,transcribed from the #ahbd ,kingsbury1 
,parbury1 and ,allen edition by ,david  
,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org          
,picture3 ,cover of pamphlet            
,,the                     ,,proportions 
,,of ,,christian ,,liberality4          
,a ,,sermon1                            
,,preached ,,before ,a ,,monthly        
,,association                           
,,of                                    
,,congregational ,,ministers            
,,and                                   
,,churches1                             
,,held ,,at                             
,,trevor ,,chapel1 ,,brompton1          
,,april #h1 #ahbd4                      
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,by                 ,,william ,,bengo' 
,,collyer1 ,d4,d4  ,,ll4,d4  ,f4,a4,s4  
,,member ,,of ,,the ,,academy ,,of      
,,sciences1 ,,arts1 ,,and               
,,belles-,,lettres1 ,,of ,,dijon1       
,,and ,,of ,,the ,,american             
,,philosophical ,,society ,,of          
,,philadelphia2        ,,pastor ,,of    

,,the ,,presbyterian ,,churches         
,,assembling ,,at ,,hanover ,,chapel1   
,,peckham1                              
,,and ,,at ,,salters' ,,hall1 ,,london4 
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,london3            ,,sold ,,by        
,,kingsbury1 ,,parbury1 ,,and ,,allen1  
,,leadenhall ,,street2                  
,,and ,,by ,b4 ,,cox1 ,,st4 ,,thomas',s 
,,street1 ,,southwark4                  
#ahbd4          ,a ,,sermon1 c4 c4      
,,gal4 vi4 #aj4        ,,as ,,we ,,have 
,,therefore ,,opportunity1 ,,let ,,us   
,,do ,,good ,,unto ,,all ,,men1         
,,especially ,,unto ,,them ,,who ,,are  
,,of ,,the ,,household ,,of ,,faith4    
,,the subject proposed for discussion   
to-day is thus worded on the printed    
list3 ,the proportions of ,christian    
liberality4  ,i have had some           
difficulty in determining1 whether the  
inquiry intended to be instituted1      
regarded disposition or                 
distribution--whether it should relate  
to our  temper of mind towards those who

 differ from us8 or the application of  
our property to the various claims which
 are made upon us8  ,if the first  be   
intended1 then the question will be--how
 far may we advance in  kindliness of   
heart1 and in the exercise of charity1  
without yielding our  convictions1      
sacrificing principle1 and countenancing
 error8  ,a difficult  and delicate     
point to be settled--in which the       
dangers of concession and  of separation
 seem to balance2 where the one may sink
 into laxity and  indifference1 the     
other lead to intolerance and           
bigotry4--,if the last be  principally  
designed1 as ,i apprehend it is1 then   
the inquiry will be--as  the numerous   
and multiplying appeals to religion and 
humanity cannot all  be alike answered1 
how shall we best distinguish their     
respective merits1  and in what         
proportions should we apply our means1  
which must be  necessarily limited1 to  
their respective claims8  ,the text     
seems  applicable to every possible view

 of the subject4  ,it unites1 what      
,christian liberality can never         
separate--benevolence and beneficence3  
the  heart is to guide the hand1 and    
,christian prudence is to superintend   
the  whole4  ,we are to 8do good0--,we  
are to 8do good to all men0--,we are to 
pay particular regard to                
some--8especially unto them who are of  
the  household of faith0--,we are to do 
it 8as we have opportunity0--seizing    
circumstances1 seeking occasions1       
estimating our means4--,are not these   
8the proportions of ,christian          
liberality80  8,as we have therefore    
opportunity1 let us do good unto all    
men1 especially unto them who are of    
the household of faith40  ,having thus  
inspired authority for our guide1  we   
shall1 perhaps1 best understand the     
subject1 by discussing the terms  in    
which it is expressed1 and submitting   
them to the test of the text and  it's  
connexion4    ,first1 ,what are we to   
understand by ,,liberality8    ,it's    

seat must be in the heart4  ,it is      
goodwill to man as a principle1         
exhibiting itself by corresponding      
exertions4  ,this expansion of soul     
distinguishes the liberal from the      
illiberal3--compulsion or interest may  
lead to a distribution of property--but 
8the liberal mind deviseth liberal      
things0--it's bounty flows              
spontaneously--the streams are diffused 
all  abroad1 but the spring rises in the
 bosom--and the largeness of the supply 
demonstrates that the fountain is       
inexhaustible4  ,the heart of the       
liberal man is a heart of flesh--it is  
sensitive1 and can feel--it is soft1    
and can yield to the touch--it is       
tender1 and requires not to be pressed4 
,the heart of the miser is a rock--it   
may be calcined1 but not softened--it   
may be consumed1 but not melted--the    
sunbeam of mercy1 and the fire of       
judgment1 fall upon it alike in vain4   
,his chest1 although made of iron1  may 
be broken1 it's bars and bolts forced1  

