'fot .the. amutmttt ifjmiyf r; y$ur - readert y
A'morat iirtde,:'.vhich cpnfifts in fiip-
, ylying the ncceffities of others whether
thrmonef cpumel jlHitaricc) ? or ; the.
Ttht trptn whicb we are moll apt to ex-
..upon fofne of Jts converts, "was (fiich as!
inigbt be looked for from i dif ine-religi.
'on .-tyrnirfg with ftll Yprce and niracul oust'
'-ft y ictence i pon the ddnrcierices of rnahkind ;
It overwhelmed all '.voridly coh'llderati-
:.. xi. l'. : r . ... j ' 1 i: : 1 ' i i x.
txilience, f 1 Amf'.the Vmul titiide f of I f all- ot ier relief 'iou'ld c
theifi that believed were of one hearr and
of one (cut ; neither; faidany of the m that
oagat ot tne tnjflgsvwnicirne poHetij--.
wasihif own b but ; they --had-alhjgiair
cohiotvSleHher
ph'enf that" lacKcd 'ITfcF'arniliWIalwtt'e'''
pctfe flora of lands' of t.oufcS'. fold : tlienrv,
ir-merit particaiaf 4Uuftftioniid-rieti
-ter nrK)t ta-efie
rjrre2jrirtlielTfl
'be permitted, to : njnke therp) from the
2ii! elegant . Moral Syftern'. of ; A rhdcpft
Whether pity be an '.inftinft'b? a h-dhitf
"T7 it:. is in fad ; a , property' of, our' nature. :
-' whicbsJ Oo d appolhtcd i and the; final
1.1 C3felfot.5vhichJtTwas!:apjoin
if - afford! toitbeiuiicrable, in tb?- .cornpafllon'r:
. of their Felloe creatures, a reme3y . for
thofe inequalities and diftrefles 1 which
lLT God forefavv that many mult beHpoitd
' to, under rfye ry ; gene r aL r ule-ibr t he 6t'
; tribucton of property. a - : v-l
rhe.Chnttian fenprnves are more cd
former, 'iPtfTlovecfl: exertion ! pfCberieifQ J
fence " Jin ine reuei ot ,Degar8.'-.ie"
, Vcrthelefsi the . i)rlifcrialna ft ' re jeflfony':
;-. bf all' ,ho irRplarcrQur al;ns in this ways
i Is , bv "rid means approyed. . Some may .
pernn py iuch a conuueu' men are lom?.,,.
come too larS- Be-
fides which, rUllutitfns of this kind com.
pel ju? to offer lech violence. to"our 'hu.
fnanity, as may go near, in a littlcwbile,'
is a very lerious cpnuot raupnv :iV 2ckii
manj if he dojjidt ; furrender himfelt to
wVf e f llcl.LiandJim
' pollles feet :ftnd . diltributionT"t-aV-rrnjde:"
Ttintp . every anTccordmgL as" he had
Weed. Afts-iv. J 2 '' , :
Nefrelthekftr this cdmmhnitybfgbpdsi
iiowever it ' ma rs'feild h fiiK c tc t ci"
tKe primtrtve .chriitiansj is-no : precedent -';"
for bur ImitatidnViii rltr wa9o6,n1jcd Tta,
the church at Jeiufalcm cuitintu'd not
IcVnglhcrc.j f Avasneve
(Ads y;.) and, . although ir might
futt witl 1 the pa r tcu la r ci rco m i a n ce sola '
frrii.ll- nd fcleft fuciet y, 'is jihogether im-:-practicable
in, a larte and mixed cd.uimu-
' " : 1 '-' Z ' " ', ; . : .
:l'is lcrHps withput refcrve, wiif at leall
end brought the pieces oi the th jpgit "Iriat iJfco'a.Q ntfjiortun i t i v 5 'wh ich com e .
