The nature and measure of charity a sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and the Court of Aldermen, at the parish-church of St. Bridget, on Tuesday in Easter-week, April 6, 1697 / by William Sherlock ... Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707. 1697 Approx. 42 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A59832 Wing S3304 ESTC R14354 12004770 ocm 12004770 52280 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A59832) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 52280) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 878:7) The nature and measure of charity a sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and the Court of Aldermen, at the parish-church of St. Bridget, on Tuesday in Easter-week, April 6, 1697 / by William Sherlock ... Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707. [3], 30, [2] p. Printed for W. Rogers ..., London : 1697. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Advertisement: p. [1]-[2] at end. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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THis Court doth Desire Mr. Dean of St. Paul's to Print his Sermon , Preached at the Parish-Church of St. Bridget , on Tuesday in Easter-Week last , before the Lord-Mayor , Aldermen , and Governors of the several Hospitals of this City . GOODFELLOW . The Nature and Measure of Charity . A SERMON Preach'd before the Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR , AND THE Court of Aldermen , AT THE Parish-Church of St. BRIDGET , ON Tuesday in Easter-Week , April 6. MDCXCVII . By WILLIAM SHERLOCK , D. D. Dean of St. Paul's , Master of the Temple , and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty . LONDON : Printed for W. Rogers , at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet . MDCXCVII . THE DEAN of St. PAUL's SERMON Before the LORD MAYOR , At St. Bridget's-Church on Easter-Tuesday . 1697. 2 COR. viii . 12. For if there be first a willing mind , it is accepted according to that a man hath , and not according to that he hath not . THE Occasion of these Words was this . The Christians of Judaea were at this time in great Want , by reason of a general Dearth , which was foretold by Agabus at Antioch , Acts 11. 28. And there stood up one of them named Agabus , and signified by the spirit , That there should be great dearth throughout all the world , which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Upon this Notice , the Disciples , every man according to his ability , determined to send relief unto the Brethrem which dwelt in Judaea . This is that Contribution for the Saints which St. Paul directs them about , at the Conclusion of his first Epistle to them , Ch. 16. and this is what he inculcates on them in this and the following Chapter , but with so much Art and Insinuation , that though he uses the most powerful Arguments , yet he would not seem to persuade , nor to think that they needed any Persuasion ; for it is not Honourable for Christians , whose Religion is Charity , to need such Persuasions and Importunities . They may be directed in their Charity , and put in Mind of such particular Charities , as are of the greatest Necessity , or the most present use , or have the most general Influence , or do the greatest Reputation and Service to Religion ; or their Charity may be heightened , inflamed , and enlarged , by the Proper Arguments and Motives of Liberality ; but their Religion teaches them to be Charitable , and the Name and Profession of a Christian is a Reproach to them without it : And this is all the Apostle aims at even in his soft and tender way of Persuasion ; not merely to persuade them to contribute to the Necessities of the Saints , which he knew they were willing to do ; but that they should contribute liberally , with a free and chearful Heart , and open Hand ; which is the sum of all his Arguments , as I shall shew you in the Conclusion , if Time permit . But the great Difficulty concerns the proper Measures of a liberal and overflowing Charity . Our Saviour has prescribed no set Bounds and Proportions to our Charity ; and it is thought as possible to be imprudent and excessive , as too frugal and sparing : We have many other Obligations upon us besides CHARITY ; to provide for our own comfortable Subsistence , to take Care of our Wives and Children , and to discharge all other Duties and Offices according to our Station and Character in the World : All which ought to set Bounds to our Charity . But what these Bounds are , is thought the great Question , which is not easily answered : This is true ; nor can any certain Measures be prescribed ; nor does the Apostle pretend to it : But though there is a great Latitude in true Christian Charity , which does not consist in a Point , but admits of different Degrees and Proportions ; yet the Apostle , in my Text , directs us to such a Principle , as is much better and safer than any stated Rules , because it will be sure never to sink below the just Proportions of Charity ; and will render all we do , be it more or less , very acceptable to God. For if there be first a willing mind , it is accepted according to that a man hath , and not according to that he hath not . In which Words , I shall observe Three Things , which are expressed , or necessarily implied in them . First , That a great Readiness and Forwardness of Mind , to do Good , is the true Spirit of Charity ; which gives Value and Acceptation to all we do . Secondly , That this