it's locks opened--but his  heart1      
never6  ,every moral malady proceeds    
from the heart--and every  ,christian   
grace is enthroned there4  ,charity is  
love--and without love1  there is no    
liberality4    ,liberality1 when the    
heart is it's centre1 has the world for 
it's  circumference4  ,it's ample circle
 embraces all mankind4  ,the            
denomination is overlooked to make room 
for the species4  8,am ,i not a  man1   
and a brother80 is the irresistible     
appeal2 and whether it come from  the   
east or the west1 the north or the      
south1 it finds it's way to the  secret 
recesses of the soul1 and calls into    
action all it's mighty  energies4       
,forgetful of the lines of political    
demarcation assigned by  princes1 and   
recognised by nations--regardless of the
 narrow limits into  which a sectarian  
spirit has distributed the ,christian   
world--as  indifferent to the colour of 
the skin1 and to diversity of tongues1  
as to  the shibboleth of a              

party--unfettered even 8by the bounds of
 the people10  which 8the ,most ,high   
set1 when he separated the sons of      
,adam1 and divided  to the nations their
 inheritance0--,christian liberality1 on
 the wings of  love1 swift as those of  
the morning1 and strong as those of the 
seraph1  sweeps over seas and mountains1
 the depths of the forest1 and the sands
  of the desert--un-scorched at the     
torrid zone1 and unfrozen at the        
poles--to scatter her blessings over the
 great ,family of ,man4  8,have we  not 
all one ,father8  ,hath not one ,god    
created us80  8,as we have1  therefore1 
opportunity1 let us do good unto all    
men1 especially unto  those who are of  
the household of faith40    ,liberality 
of heart will extend to the purse4  8,if
 a brother or sister  be naked and      
destitute of daily food1 and one of you 
say unto them1  ,depart in peace1 be you
 warmed and filled2 notwithstanding ye  
give them  not those things which are   
needful to the body2 what doth it       

profit80  ,i  am not surprised that some
 religionists should quarrel with the   
doctrine  of ,james1 and scarcely allow 
him to be orthodox4  ,what a melancholy 
consideration it is1 that the purse     
should prove so fatal a test1 as it     
frequently does1 to professors1         
otherwise of good report4  ,they can    
speak  fluently on spiritual            
topics--they can distinguish accurately 
between  things that differ--they settle
 down firmly upon a sound system1 and   
resolutely defend it--but when you touch
 their property1 you discover  their    
idolatry4  ,see that young man retiring1
 sad and dissatisfied1 from  ,jesus     
,christ2--he was moral1 just1 amiable1  
good--what qualities must he  not have  
possessed to have excited the admiration
 of the ,redeemer6 for it  is said1     
8,jesus1 beholding him1 loved           
him40--,why does he turn his back  upon 
his ,lord1 and refuse to follow in his  
train8  ,ah6 this touchstone  was       
applied1 which his worldly spirit could 

not endure6  ,he could pass  through all
 the forms of external religion--and    
maintain the beautiful  symmetry of     
moral character--but he could not part  
with his money4    ,liberality is       
evinced in no small degree in manner4   
,there are delicate  touches in the     
movements of a feeling heart1 which     
cannot be described4  ,sorrow renders   
the sufferer sensitive2 and harshness of
 deportment  destroys all the value of  
the gift4  ,the sigh of sympathy1 even  
where  there is nothing more to bestow1 
is1 to him who suffers1 like the        
alabaster-box of precious ointment which
 ,mary broke over the head of           
,jesus--an odour is diffused on every   
side--and he is 8anointed for his       
burial0--he is soothed into resignation1
 and wafted in spirit to the world  of  
love1 where poverty and tears shall be  
unknown4  ,but the proud  imperious     
spirit cannot confer a benefit--it's    
very bounty inflicts an  injury--and its
 roughness tears open a wound1 which it 

lacks the skill to  heal4  ,misery is   
insulted rather than alleviated--and the
 reed bruised by  adversity1 is broken  
by unkindness4  ,yet--        --8,such  
is the pitiless part         ,some act1 
by the delicate mind--      ,regardless 
of wringing1 or breaking1 a heart       
,already to sorrow resigned60    ,the   
absence of feeling demonstrates the want
 of affection2 and we repeat1  where    
this is lacking1 there cannot be        
liberality4  8,be pitiful1 be           
courteous0--8,for all the law is        
fulfilled in one word1 even in this1    
,thou  shalt love thy neighbour as      
thyself0--and we know what tenderness we
  exercise towards ourselves1 and what  
sympathy we expect from others3 8,as  we
 have therefore opportunity1 let us do  
good unto all men1 especially  unto them
 who are of the household of faith40    
,secondly1 ,,christian ,,liberality     
ranks higher than the mere emotions of  
humanity2 it is a spiritual grace       
stamping the very image of the ,deity   

upon the benignities of our nature2     
while it softens whatever is harsh1     
enlarges whatever is contracted1        
extinguishes whatever is unkind1        
refines1 sublimates1 and perfects       
whatever is amiable--and this is the    
subject upon which your attention is    
engaged4  ,how beautifully and with     
what pathos is this principle described1
 in itself1 and in its active           
operation1 by the ,apostle1 in the      
context6    ,it springs from a right    
source4  ,it is all referable to a      
,divine ,agent4  8,the fruit of the     
,spirit is love1 joy1 peace1            
long-suffering1 gentleness1  goodness1  
faith1 meekness1 temperance3 against    
such there is no law0--no  sentence of  
condemnation4  ,this is ,christian      
liberty--a deliverance from  the curse2 
but it is not licentiousness--it        
releases from no moral  obligation1 and 
it requires the active exercise of      
,christian liberality4  8,for1 brethren1
 ye have been called unto liberty2 only 

