if he, that has in his time been good to thoſe that wanted, come by ſad miſchance to want himſelf, he does not only find mankind ready to pity and relieve him, but he has the greateſt eaſe and ſatisfaction in the World about him, in his mind: He remembers that whilſt he was Poſſeſſor of his Wealth, he did what good with it he could, and that the Needy ſhar'd with him. He can rejoyce with Job in his Affliction, Job 29. 12. Becauſe I delivered the poor that cried, and the Fatherleſs, and him that had none to help him; the bleſſing of him that was ready to periſh came upon me, and I cauſed the widows heart to ſing for joy. It intitles him to the hopes of receiving benefit from others; it makes his State not half ſo troubleſome, in freeing him from the remembrance that would plague him, if he had neglected doing good whilſt he had Opportunity; But now being well ſecur'd of that, he is able to ſay with comfort, Whilſt I had it, I us'd it as I ſhould; and now 'tis gone, no more will be expected; The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord. Theſe are the ſenſes in which this Phraſe, Whilſt we have opportunity, is to be underſtood: We muſt do good, whilſt we have time, when we have will, and whilſt we are able: Before God cuts us off by death, whilſt our Inclinations are bent that way, and for fear we fall into misfortune, and become unable.

Laſtly, To the encouraging us to the doing all theIV. good we can, we have the reward we are to ſet continually before our eyes, implied in the word therefore. Let us not be weary of well-doing, for in due ſeaſon we ſhall reap, if we faint not: Therefore whilſt we have opportunity, let us do good to all men. The practice here exhorted to, is Pleaſant, Profitable and Neceſſary: the Time we have to do it in, is very ſhort, the Will inconſtant, and the Opportunities not many. 'Tis a thing we like exceedingly whilſt doing, and as well when done; We ſhall all of us wiſh one day, we had attended to this matter; and they that have done moſt, will wiſh they had done yet more; and they who have done little or none, will wiſh they had done nothing elſe. It is that which makes us think on the time paſt with eaſe and comfort, and on the life to come with hope and pleaſure. The Day of Trouble, and the Day of Death, are the two proper times to try the uſe and excellence of things, and friendſhips in, and in both theſe times there is nothing ſtands a Man in more and better ſtead, than the remembrance of his Charitable Acts. The Soul is then exceeding buſie, and looking out continually for what may give it eaſe and quiet; and finding all external Succours fail, turns and deſcends into it ſelf, and there revolves the Actions of the life paſt, to find what has been done that it can faſten on, and can abide by: what it can feed upon at preſent with content, and what afford a comfortable proſpect for the future. The Splendors of the life paſt, the pompous gay Appearances the Man hath made, the mighty Friendſhips and Dependencies contracted, the honourable Viſits given, and had; the great Entertainments, the numerous Train of Servants and Attendants, with all that goes along with, and that follows a magnificent Luxurious Fortune, do then afford but little ſatisfaction to the mind, upon Reflection: It rather wiſhes that thoſe things had never paſt: There is fear at leaſt, and ſome ſuſpicion, due to the menagery of that life; it was a ſtate of danger, liable to the diſorders of exceſs and wantonneſs, and to a great deal of folly and vanity at the beſt; And if it ſcaped theſe Evils, yet 'tis gone, and a man is never the better for all that's paſt. Even the neceſſary Proviſions made for Children, Wife and Family, do but barely content the mind at preſent, and free it from the perplexity that would ariſe from the thoughts of leaving thoſe it lov'd, in want: but the recollecting this, creates no new or extraordinary complacence in the mind: theſe are not the things it cares to dwell on long, or feeds upon with pleaſure. But the remembrance of its Acts of Charity is that it lives upon, that it perpetually rolls about, and that it turns to every moment. The Tables that have been ſpread for the Poor, the Portions that have been ſent out to the hungry, the Drink that has reliev'd the miſerable thirſty, the Cloaths that have been made for, and beſtowed upon the Naked; the Counſel, Viſits, and the helps that have ſupported thoſe in Priſon, theſe things are fed on with delight, theſe fill the heart with pleaſure and contentment, theſe cool the ragings of the Fever, and ſupport the weakneſs of Conſumptions, and abate the pains of our acute Diſeaſes, and make mens Beds in all their Sickneſſes. So that there is no one thing beſides, that is ſo much its own reward in this life, that begets a man more good will, that makes more Friends, that creates a greater eſteem, that fits men for the aſſiſtance both of Strangers and the Neighbourhood, that ſtirs and provokes the Prayers of all that want, and all that ſee and hear of it, and pulls down Bleſſings from the Throne of Grace, than this kind, benign diſpoſition of doing good to the Poor; nothing that is ſo faithful an Aſſiſtant in the days of Sorrow, and of Sickneſs, and the hour of Death, as the doing Acts of Charity, and the ſhewing mercy to the Needy. The very pleaſure and the profit of doing good, are of themſelves an argument of mighty force, to draw men to the doing it; but when we have the Promiſes of God, the Hopes of Heaven and everlaſting Happineſs, propos'd for our encouragement, what is there that can ſway againſt theſe powerful Motives?