Readiness of Mind to do Good , to Relieve the Necessities of those who want , will observe the just Proportions of Giving , will give according to what a man hath : as is necessarily implied in the Words ; for if a willing Mind be accepted , according to what a man hath , it is , because it gives according to what a man hath . Thirdly , That where there is this Willing Mind , with a fitting Proportion according to our Abilities ; whether it be more or less , which we give , it is equally acceptable to God. Such a Man is accepted according to what he hath , not according to what he hath not . I shall speak as briefly as I can to each of these , that I may not be prevented in such an Application , as is proper to this Solemnity . First , That a great Readiness and Forwardness of Mind ( for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ) to do Good , to relieve the Necessities of those in Want , is the true Spirit of Charity , and gives Value and Acceptation to all we do . Such a Willingness of Mind , when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it is the Principle and first Mover in all our Charitable Actions , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very acceptable to God. This , I think , I may take for granted ; for what is the Grace and Vertue of Charity , but a Charitable Inclination , Disposition , Temper , Habit of Mind ? And what is this but a Readiness and Forwardness to do Good ? Our Inclinations and Passions are the Principles of Action , and therefore have a natural Tendency towards their proper Acts and Objects , and will act when they have the Power and Opportunity of Action : Charity is Love , the Love of Pity and Compassion to the Miseries and Sufferings , and Wants of our Brethren ; and Love in all other Instances is a very restless active Principle ; and so will our Love to the Poor and Miserable be , if it be Inclination and Habit. There is no man but will pretend to be very ready and willing to do Good , though he never does any : For to have no Inclination to do Good , is so Infamous , that those who do no good , are ashamed to own it ; but to do no good , is a Plain Evidence against them , when nothing can hinder them from doing Good , but the want of Will and Inclination to do it ; when God has furnished them with the means of doing Good , and there are thousands of Objects to exercise their Charity , and to move their Pity , if they had any . The Will is accepted for the Deed , both by God and Men , when it is not in our Power to do that Good which we sincerely desire to do , and which we would certainly do , were it in our Power ; but it is to mock both God and Men , to pretend a Willingness , when it is visible to all the World , That a Will to do Good is the only thing we want . But such a Readiness and Willingness of Mind as is Active and Vigorous , as contrives and lays Designs of Charity , or embraces such as are offered , and takes all wise Opportunities of doing Good , this is very acceptable to God , as being the most Divine and God-like Temper , the Image of his own Goodness , and the noblest Exercise of our Love to Men , inspired with the Love of God. Now in Moral Actions it is the Principle that gives the Value ; not so much the Gift , as the Mind of the Giver ; and therefore St. Paul tells us , That though we give all our goods to feed the poor , and have not charity , we are nothing . 1 Cor. 13. 3. God can feed the poor without us , if he so pleases ; but as for several other wise ends of Providence , so he has ordered , That the poor shall be always with us for the trial and exercise of our Virtue , but the Virtue is not the Gift , but the Charity . And could we perform all the Acts of Charity without a charitable Mind , the World might be better for it , but not we our selves . 2dly . This readiness and forwardness of Mind to do good will observe the just proportions of Charity , will give according to what a man hath . I observed before , That our Saviour in his Gospel hath prescribed no fixt Measures nor Proportions of Charity : Nor could he reasonably do this , considering the nature of Charity ; which though it be not so absolutely free , that we may chuse whether we will be charitable or no ( for charitable we must be at the peril of our Souls ) ; yet the proportions must be free , or it is not Charity , but a Poors rate , as all the positive Laws , which God gave the Jews for the relief of the Poor , were no better ; and therefore , by the wiser Jews , were never placed to the account of Charity , but of Justice , and a Legal Righteousness : Which is the very distinction St. Paul makes between a righteous and a good man , Rom. 5. 7. But scarcely for a righteous man will one die , yet peradventure for a good man one would even dare to die . A Righteous man is one , who is legally Righteous , and observes what the Law requires ; but a Good man is one who is acted by a free , unconfined and generous Goodness . Now upon this pretence , That there is no proportion assigned to Charity , there are to● many , who content themselves with very little ▪ indeed with nothing which can properly b● called Charity . But I wonder in the mean time what these men make of all those Command● and Exhortations which we find in the Gosp●● to Charity , which are so many , so pressing an● importunate , and bound on us by so many pr●mises of present and future Rewards , and wit● so many terrible Threatnings denounced again●● the uncharitable , that surely they must mea● something ; and as willing as men are in the●● Cases , to pretend Ignorance , I believe there a●● few men living , but know in some measure what Charity means : And though they may dispute how much they ought to give , yet certainly know , that they ought to give ; and that to give nothing , or what is next to nothing , all Circumstances considered , is not Charity . A Charitable Temper and Disposition of Mind is an indispensible Duty , and the most Essential Part of the Christian Religion . This our Saviour commands ; and he need command no more , for Charity is and will be a Rule and Measure to it self . Where this Divine Principle is , it will teach us when , and how , and in what Proportion to give : The Sun needs no Rules and Directions how to communicate its Light and Heat . Nature is the surest and most infallible Rule , and Law to it self ; and thus it is proportionably in Moral as well as in Natural Agents . For what is the immediate effect of Nature and Life , can never be taught without its Principle ; cannot exceed its Principle , and cannot fall below it . All the Rules in the World can never teach that man Charity , who wants the Principle ; a Charitable Mind needs no Rules , but turns naturally on its own Byas ; which will direct its Motions right . There is a great difference indeed between Natural and Moral Agents . Natural Agents are necessarily determined to some one End , and therefore have but one Principle , which uniformly and steddily pursues the Ends of Nature ; but Moral Agents , as they act freely , so they have many different Principles , Inclinations , and Passions , which stint and limit each other ; that none of them can act to their utmost Vigour , but as they are mutually poized and ballanced : And this is the Work of Reason and Religion , to put them into their Natural Order , and to set just Bounds to them ; and that proportions the degrees of their Activity and Strength ; but yet every Principle , unless violently oppressed , will act according to its Nature , as it more or less prevails . And this gives Measures and Proportions to all our Actions ; as to shew you this in our present Case . Charity is that Love to Mankind which makes us pity all their Wants and Sufferings , and inspires us with a great Zeal and Concernment to Help and Relieve them . If you enquire , What the Natural Measure of this Charity is ? I know no other Natual Measure , but its Natural End , that is , To relieve all that suffer and are in want ; for that is what Charity would do , and what all Charitable Men heartily wish that they could do . Well! but this is impossible , for there are too many miserable People for any man to Relieve them all . This is true , and Want of Power must of Necessity set Bounds to our Charity ; but since we cannot Relieve all , we must relieve such as we can ; and wisely consider where the greatest Necessities , and greatest Obligations are : Which will give the Preference to Christians before Infidels ; to Good Men before the Wicked ; to God's Poor , whom the Divine Providence has made Poor , to the Poor of their own Making , whom Idleness , Luxury , and Vice have made Poor and Miserable . Well! But how far must we Relieve these Poor ? Must we give as long as we have any thing to give , and make our selves the Objects of Charity ? By no means ! There are other as Natural Principles as Charity , which must set Bounds to it . Self-Love is a Natural and Necessary Principle ; no man is bound to love any man better than himself : To love our Neighbour as our selves , is all that the Gospel it self makes our necessary Duty ; though some Great and Generous Friendships , and Divine Charities , may go further , as far as concerns this Life . Next to Self-Love , our Natural Affection for our Wives and Children must take place , as ingrafted in it , and thought the Best and the Dearest Part of it , as being nearest to our selves , and what the best men are the most tenderly concerned for . And this is the chief thing , which among men of any Principles , disputes the Bounds of Charity : For as for those stupid Brutes , who love Money only to look on , or to count their Bags and Securities , without suffering themselves , or any Body else , to use it , they are not fit to be named : For I can hardly reckon them among reasonable Creatures . But men's Care of themselves , and of their Wives and Children ( not to descend at present to other Relations , which may come within the compass of Charity , though of a nearer and more sacred Obligation ) is thought a very Prudent and Reasonable Consideration in this Case , and indeed is so ; for there is a great deal o● Truth and Reason in that common Saying rightly understood , That Charity begins at Home The great Controversy then is between ou● Love to our Selves , our Wives and Children ▪ and Charity to the Poor . Now there is no Dispute , but the first must have the Preference ; but yet Charity to the Poor must have its Place also And then the only Question is , In what Proportion this must be ? And that is a very hard Question , if you put it in Arithmetick , for I can name no Proportion ; nor has our Saviour thought fit to name any : But , as I observed to you before , True Charity will assign a just Proportion to it self : For a true Charitable Mind will spare what it reasonably can , and never below the Proportion of Charity ; and will spare more or less , according to the Degrees of its Charity . I must be forced to represent this in short to you , that I