use not liberty  for an occasion to the 
flesh1 but by love serve one another40  
,if 8every  good gift1 and every perfect
 gift1 is from above1 and cometh down   
from  the ,father of ,lights1 with whom 
is no variableness1 neither shadow of   
turning10 how distinctly may we trace   
all our kind affections1 under the      
regulation of religious principle1 to   
that greatest and best of ,beings1  of  
whom it is emphatically said1 8,god is  
love40    ,the liberality which springs 
from a right source will be always      
governed  by a right motive4  ,we seldom
 err so entirely as on this great point4
  ,hypocrisy is a wilful deceiving of   
others2 an unblushing pretension to     
qualities which the individual is       
conscious he does not possess2 and      
regarding which he is                   
careless--excepting that the assumption 
of them  subserves some supposed        
interest4  ,but it is very possible for 
a man to  deceive himself1 who intends  
to practise no deceit upon others2 and  

to  give himself credit for qualities   
which he does not really possess4       
,christian exertion may meet with       
opposition and hostility2 but it will   
also1 in the present day1 be encircled  
with distinction and applauses4  ,ah6   
who can be certain of his motives1 when 
so much intermixture of  interest1      
influence1 and approbation1 is found in 
connexion with the  consecration of our 
time1 our talents1 and our property1 to 
,god8  ,it is a  solemn inquiry1 which  
we ought closely to put to our own      
consciences--,should we be the same     
persons1 if attachment to the cause of  
religion 7for the subject is ,christian 
liberality17 subjected us to  privations
 and persecutions1 fines and            
imprisonments1 disgrace and death1  as  
we now are1 when a superiority of       
exertion in the cause of ,god and       
humanity1 commands the esteem of a large
 proportion of society1 and thus        
confers a present reward of the most    
flattering description8  ,what man  can 

trust his heart on such a point without 
incurring the censure of the  wisest of 
men--8,he that trusts his own heart is a
 fool80  ,on what point  are we so      
liable to be deceived as upon one so    
intimately associated with  our         
self-love8  ,singleness of heart is     
essential to simplicity of  operation4  
,the ,apostle1 therefore1 fastened upon 
one motive--he touched  it as the       
main-spring of whatsoever things are    
8true1 and honest1 and  just1 and pure1 
and lovely1 and of good report0--of     
whatsoever things  declared 8virtue10   
deserved 8praise10 and were worthy of   
,christian  consideration--of all the   
sacrifices which he himself made--of all
 the  labours which his colleagues      
achieved--of all the privations which   
primitive ,christians cheerfully        
endured--of all the mighty and          
unparalleled characteristics of that    
matchless age--the 8first-born10 the    
8beginning of the strength0 of          
,christianity--every motive1 every      

power1  every feeling1 reposed in one   
commanding and irresistible             
principle--8,the  love of ,christ       
constraineth us0--all human hopes and   
fears1 joys and  sorrows1 pleasures and 
pains1 were borne along the bosom of    
this  irresistible tide of attachment to
 the ,redeemer--and all earthly         
considerations were rendered subservient
 to his cause4    ,liberality springing 
from a right source1 regulated by a     
right motive1  could not fail to exhibit
 a corresponding operation4  ,the       
principle is  accordingly seen in all   
it's beautiful influence--those who feel
 it's  power have not 8the grace of ,god
 in vain0--nor 8the faith of our ,lord  
,jesus ,christ1 the ,lord of glory1 with
 respect of persons40  ,they value  men 
according to their qualities1 and not   
according to their rank2 and  they are  
prepared to produce that 8charity which 
is the bond of  perfectness10 on every  
occasion which requires it's exercise4  
,they will  know how to shew candour and

 brotherly tenderness--8,brethren1 if a 
man be  overtaken in a fault1 ye which  
are spiritual restore such an one in the
  spirit of meekness2 considering       
thyself1 lest thou also be tempted40    
,they will know how to manifest         
,christian sympathy--8,bear ye one      
another's  burdens1 and so fulfil the   
law of ,christ40  ,they will know how to
 apply  their property and their        
influence--8,and let us not be weary in 
well-doing2 for in due season we shall  
reap if we faint not40  ,i have  chosen 
to borrow the illustration of this      
principle1 in it's diversified          
operation1 from the context--that we may
 discern the union between the  cause   
and the effect1 and the connexion of    
both with the passage which ,i  have    
selected1 as bearing upon the subject of
 discussion1 and as  demanding1 and     
exhibiting1 active ,christianity4       
,christian liberality distinguishes     
itself by it's perpetuity4  ,man is a   
capricious being2 his views1 his        

