SER M. her in her bounty, for the reason given by our XVII. Saviour, because there was none fo poor, and

that fhe could not find any that wanted more than herself: So had her fortune been equal to the goodness of her heart, fhe had out-done them all likewife in the fize and number of their offerings. She who could freely part with two mites for the publick good, and want bread for it that day, would have found no reluctance in parting off all the fuperfluous vanities of a fashionable way of living, and laying of them out in the purchase of heaven and eternal life. Nay it is plain fhe had a foul as great as that of David or Solomon; and if the had wherewithal, fhe would have defrayed the charges of re-building the temple with all its furniture, nothing inferiour to what it appeared in its greateft fplendour.

If you are fenfible of the true value and worth of a publick charity in the fight of God, I fhall here proceed to the prefent occafion of my laying before you this great and excellent example of it propofed by our Saviour in the Gofpel; which is a good opportunity now to be given of making tryal of our own hearts how far they are in a difpofition of being moved and influenced by it. Namely, a collection to be made for a number of poor helplefs children, to be laid out in providing for them cloaths, and books, and schooling; in giving them inftruction in the first rudiments of the christian religion, and acquainting them with the doctrines and principles of our holy church;

in teaching them fuch things as may qualify SER M. them for trades and callings; in binding them XVII. out apprentices, and fo putting them into a condition of earning bread for themselves, and being fome way ufeful to the publick.

Now because it is no fmall comfort to fuch as give, that they do it in a well-chofen charity; that they give with prudence as well as with a free and ready heart, it ought to be confidered, that setting afide cafes of neceffity and prefent mifery, this is one of the noblest charities in the world; infomuch that it is hard to tell how money can be given to better poses, and how any liberality whatsoever can be greater in its effects and confequences. For

pur

Ift. It is an immediate relief to the greateft objects of charity in the world; it is for cloathing the nakednefs of poor diftreffed and fatherless children, who are not able to help themfelves; and are by the providence of God expofed deftitute of friends or relations, on purpose for a tryal of our obedience to God's commands; of our faith in him; and dependance upon those bleffings which are promised to them who provide for the fick and needy. Is not this the faft I have chofen, says God in Ifai. Iviii. 6, 7. When thou feeft the naked, that thou cover him, i.e. When you fpare it from your felves, and off your own backs to cloath the naked, not only fuch as are intirely fo, but fuch as are either indecently or thinly clad; in which fense St. Paul fays of himself, 1 Cor. iv. 11. that he himself was naked.

And what

numbers

ŞER M. numbers of poor diftreffed children are there XVII. in our streets wandering in rags and dirt, fo as to be even offenfive and naufeous; and left expofed, as St. Paul speaks of himself at the 13th verfe, as the filth of the world, and offScouring of all things; and in all extremity of weather even perishing with cold? The argument made ufe of in that place of Ifaiah, is a very moving one, bide not thy felf from thy own flesh; we may fee ourselves and behold our own nature in every one of thofe miferable children; they are the fame flesh and blood with us; and therefore if we but look upon them and confider them, we cannot but be touched with a sense of humanity, and nature itself will prompt us to take pity on them.

It

But 2dly, this charity is not only for the immediate relief of their bodies, but for the faving of their fouls as well as our own. is for giving them inftruction in all neceffary points of faith and practice required by the Gofpel. It is for moulding and forming of them in their tender years, before their appetites get the maftery of them, and that their paffions grow refty and callous, and fo inflexibly hardened, that they are past all relish of the joys of a good ccnfcience, or any feeling of an evil one. It is for rooting out the feeds of vice and wickednefs; for giving them early habits of virtue and goodness; for teaching them to pray; acquainting them with the fcriptures, and furnishing their memories with fuch portions of them as may be a ftock for the future

devotion

devotion of their lives, and enable them to SER M. keep up fome communion with God, even in XVII. the midft of work and business.

It is a reproach to our common christianity, that in the midst of a nation where it is profeffed and established, fuch multitudes should be found void of either natural or revealed religion, and even of the first principles of the oracles of God; fcarce having tasted of the milk of the word which is neceffary for the nourishment of babes in Chrift. The ignorance of many among the lower rank of people, is incredible to any but fuch as have fought for opportunities of trying them; nay, many know no more of Chrift than the name, and have as little knowledge of our falvation by him, as if they had been born wild Indians or Americans. And which is yet more lamentable, when once men are grown up in this ignorance, they are loft and undone past all remedy; for fad experience fhews us, that when they pass their childhood and youth without any impreffions of virtue and holinefs, it is an infuperable difficulty ever after to work in them any truly fincere and lasting sense of religion. So remarkably true is that faying of the wife man's, Train up a child in the way which he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it; the full import of which is, that if you do not train him up in the right way while he is a child, he will hardly ever be brought into it afterwards. How deplorably is this verified through the whole VOL. II.

D

rank

SER M. rank of common beggars, who growing up XVII. deftitute of all knowledge of the laws of God, V and below the notice of humane laws, are ge

nerally the most corrupt and profligate part of mankind, without any fenfe or feeling of religion, and never use the name of any perfon in the holy trinity, but to profane it in their loud and importunate clamours for an alms : All which would have been in a great degree prevented, had the laft age been fenfible of the great and unfpeakable advantages of this kind of charity. You fee the importance of what you give to this use; it is for feeding the lambs of Chrift with fpiritual nourishment; refcuing them from the jaws of hell; building up immortal fouls for heaven and everlasting happiness; fouls as dear and precious in the fight of Chrift with whom there is no respect of perfons, as those of your own children, and equally the price of his blood. In short, it is to fave them from perithing for lack of knowledge, which is infinitely worfe than perishing with hunger and cold.

A third thing of no fmall confequence to which we contribute, is the breeding up numbers of children to be true and faithful fons and daughters of the pureft and holiest church upon earth; and this must be a motive of great weight with all those who are fincere and unfhaken members of it themselves: For furely that communion which they make choice of for their own falvation, except they be reprobates, they cannot but judge moft fafe for the

falvation