L o lllr s 2'ian4?al ;i ter ji ja t t nt be a ring of
; the pmplaint,' ;vvjll dirift himfelf by the
iircumftance j-and4f red ibilit'y :.of :" the ac
"court thatjief receives: ' ' .. vj
'Jk'rft::ai? ofhtr. fvhfarirj'n
Cojtijvd Tibrnike"the
yene vur lot rune pr nanony mat is, wnca - rL ; 7
; it is morC thh ;could be; ex peeled 'fi:::-y
.;0i,;r charit y (houLv be pHiteJ if pif:, l-'I
vicy be pr2c"tkah)c j wheln' ft U'hdFmbre lrVV.J
than mighit be expe&cd, it rnay be pubi . . ;
: gene routy , ana , tnernore : want,, in r ne
v torriier calej the; only r juftifiable Vreafort:
Tor m;kiri i t publici ),: 4:J::Q;:,tM
Vhe pretences by which men excufe
ttmfel vesfrom gi yjfig-ttFtfie ppd"ri Tare
nuy
pious and' explicit iippn ; this duty jhari
almoin any titer.- ine oeicrrpuon wnjcjt";- f - , ; .
, 1 - i i r - JJi i ii w1.1i mi) ii'ui
Thi conduft df the apdftle 1 ort the oc
fc'afi'ort; defrves; to be notited. Their
followers laid dov: their fortunes at their
d vatiTgof this ; unlimited cojiTidente td
V .-15 u , ,.vt Vv" itf ; "i" - enrich tnemfelvhs or eitablifh their al-
Dounty Deyona con roveny. , wnen, thoritv.vthat Rafter gPtidJ of
the fon bf man hall come in his -glory, T-71Znf Z 7iT-. .u.
1 ; anl all-the holy angels wim him, then
fliall he fit upon, the throne of his gtoryV
and before him hall be gathered air n.itu '
. ons ; -'and be (hall feparate them one Jroni,
; itliUUlt I J tfvtl in n.iug iqi umv
- Ikhe.rnn ,h is i?ht haad, Comcc blcfied
. " Pof my. father inherir the" kingdom pre.
' ! pared fpr you from the foundation of the'
v world j !.Fb'r I was an hungered, ' and yb
; - gaveme, meat ; -1 was ' thirlly, and ' ye':
25gTvc medrVnk ; Vwh' a ftraiiger, arid ye ,
took me in; naked, and ye cloathed me
I was lick, arid ye vifited me j I was in
". - prifon,'and ye came unto mc;. And in
' afmuch as ye have done it to one of the
1 1 leaft of thefe my brethren,' ye have' done,
it unto me." It is not necelfary to un-;
'"' . r. detftand-t'U pafTajgc as a literal account
of what will aifliullv pafs on that day.
, Supppfwg it only a Jcnical de.fenptiori of
" T m! arul Wrlnrinlci hr 'wlSirK tne Sii. '
prenie ArPuer-ot-t)ur oenipy:wTu:Tru
llate his decifiohs, it conveys the fame
lelfou to us rrit- eqaaHy-demonftratesL.or
: i how' great, value and impbrtance thefe
. . duties in the. iht ot uoa are, ana what
r.:.u.i- ftrefs will be laid upon thern rTh,e apof
tlesalladefcribe this.yjirtue as prvjtiaK;
." ing jhe divine favour in an eminent de-'
oree. And thefe recommendations, have
- produced 4hei'cffc6l4 1 does not-a ppea r
zzrifriiefOTcilraifflfs:
' - innrmary, noipuai, or uimi. vuarny ui
any kind cxifted in" the world ; whereas
molt countries in Chrifier.dom hare. long
; ' arKiunded .with'lhrfe inftiturions. . 1 o
' whidi may bc added, -that rfpirit of pri
. vate. liberality fcems to flour ifti amidd
, the decay of many other virtees ;, not to
, - mention the legal proyifipn fortht; poorj
. ' whjeh. obtains in tjns.jcouotryT andwhtclr
. was unknown and unthbuglit of by the
; 'mod polilhed 'natiois'of".antiquityr
' ; St. Paul adds "ifporj the ; fu'bj an ex
' cellent direccm ;: and which is pracTica-'
H.blc'bM who haveiny' thing to " giver
"-Upon'the .firftdayof the vfeek (or any
other ftatedime) Utifvery one of you
v him.' Ity r which , the apoftle-inayrbe
underftood to recommend wliat is the ve
ry thing wanting 'with moft men, the be.'