emotions1 his affections are perpetually
  changing4  ,persons of quick feelings1
 and extraordinary sensibility1 are     
especially fluctuating4  ,those who have
 power1 and property1 put the  question 
of human instability beyond dispute1 by 
movements as  unpremeditated on their   
own part1 as unexpected by others4      
,hence have  arisen the melancholy      
details of changes connected with       
humanity--the  emptiness of human       
trust--the uncertainties of human       
friendships--all of  which have become  
common-place topics1 that excite but    
little attention  from their            
recurrence--or are considered as        
ornamental only to moral                
disquisition--as appropriate to point a 
verse or to round a period--until  some 
stroke of calamity brings the conviction
 home to the individual--and  then this 
worn-out truism strikes him with all the
 force of novelty--and  he complains1 as
 though he had sustained personally some
 unexpected and  unprecedented injury4  

8,a double-minded man0--a man of mixed  
motives1 and  of unfixed principles1 8is
 unstable in all his ways0--but the     
operation of  ,christian liberality1    
because of it's source1 and it's        
motives1 cannot  fail4        8,this    
holy fire for ever burneth--      ,from 
heaven it came1 to heaven returneth40   
,independent of human considerations1 it
 survives them all--and let us  place   
our generous principles out of the reach
 of accident1 and out of  the controul  
of our own caprice1 by subordinating    
them to the unchanging  law of our      
,eternal ,lord--8,as we have therefore  
opportunity1 let us do good  unto all   
men1 especially unto them who are of the
 household of faith40    ,thirdly1      
,there are ,,many ,,claims upon         
,christian liberality--,this is supposed
  by the requisition that we should     
7attempt at least to7 adjust their      
proportions4    ,there are religious    
claims--and these occupy1 and deserve to
 occupy1 the  first rank4  ,the         

,christian world is at length awakening 
to some  perception of the wants and the
 miseries of man--to the purposes of the
  divine mercy1 and the freeness of the 
divine promises--to the fulness of      
time1 the lapse of ages1 and the great  
crisis so long foretold1 and so  rapidly
 approaching4  ,the voice of more than  
six hundred millions of the  human race1
 rises at last above the collision of   
human passions1 and  rouses professors  
of religion from their criminal         
slumbers4  ,the  obligations which we   
owe to that scattered and despised      
people1 from whom  we derive the oracles
 of truth1 and all the hopes of         
immortality1 begin  to be better        
understood1 and more powerfully felt4   
,the moral wastes  spreading around us1 
even in this highly-favoured country1   
this ,eden of  the world1 have attracted
 the eye1 and moved the heart1 of       
,christian  benevolence2 corresponding  
instrumentality is employed--and        
exertions1 not  indeed commensurate with

 the work1 but proportionate to our     
ability1 are  called into complete and  
effective operation4  ,bible ,societies 
are  multiplying throughout ,europe and 
,america1 having lighted the torch of   
scriptural knowledge1 from the fire     
which burns on the altar of ,great      
,britain--and the divine blessing upon  
human industry1 applied to a cause  so  
sacred1 has almost supplied the absence 
of the miraculous gift of  tongues4     
,men of ,god have been found1 fired with
 apostolic zeal1 who1  after having     
prepared themselves so far as human     
effort could extend1  have given        
themselves wholly to the sublime work1  
of 8preaching the  unsearchable riches  
of ,christ10 to unenlightened nations1  
and heathen  countries4  ,they have     
sacrificed country1 home1 family1       
personal ease and  distinction1 every   
thing that men most esteem1 for this    
arduous1 this  laborious undertaking4   
,some of them have fallen martyrs in the
  cause--they have fallen under the     

effects of an unhealthy climate1 or the 
oppression of wicked men--but their     
graves are watered with the tears of    
strangers1 and their memory is cherished
 in the hearts of their                 
countrymen--foreign eyes have wept their
 departure--foreign hands have  prepared
 their sepulchre--and an unknown tongue 
has recorded their  disinterested and   
successful labours4  ,at home1 the      
education of the poor  has occupied the 
public attention1 throughout all classes
 of society1 and  all denominations of  
,christians--it has called forth the    
most astonishing  exertions--and been   
crowned with the most unexampled        
success4  ,corresponding efforts have   
been made1 in preaching the gospel--that
  scriptural and divinely authorized    
mode of diffusing religious truth--and  
the increasing spirit of hearing1 and   
the multiplication of our  sanctuaries  
of every description and denomination1  
prove that these  things have not been  
in vain4    ,the claims of humanity have

 kept pace with those of                
religion--necessarily so--for the gospel
 of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 has       
identified itself with whatever can     
contribute to the alleviation of  human 
wretchedness here1 while it has         
eternally secured human salvation       
hereafter4  ,philosophy erected no      
asylums for the afflicted--and made no  
provision for misery4  ,as the ,roman   
empire waned1 and the influence of  the 
gospel began to be felt--some efforts   
were made to wipe the tear from  the    
cheek of wretchedness--but nothing of a 
fixed and national character            
established itself1 until the religious 
reign of ,jesus obtained in  society4   
,then arose the structures of           
mercy--then1 all the powers of the      
human mind were bent to the alleviation 
of distress--then1 encouragements  to   
industry were proposed--and it was      
attempted to repel affliction so far  as
 it was possible--and to ameliorate it1 
where it could not be excluded4  ,then  