may not be tedious . That Love we have for our selves , and for our Natural Dependents , will generally secure us against exceeding the Proportions of Charity , that there is seldom any Danger on that side . On the other hand , if we have a true Charitable Mind and a sincere Compassion for the Sufferings of others , we shall certainly do what we our selves , considering our Circumstances , and what all Charitable men who know our Circumstances , will call Charity . But then , the more Intense and Fervent our Charity is , this will still increase the Proportion , and sometimes to such Heights , as can hardly escape the Censure of Affectation and Folly : And were it not for the Interposition of the Divine Providence , might sometimes prove very fatal to themselves and their Families . As to give you the Account of this in short ; There are Two things absolutely necessary to dispose men to Give Liberally : A just Sense of the Miseries of others ; and a true Judgment of our own Abilities . As for the First : A Charitable Mind is very easy to receive the impressions of Charity ; and the more charitably it is disposed , still the more easy . Every pitiable Object moves and affects such men , and they are no more able to resist the Silent Oratory of meager Looks , naked Backs , and hungry Bellies ( were they not sometimes harden'd by Cheats and Vagabonds ) than to deny themselves what is necessary to Life : Much less can they deny any known and unquestioned Charity ; for since Charitable they are , and Acts of Charity they will do , they are very glad to know how to dispose of their Charity , to do that Good which they intend by it . A Soft and tender Mind , which feels the Sufferings of others , and suffers with them , is the true Temper and Spirit of Charity ; and Nature prompts us to ease those Sufferings , which we feel : This makes us so ready to supply our own Wants , because we have a quick and smart Sense of them ; and the Christian Sympathy and fellow-feeling of Charity , will proportionably incline us to relieve our suffering Brethren , when we feel in our selves what it is they suffer . An inward Principle is more powerful than all external Arguments ; and Sense and Feeling is this Principle ; and Charity is this Sense . Thus , as for Proportions , a Charitable Mind sets no other Bounds to its Charity , but only Ability ; that the only Question is , Whether we can spare any thing from our selves and Families ? and what we can spare ? Now when Charity is the Judge of this , it is always a favourable Judge on the side of the Poor and Miserable , and always the more favourable Judge , the greater the Charity is : It will teach us to think , That we want less , and consequently can spare more , when we consider how much others want : At least it will teach us to abate of what we do not want ; of all Idle and Superfluous Expences ; of all needless Pomp and Ceremony , which is more than our Station and Character requires ; and it is incredible to think what an inexhausted Fund this would be for Charity : Did we truly estimate our own Wants , rectifie our Expences , and set just Bounds to our Desires , many of us would soon find , that we have a great deal to spare : And nothing will so effectually do this , as Charity ; and therefore Charity is the best Rule and Measure to it self . So that there is no great occasion to dispute Proportions ; let us learn to be Charitable , and Charity will teach us what to give . Every man can tell when another is Charitable ; and a Charitable man man can tell when he himself is so ; and as our Charity increases , so we shall abound in the Fruits of Charity ; for the more we love , the more liberally we shall give . This is not to leave what we will give to Charitable Uses , to our own free Choice , as a Trial of our Ingenuity , as some represent it : For had this been the Case , there should have been some Proportion fixt , less than which we should not give , though we might give as much more as we pleased ; for otherwise nothing is matter of strict Duty , but all is left to Ingenuity ; which is so far from being true , that there is not a more necessary Duty in all Religion than Charity ; and even the greatest Degrees and Heights of Charity , are all Duty : For we are commanded to be Charitable , and to aim at the highest Degrees of Charity ; and the Proportion of giving is referred to the Principle , and included in the Degrees of Charity ; such a Proportion as such a Degree of Charity will give , is as much a strict Duty as such a Degree of Charity is . The very nature of Charity proves that thus it is , and that it can't be otherwise . For meerly to give , or not to give ; to give more or less , is no certain proof of a charitable , or uncharitable Man ; how liberally soever we give , we are not charitable , unless we give from a principle of Charity , and our Charity be as great as our Gift . So that had God prescribed how much every Man must give to the Poor , they might have observed this proportion of Giving without any Charity , and then such Gifts as these had been no acts of Charity , when the Gift and the Charity was parted : But a charitable Man will give , and will give in proportion to the degrees of his Charity , and therefore Charity ; and the encrease of Charity is the only proper object of Command ; for he will give liberally , who loves much ; and the proportion of giving is commanded in the degrees of Charity , which alone can prescribe , and will observe a just proportion . Let no man then inquire , how much he must give ; the proper inquiry is , how much he must love . Let no man satisfie himself with some small trifling presents , which bear no proportion to what he has , upon pretence that God has prescribed no proportion of giving ; but let him ask himself , Whether , in his own Conscience , what he gives , bears any proportion to that love and charity to the poor and miserable , which God requires : and let him remember , that though God has not fixt the proportions of giving , he requires great degrees of Charity ; and though Men may give liberally without Charity , yet not to give in some due proportion , is a certain sign of want of Charity , when there wants no ability to give . Give me leave to observe by the way , that what I have now said of Charity , is true of all other Christian Graces and Vertues ; that it is the principle , which both must and will give laws and measures to the external acts of such Graces and Vertues : As to instance at present only in the Acts of religious worship , the measures and proportions of which are as much disputed , and no more determined and limited by the laws of our Saviour , than those of Charity : We are commanded to fast , and pray , and to communicate at the Lord's Table , and to read and meditate on the Holy Scriptures , and such other acts of Religion ; but we are not told , how often we must fast and pray and receive the Lord's Supper , nor how much time we must spend in our publick or private Devotions ; or though all the publick Exercises of Religion must be regulated by the publick Authority of the Church ; which as to time and place , and other external circumstances , is the safest rule ; yet our private Devotions are free , and both publick and private Devotions have a great latitude ; and thus as it is in the case of Charity , some men think , they can never spend time enough in the publick and private Exercises of Religion ; and others think a very little will serve the turn , and any trifling pretence is sufficient to excuse them from their Closets , or the Church , and especially from the Lord's Table . And the resolution of this is the same , as in the case of Charity ; We are commanded to be devout Worshippers of God , and the true spirit of Devotion naturally prescribes the external measures and proportions . Devout minds , who have a true sense of God , and of their constant dependence on him ; That they owe all temporal and spiritual Blessings to him , and daily need the pardon of their Sins , the protection of his Providence , and the supplies of his Grace , will never fail to worship God , whom they inwardly reverence and adore ; and as our devout sense of God encreases in strength and vigour , the external expressions of devotion will be more frequent , more lively and affecting ; for nature will exert it self , and will exert it self in proportion to its strength and vigour . But to return . 3. The third thing I proposed , I must at present wave ; that where there is a willing mind , with a fit proportion , according to our abilities , ( which , as you have heard , there will be , where there is a truly willing and charitable mind ) whether it be more or less , that we give , it is equally acceptable to God. Such a man is accepted according to what he hath , not according to what he hath not : and indeed there is no great occasion to insist on it ; for it is self-evident , that God will not exact that from us , which we have not . Only we must observe , that this does not excuse any man from Charity , though he have nothing to give ; he must have a willing charitable mind to make him accepted ; nor does it excuse those from Charity , who have but little to give , for they must give according to what they have : nor does it excuse those , who have nothing to give , from other acts of Charity , which require the giving nothing , and a great many such acts of real Charity there are , which poor people may do for each other , though they have not a penny in their purse . But it is time now to turn my Discourse to the proper business of this great Solemnity . Publick Charities are always reckoned amongst the greatest Ornaments of any Country , and make up the most lovely and charming part of their Characters : Stately and magnificent Buildings shew great art , and great riches , and a gallant and noble genius , but great Charities have something divine , and strike the mind with a religious veneration . There may be much more magnificent shows , than this day's procession , but none which affect wise and good men with a sincerer pleasure : To follow a great number of Orphans , in the mean , but decent Dress of Charity , singing the praises of God , and praying for their Benefactors , is beyond all the Roman Triumphs , however adorned with a pompous equipage , and great numbers of royal slaves . These present us with nothing but the miserable spectacles of spoil and rapine , the uncertain changes and vicissitudes of fortune , the lamentable fate of conquered Princes and People , and the pride and insolence of Conquerors ; but here are the triumphs of a generous Goodness and divine Charity , triumphs without blood and spoil , without slaves , and captives , unless redeemed slaves , rescued from the jaws of poverty , and all the injuries and miseries of a ruined fortune : that to me this great City , and this honourable Train , never looks greater than in this humble pomp . A pomp not for vanity and ostentation , but to endear