cure their Maladies, redrefs their Grievances, or give them Subfiftence under all their difconfolate Neceffities. Her Charity is fo extenfive and univerfal, that it diffufes it felf to the fartheft Parts, and fpreads like the Sun all over the World, with its cherishing Beams or kinder Influences. Every virtuous Perfon fhe hears of in Affliction and Poverty, is immediately intitled to the comfortable Supplies of her Purse, without Distinction. If he passes in View by the Door of her Houfe, or meets her en paffant in the Streets, he is fure never to go away empty-handed or unreliev'd. If he fuffers for Confcience-Sake, his Exigencies are only the greater Exercises of her Virtue, and ftronger Incitements of her Liberality. His Poverty makes her rich in good Works, and caufes her but to abound the more in her Bounty. Besides, The oftentimes gives with both Hands too, as the Text hints, in the plural Number, over and above Expectation: thereby doubling or multiplying her Deeds of Charity to the pooreft Sufferers. And then again, no Distance of Time or Place can outreach her Charity, or fhortea her Arm. It arrives out of Hand; and goes the greatest Lengths of her Riches, Power or Capacity. It extends to the farthest known Parts of the Earth, and is not bounded on this Side Heaven; for the Memorial of it is recorded in the everlasting Books Above, if I may be allow'd to speak fo metaphorically. In fine, the extraordinary Acts of her Generofity, next to a pious Profufenefs, finish her Character, crown her Glory, and accomplish her Happiness with the loudeft Honours, Praifes, and Prayers of thankful reliev'd Indigents in this World.

REMARKS.

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REMARK S.

HARITY, in its general Acceptation of Love, feems chiefly to confift in the good Offices of Affiftance and Forgiveness: the One relating to the Neceffities of our Friends and Exi gencies of our Neighbours, in Point of Diftrefs; and the Other, as plainly regarding the Injuries of our Foes and Offences of our Enemies, in Point of Revenge. In that Senfe, we Chriftians are oblig'd to relieve, fuccour and comfort the Former in this, we are as much bound to love and bless the Latter, or intirely to forgive them, and do them Good for Evil; not to retaliate, but requite their worst Treatment, or wickedeft Returns with Kindness. But the old Moralifts, among the Jews, fcarcé éver carry'd their Charity up to that Degree of Perfection, in this laft Signification. They talk'd of an Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth, by Way of infifting upon a fpecifical Punishment, or a revengeful Recompence. And yet we find that the wifer Antients were very generous, difcreet and honourable, in revenging of Injuries with Difdain. The Philofophers made a common Practice on't: Good may be drawn from the worst of Enemies, fays Xenophon, as the sweetest Honey is made by the Bees from the bitterest Thyme; and fome of the best Medicines come from the most poisonous Serpents. Theophraftus afferts, that Revenge hurts' our felves more than it does our Enemies Harm.' Cicero advises to contemn Injuries, rather than contend with them for Mastery. A Spirit of Revenge reigning in our fplenetick Breafts, how fweet foever by the Proverb, is only a felf-will'd or malevolent Difcompofure of Mind, that ruf

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fles our own Tempers, and difconcerts our fedatest Thoughts, for the Satisfaction of others out of the Reach on't. There can be no right Way of repelling Injury by private Force, or difcretionary Violence, but only by publick Law and ftated Justice: - δίκη δ' ἀπάλειψον άμυναν, as Phocylides morally directs. Plutarch calls an Enemy a School-Mafter, whether felfish or fevere, that cofts us nothing for teaching us Experience; but Caution and Prudence against his future Treacheries. The Reproaches of a profefs'd Enemy are ridiculous, and no Difreputation. His Tongue is no Slander, that deferves Credit. He that gives the Lie in Converfation, is the Liar himfelf, against the Rule of good Manners. No Affront is fufficient for a Duel by the foundest Reafon. O Dueller! The Sword is the King's only, and not thine. No Indignity can be ProVocation enough to take away Life, either in hot or cold Blood; nor can it ever justify Murder, but among common Bravo's, Bullies and AfJaffines. Socrates and Plato, both Master and Scholar of the greatest Wisdom, went farther yet, and agreed, that no Revenge was either lawful or reafonable. Better receive, than do Evil; better take, than give Offence; better fuffer, than fin, are the foundeft Maxims of humane Politicks, Religion or Philofophy. The noblest Point of Honour and Magnanimity, is to bear the most violent or arbitrary Outrages with Patience. A Man fhews more Bravery and Courage in generously forgiving, than invidiously revenging a Wrong. The belt Revenge is Contempt, and it generally proves the greatest Conqueror. For when an Enemy finds himself defpis'd, he thinks himself almost half-murder'd. 'Tis next to cutting his Throat, not to be thought worthy of S