female virtues were elicited and        
cherished--woman was advanced to her    
proper rank in society--released from   
the chains1 physical1 mental1 and       
moral1 in which an unnatural bondage had
 held her2 and her ministering  graces1 
her tender sympathies1 her soothing     
powers1 were called into  exercise4     
,now it is only necessary to name the   
wrong which requires to  be             
redressed--to state the woe which can be
 alleviated--to present to  ,christian  
compassion a new picture of human       
misery--or to open before  ,christian   
philanthropy a new channel in which its 
exhaustless streams may  flow--in order 
to command attention and secure success4
  ,men are no longer  willing to settle 
down upon a barren creed3 but have      
learned from  inspired oracles--that    
8pure religion from ,god even the       
,father is this--to  visit the          
fatherless and the widow in their       
afflictions1 and to keep  ourselves     
unspotted from the world40    ,fourthly1

 ,,all these things are to be met in    
their variety of claims1 and  in due    
proportion4    ,in general we may       
remark1 that they can only be met in    
part--all things  are not within our    
power--and all things have not equal    
claims upon our  attention4  ,it is the 
diversity of such objects that often    
produces  distraction--and their        
multiplication1 rendering an attention  
to all  impracticable1 furnishes an     
apology to the indolent or the          
avaricious1  for not supporting         
any4--,but the question is not left to  
our decision4  ,man is himself the      
property of ,god--and all that he       
possesses he holds in  trust for his    
,maker4  ,every thing that relates to   
him is a stewardship  for which he is   
accountable upon the peril of his       
immortal spirit4  ,the  interests of    
society are involved in the result1 and 
it is not abandoned  to individual      
caprice4  ,the law is positive as to the
 right of man upon  human ministry1 the 

question only relates to the proportions
 of its  distribution--and rules are    
assigned even to this--,it is required  
of  stewards that they be found         
faithful--and he who ministers to man1  
should  at the same moment remember his 
obligations and his responsibility to   
,god4    ,in particular1 local claims   
demand to be first satisfied4  ,the man 
has  a duty which he owes to            
himself--and it is not demanded that he 
should  lose sight of this1 in pursuit  
of the interest of others4  ,how        
delicately  the ,apostle states this3   
8,and herein ,i give my advice0--no     
authoritative  command--no usurpation   
over the right of private judgment--and 
with what  consideration6  8,for ,i mean
 not that other men be eased and you    
burdened3  but by an equality1 that now 
at this time your abundance may be a    
supply  for their want1 that their      
abundance also may be a supply for your 
want--that there may be an equality4    
,as it is written1 he that had  gathered

 much had nothing over2 and he that had 
gathered little1 had no  lack40--,what  
an argument6--,the giver may hereafter  
stand in need of the  gift--and he shall
 meet with reciprocal liberality4--,the 
divine ,providence  furnishes all the   
supply2 and sheds a correspondent       
blessing upon  enlargement of heart--,it
 equalizes human affairs now1 above our 
present  perception--and strikes the    
eternal balance at last4  ,the man has a
 duty  which he owes to his             
neighbourhood4  ,on the plea of sending 
the gospel  abroad1 he has no right to  
neglect it at home--and to see ,british 
heathens  perishing at his feet1        
unmoved4  ,on pretence of spreading it  
over the  dark villages of his country1 
he has no authority for abandoning his  
own  church1 and his own minister4  ,he 
who is 8higher than the highest0--the   
,judge of hearts--and the ,lord of      
property--will another day say to the   
man  who has speculated upon general    
interests and overlooked such as are    

personal--8,these things ye ought to    
have done--and not to have left the     
other undone40  ,the bounds of our      
habitation are assigned by the divine   
,providence2 and they clearly mark out  
the first and most pressing sphere  of  
operation2 while they are sufficiently  
wide to afford ample scope for          
beneficence1 without restraining a      
benevolent regard to objects more       
remote1 but not less interesting4  ,it  
is evident that the man must decide  for
 himself1 amidst this variety of        
claims--that he is bound to decide      
promptly1 for immortal spirits are      
perishing while he is                   
hesitating--equitably1 for the tribunal 
stands at the end of his  course--and   
that only general rules can be laid down
 for his guidance4  ,to  these we now   
proceed--,what is our duty in respect of
 these different  claims individually8  
in other words3    ,fifthly1 ,what are  
,,the ,,proportions of ,christian       
liberality8  ,the  principles already   

established will go far to decide this  
important  inquiry2 and have therefore  
been broadly stated1 and have occupied  
so  much of your time4  ,but specific   
directions will be expected1 and may be 
necessary4  ,they must be plain1 in     
order to be understood2 short1 in  order
 to be remembered2 and scriptural1 in   
order to possess due  weight4--,it is of
 little consequence what human opinion  
is upon a point so  important--,we are  
expressly bound by the law of that      
,being at whose bar we  are to be       
finally judged4  ,if ,i produce his     
requisitions--,i presume no man  will   
dare to question their authority--,the  
rules laid down in the word of  ,god1   
are these--    #a4  ,ability--really and
 honestly estimated by a man's own      
conscience4  ,thus ,jesus applauded     
,mary6--8,she hath done what she could40
  ,the  question--,what can ,i          
afford8--is answered differently1 under 
different  circumstances4  ,if a man is 
disposed to build a house--to enlarge   