and recommend Charity , by shewing the visible and blessed fruits of it : and to the same end , I must give you an account of the present state of these publick Charities . The REPORT was here Read. THat these are all great Charities , I need not tell you ; indeed all so great , that it is hard to know , to which to give the preference , and what occasion all these Charities have of fresh , liberal , and constant supplies , the Report acquaints you . But I cannot pass over one thing I observe in this Report , and which , I fear , many necessitous people feel , that there have been no Orphans taken into Christ's Hospital this Year , nor , as I remember , for two Years last past . I do not mention this by way of reflexion , as any fault in the administration and government , but to put you in mind , how much that excellent foundation needs your supply ; and though I do not love to compare Charities , they being all of great use and necessity in their kind , yet I think this foundation has something to plead for it self beyond any other . A helpless age , destitute of friends , and all means of support will plead for it self without saying any thing : it is a pitiable sight to see poor innocent Children turned helpless into the wide World to starve , or beg , or steal , or to suffer all imaginable difficulties and necessities at home : without education , without government or discipline , without being used to labour , or taught any honest way of living ; which , as they grow up , improves into a habit of idleness , and that betrays them to all degrees and kinds of wickedness , trains them up to the Gallows , or fills our other Hospitals with vagrant and miserable people . There is nothing , which all wise Common-wealths have been more concerned for , than the education of Children , which proves a great support , and gives great ease and security to any government , by breeding up usefull members of it : So that this is a Charity , which would in a great measure make some other Charities less needfull ; and it is certainly a greater Charity to prevent the miseries of mankind , than to relieve them . This is a Charity , wherein every member of this great City , is most nearly concerned , because they and no others have a right to it . It is a provision for their posterity , against all the sudden strokes of fortune , which no man can be secured from ; Here it is , that families , which are unexpectedly ruined by the uncertain chances of trade may be raised again by Charity ; at least , by that vertue and industry , which their education teaches them , and those fair advantages , with which according to their several capacities they are placed in the world ; they have a new opportunity given them of trying a better fortune , or rather , a more propitious providence . So that every Citizen is concerned to promote and enlarge this Charity , because no man knows who shall want it , if not for his Children , yet for his Grand-children , or remoter descendents ; and possibly to men , who are sensible of the uncertain changes of the World , and have a religious reverence for the divine providence , it would be no mean argument to promote this Charity , were care taken , that the Descendents of Benefactors , if ever they should want this Charity , should certainly have it . It is certainly for the honour of this great City to make the best provision it can for the Children of unfortunate Citizens ; and those on whom providence has smiled , while they have seen their Neighbours shipwrackt by such unaviodable accidents , as no prudence or conduct could escape , cannot make a more proper acknowledgment of the divine goodness than this . I shall add but one thing more of this nature . This is the only Charity , which is most likely to raise a fund of Charity : Among such great numbers , as have their education in this place , there have been , and we may reasonably hope there always will be , not a few , who will raise their fortunes in the World , and remember , their beginning was Charity . I 'm sure , such men ought to do so , and then such an Hospital as this , may help to support and enlarge it self , and in time raise new Hospitals , for new Colonies of Charity . But while I plead for Christ's Hospital , I would not be thought to divert the whole current of Charity into this one channel ; as things now are , there is absolute necessity of other Charities : the sick , diseased , and maimed , are great objects of Charity , especially Souldiers and Sea-men , who venture their lives , and lose their health and their limbs in the service of their Country , to defend our fortunes , liberties , lives , and religion . There is none of us , but would think it a very poor recompence for the loss of health and limbs to be cured upon Charity ; it is certainly the least that we can do for them ; so very little , that if it be charity to do it , it is barbarity to deny it , and that is but a very small degree of charity , which is but one remove from barbarity itself . As for other sick , and diseased , and lame people , who cannot be at the charge of a Cure , where sickness , disability , and poverty meet , this makes them double objects of charity , especially , as it often happens , when these disabilities fall upon the industrious , who before supported themselves and their families by honest labours , without charity . Nay as for those , who may be justly thought the least objects of charity , the wicked and vicious , who reap the deserved