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"is true, have but an under-part to a&;. "but to all God affigns fome part, and he "will require of all whofe lot is not very "laborious, that they not only work "out their own falvation, but that they promote the caufe of religion, and the "comfort and falvation of others.

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"To thofe who would undervalue works "of mercy as evidences of piety, I would fuggeft a ferious attention to the folemn. "appeal which the Saviour of the world. “makes, in that awful reprefentation of the day of judgment, contained in the twenty

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fifth chapter of Matthew, both to those who "have neglected, and, to thofe who have "performed fuch works; performed them, "I mean, on right principles. With what "a gracious condefcenfion does he promife "to accept the fmalleft kindness done to "his fuffering members for his fake. You, "Madam, I will venture to fay, might do

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more good than the richest man in the parish could do by merely giving his money. Instead of fitting here, brood

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ing over your misfortunes, which are past remedy, beftir yourself to find out ways of doing much good with little

money; or even without any money at "all. You have lately studied œconomy

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for yourself; inftruct your poor neigh"bours in that important art. They want "it almost as much as they want money. "You have influence with the few rich perfons in the parish; exert that influBetty, my houfe-keeper, fhall "affift you in any thing in which the " can be useful. Try this for one year, " and if you then tell me that you should "have better fhewn your love to God and "man, and been a happier woman, had

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you continued gloomy and inactive, I "fhall be much furprised, and fhall con"fent to your refuming your present way "of life."

The fermon and this difcourfe together made fo deep an impreffion on Mrs. Jones, that she formed a new plan of life, and set about it at once, as every body does who

is in earnest. Her chief aim was the happiness of her poor neighbours in the next world; but she was also very defirous to promote their prefent comfort: and indeed the kindness she fhewed to their bodily wants gave her fuch an accefs to their houses and hearts, as made them better difpofed to receive religious counfel and inftruction. Mrs. Jones was much refpected by all the rich perfons in Wefton, who had known her in her profperity. Sir John was thoughtless, lavifh, and indolent. The Squire was over-frugal, but active, fober, and not ill-natured. Sir John loved pleafure, the Squire loved money. Sir John was one of thofe popular fort of people who get much praife, and yet do little good; who fubfcribe with equal readiness to a cricket match or a charity school; who take it for granted that the poor are to be indulged with bell-ringing and bonfires, and to be made drunk at Christmas; this Sir John called being kind to them;

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but he thought it was folly to teach them, and madness to think of reforming them. He was, however, always ready to give his guinea; but I queftion whether he would have given up his hunting and his gaming to have cured every grievance in the land. He had that fort of conftitutional good nature which, if he had lived much within fight of mifery, would have led him to be liberal: but he had that felfish love of eafe, which prompted him to give to undeferving objects, rather than be at the pains to fearch out the deferving. He neither difcriminated between the degrees of distress, nor the characters of the diftreffed. His idea of charity was, that a rich man fhould occafionally give a little of his fuperfluous wealth to the first object that occurred; but he had no conception that it was his duty fo to husband his wealth, and limit his expences, as to fupply a regular fund for established charity. And the utmoft ftretch of his benevolence

never led him to fufpect that he was called to abridge himself in the moft idle article of indulgence, for a purpose foreign to his own perfonal enjoyment.-On the other hand, the Squire would affift Mrs. Jones in any of her plans if it cost him nothing; fo the fhewed her good fenfe by never afking Sir John for advice, or the Squire for fubfcriptions, and by this prudence gained the full fupport of both.

Mrs. Jones refolved to fpend two or three days in a week in getting acquainted with the state of the parish, and fhe took care never to walk out without a few little good books in her pocket to give away. This, though a cheap, is a most important act of charity; it has various ufes; it furnishes the poor with religious knowledge, which they have fo few ways of obtaining; it counteracts the wicked defigns of those who have taught us at least one leffon, by their zeal in the difperfion of wicked books,-I mean the leffon of vigilance

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