ipence for the giver. You feehow Zacheus,gives ; IfI have wronged anyman,( will reffbre it, andhalfmy goods Igive to thepoor. That is, I will firft makereftittttion of what I have unjuftiy gotten; and then of the remainder , I will give half to the poor. .. It is no givingfor a man, to employall his life-time in theprocurement ofunjuft gain: ByLlfury, deceit in trading,and other indire&and forbidden courfes, to heap up abundance ofred clay; and then to filmup a large Bill of the particular goodhe intends to Religion ; for Churhes, and for Hofpitáls, and the poor, with other filch like benevolences, makes but a fimpie fatisfa Lion for thy unju t courtes, in pro- curing fuch wealth to the prejudice, anddetriment ofothers : this is nothing to thy advantage ; all this while thou art a thief, and giveft ftoln goods. Nay, thou maift furtherallure thyfelf, that Hell fhall be the greateft recompence of thy charity, be- caufethoubeftoweft that which is not thine. Thououghteft first to have made thy eftate clear, and havereftored the things that belonged unto others, and referved thine own by itfelf, and then to give free fcope to thy charity to the doing ofany good adios], which time and occafion could propound. This is the fira duty of any man that will dogood in giving, he muft give jufUy. Secondly,, he mull give wifely too, it is made the markof a man fearing God ; Hs confiders wifely of the poor, andheorders hisaffairs withjudgement. What is that ? Judgement hath a twofold refpe& ; it hath refpe& to the quantity ofa mans gift; and to the quality of the perfon to whom he gives. There mutt be a judgement, a wife ordering things in refpe& of the quantity which a man beflows, according to that expreffionof the holy Glioft, in 4Usir. 29. Theygave according to their abilities, theykept within thelimitsoftheir eftates, andexceeded not, So muff thou, or elfe anotherman may (perchance) lofe by thy liberality. ' Again, there muft berefpea had to the quality of the perfon to whom he gives; Mygoodnefi extends to the Saints that areonearth, to the faithful ones ; as the Text faith here, to the hots(hold offaith. It is not neceffary to give toevery onethat comes next to hand. There be fothe perfons,I told youbefore,thatare not to be relieved, except in cafe of extream neceffity. we muff extend our benevolence to thofe of the houlhold ofFaith. Give unto Chrift, and to the naked andhungry members that belong unto him, and thou (halt not want a fweetanti comfortable return of thy charity. . Again, as it muff be done juffly and wifely, fo (ifwe delire to do good in re- lieving) we mua do it (imply. In the fimplicity and plainnefsofour hearts ; Let him that difirihutes, do it in f:mplicity, faith the Apoftle. What is that limplicity ? when a man looks up toGod with a tingle eye (as theeye may be Paid tobe tingle, when it views but one obje& at once fo) the heart is finall when it refpe&s God only in this action of charity,and makes no otherreckoning ofanyoutward'obje&. Adouble minded manhe looks upto God, and yet carries fome refpe& to the out- ward honour which he expeâsof the world; and more ( often times) to the World than to God, at leaft he joyns them together. But ifa manbe defirousto beftowhis benevolence with a purpofe to receiverecompence from above, let him do it for his fake that commandsit, andretied upon God in all things. ThW is the teflimonyofour Confcience (faith theApoltle) that in fmplicity andflncerity we have badonrconverfationamongyou: not a ectingthepralfeofinen,bnt aimingsofipprove oarfelves to God in.hat we do. This is that which Chrift advifed the Pharifees,that they shouldnot admit their right hand to knowwhattheir loft hand did. Lastly, as it muff be limple, fo it mutt be chearful : God loves a,chearfalgiver. And thisis a perfe& fign ofchearfulnefs, when a mandoth not only give without grudging,upon allopportunities : but whenhe will be careful to preventthem in bis williugnefs to Peek them, as I Paid before. So much for the fecondpointi, the duty it felf. Now Iproceedto the loftthing; that is, the defcriptionoft heperfonstowhom this muft be done. Firft generally : AN, and thenparticularly, The houjholdoffaith. Fiirft generally: Dogood to all, It The T,iberal=MankCúzdeó a. Givewifely. l'fai. I. a, In tefpefk of the quantity. In tefpéß of the quality, ;. Give hi fim. plicity. Rom. tx. t. Mat, 6. 4. Give cheat. fully. a Cot. f: O. The petfons to whom good mutt de chine.
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