his  establishment--to extend his       
connexions--to increase his business--he
 feels  no difficulty in answering this 
inquiry4  ,he is apt to calculate even  
beyond his means2 and he is certain not 
to fall short of them4  ,but if  the    
same question be put relative to any    
cause of religion1 or humanity1  his    
perplexities instantly commence4  ,then1
 he is doubtful of his  resources--then1
 his calculations become                
contracted--then1 he measures his       
duties by the standard of others1 rather
 than by his own capacities--then1  he  
is anxious to ascertain how little he   
may do1 and yet preserve his            
character4--,nothing can more decidedly 
settle this point1 than the             
indisputable fact--that of all the great
 societies formed for the  furtherance  
of religious knowledge1 and moral       
improvement1 there is not  one whose    
funds are not more dependent upon the   
contributions of the  lower classes of  
life than upon the rich and the noble4  

,look at the  proportions of those      
contributions--and decide for           
yourselves4  ,the poor  have but little 
to give--they are therefore under the   
full force of the  principle of doing   
what they can--the rich are content to  
shake the  superfluities of their       
prosperity over a ,christian cause--and 
sometimes  reluctantly grant even       
these4--,but the final estimate will be 
made  according to a man's ability3 he  
will be judged not merely by what he has
  done1 but by what he might have done2 
and he must abide all the  consequences4
    #b4  ,prosperity--ought to determine
 the measure of benevolence4  ,so said  
the ,apostle when he wrote to the       
,corinthians--8,now concerning the      
collection for the saints1 as ,i have   
given order to the churches of          
,galatia1 even so do ye4  ,upon the     
first day of the week let every one of  
you lay by him in store1 as ,god hath   
prospered him1 that there be no         
gathering when ,i come4  ,and when ,i   

come1 whomsoever you shall approve by   
your letters1 him will ,i send to bring 
your liberality into ,jerusalem40  ,the 
personal question is--,has this plain   
and imperative rule been observed  by   
you individually8  ,have you rendered   
unto the ,lord1 according to the        
benefits received8  ,changes have       
occurred in your circumstances4  ,some  
can say1 like ,jacob1 8,with my staff ,i
 passed over this ,jordan1 and now ,i   
am become two bands40--,the table is    
spread for them--their 8head is         
anointed with oil0--their 8cup runneth  
over0--,have their grants to the  cause 
of religion corresponded with the       
bounties of ,providence8  ,oh1 if  this 
were the case1 it would not be necessary
 to press the subject of  ,christian    
benevolence and of humane consideration 
so far and so earnestly  as we are now  
compelled to do6  ,there would be a     
spontaneity of heart  springing up with 
the claim--and the inquiry would be1    
8,what can ,i do for  him1 who has done 

so much for me80--,let every one within 
this sanctuary  examine his personal    
deportment1 and answer it to his        
conscience--whether  his liberality has 
kept pace with his prosperity4    #c4   
,adversity is no absolute bar to        
generosity--,when that all-seeing  eye1 
to which motives are as discernible as  
actions1 was fixed upon those  who      
brought their gifts to the treasury--a  
poor widow approached1 and cast  in two 
mites1 the value of which amounted to   
one farthing--and the  offering received
 the commendation of ,him who is the    
,lord of property--to  whom the silver  
and the gold belong of right--and when  
they are  consecrated to his service1 it
 is of his own that we take to present  
to  him4  8,and he said1 ,of a truth ,i 
say unto you1 that this poor widow hath 
cast in more than they all3 for all     
those have of their abundance cast in   
unto the offerings of ,god3 but she of  
her penury hath cast in all the  living 
that she had40  8,many that were rich1  

cast in much30 but she  indeed did 8what
 she could40  ,what high and deserved   
praise was that  which the ,apostle     
,paul pronounced upon 8the churches of  
,macedonia06--8that1 in a great trial of
 affliction1 the abundance of their  joy
 and their deep poverty abounded unto   
the riches of their liberality40        
8,for10 said he1 8to their power 7,i    
bear record7 yea1 and beyond their      
power1 they were willing of themselves3 
praying us with much entreaty  that we  
would receive the gift1 and take upon us
 the fellowship of the  ministering to  
the saints4  ,and this they did1 not as 
we hoped1 but first  gave their         
ownselves to the ,lord1 and unto us by  
the will of ,god40  ,when  penury and   
poverty lend their aid to the cause of  
humanity and religion1  the heart is    
indeed engaged in the good work4  ,some 
would shut these  sluices of benevolence
 on the part of the poor1 and deprive   
them of the  highest gratification of   
which a generous mind is susceptible1   

