SERM. rious exigencies of thofe with whom he II. converses, is his conftant endeavour, and

Job xxix.

12,13,15.

most pleasing entertainment. In the ftrong and elegant language of Job, he is eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, he delivereth the poor that cry, and the fatherless, and him that hath none to help him; the blessing of him that is ready to perish cometh upon him, and he causeth the widows heart to fing for joy. And that he may practice the more large and generous charity, he retrenches useless pomp and extravagance, and by a regular and prudent management, conftantly provides for the relief of the neceffitous; efteeming this a much more fublime and noble gratification, than the idle amusements and gallantries of a vain and luxurious age. A good man, faith the Pfalmift, Ff. cxii. 5. fheweth favour and lendeth; he will guide his affairs with discretion.

Again, he not only takes all occafions, that present themselves, of doing good, but feeks for opportunities to be useful; 'tis part of the stated employment and bufinefs of his life. He contrives and ftudies which way he may be most fer

viceable

18.

II.

viceable to his fellow-creatures, and what SERM, that particular talent is, with which he is entrusted for the good of mankind. If it be power, he protects and encourages virtue by his authority and influence, is the patron of liberty, and vindicates the cause of opprefs'd innocence: if riches, he is rich in good works, ready to 1 Tim. vi. diftribute, willing to communicate: if' knowledge, he counts it his highest pleasure to instruct the ignorant, and adminifter proper direction and comfort in perplexing and difficult circumstances, and to defend the cause of religion, and reprefent it in a just and amiable light. And to nothing of this does he want to be follicited, but his generous heart is always ready, and strongly difpofed for beneficent designs and actions. You can't lay a greater obligation upon him than by propofing ways in which he may be useful, or enlarge his fphere of usefulness: For this is the point in which all his views, alk his defires, all his fatisfaction, center.

Add to this, that he is inclined to abate of his right, when infifting too Atrictly

C 3

SERM. ftrictly upon it may have the appearII. ance of harshness and severity; and has

fuch a strong fenfe of benevolence, such an exalted spirit of humanity and compaffion, that no confiderations of private intereft, no difference of nation or religious profeffion can reftrain; and which the greatest injuries cannot bear down and extinguish. He aims that his goodness may be as diffufive as poffible, and as much like that of the univerfal parent, the fupreme and eternal fountain of good, who fupports, enlivens, and recreates the whole creation; and therefore, as he is generous in all his defigns, he is fearful of disobliging any either by word, or action, and endeavours, in the whole of his conduct, to be agreeable as well as useful to all; being candid in his cenfures, practifing to his inferiors the most endearing condefcenfion, and carefully avoiding morofenefs, and every thing that has the appearance of infolence and contempt. Finally, that I may conclude the sketch, which I defign'd, of this most beautiful and honourable character, the good man is unwearied in his

very

endeavours

endeavours to promote the happiness ofSERM, others; the ardour of his benevolence is II. not cool'd tho' he meets with ungrateful returns; the trouble and expence of the service don't discourage him; nay, he is ready to give up all private confiderations for the fake of the public welfare, and even to facrifice life itself, when the good of the world requires it. This fhall fuffice for the first head: I proceed

now,

To fhew, SECONDLY, the fuperior excellency of the good man's character to that of the merely righteous, or just man. An attempt of this kind muft, I am perfuaded, be thought almost needless, after what has been already faid. For the placing the two characters, truly drawn, in the fame point of view, that they may be fairly confider'd and compared together, will fo ftrongly illuftrate the beauty of the beneficent character, that the other will be look'd upon as a foil to fet it off to the greater advantage, and perhaps not to be regarded and valued as it ought. And as the mind of man is fo framed, as immediately to prefer gene

SERM. rous beneficence to strict and rigid juII. ftice, there is the more difficulty in en

larging here; because there is fcarce a medium of proof to be found, that is clearer than the thing itself at first fight. The truth appears at once, upon comparing our ideas; and in all cafes which are fo plain, and, in a manner, felf-evident, 'tis fufficient to appeal to the reason and common fenfe of mankind; and very difficult to argue in fuch a way, as not to perplex and darken the subject. However, I fhall fuggeft a few things, in which the difference of the characters mentioned in the text will be readily acknowledged. And

t. The character of the good man is much more amiable in itself. Justice inbeed, fo far as it goes, is not only an irreproveable character, but rational and becoming; but no man will fay that it has any thing great and generous in it, because 'tis, indeed, the leaft degree of virtue that can be fuppos'd in focial life. --'Tis approv'd of, but not admir'd— We don't think ourselves oblig'd to the perfan that does it, fince 'tis, really, as