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ward. For, if you do good to them who do good to you,' (or whom you conceive able and disposed to requite you,) woía xápis, 'what thanks' are due to you? For that, saith our Saviour, even sinners (even men notoriously bad) do the same:'‹ and if you lend to them from whom you hope to receive, what thanks have you? For sinners even lend to sinners, to receive as much again.' All men commonly, the bad no less than the good, are apt to be superfluously kind in heaping favors on those whom fortune befriends, and whose condition requires not their courtesy; every one almost is ready to adopt himself into the kindred, or to screw himself into the friendship of the wealthy and prosperous but where kindred is of use, there it is seldom found; it is commonly so deaf, as not to hear when it is called; so blind as not to discern its proper object and natural season, ('the time of adversity, for which a brother is born.") Men disclaim alliance with the needy, and shun his acquaintance; so the wise man observed, all the brethren of the poor do hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him?' Thus it is in vulgar practice: but the pious man is more judicious, more just, and more generous in the placing of his favors; he is courteous to purpose, he is good to those who need. He, as such, doth not make large entertainments for his friends, his brethren, his kindred, his rich neighbors;' but observes that precept of our Lord, When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompense thee; thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.' Thus the pious man giveth, that is, with a free heart and pure intention bestoweth his goods on the indigent, without designing any benefit, or hoping for any requital to himself; except from God, in conscience, respect, and love to whom he doeth it.

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It may be also material to observe the form of speech here used in reference to the time: He hath dispersed, and he hath given; or, 'He doth disperse, he doth give;' (for in the Hebrew language the past and present times are not distinguished) which manner of speaking may seem to intimate the reality, or the certainty, and the constancy of his practice in this kind; for what is past or present, we are infallibly secure of; and in morals, what one is said to have done, or to do, is

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always understood according to habit or custom. It is not, 'he will disperse, he will give ;' that were no fit description of a good man; to pretend to, would be no argument of piety; those words might import uncertainty, and delay in his practice. He that saith, I will give,' may be fallacious in his professions, may be inconsistent with his resolutions, fully or negligently let slip the due season of performing it. Our good man is not a Doson,' or Will-give,' (like that king of Macedon, who got that name from often signifying an intention of giving, but never giving in effect;) he not only purposes well, and promises fairly for the future, but he hath effectually done it, and perseveres doing it on every fit occasion. He puts not his neighbor into tedious expectations, nor puts him off with frivolous excuses, saying to him, as it is in the Proverbs, 'go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give,' when he hath it by him he bids him not have patience, or says unto him, 'depart in peace,' when his need is urgent, and his pain impatient, when hunger or cold do then pinch him, when sickness incessantly vexeth him, when present straits and burdens oppress him; but he affordeth a ready, quick, and seasonable relief.

'He hath dispersed,' and given, while he lives, not reserving the disposal of all at once on his death, or by his last will; that unwilling will, whereby men would seem to give somewhat, when they can keep nothing; drawing to themselves those commendations and thanks, which are only due to their mortality; whenas were they immortal, they would never be liberal: No; it is, he hath freely dispersed;' not an inevitable necessity will extort it from him; it cannot be said of him, that he never does well, but when he dies; so he hath done it really and surely.

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He also doth it constantly, through all the course of his life, whenever good opportunity presents itself. He doth it not by fits or by accident, according to unstable causes or circumstances moving him, (when bodily temper or humor inclineth him, when a sad object makes vehement impression on him, when shame obligeth him to comply with the practice of others, when he may thereby promote some design, or procure some glory to himself,) but his practice is constant and uniform,

being drawn from steady principles, and guided by certain rules, proceeding from reverence to God, and good-will toward man, following the clear dictates and immutable laws of conscience. Thus hath the pious man dispersed,' and 'given to the poor' and let thus much suffice for explicatory reflexion on the first words.

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The main drift and purport of which is, to represent the liberal exercising of bounty and mercy to be the necessary duty, the ordinary practice, and the proper character of a truly pious man; so that performing such acts is a good sign of true piety; and omitting them is a certain argument of ungodliness. For the demonstration of which points, and for exciting us to a practice answerable, I shall propound several considerations, whereby the plain reasonableness, the great weight, the high worth and excellency of this duty, together with its strict connexion with other principal duties of piety, will appear. And first, I will show with what advantage the holy Scripture represents it to us, or presses it on us.