under the  pretext of compassion for    
their circumstances4  ,but the ,apostle 
produced  this liberality of the        
,macedonians amidst the contractedness  
of their  means1 as an evidence of the  
power 8of the grace of ,god10 upon their
  hearts2 and such persons as would     
restrain the hand of the indigent1      
would1 if they preserved any measure of 
consistency1 have condemned the  widow  
whom the ,lord commended--and have      
censured the act which he  approved4    
#d4  ,domestic wants and claims must be 
first regarded4--8,if any provide  not  
for his own1 and specially for those of 
his own house1 he hath denied  the      
faith1 and is worse than an infidel40   
,these natural claims are  allowed to   
act with all their power upon the heart 
of the ,christian2 and  he is charged to
 pay homage to them in all the extent of
 their commanding  influence4  ,he      
cannot resist1 or neglect1 them1 without
 renouncing his  character and his      
religion4  ,this furnished the great and

 palpable  distinction between          
,christianity and the infidelity1 which 
in modern  times borrowed the venerable 
name of philosophy4  ,the philosophy1   
8falsely so called10 was always boasting
 of universal philanthropy1  applying   
the telescope to the vision1 to bring   
near distant objects1 in  the mean while
 neglecting those which were at home1   
and branding the  respect due to the    
ties of nature1 with the epithets of    
weakness1 or of  crime2 teaching that   
while speculation upon abstract         
principles is  virtue1--gratitude1 love1
 natural affection1 are vices4  ,such   
monstrous  propositions1 however        
plausible in theory1 were in practice   
destructive  of human happiness1 and    
ruinous to society4  ,the beneficence of
  ,christianity1 on the other hand1     
resembles the pebble dropped into the   
centre of the lake2 circle expands      
beyond circle1 until they wash the      
distant shore4  ,she first implants in  
the heart the seed of ,christian        

benevolence1 whose diffusive influence  
extends to the most remote claims2  but 
the operation is progressive--it passes 
through all the nearest  relations of   
life to the great family of man4  ,she  
teaches the man to set  first an        
infinite value upon his own soul1 then  
to feel the most lively  interest for   
his family1 for his neighbours1 for his 
countrymen1 for the  whole human race4  
,the characteristics of the parent1 the 
patriot1 the  true citizen of the world1
 the universal philanthropist1 are      
successively  developed2 and they all   
centre in the ,christian4  ,neither is  
this a  theory of speculation2 but a    
system of active and unwearied          
benevolence4    #e4  ,justice must be   
always observed4--8,defraud not10 8owe  
no man any  thing10 are imperative      
rules4  ,the last rule cannot1 from the 
nature of  our general pursuits1 and the
 constitution of society1 be always     
rigidly  interpreted2 but it should be  
as closely observed as circumstances    

will  permit2 and invariably associated 
with the former1--to the utter exclusion
  of every species of fraud4  ,he who   
risks the property of others in         
speculation1 except with their full     
concurrence1 and perfect  understanding 
of the contingent character of the      
scheme1 can scarcely be  called honest2 
and he who expends on any pretence what 
is not his own1 is  guilty of injustice4
  ,but we must be just1 before we are   
generous--we  cannot be generous1 except
 we are just--for no service can be     
good1 which  is not strictly righteous4 
,reverse the proposition1 and it holds  
equally  true--when the claims of       
justice are met1 it becomes instantly an
 act of  justice that we should be      
liberal4  ,no man1 for the sake of      
appearance1  has a right to give beyond 
his means--and no man can be justified1 
on the  contrary1 in withholding so much
 of assistance from the cause of        
religion  and humanity1 as his          
circumstances will really allow4        

,justice in  principle will decide the  
duty--and justice in operation will     
regulate the  distribution4  ,as all    
means are limited1 it is alike prudent  
rightly to  measure them1 and equitable 
to select such causes as are most       
extensively  useful in their nature and 
operations--and such characters as are  
most  deserving of assistance1 as the   
first1 although not exclusive1 objects  
of  our attention--8,for we are to do   
good unto all men1 as we have           
opportunity--but especially to them who 
are of the household of faith40    #f4  
,personal sacrifices will be certainly  
required1 and must be  made4--,he who   
will tread in the ,saviour's steps1 and 
in those of apostles  and primitive     
,christians1 must learn to 8deny        
himself40  ,this rule is  necessary to  
enable us to judge of our actual power  
of liberality4  ,we  should carefully   
examine what indulgences we can resign1 
and what  superfluities we can retrench1
 for the advantage of others1 without an

  unreasonable sacrifice of our own     
comforts4  ,to yield something personal 
for general good1 imparts a zest to     
liberality which rewards the generous   
surrender4  ,this is a rule which we    
should connect with the earliest        
instructions of our children4  ,let that
 which their hearts prompt them to  give
 be really their own--they will then    
learn to spare in order to  gratify the 
kindly impulses of their nature--and    
this submission to a  partial privation1
 will impart to them the consciousness  
of acting from  principle4  ,it will    
further teach them early to estimate    
property aright1  for it's use1 and not 
for it's own sake--and shew them 7for   
they are most  correct reasoners1 from  
the simplicity of their ideas1 and the  
undivided  attention which they pay to  
the single object which at any one time 
occupies their reflections7 that the way
 to be truly blessed in  themselves1 is 
by becoming blessings to others4  ,this 
is a lesson needed  all through life--we