I have now done with the Text, and have ſhewed the reaſonableneſs and the neceſſity, together with the benefits of complying with its Exhortation. It remains that I ſet before you an Example too, and then conclude.

I am perſuaded, Gentlemen, that the memory of This Lady, upon whoſe account we now meet, is much more dear and precious in your mind; and that I do her greater Honours, when I tell of her good Works of Charity that ſhe hath done, than if I could, without thoſe Works, recount abundance of her other Qualilities, and Titles. It would be, methinks, but a very poor thing for me to be able to tell you, that ſhe was deſcended of Great Anceſtours, and married very honourably, and had a great many lovely Children, and kept a mighty ſumptuous Table, made moſt magnificent Entertainments, and wore a world of fine Jewels, and went in the richeſt Habits of her time, kept I don't know how many Coaches, and Liveries without number. I am ignorant of all, and any of theſe Particulars; but were they all true, I ſhould be nothing forward to recount them: I ſhould think I dealt more kindly by her Memory, and better anſwered her Intentions in our meeting here, to ſay ſhe left a Shilling to the Poor, nay but a Penny to relieve ſome hungry Creature. But greater was her Charity, and greater be her Praiſes. I am to read

A (Long and Glorious) Catalogue of the Charitable Gifts of the Lady Mary Ramſey, which are Yearly Paid by the Governors of Chriſt's Hoſpital, out of Means which ſhe beſtowed upon it, for theſe Godly Uſes.

I ſhall not ſo much as ask of you the patience of hearing it. It would affront your Goodneſs and Religion to miſtruſt it.

Thus it begins:   l. s. d. To the Maſter of Peter-Houſe in Cambridge, towards the Maintenance of Two Fellows, and Four Scholars, yearly, 40 00 00 Towards the Maintenance of Twelve Scholars, Six in Cambridge, and Six in Oxford, yearly 40 00 00

Theſe two Particulars may look, perhaps, to ſome, rather like Works of Munificence than Charity: If it were ſo, they are full as uſeful, and full as neceſſary as the other: But indeed they are works of great Charity, greater than you can eaſily at the firſt perceive. There's many a very hopeful man loſt, for want of better Maintenance at the Univerſities; for want of means to ſubſiſt there longer than their poor allowances will let them; for want of Books, and other neceſſary Encouragements of Study; without which, the Mind is crampt, and forced into a narrow and illiberal way of Thinking; and all that generous, ſprightly Vigor of Soul, which might have form'd and compaſs'd Noble Purpoſes, ſinks into little trifling aims of getting Food and Raiment, and juſt living. And had there been but more ſuch Benefactors to thoſe Places, like this Lady, I may venture to ſay, a great many Churches, at a diſtance, would be better ſerv'd, and many who are now objects of pity, and reproach, might have become the Ornaments and Honours of the Nation.

  l. s. d. Towards the maintenance of a Free Grammar School, at Halſtead in Eſſex, beſides Repairs; Yearly, 20 00 00 Towards the Maintenance of a Free Writing School in Chriſt's Hoſpital; Yearly, 20 00 00

The Benefits of Education are too great to be quite forgotten here, and too well known to be inſiſted long upon. Nature brings forth the Creature, but Education makes the Man: We are born Reaſonable, but whether we ſhall reaſon well or ill, depends upon our bringing up, and upon that the whole felicity of our life. It is not to be expected, that whilſt we are Children, we ſhould love theſe advantageous Gifts, and praiſe their good Deſigners and Beſtowers; but 'twould be very hard, ungrateful, and unkind, if when we are men, and feel the Benefits, we ſhould be backward to recount theſe Works with Praiſe and Honour.—