is a little kind of men, who miftaking their party zeal for affection to the government, feem tranfported when thofe, whom they have been taught to think their enemies, do by any misbehaviour render themselves obnoxious to the prefent powers: as they rejoice in such misbehaviour, so are they apt sometimes to provoke it, and think themselves never better entitled to plead their own merit, than when they have urged others to fuch things, as a wife man and a friend to the government would with all his care have laboured to prevent.

Under these unhappy circumstances there is more reafon to wifh, than there is ground to hope, for peace and unanimity at home. It is an eafy matter for a few defigning men to fill the people with great, and, at the same time, very unjust apprehenfions from their governors; though his Majesty, in his great wisdom and goodness, took at the very beginning the properest step to prevent this mischief, by declaring that he would always make the conftitution in church and ftate the rule of his adminiftration. As our conftitution in church has many friends, fo to our great misfortune has it some enemies; and as it cannot be diffembled, but that the fears and jealoufies on one fide, fo it will hardly be denied, but that the hopes and expectations on the other, have been very unreasonable. And confidering how people, in a state of fufpicion, watch and obferve each other, how naturally the fears of one increase by feeing the hopes of the other, without knowing or inquiring what ground or foundation there is for them; it will be neceffary, in order to quiet the angry fpirit that is among us, to fupprefs

thefe hopes, as well as to allay thofe fears: and I pray God to reduce them both to their proper bounds, that we may all be content to obey on the fame terms, on which his Majefty has affured us he is difpofed to govern.

But above all, let us take care to justify ourselves in our concern for our holy religion, which is our beft plea, and fureft pledge of divine favour, by adorning in our lives and converfations the doctrine which we profefs. We have with commendable zeal, on many occafions, stood in defence of our religion, at the expence of the blood and treasure of the nation let it not be observed by our enemies, that the religion of England is a mere watch-word for an army, never valued but when it is to be fought for; and in times of peace laid by, condemned to ruft, with other the useless arms and inftruments of war. Our religion has domeftic as well as foreign enemies; we have seen with what an uncommon zeal it has been attacked by infidels; profeffing not to introduce any religious perfuafion, but to throw out all. These men, who deride all religion, will be found in the end to be the beft agents for them who labour to bring in the worft: and the intereft of our country being fo united to the cause of religion, fuch profane liberty is deftructive of our fecurity, fince every heart, that is alienated from a fenfe of God and religion, carries off with it a pair of hands from the defence of the public.

To a zeal for true religion let us add charity, the crown of all virtues; and let us fanctify this day of our deliverance, by laying afide all hatred, malice, and defire of revenge; that we may with one heart,

!

and one mind, glorify God for his mercies, and implore his protection for ourselves, our King, and our country; that he would give us the bleffings of truth and peace; that he would long preserve our Sovereign; and that there may never want a Protestant Prince descended from him, to go in and out before his people.

DISCOURSE VIII.

ACTS XX. 35.

I have fhewed you all things, how that fo labouring ye ought to support the weak; and to remember the words of the Lord Jefus, how he faid, It is more blessed to give

than to receive.

THESE words concluded the moving speech which St. Paul made to the elders of the church of Ephefus, when he took his final leave of them. The time he had to difcourfe with them was but little, and the occafion was very folemn; which circumftances would determine him to mention nothing to them but what he judged to be of the last confequence and concern; and what they ought always to remember, as the dying words of their great teacher and apoftle. At the 25th verse, you find him, under the paffion of a father, bidding adieu to his children and the world; And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, fhall see my face no more. But to fhew that this care of them would outlive himself, he gives them his laft advice, the best, the only legacy he had to bestow. Two things he especially recommends to them; the care of the church of God, and the providing for the neceflities of the

poor and helpless. The former charge you have at the 28th verfe; Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchafed with his own blood. The latter you read in the words of the text: I have fhewed you all things, how that fo labouring ye ought to fupport the weak; and to remember the words of the Lord Jefus, how he faid, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

There are fome duties fo effential to religion, fo neceffary to form the character of a good man, much more of a good Chriftian, that they always have been, and I hope will always continue to be, the Preacher's common topic. Yet this, I know, is in fome respects a disadvantage, and that exhortations of this kind are esteemed to be fo much things of course, that they are often used with more effect by others, from whom they are less expected. I have need therefore to befpeak your favour, that I may be heard on this subject, without incurring the cenfure of being thought a common beggar. And yet not to diffemble my intention, beg I would; partly indeed for your fakes, whofe neceffities can no otherwise be relieved but by charity; but much more for your fakes, whofe ample fortunes, if rightly administered, entitle you to the choiceft bleffings of the Gospel: For it is more bleffed to give than to re

ceive.

In fpeaking of the duty and obligations of charity, in this restrained sense of the word, in which it regards only the temporal wants and neceffities of our brethren; there are three things proper to be confidered.