.'"." int charitable vbin a plan ; that is, from
'.. . a ideliberate. comparifon ..of our fortupev
. Wlin inc reaionauie cxpcnccs enu sp.i
. tions of our farailiel, to compute what we
: " can fpare.-and to iar by , fo4 moch Tor
v" eharitabje purpofe, in forae .tn6dtfr--;
. -i "ti" -x.tJ--;.!A"
tner, ; t ne mouc wm uc csHim't'ww"
alter wards,.
object of their million,' and transferred.' the
CUibx'y and management of the -public -to
deicons, elefteu to that P&re by ..the' ;.
' pcopl 1 a 1 rge . ( A vs "7 i . )' -vx 1
Vl lucre are;three kinds ol cnartty, our
author obferves which prefer a claiiri ttf '
attention., ' ' ' :.-"r'r '!''..;.:;: '"'''
l -t The firfl arid, apparently Cne of the
beftj is to give', fta ted and coftfiderable
fumsr-by wAy-bf nfionrniiuitytoi
individuals of fainiiiesj wi.h' wbofe be
haviour and diftrefs we ourfelves ate ac
quainted In, fjeakiig of con fide ruble
fumsj, it is meant drily i that five pounusj
br any other fum. given it once or di
vided amo"ng!i five or fewer families, will
ao rnare-gooti tnan xht- lame lum dutn
buted amon'4$ a greater number in Ihil-
lings, or half 'ctowns j and that, becagfe
i it. is-', more nkelyitd be properly applied
by the perlpns .whojmL'eiupoQr
yafcM;us.i;
;ll i VT iiat thcyrhaVc nothing to fpk'reV . -;( fy
;.ie.-nbtliingi for which ' they have hot V . ;'X :! t.-.:;.
Tome ocheiC vA; nothing which ' their 2,1 " ''; .
'4anr).f expencei-t
go fat'', Tuch as keeping down the v-rice
of -tt'tu or prtivifioti-in cafeof a monopoly
I dr; teioraryTcisryi ,,by purchaiing the
. anic! at the btft marketi .and'retailing
thim j't prime coft, or at a frndll lofs
LfpexieojTldboHr-whcathc
-ilelitaiiy de pre lied , ; '. ' '
ft proprietors of large eftaies have if
lnh( fr poweFjtb fabilTtate the mainte-:
tijftct, and thereby "ercura'geliliecfta..
. hljfhirpnr nf f:i'vilip ; u Jiirfi' is nn. rt tUa
.....r...'""-.'.'.-.w...t.' ".u. 7r
uvi.icn uuiuuicst vyiiiun . inc -Tjcn ana
-rfei HTWf ho7eatr fin'j 'her' "h'e'tlc'rX'itfeor "4"
miHing than to df'mk lu bcnefavlor's
health, and ptirchafe half an hour's re
creation for himfelf, would .hardlbreak
into a 'guinea for any fuch purpofe, of b
fo imprpvideiit as not to l iy it by for an
ociafion of importance fot.hisi rrrtt,,:hl,
, cioainin, tuet, or ito:K ol winter 5 pro.
, vifion. ,' It is a ftill greater' iecommendal
. T.-"-r-"r'-- 1 ,--r "-?f--
jipjljJLJJGUiJiM.oiaritv;tn
'I . '. ' . . . : ' 1 -.' r- .
-mtrarrnuitics, wnich are -paid, regularly,
and can be ex peeled at the 'time, arc the
only way by which we can prevent ; one,
part of a poor roan's futfciingv, the dread
of want.: ' ;:-.' 'rr'zT7''7',
2.' liut as this kind of charity fuppofes
that proper objecls ofTuch expensive; be. -nct'atlion
s fa R w i t hi nor "p r i vate know,
ledge and obfervatifjmT4iithdoes not
happen to all, a fecond rhethod of doing .