fruits of their own wickedness , I am sure , they are the objects of the greatest pity , because this life will not end their miseries ; and if we can prolong their lives here to save their souls , it will be charity indeed , and what effect the sense of their wickedness and sufferings , and the Grace of God , may have upon them , no man can tell . As for distracted Persons , I believe , no man , who considers , what a blessing reason and understanding is , and what a misery the want of it is , can think of them without the most sensible compassion : I think , all other evils whatsoever , are to be preferred before it ; and therefore to restore them to their senses again , which we hear by the blessing of God is often done , or however to keep them from doing themselves , or others any injury , and to preserve human nature from that contempt , which such publick spectacles expose it to , is a very extraordinary Charity . Now all this shews , that a charitable man need not be at any great loss , how to dispose of his Charity ; here are too many very proper objects of Charity , ( if God so pleased ) and we ought to be very thankfull to God , that we our selves are not in the number , for it is more blessed to give , than to receive . But then the great numbers of miserable people , who in several kinds want our Charity , is a very powerfull argument to greater liberality and bounty . For this I must add to what I have already said concerning the measures and proportions of Charity ; that a truly charitable mind will encrease its proportions according to present wants ; will sometimes abridge itself even in the conveniences of life to supply great and pressing necessities ; for a great love will not only spare , what it easily can , but when there is great reason for it , will deny it self to do good . And here I intended to have represented to you our Apostles arguments for a liberal and bountifull Charity : but , I fear , I have already too much trespassed ; and where there is a willing mind , so many and so great objects of Charity , are themselves very pressing arguments . And therefore as the Apostle endeavours to inspire his Corinthians with an holy Emulation of the zeal and forwardness of the Churches of Macedonia , how that in a great trial of affliction , the abundance of their joy , and their deep poverty , abounded unto the riches of their liberality ; so I shall only desire you to emulate the great Examples of past and present times , and that you would set as great Examples for times to come . If any thing deserves our emulation , great and generous Charities do , which are a resemblance and imitation of the divine goodness , than which nothing can more endear us to God or Man : We owe all our present foundations to Royal Bounty and private Charities ; and thanks be to God , our present age , as bad as it is , is not without some great Examples ; and though true virtue is void of the pride , and vanity , and envy , and jealousies of earthly Rivals , yet it fires at great Examples , and is ashamed to be out-done by Equals in love to God or Men ; Especially when the honour of the Church , whereof they are members , and the Religion , which they profess , is concerned . It is well known , how many pious and charitable foundations are owing to Popish superstition ; they hoped to expiate their sins , and to merit heaven by their good works , and in this hope , and this perswasion , they did a very great many . We understand better than to think of meriting any thing of God , much less of purchasing a liberty of sinning , by Acts of Charity ; but if those great rewards , which are promised to Charity , and which we profess to believe , will not make us charitable , without the opinion of merit and satisfaction ; Charity is so great and excellent a vertue , and so very usefull to mankind , that at least thus far Popery will be thought the better Religion ; and therefore as the Apostle argues , As ye abound in every thing , in faith , and utterance , and knowledge , and all diligence , and in your love to us , see that ye abound in this grace also : As we have a more orthodox saith , a clearer and distincter knowledge , and a purer worship , than the Church of Rome , let us excell in Charity too , and convince the World , that to renounce Popery , is not to renounce good works . FINIS . BOOKS Publish'd by the Reverend Dr. Sherlock , Dean of St. Paul's ; and to be Sold by W. Rogers . AN Answer to a Discourse , entituled , Papists protesting against Protestant Popery , 2d Edit . 4to . An Answer to the Amicable Accommodation of the Differences between the Representer and the Answerer , 4to . A Sermon at the Funeral of the Reverend Dr. Calamy , 4to . A Vindication of some Protestant Principles of Church-Unity and Catholick Communion , &c. 4to . A Preservative against Popery , in two Parts , with the Vindication . A Discourse concerning the Nature , Unity , and Communion of the Catholick Church , First Part , 4to . A Sermon before the Lord-Mayor , Novemb. 4 1688. 4to . A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity , 3d Edit . 4to . The Case of Allegiance to Sovereign Powers stated , &c. 4to . A Vindication of the Case of Allegiance , &c. 4to . A Fast-Sermon before the Queen at Whitehall , June 17. 4to . A Practical Discourse concerning Death . In Octavo . Ninth Edition , Price 3 s. In Twelves , Price 2 s. A Practical Discourse concerning Judgment , 4th Edit . 8 vo . 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