3 86 Ofthe $leffednefs ofGiving, Vo1. II. S E R M O N CLIX. Of the Blefednefs of Giving, more than that of Receiving. Acrs XX. 35 And to remember the words of the Lord 7efus, he raid, It is more bleffed to give, than to receive. The whole verfe runs thus, I have (hewedyou all things, how that fo labouring, ye ought to fupport the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord ofw, how he faid, It is more bleed to give, than to receive. THE words which I have read to you, have this particular advantage to re- commend them to our more attentive confederation, that they are a remark- able faying of our Lord himfelf, not recorded by any of the Evangelifls among his other Sayings and Difcourfes, but remembred by the Apoftles, and by fame of them delivered to St.Paul, andby himpreferved to us inhis farewel-fpeech to the Elders of Ephefus. In which after he had given them fome needful advice, and commended them to the grace of God, he appeals to them concerning the integrity of hisConverfation among them; that he was fo far from feeking his own advan- tage, and from coveting any thing that was theirs, that he had not only fupported hiinfelf,but alfo relieved others by the labour of his own hands; giving themhere- in a great example ofCharity, which, it Teems, hewas wont to enforce upon them by an excellent faying of our Lord, It is more bleTed togive, than to receive. And it is really a particular endearment of this Saying to us, that being omitted by the Evangells, and in danger of being loft and forgotten, it was fo happily retrieved by St. Paul, and recorded by St. Luke. The common fayings of ordina- ry perfons perifh without regard, and are fpilt like water upon the ground, which no body goes about to gatherup; but the little and fhort Sayings of wife and ex- cellent Men are of great value, like the duft of Gold, or the leaft fparks of Dia- monds. And fuch is this Sayingof our Lord, which is not only valuable out of refped to its Author, but for the fake of that admirable fenfe which is contained in it. Some Interpreters have needlefly troubled themfelves to find thefe words, or fomething equivalent to them in the Gofpel. That the fenfe of them may be in- ferr'd from feveral paffages in theGofpel, none will deny ; but that they areeither exprefly to be found there, or that there is any Saying that founds to the fame fenfe, I think no body can thew. Befides that, St. Paul cites a particular Sentence or Saying of our Lord, that was Mros, and in thofe very words fpoken by him. And there is no reafon to imagine, that the Gofpels are a perfe& and exalt ac- count of all the fayings and allions of our Lord, tho' St. Luke calls his Gofpel, 4Treatife of all things thatJefus did and fpake; that is, of the principal A&ions ofhis life, and the fubftance of his Difcourfes, at lealt fo much of them as is needful for us toknow: For St. Luke leaves out feveral things related by the other Evan-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=