Imatges de pàgina
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Having fpoke of the Objects, and the Acts of Mercy, it remains that I fay fomething, in the laft Place, of the Manner in which thofe Acts are to be performed; and this I fhall do only in the general, Time not permitting our Confideration of the Particulars relating to it.

1. First, then, all Acts of Mercy should be done with a Readiness and Forwardness of Mind; the Life of them is the good Grace and Chearfulness with which they are performed: What comes with an ill Will, and, as it were, extorted by Importunity, as it lofes its Gracefulness with Men, fo it is no way acceptable to God; (g) For God loveth a chearful Giver. This Readinefs and Forwardness of Mind to Acts of Charity and Beneficence, St. Paul commends highly in the Corinthians; that they needed no asking, but were ready of their own Accord, and forward, and exemplary to others, 2 Cor. ix. 1. As touching the miniftring to the Saints, faith he, it is fuperfluous for me to write to you; for I know the Forwardness of your Mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a Year ago; and your Zeal bath provoked very many.

2. Acts of Mercy fhould be done with Modefty and Humility, both to prevent Pride in the Giver, and Shame and Reproach in the Receiver. As to this, there follows an excellent Advice in this fame Sermon, Chap. vi. 1. about not doing our Alms before Men to be feen of them, &c.

3. Let our Works of Mercy proceed purely, from a kind and merciful, not from a selfish and mercenary Temper. Our Saviour defigned that Chriftian Beneficence should in this be distin

(g) 2 Cor. ix. 7.

guished

guished from the Beneficence of the World; theirs is with an Eye to their own temporal Interest, and with an Expectation to receive the fame, or equivalent Kindneffes again: But the good Chriftian's Beneficence is with a pure Eye to God, without any Hopes of Reward from Man. (b) If ye love them who love you, fays our Saviour, what thank bave ye? For Sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do Good to them which do Good to you, what thank have ye? For Sinners alfo do even the fame. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? But do Good and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your Reward fhall be great. Not but that there may and ought to be a Communication of Civility, good Neighbourhood, and all friendly Offices among Men; but this is not properly the Duty of Mercy, which we are now upon, which confiders our Neighbour only as in Mifery, not as he may repay us, and be serviceable to us again.

4. Let our. Works of Mercy be done readily, without Delay. Say not to thy Neighbour, whofe Wants are preffing, Go and come again, and to Morrow I will give thee, when thou haft it by thee, Prov. iii. 28.

5. Let our Works of Mercy, as to the Meafure of them, be done bountifully and liberally, according to our Condition and Circumstances. Sometimes, indeed, a fmall Bounty is a great one, because, tho' fmall in itself, it is great to them who give it, there being but little left, (i) Like the Widow's two Mites; but much greater Things (i) Mark xii. 42.

(b) Luke vi. 32.

Things are expected of the Rich: For they are charged to be (k) rich in good Works.

6. Let us perform Acts of Mercy with Minds full of Gratitude to God, who gives us both the Ability and the Will to do them. David gives us a notable Example of this Grace, 1 Chron. xxix. 13. where he accompanies his own and his People's Gifts to the Temple with this grateful Acknowledgment; Now therefore our God we thank thee, fays he, and praise thy glorious Name. But who am I, and what is my People, that we should be able to offer fo willingly after this Sort? For all Things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

7. Laftly, Let us perform our Acts of Mercy to Chrift's Members, as to Chrift himself, I mean, let us have an Eye to him, and regard him in his afflicted or poor Members. For he has told us, that (1) Whosoever shall give a Cup of cold Water to any one in the Name of a Difciple, that is, upon the Account of his Relation to him, he shall in no wife lofe his Reward. This I take to be one of the best Ingredients in our Acts of Mercy, and it will be acknowledged in the great Day of Accounts, and rewarded accordingly, as our Saviour himself acquaints us, Mat. xxv. 40. where the Acts of Mercy and Charity fhewed to his diftreffed Brethren are interpreted as fhewed to himself. Verily I fay unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the leaft of thefe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me.

I have now given you a Defcription of the Merciful, and fhould next have proceeded to the Confideration of the Promise annexed, For they

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fhall obtain Mercy; but Time preventing me, I fhall refer this latter Part of the Text to another Opportunity. God of his infinite Mercy bless what we have heard, that it may take root in our Hearts, and bring forth abundant Fruit in our Lives and Converfations, to his Glory, and our eternal Comfort, through the Mediation of Jefus Christ our Lord. To whom, &c.

SERMON

SERMON X.

MAT. V. 7.

Bleed are the Merciful: For they shall obtain Mercy.

The Second Sermon on this Text.

H

AVING in a former Difcourfe given you a Defcription of the Virtue of Mercifulness here recommended, from thefe Words, Blessed are the Merciful; I proceed now to the Promise annexed, For they fhall obtain Mercy. For understanding of which Promife in its due Latitude, I must defire you to obferve, that it extends to all forts of Mercies, both those of this Life, and of that which is to come; as I fhall prove by and by from other plain Paffages of the holy Scriptures.

I begin with the Mercies and Blessings of this Life, and these I shall distinguish into external and internal, and fhew you that they are both promised to, and conferred upon the merciful Man,

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I. First, As for external Mercies of all forts, the holy Scripture promises them very fully to the Merciful, as by an Induction of Particulars will appear.

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