[First Head of Discourse.] 1. We may consider that there is no sort of duties which God hath more expressly commanded, or more earnestly inculcated, than these of bounty and mercy toward our brethren: whence evidently the great moment of them, and their high value in God's esteem may be inferred. Even in the ancient law, we may observe very careful provisions made for engaging men to works of this kind, and the performance of them is with huge life and urgency prescribed: Thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother.'—' Thou shalt open thy hand wide unto thy brother, unto thy poor, and to thy needy in the land.' So did Moses, in God's name, with language very significant and emphatical, enjoin to the children of Israel. The holy prophets also do commonly with an especial heat and vigor press these duties, most smartly reproving the transgression or neglect of them; especially when they reclaim men from their wicked courses, urging them seriously to return unto God and goodness, they propose this practice as a singular instance most expressive of their conversion, most apt to appease God's wrath, most effectual to the recovery of his favor. Wash you,' saith God in Isaiah, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine

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eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well.' So in general he exhorts to repentance: then immediately he subjoins these choice instances thereof: Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.'- Come now,' then he adds, let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' When Daniel would prescribe to king Nebuchadnezzar the best way of amendment, and the surest means of averting God's judgments impendent on him, he thus speaks: Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee; break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor." This he culled out as of all pious acts chiefly grateful to God, and clearly testifying repentance; and, so very impious a person was alms able to justify,' says the Father thereupon. So also when God himself would declare what those acts are which render penitential devotions most agreeable to him, and most effectual, he thus expresseth his mind: Is not this the fast which I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thine house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?' Of so great consideration and moment was this sort of duties, ever under that old dispensation of weakness, servility, and fear; so much tenderness of compassion and benignity did God exact even from that hardhearted and worldly people, who were so little capable of the best rules, and had encouragements, in comparison, so mean toward performances of this nature. The same we may well conceive, under the more perfect discipline of universal amity, of ingenuity, of spiritual grace and goodness, in a higher strain, with more force and greater obligation to be imposed on us, who have so much stronger engagements, and immensely greater encouragements to them. And so indeed it is: for those precepts delivered by our Lord, Sell all that you have, and give

Τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐλεημοσύναις λύτρωσαι so the LXX. render those words, reading, it seems, n for p9.

alms;' ' If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor;'Give to every man that asketh thee;' 'Treasure not up to yourselves treasures on the earth,' do indeed sound high, but are not insignificant or impertinent. They cannot signify or design less, than that we should be always, in affection and disposition of mind, ready to part with any thing we have for the succor of our poor brethren; that to the utmost of our ability (according to moral estimation prudently rated) on all occasions we should really express that disposition in our practice; that we are exceedingly obliged to the continual exercise of these duties in a very eminent degree. These indeed

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were the duties which our Lord, as he did frequently in his discourse commend and prescribe, so he did most signally exemplify in his practice; his whole life being in effect but one continual act of most liberal bounty and mercy toward mankind; in charity to whom he outdid his own severest rules, being content never to possess any wealth, never to enjoy any ease in this world. And therein (both as to doctrine and practice) did the holy Apostles closely follow their Master: As poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.' So they throughly in deeds practised these duties, which in words they taught and earnestly pressed; admonishing their converts to distribute to the necessities of the saints,' to do good to all men ;' to do good, and to communicate not to forget; to show mercy with cheerfulness,' to 'put on bowels of mercy;' to be kind and tender-hearted one toward another;' to abound in the grace of liberality.' Such are their directions and injunctions to all Christian people; so did they preach themselves, and so they enjoined others to preach. Charge the rich in this world,' saith St. Paul to his scholar Timothy, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;' and, These things,' saith he likewise, advising bishop Titus, I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which believe in God may be careful to maintain good works;' what good works he meaneth, the reason adjoined doth show; For these things,' saith he, are good and profitable unto men.'

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2. It is indeed observable that as in every kind that which is most excellent doth commonly assume to itself the name of

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