giver ever came off a loser even here in this world.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, says Solomon, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it turneth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. For he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again, and that with vast increase.

Behold your Saviour in the desert breaking the five barley loaves and two small fishes, (which was all that he had for his own and his disciples' refreshment,) and behold the disciples cheerfully distributing what he had broken to great numbers of needy, hungry creatures, and think how they rejoiced in the plentiful repast; and then see the blessing of God upon the works of mercy; the more they gave, the more they had still to give; and that which at first seemed scarcely enough for themselves increased so prodigiously in the very act of distribution, that five thousand men were fully satisfied with it, besides women and children, and much more left at last than was at the beginning.

For when they were filled, Jesus said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. And they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with that which remained over and above unto them that had eaten; which still enabled them for a further charity.

And so shall we find it too, if we have but the faith to try. That is, we also shall experience the blessing that attends true charity, if we dare but

trust God so far upon his word and promise, which he hath over and over repeated, as liberally to minister to the wants of the poor and needy. Our Saviour says very plainly, Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, into your bosom1. For, as the apostle reasons, God is able to make all grace to abound towards you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. How many words of constant plenty are here put together to an almost unlimited power of doing good! Here is allsufficiency, and that always, and in all things, to a capacity of abounding, and that in every good work ; and all this as the reward of a free distribution to those that are in want.

What great encouragement is here to works of mercy, not only to our power, but even beyond it", in some extraordinary and pressing cases! Not that the prime inducement should be this, for he that makes a merchandise of charity does it for his own sake only, not out of love and obedience to God, and compassion to the poor; and therefore shall lose his reward. But when we find ourselves cool and backward to this great duty, for fear of bringing poverty upon ourselves by being too openhanded to others, which is the usual great hinderance of liberal almsgiving, we should excite and prick ourselves on with this consideration, that thus we shall reap, if we faint not o.

It is true indeed, we must be just, as well as mer

1 Luke vi. 38. m 2 Cor. ix. 8. lat. vi. 9.

n 2 Cor. viii. 3.

o Ga

ciful; just to our families in providing for their comfortable subsistence, and just to those we deal with in any way of business, by rendering to every one his due and he that by his indiscreet charity, beyond what his circumstances will reasonably afford, makes himself uncapable of discharging those other obligations, and then expects a miraculous supply, presumptuously tempts God, and is without all natural compassion, and ruins many, even those that are nearest to him, by giving too much

to some.

But there are very few that come near to this extreme, and prudence will direct to a medium between a too lavish and too straitlaced charity; and faith will rid us of all discouraging apprehensions of any ill consequence from a liberal and sometimes extraordinary beneficence upon an extraordinary occasion and whenever it comes to the question, how far we shall proceed, the proportion should rather exceed than fall short of our ability, for God will make us amends.

And would we but observe what our Lord here commanded his disciples, and gather up the fragments that remain, after our own wants are reasonably satisfied, that nothing be lost; there is few men's ability of relieving the necessitous but would be greater than it is.

Good husbandry is never more commendable than when in order to so excellent an end as this; viz. that we may have the more to give to those that want. And it is a great aggravation of the sins of extravagance and prodigality, that that is wasted in excess and riot which would cheer up the spirits of those that are sinking under a desperate poverty,

and make the fatherless and widows' hearts to sing for joy P.

It is too well known that very much is daily squandered away in vice and vanity, and that not only by people of great estates and quality, but by such as upon all accounts have need enough to make the most of every thing; and for want of a due regard to what we call little matters, many a fair fortune grows scanty and uneasy, and soon dwindles into nothing.

Upon this account it is, that some people are always in straits, who yet have plentiful incomes, and are guilty of no wasting vices, but are ruined they don't know how; only for want of prudent management, and through a slothful carelessness in their affairs, whereby they undiscernibly slide downwards beyond recovery. So true is that observation of the wise son of Sirach, Ecclesiast. xix. 1, He that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little.

Now when men have brought themselves into such circumstances, no wonder if they have no charity for others, who are at their wit's end how to get a supply for their own necessities, and find enough to do to keep themselves above water. And yet inquire into the matter, you will find a good estate, a quick trade, or a full employment, and probability of living very comfortably, and yet of having sufficient, after all, for a liberal charity to the poor.

Others that have less can do it, and why not they? but excess and heedlessness will ruin any thing; and he that will follow an extravagant huP Job xxix. 13.

mour, without any thought, as far as it will lead him, will sooner become an object of charity himself, than able to give relief to those that are so.

I do not at all question, but very many families, with a moderate care, and that modesty and sobriety which becomes Christians, might live at much less expense than they do; and yet really enjoy more, and in as creditable a way too: and' then were that bestowed in charity, which by this means would be redeemed from luxury and ill-husbandry, it would be an abundant provision for all that are really necessitous amongst us.

What a reproach then is it to a disciple of the compassionate Jesus, when God has enabled him to do much good, even with the fragments of his fortune which would remain to him after all his own wants were plentifully supplied in moderation, basely to forget all gratitude to God, and lay aside all pity to his brethren; and by a wicked extravagance, or a supine negligence in his concerns, make himself utterly uncapable of doing any thing!

What is consumed at this vile unprofitable rate is perfectly lost indeed, and will turn to no account but of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, when the sad sentence shall be passed, Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat, &c.

It is very melancholy to consider how many will then be involved in this dreadful condemnation, who here were in no apprehension of it, at least upon that account; because they were not in a capacity of being charitable. But who brought them into

q Matt. xxv. 41, 42.