L good, . which is in every one's power who
has the money to fpare, is by fubferipti-;
on. to pubnc charities, ruhlic charities
admit ofjhi,.rgumcntiaIthisiir,Tayour,
that your money goes farther towards at
. taining the end for which it is given," than
it can do by any private and feparate
kiu'lkeuce.. AgiOTjU
;contribnted"to an infirmary, beepmes the
meaus of providing one patient, at leaft,
with 'a . phy fician, furgeon, .apothecary j
-with-niedicine, diet, lodging, and fuita-
ble attendance j which is "not'the tenth
part . of what, the fame affiltance, if it-
could be brocured at all, ' would cpft to a
fickperiori drfamily of any. other, fitua.
iiion. ' -: -: ; ' ,.' v'-.'
grpat can CQnvert their endeavors) ; by
; building cottages, fpiittinglarms, ere6t
in rrinufaufei, cyltivarmg waftes, erri
barlcing t he, fea, d taihing utarlhes, : and '
- biher exjediei)t, which the fixation of
each cfl ate points outi If the proifittof
jjndettakir.gs do not re pay tbLex:.
, pence,": let he' a ut iors of them place the 1
uiucr'vntc w-mc at '-uuin oi cnanty. Jit
is true of alinoft. all fuch projects, that the'
public is a gainer by them,; whatever the
owner be. And vvhere the lofs can be
-fpared efhis eouftde r?.t iorf is fttcienrr?
; Ttij Income, a quelljo:t of fotne im'porti
rince, under what circumftances works or
.charity oight to be done in private, and
when they may be made public without
, detracting from' the met t of the 't ion :
if indeed they ever may, the Author cf
our religion having delivered a rule upon
' this fubject j which feefns ' to enjoin oni.
yerfal iecreejr.."", Wficn tho'a doeft alms,
.let not thy left -hand know what thy ,
ightJiand-thj Ttva
rinlecrefand thyTFathcrwhich feeiMn
i,fecret, himfelf lhal'l reward thee openly :
((vlatth; vi. 3, 4.) From the. preamble,
to this pr jhi'.iition; it is plain, f hat ; out
iia viou r's (oic defign was to forbid jU'ni-
.'iafUhr and -'all pwblifair.g.of good work's '
' w hi ch p ft C eeds I forri t ha f rnot ( v e '. . "Take
heed tftac ye do not. your nlmi before menj
U' be Jee';Jthim j -,ort her wife ;ye ; have ;noi
l.iTThe laft, and, compared with the
reWard-jjuir-lLefy-whkrt-isTn-hea-1
ttn: thereof?,' when- thou doeft thine
" alms; do not found-a trumpet before thee
as the hypberits do, ; in tne fynagogucs
and in the, ft fee t s , 77 they may . have
. glory of myi; Verily. T fay . unto thee4
tney have their reward," v.v 2 lliere
: re-motives for the dingbuf-alms4rf
; pub! ic-be tid cs ttiofe ofjjften t a t i birfSFur?
, -ings rhey IvaVe refohed to lay by; will .
''.Jibt cxhuft s iie ver irclleclirg whether il ' - ' :,. ' f t;
.be'ia thcirpo.wer,J;'br'thai it is 'their du'-"-1-:'"!'' ''
) . iu rci renca invjr exrences, ' ana con.
tfirir)l3n.Ythf'tWs),; may hav td Cl;,
give to them that need, j" or rather that '
this ought tb have been part bf their plari
origioallv.. t - -
z. "That 'they have fafnilics bf their .
own, and that charity lcgir.s at home." '
A farther is no doubt bound to adjuft his "
bccnohiy with a view to the reafonable
demaud s-of biTa mily-bpon-h i s-for t une t
ana until a iun.cicncy tor tnele is atqliir.
ed, or in -due tiwic probably will be ac.
