Of the Religi{)-Us. I 29 and felflfh end it tends to. rfhe Apofile hath told us that ama11 mayg·ive all his goods' - to feed the poor and yet want charity; and all thefe expences iliall profit him nothing. ltnportunity !nay perhaps wring fotnething out of his pockets, or. a willingnefs to be delivered fron1 the trouble of a miferable fpecracle; but vanity, and a dcfire of ap– plaufe, have ufually the greatefi interefl:: in his difiributions..' This n1~de the hypo– crites of old proclaim their alms with trun1pets; and this n1akes their fucceffors in our times delight to have their goog works· of this kind recorded to the greatefi ad- - vantage, that pofierity may read thctn on walls and publick regifiers. . To the fan1e principle mufl: we refer what in the world pa.fTeth for a very con– fiderable infiqnce of gcnerofity, the keep– ing of a great houfe and well-furnifhed table: whieh neverthelefs is n1ore ordina– rily the effeCt of pride and vain-glory, than of hun1iliry or hofpitality. It is a part of their fplen~or and fi4tc; and they deck their tables for the fan1e end tha~ they put , on fine cloaths, to be talked of and admi– red in the world. You may guefs it by the perfons whon1 th9y entertain; who are ufually. fuch as need leafi of their charity, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=