PfaL37.z6. ; ®> fit ,tin b.eredi pre(ta6is quic quid iscifertco' eliæ caufa de (1t4Sport!one de- traveris, Aug.. de tempore Sertii.76. After what manner mull wegive Alms, Sertn. i I, fo far as they may with a good confcience. But know, that the fame Apoflle who commands you to lay up for your Children, Both likewife command you to l.ty out a confiderable part of your effare for the fuc- cour and relief of others. As Gal,6. t o. As eve have opp ;ttenity let ua cisgood unto all, es` ecially unto themwho are of the hoe/hold offaith. And /Lb.' 3.16. But to dogood, and to communicate forget not, for withfoci) facrifices God is r'veld pleated. If therefore you would approve your felves fincere Chriflians, you mutt bear an equal and impartial refile& to all and every the commands of the Lord, making confcience of oneDuty as well as of another. The greater thy love,the ftronger thine affe&ions are to thy Chil- dren,che more liberal and bountiful fhouldlt thou be to the poor Saints and fervants of Jefris Chrift, that thereby thou mayeft entail Gods bleilìngupon the perfons and eRateof thy Children. I am fure thou wilt grant that without Gods bleflìng, all thou (halt bequeath unto thy children will little avail them ; and what better courfe canft thou take to procure Gods bleflìng upon that part of thy eltare which thou (halt leave them, than freely to communicate tome parc thereof to pi- ous and charitable ufes ? For as the PfalmiR exprefieth it, The feedof the merciful (hall be bleffed. Whereby is implied, that thy mercy and liberality to the poor, will entail Gods blcfring upon thy children. Very folicitous many are to entail their Lands and Houfes on their Posterity, that they may continue in the faine family : But I know no furer way, than in their life time, to communicate a conliderable part of their elate to the poor. And thus by taking fomewhat from your Childrens Portion for the reliefe of the poor, you may exceed- ingly advance their elate. Hach God bleffed thee with Children ? in Ghriltian difcretion then thou fhouldft be charitable, that thereby thou mayeft procure Gods bleflìng, both on thy felf and pofterìcy. For thy fparing and with - holding from the poor, to make thy Children rich, may prove the fubverLion and ruine of thine houle and children. 3. Though thou oughteft to lay up fome competent portions for thy children, yet ought not that to be a pretence again{} layingout a porti- nn,, of thine efface here on the poor. For know that the poor have a right unto a part of thine eftate, as well as thy children ,though not un- to fo great a part. In which refpe& the fpirit of God callech that part of the rich mansRock which hecan well fpare, the poor mansdue, unto whom
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