.rjuired (tor in ' human affairs' prpba'biliry '
is enough) he is juftified in declining exl -
"J:VMHhy.Ajdt to tajcelfrom ihofe
Want, adds Boihine to the lie ck ol Dtiblif
happinefs.. 'Tlus tar, ihereforer and no
Lfanher the plea in bullion Is an excufe
for parllmbny, and an ar.fwer to thoft
' who foltci t our bounty! ;
which ihorcfofe our SavioiTr'S rule has no'
concern ; futh as to' teftifyiour apprcb3i
.. tion of ibme particular fpecies of charity; :
t and to recomit.end it to others ; to take" ;
"ffi'tfie"'' prejudice whjch the want,, or,-
which is. the fame thing, the fiippre lfion -
of our name in the lilt of contributor,
niight '(excite againft1 the charity or a-"- -
imft otirfelves. And, foiong as thefe
3. ''That -charity does nbt jbbnhlt iii' '
Slvin2 bney , but in: :bcntvbleiT.ce, phu"
lanthropy, Jove to'all mankind,' eoodntfi " '
' bf heart, Sec'. Hear Sti James, If i -
brbther or fifter be nakt d, and deftitute
! bf; daily food, and one of yen . lay untd "
them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and
r fiUedTiotwitharir.
luoe totvgs nubtcb are needful ti the foftji
what doth it profit ?" (James ii7i , $,16.) :
4. That giving tb. the poor ts not
mentioned in St. Paul's defcrir lion of cha
fity, in the 1 3th cli?ptef of his frit cpifi
tie to the Corinthians." 1 his is not a'
defcription of charity; but of good nature;
and it is not neceffary that every duty be
-mentioned in every place; , '
. $. .' That they pHy'-the-pdbf rates.'-
their debts; for the poor have : the fanic -y
right to that portion of a roan's property ... .
which the laws afiign them, that the mart
himfeif has to the reinaimier;;
6. 1'hat they eruploy many poor -
perfcns; v-t-fpr their Wn fake," not the "
TpdbPT'therwife it i a godd plca. -
7. . " That the podt do fiifier - fd
Jnuch asiwimagine ihat-educationano!
iiaM!4lWbncUedthenrpto the eviU
bf their condition, . and make them eafy
6r.de'r it." Habit can never! reconcile
human nature to the extremities of cold,
jhurger, .anHt.".0). : inore...than it can
; feconcileThe. hand to the touch of a red :
hot iron :. bcfides, the qneftidn ti not,- i
JrorJr.ajpyj. any. cncA ji, buVhow mucK
more happy we can make him;
-1-
TiTtfs are.Jrec Irom any.mixtarc of va
ii:i"'' il.. - . 'j '.- ' .
nuj, incy arc, in qo oanger 01 invading t
our. Saviour's prohibition : Cthcy rathe r '
fcem to comply with another direction" --which;
he hasicft'-iirtr-' LcO'i)uf:lightZ
fo Ihii'ie'litjfbre men," tTtaT, th.ey may j"cet
your good works,; and glorify your fa.'
- ther which is in heavcri.J' -'H ft be ncccf-'
" fa ry to propofe a precife diftindlion npon"
ihelf uhi eclthe re can.be nnn W i t. .th- -
the following : When cur bounty is be-
8? " That tUfe pepple, give theni
what .you will; . will never .thank ypu, .or J
- thirk of yon Tor it.": In the firft plate,'. . -
" this is' not 't tie : in the fecond . place "ic ,.T
was not for the fake of theif thanks that
you relieved them. """' v- -'
q. That we are fo liable to be ini;
poled upon.-" ; If a di e enquiry be made,
bur motive and merit is the fame r befidfe
-that,1 the diftrefs is generally ieal," what-
ever has been the caufe Uf if.' , -,
io. "That they ihould aprly to theif
rarifhes.',' . Thii is not always praftica.
:;Wf TZfOL.h there : :z
tc many requifites to a comfortable fub. '
fiftence which patim relief does' not a!,-
way s ifo pply ; a nd that :- there, a re Tome - -
wno wowijd luiier almolt ar-Tnoch irorrf . '
-receiving pa filh relief as by the want 0
it : and laflly, that there are 'jnany
...... t
-r-f -
- :. . . ; J
1 . "Ti
.ir . , -