 cannot begin to learn it too soon1 nor 
put it in  practice too early4  8,there 
is that withholdeth more than is meet1  
and it  tendeth to poverty40  ,the curse
 of ,god is upon unsanctified wealth--it
 is  unsanctified when it is            
unemployed--and the selfish can never be
 liberal4    ,lastly4  ,the general rule
 which should be honestly applied1 is   
this--8,if  there be first a willing    
mind1 it is accepted according to that a
 man  hath1 and not according to that he
 hath not40  ,and the spirit which      
should sanctify all your distributions1 
is drawn by ,st4 ,paul with a  masterly 
hand4    8,but this ,i say1 he which    
soweth sparingly1 shall reap sparingly2 
and he  which soweth bountifully1 shall 
reap bountifully4  ,every man according 
as  he purposeth in his heart1 so let   
him give2 not grudgingly1 or of         
necessity3 for ,god loveth a cheerful   
giver40  ,that is the suitable  temper2 
and what an encouragement follows6      
8,and ,god is able to make all  grace   

abound towards you2 that ye having      
always all sufficiency in all  things1  
may abound to every good work40  ,it is 
also guaranteed by express  precepts1   
promises1 and examples all              
combined--8,as it is written1 ,he hath  
dispersed abroad3 he hath given to the  
poor3 his righteousness remaineth  for  
ever40  ,then the fervour of ministerial
 affection breaks forth6--8,now  he that
 ministereth seed to the sower1 both    
minister bread for your food1  and      
multiply your seed sown1 and increase   
the fruits of your  righteousness2 being
 enriched in every thing to all         
bountifulness1 which  causeth through us
 thanksgiving to ,god40  ,he next       
directs their attention  to the         
beneficial result1 both to others and to
 themselves1 of the right  exercise of  
this ,christian beneficence4  8,for the 
administration of this  service1 not    
only supplieth the want of the saints1  
but is abundant also  by many           
thanksgivings unto ,god3 while by the   

experiment of this  ministration they   
glorify ,god for your processed         
subjection unto the  gospel of ,christ1 
and for your liberal distribution unto  
them and unto  all men2 and by their    
prayer for you1 which long after you for
 the  exceeding grace of ,god in you40  
,he could add nothing more1 or greater1 
except in referring to the divine       
,fountain of all benevolence1 and it's  
matchless result4  8,now thanks be  to  
,god for his unspeakable gift60    ,we  
must now appeal to the final judgment1  
as suggesting a perfect rule  for the   
exercise of ,christian affection1 7did  
we accustom ourselves to  realize the   
awful scenes of that day7--and as       
casting up the whole sum of  ,christian 
duty4  ,have ,i been defective in       
discussing this important  subject--and 
in discriminating the just proportions  
of ,christian  liberality8 7and ,i am   
deeply sensible of my own deficiency17  
,i will now  apply a test which cannot  
be mistaken--which needs no metaphysical

  disquisitions to settle moral         
claims--which is universally            
intelligible--which approves itself to  
every conscience4  ,the doubts which    
appear to distract the mind now1 as to  
what is required at our hand1 will  all 
vanish in the day1 when 8the sound of   
the cherubim wings10 shall be  8as the  
voice of ,almighty ,god1 when he        
speaketh40--,now we may be blinded  by  
our supposed interest--hardened by our  
avarice--seduced by our                 
self-love--confirmed in all these by the
 conduct1 and countenanced by the       
negligence and indifference1 the        
coldness and the covetousness of        
others--but then the law will be        
proclaimed to the assembled universe by 
the 8shout from heaven10 which shall    
announce the descent of 8the ,lord      
himself10--by 8the voice of the         
archangel and the trump of ,god10--then 
the  transcript of that law of love     
written upon the heart of the           
,judge--8,good  will to man10--and      

recorded in the neglected volume of     
revelation1 shall  be read by the light 
of those fires which shall catch world  
after world1  until above1 beneath1     
around1 the universe shall present one  
boundless  ocean of rushing and         
devouring flame2 while 8clouds and      
darkness shall be  round about the      
,lord20 8righteousness and judgment     
shall be the  habitation of his throne20
 when he 8cometh to judge the earth20   
and into  this awful pavilion men and   
angels shall be gathered1 and in passing
  sentence1 the legislator will         
establish it upon his own written       
law4--,connect then the claims of duty1 
and the testimony of conscience1  with  
the responsibility of that great and    
dreadful day--,think1 that you  hear the
 voice of the ,son of ,god himself      
saying--7and you must all hear          
it7--8,inasmuch as ye have done it0--or 
8have not done it0--8unto one of the    
least of these1--ye have done it10 or   
8have not done it1 unto me10--and       

remember that there are none who will   
then think that they have done too      
much--and but few1 who will not regret  
that they have done so little6          
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,the ,,end4                            
99 99 99 99 99                          
,j4 ,g4 ,,barnard1                      
,,skinner ,,street1 ,,london4