myself with thus briefly hinting to him, that the duty I am speaking of being thus plainly taught by the bare light of natural reason, he is thereby rendered inexcusable in the sight of God, if he does not perform the said duty.

CHAPTER III.

Wherein the duty here treated of is enforced from Revelation or the Holy Scripture, and in the first place from 1 Tim. vi. 17-19. whence the pretence of giving rather to the poor is largely considered, and its weakness laid open.

I

PROCEED to shew how the duty I am speaking of, as it is discoverable by the

The duty here treated of, how enforced by 1 Tim. vi. 17-19.

light of natural reason, so is further

enforced by the much clearer light of Revelation, or the Holy Scripture.

And the first passage of Scripture which I shall cite shall be 1 Tim. vi. 17-19. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they

be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." How full and cogent are these words of the Apostle! We here find St. Paul directing Timothy to "charge them that are rich," that is, to teach them with all plainness and earnestness, as their great and indispensable duty, "that they do good;" by which expression is more particularly meant in the language of the New Testament, contributing to charitable and pious works. And that rich men might not unhappily deceive themselves, by thinking they discharged this duty, if they give but something: therefore St. Paul directs Timothy to charge them further, "that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate," that is, that they contribute liberally or largely to pious works; and that (as the same Apostle elsewhere, 2 Cor. ix. 7, explains himself) "not grudgingly or of necessity," but cheerfully,

for God loveth a cheerful giver." As for

the motives adjoined by St. Paul for to induce rich men to the discharge of this their duty, I shall take notice of them in the close of this discourse. It is sufficient here to observe, that from the forecited words of the Apostle, it is evident that it is the indispensable duty of them that are rich, that they be ready and willing to contribute to all good or pious works; and consequently do (as often as occasion requires) liberally contribute to the building of churches, as being a most eminent work of piety.

The forecited passage of Scripture, as containing a general charge to the rich for to contribute liberally to all good

The said text not to be understood of

giving only to the poor.

works, may be justly, and fre

quently is applied to excite persons

to that particular branch of charity which consists in relieving the poor. But that it should be understood only of this branch of charity, there is no ground either in the words themselves or in the context. And therefore no one is to think that he fulfils what is here given him in charge by St. Paul,

if he does but give liberally to the poor; or that his giving liberally to the poor will excuse his giving likewise liberally to the building or beautifying of churches, according to his real ability.

Indeed it is to be feared, that upon inquiry it will be found, that such as give nothing, or too little to Briefs for churches, are

The pretence

of giving to
the poor was

made use of

by Judas the

traitor.

O

wont to give likewise nothing or too little to Briefs for the poor. And it is very remarkable, that as the wants of the poor were urged as long ago as our Saviour's days for a pretence why expenses should not be made on another work of piety, so it was then made by no better a person than the most wicked and infamous traitor Judas. For St. John in his Gospel, chap. lxii. 1-5, informs us, "that Jesus six days before the Passover being come to Bethany, Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then says one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, which should

betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?"

Very plausibly spoken, and much like a saint, as one might be apt to think. In order therefore to undeceive us, the Holy

How we are

forewarned

not to be de- Spirit of God has taken care that

ceived by the

plausibleness

of this pretence.

the inspired penman, St. John, should immediately subjoin this observation

on Judas's words. "This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein." By which observation the Holy Spirit teaches, and as it were forewarns us, that how plausible soever a pretence for not laying out of money on other acts of piety this of giving to the poor may be, yet as it was in the forementioned instance of Judas, so it may be again in other instances, no other than a mere pretence suggested by the devil for not contributing to works of piety, and that it may be made use of again by those who care not for the poor, but are only acted by a like covetous or selfish principle, as Judas' was.