fhown to the apoftle after her death, that fhe made garments. Devout women, by following this pattern, may increase their fund for

Confider how the moft good may be done with what you have devoted. A little money goes a great way in furnithing the neceffaries of life to thofe who have them not; it removes more pain, and gives more happiness. than the fame fum beftowed on those who have them. Liberal and generous donatives may fometimes be proper ; and benevolence in every form is lovely but let not the hand even of generofity trench on the fund for compaffion. The proper objects of Chriftian. alms are the neceffitous, the friendlefs, the helpless, the dejected, those who can make no

return.

:

It was an imitable practice of a pious man,, to bestow his devoted fum on a good work which would otherwise have been left undone. Where the poor receive a legal aliment, find out fome poor perfon who does not receive it. Where hofpitals for the fick are endowed by others, minifter to fick who are not admitted. Where bodily wants are supplied by others, minifter to spiritual wants. When one good work is in a fuccefsful train, invent another. Study to extend the sphere of love.

SER

SERMON VII.

The fame Subject continued.

LUKE, Xi. 41.

But rather give Alms of fuch things as you have, and behold all things are clean unto you.

III. 1. GIVE alms of fuch things as are in your power: fo fome interpret the text. We may have it in our power to affift the poor by our talents, offices of truft, worldly employments, and profeffional skill.

Legislators, and judges, and magistrates, have it in their power to difcourage idleness, to open channels of productive labour, to undo the heavy burden, and break the oppresfor's rod, to mingle juftice with mercy.

The managers of a public revenue can fometimes render it an instrument of good. To build churches in this metropolis, and to open schools, for affording to the poor and to their children the means of worship and

of

of inftruction, would far exceed, in point of meritorious usefulness, the most coftly decoration.

Merchants and wealthy farmers, who command by their wealth the neceffaries of life, might admit in their fpeculations the motive of humanity. "He that with-holdeth corn, "the people fhall curfe him; but bleffings "fhall be on the head of him that felleth it." Prov. xi. 26.

Men of rank in the army and navy, might attend to the clothing, and food, and medicine, and religious inftruction of poor foldiers and failors, and fee juftice done them: they might confider fuch as have families with a diftinguishing and kind attention.

Lawyers have at times an opportunity of recovering debts for the poor; of vindicating the rights of a widow, or fatherless children; of difcouraging law-fuits which might reduce their clients to want; of re-establishing peace where it was ready to be broken.

Medical men are often called, in the courfe of their laborious and benevolent duties, to the exercise of compaffion; and in their breasts the facred fire often burns. Let the bleffing of fuch as were ready to perish come upon them. Let them not be weary in well-doing. Your labours of love are recorded. Your witness is in heaven, and your record is on high.

Pastors cannot behold with indifference the poor of their flock in want and mifery. It is

in the fpirit of that gofpel which they preach, and of the Mafter whom they serve, and of the approaching judgement which they announce, to take the lead in works of mercy.

2. Give alms of fuch things as are in your power. Wealth puts many things in the poffeffor's power; he ought to know and to do

them.

It may be in his power to rear up a vil lage, and fow the feeds of industry *; to make young men apprentices, and give marriage-portions to young women; to build a cottage for the wanderer; to protect the laws of juftice from violation through want, and rage, and despair; binding the poor to order with the bands of a man, and drawing the miferable with a cord of love.

Means of preferving and of restoring health may be furnished by the rich they should attend to this, because health is the greatest temporal good, and without it the poor cannot earn bread. To fend fuel among the young and infirm, and to drain and repair their houses; to provide woollen clothing for those who are expofed to cold, and fubject to diseases occafioned by it; to promote cleanlinefs by gifts of flax and foap, and encouragements to the washing with water, which

A Letter to the people of Laurencekik, on this fubject, deserves to be read attentively by the rich and the poor..

was

was of old enjoined by the law of Mofes, and is still a mean of health and comfort; to clothe poor children, upon condition of their regular attendance on worship and inftruction, and their clean and decent appearance there ;to join confideration with bounty in fuch ways as these, doubles the value of the gift.

Inoculation for the fmall-pox is now generally approved by thofe who are beft qualified to judge. When the poor are convinced that it is a mean of rendering the disease milder and lefs dangerous, the rich might enable them to use it.

Medical affiftance provided for the poor, is a feasonable confequential alms: and if kind visits be added, with cordials and nourishment fuited to a state of recovery; and if the thoughts be turned with devout attention to the will and purposes of Providence in fending trouble, this work of mercy is fulfilled.

Penfions are a charity fuited to the great. Such as have seen better days, and had a good education, and maintained their uprightness in adverfity, are proper objects of it. The plea fure of confoling fuch by a moderate independence, is one of the pureft which flow from riches. Gratitude will in this cafe be felt, and part of the bounty will defcend in fmaller ftreams of charity. The unfortunate feel compaffion: the kindness they have received, difpofes and enables them to be kind. In this way the alms of the rich find their way to

the