What then God

or depravation of the other. and nature, as well as Chrift and his apostles, have joined together, let no man dare to put afunder. Let not any one flatter himself with the hope of obtaining the rewards, or even escaping the punishments of the Gospel, by performing only one branch of his duty. Let him not imagine, that the most rigorous feverity of manners can excufe him from the exercife of undiffembled love to God and to mankind; nor, on the other hand, let him fuppofe, that under the shelter either of devotion or of benevolence, he may fecurely indulge his favourite paffions; may compound, as it were, with God for his fenfuality by acts of generofity, and purchase by his wealth a general licence to fin. Let him not, in short, content himself with being only half a Chriftian. Let him visit, as often as he pleases, the fatherless and the widows in their affliction. Let his piety be fervent, and his faith fincere. But let him, at the fame time, take care, as he values his falvation, that he keep himself unspotted from the world.

SERMON VII*.

2 KINGS, iv. 1.

THY SERVANT MY HUSBAND IS DEAD, AND THOU KNOWEST THAT THY SERVANT DID FEAR THE LORD; AND THE CREDITOR IS COME TO TAKE UNTO HIM MY TWO SONS TO BE BOND-MEN.

HE unhappy fufferer, who makes this

TH

most moving complaint, was the widow of one of the fons of the prophets, whose distress Elisha immediately relieved by the miraculous increase of her pot of oil. It will not be easy to find in any writer, facred or profane, a more pitcous ftory, or a cafe more applicable to the occafion of the present meeting. I cannot therefore do better than leave it upon your minds in that concife and affecting fimplicity in which it is here related, whilft

*Preached at the anniversary meeting of the Sons of the Clergy, May 9, 1776.

L 4

I proceed

I proceed to recommend the distressed widows and children of the English clergy to your benevolent protection.

The nature and design of the several charitable inftitutions, which have now brought us together, are, I prefume, fo well understood in this place, that there can be no need to take up any of your time in explaining them*, The generous fupport they have hitherto met with demands our most grateful acknowledgements; and in order to keep this friendly difpofition towards us alive and warm in your breafts, I fhall attempt to show that the

But it may not perhaps be generally known that there are three diftinct focieties formed for the benefit of the indigent widows and children of the clergy, and all clofely connected with each other.

The first and principal is, The Corporation for the Relief of the poor Widows and Children of Clergymen, established by charter in the reign of King Charles the Second. The funds of this charity are employed chiefly in giving penfions to the widows of the clergy.

The fecond, which rofe not long after, is The Society of the Feast of the Sons of the Clergy, confifting of the company an nually affembled under that name at St. Paul's church, and Merchant Taylors Hall. The money collected at those two places is wholly expended in apprenticing out the children of neceffitous clergymen. The expences of the mufic and the feaft are generously defrayed by the ftewards of that fociety,

The

the clergy of the Church of England have, both on account of their public fervices, and (with respect to too large a part) their private neceffities, a peculiar claim to your kind attention and affiftance.

If we go back to the early ages of Chriftianity, our own Ecclefiaftics had their share, with others of the facred order, in first introducing the light of the Gofpel into this coun try; and in facrificing to its advancement their eafe, their health, their fortunes, their lives. When in after-times, by a variety of concurrent causes, this kingdom was, in common with all its neighbours, overwhelmed with the

The third is, The Society of Stewards and Subfcribers for maintaining and educating the poor Orphans of the Clergy till of age to be put Apprentices.

This fociety was formed in the year 1749. It is compofed of those who have been stewards of the former fociety, and any others who chufe to become members of it. It is fupported by annual subscriptions of one guinea each, and maintains two schools, one for boys, and the other for girls, in which the orphans of the clergy are educated till they are of fufficient age to go out to apprenticeships.

It might be of use if a short and clear account of these societies was printed in a small tract, describing their nature and design, together with the proper time and method of applying to them for relief, and the perfons to whom fuch applications should be made.