ease and usefulness from whose labour infants and women expect their bread, and who, by a casual hurt or lingering disease, lie pining in want and anguish.1 Public charities admit of this argument in their favour, that your money goes farther towards attaining the end for which it is given, than it can do by any private and separate beneficence. A guinea, for example, contributed to an infirmary, becomes the means of providing one patient, at least, with a physician, surgeon, apothecary, with medicine, diet, lodging, and suitable attendance, which is not the tenth part of what the same assistance, if it could be procured at all, would cost to a sick person or family in any other situation.2 If a poor traveller tell us that he has neither strength, nor food, nor money left, do not let us bid him go to the place from whence he came, and that we cannot relieve him because he may be a cheat. We We may often give to those that do not deserve it, or will make a bad use of our alms. But what then? Does not God make his sun to rise on the evil and on the good; and send his rain on the just and on the unjust? And shall we withhold a little money or food from a fellow creature, for fear he should not be good enough to receive it of us? Do we beg of God to deal with us, not according to our merit, but according to his own great goodness; and shall we be so absurd as to with 1 Johnson (Idler, No. 4.). 2 Paley. hold our charity from a poor brother or sister, because they may perhaps not deserve it? Shall we use a measure towards them which we pray God never to use towards ourselves? If we are commanded to do good to our worst enemies; if we are to be charitable to them, notwithstanding all their spite and malice; surely we are not to deny alms to poor beggars, whom we neither know to be bad people, nor in any way our enemies?1 Our time is very short; but the time of doing good is much shorter: neglect not, then, any opportunity of doing good.2 Say not to thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.8 If thou intendest any good, defer it not, but do it to-day, or as soon as thou canst; thou knowest not what chance may happen this very night to prevent it. And Let him that desires to see others happy, make haste to give while his gift can be enjoyed, and remember that every moment of delay takes away something from the value of his benefaction. let him who proposes his own happiness reflect that, while he forms his purpose, the day rolls on, and "the night cometh in the which no man can work."4 1 Law's Serious Call (abridged from pp. 82, 83, 84.). CHAP. X. ACTIVE DUTIES. Absence of occupation is not rest; A mind quite vacant is a mind distress'd. And since that time it needs not cost much showing, "Beatus ille procul !" from "negotiis," Saith Horace-the great little poet's wrong; L'action avec un but.1 Viens marchons, avançons dans la vie, ne redoute rien; ce qui est entrepris avec une ardeur si franche ne peut avoir qu'une heureuse issue. On peut toujours ce qu'on veut fortement. Le monde est ingrat, dit-on; je n'ai jamais trouvé qu'il le fût, quand on sait trouver les moyens de la servir, ou de lui plaire.5 1 Cowper, Retirement. 3 Idem. 2 Byron. It is evident that luxury, self-indulgence, and an indolent aversion to perform the duties of a man's station, do not only bring on gross bodily diseases, but also, previously to this, are often apt to lead men into such a degree of solicitude, anxiety, and fearfulness in minute affairs, as to make them inflict upon themselves greater torments than the most cruel tyrant could inflict.' I felt how the pure intellectual fire The pearl of the soul may be melted away. And I pray'd of that Spirit who lighted the flame, I might give back the spirit I borrowed from him.2 We see that the unprofitable and wicked servant are the same in God's account of them; that it is in vain for any man who does no good, to pretend he has done no harm; he must answer for his neglects and omissions of this kind.3 There is no way of securing our happiness in another world, but by doing all the good we can in this.4 Seek by active usefulness to promote the happiness of others, and by so doing you will secure your own; above all implore the grace of God." Remember that when your eyes are about to 1 Hartley, Ob. vol. ii. 238. 3 Waterland (Sermons). 2 Moore (Epistles). 5 Private Life. close on the things of time, and to open on those of eternity, your prevailing regret will be that so little has been done, so much left undone.1 A career of usefulness is before you; now is the day; think not lightly of your own influence, your own example; youth, health, time, fortune, influence, they are precious talents." Let us serve God with what reverence we are able, and do all the good we can, making as little unnecessary work for repentance as is possible. And may the mercy of our heavenly Father supply all our defects in the sum of his love!3 Through the wild waves as they roar, Nor fear the rock, nor seek the shore.1 I had a sort of morbid wish to seclude myself from public life. "Never indulge it," said Mackintosh, "it is the most fatal of all delusions; the sad delusion by which Cowper was wrecked. Our happiness depends not upon torpor, not upon sentimentality, but upon the due exercise of our various faculties; it is not acquired by sighing for wretchedness, and shunning the wretched, but by vigorously discharging our duty to society. Remember what Bacon says, with whom you seem as much delighted as I am, that, in this theatre of man's life, God and angels alone should be lookers on.""6 4 Gray (Ode for Music, &c.). 3 Osborne's Advice to a Son. 5 Basil Montague. |