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another's Anger, or a vindi&tive Word. But to do any Mifchief to our vileft Enemies in Heat and Choler, is to be reveng'd of our felves, and recoiling the Injury, with a Vengeance, on our own Heads. It is like revenging Death upon our own Lives, and turning it the wrong Way. We ought not to be Judges in our own private Cafes. We are none of the Twelve at Westminster-Hall. The Law is open and publick. There Juftice and Punishment take Place. I must not rob a Thief to be reveng'd of him, nor make Reprifals that Way, to recover my Right. If a Mafty-Dog bites me, or an Afs gives me a Blow, muft I take out a Writ, or bring an Action against them; to fhew that I am their Competitor or Equal? If I am mock'd, or fcoffingly reproach'd, muft I mimick the Buffoon of a Fool for Company? If I am dishonour'd, or difgrac'd by a Poultron, muft 1 honour him with my Refentments upon the fame Level? If he revile, or vilify me with his backbiting Tongue in private, must I rail by his Example, and not fpeak well of the Wretch; to make him asham'd of Himself in publick? If he hate, or perfecute me without Occafion, muft not I love the fpiteful Brute; to be unlike him, as a Toad and a Tyger that has loft his Teeth, and fpit his Venom? The greatest Enemies may fometimes be made the best Friends, by Difcretion. We ought to bless them that curfe us, for a Reconciliation; and to conquer them with Chriftianity by doing them Good for Evil, Right for Wrong, and heartily wishing them well in the World. We are oblig'd-to pray for their Conversion here, and Forgiveness hereafter to Salvation; if not alfo for their temporal Profperity, and fecular Welfare in the mean Time. We ought to wish them all Hap

Happinefs, and every Thing, according to the famous Advice of juft Antisthenes, but Valour, Power, and ill Will enough to do us a farther Mifchief. This is a Kind of vindictive Charity; it overcomes all Infults through Patience, kills with Kindness, and triumphs by Submiffion. It always turns to the Disadvantage of the Vanquisher, and gives the Glory of the Victory to the Vanquished, by the Right of Chriftian Warfare, or fpiritual Conqueft. Not to feem too tedious by thefe Quotations. In short, the bleffed Jefus Himself forgave Judas, for our Example, who betray'd the Lord of Life to his Cruci. fixion. But Charity, in giving to the Poor, andaffifting the Needy in their Wants, is the chief Drift, and main Subject of our prefent Difcourfe.

RELIGIOUS Charity then, the greatest of the facred Graces, becomes a virtuous Woman's natural Choice, almost as well as acquir'd by Divinity, or given by God. It is an infallible Criterion of her incomparable Goodness; but not exclufive, either of Faith or of Hope. All the Three of Course fall regularly into the Compofition of her Christian Character and Profeffion. And, although this be the Last of them in Nomination, fhe makes it the First in her Election to confummate the Glory of the other Two in Practice. She believes it to be the chief Ornament of her Mind, as well as Happiness of her Life, to affift the Poor and the Needy, by her extraordinary Beneficence, to the utmost of her Fortune or Ability; in Order to finish her universal Love towards all Mankind, labouring under the common Calamities of the World. But then the carries her Charity ftill on to a higher Pitch of Perfection, than meer Morality could ever yet reach; by forgiving her Enemies, as well as relieving thofe of the Houshold of

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Faith,