Tulse Mayor. Curia Special. tent. die Mercurii in Hebdomad. Festi Pasch. secund. April. 1684, Annoque Reg. Regis Caroli Secundi, Angliae, etc. xxxvi. THis Court doth desire Dr. Hickes, Dean of Worcester, to Print his Sermon, Preached in St. Bride's Church on Tuesday last before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this City. WAGSTAFFE. A SERMON Preached at the Church of St. Bridget, on Easter-Tuesday, being the first of April, 1684. Before the Right Honourable Sir Henry Tulse, Lord MAYOR Of LONDON, And the Honourable Court of ALDERMEN, Together with the GOVERNORS of the Hospitals, upon the Subject of . By George Hickes, D. D. Dean of Worcester, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty. LONDON, Printed for W. Kettilby, at the Bishops-Head in St. Paul's Churchyard, and R. Kettlewell, at the Hand and Sceptre in Fleetstreet, 1684. To the Right Honourable Sir Henry Tulse, Lord Mayor of London, and to the Honourable Court of Aldermen. My Lord, I Here present your Lordship with my Sermon; which you heard with so much Candour, and must profess myself glad of this opportunity to testify the Respects, which I have for yourself, and the Honourable Court of Aldermen, among whom there is not one Man, who hath not signalised his Loyalty in the late distinguishing times; when the Commonwealth Party struggling for Empire with the Monarchy, engaged and Loyal Men to show themselves to be so; and among those great, and public Spirits, who durst stand up for the Government, when a powerful and daring Faction durst oppose it, your Lordship was one of the most Eminent, for which His Majesty, willing to declare His Royal Esteem for you, hath committed unto your Administration the Government of this City, which is virtually the Government of the whole Kingdom; because, as London is well, or ill Governed, so will all the Country be. If the Governors of the City beat down Schism, and Faction, and keep the Citizens in Peace, and Order, the Magistrates of all other Towns will be able and willing to do the same; but if at any time they openly countenance Factious and Schismatical Spirits, or underhand connive at them, Faction, and Schism will presently grow too strong for the Magistrates in the Country Towns. This, my Lord, hath been found true, by the experience of many years, insomuch that the Lord Mayor, and Aldermen of London, are in effect the Governors of all other Cities, and Corporations, who will obey, or disobey their Magistrates in the same measure and proportion, as you will let the Citizens obey, or disobey you. The King therefore, my Lord, hath done you a very signal Honour, in committing so Comprehensive a Trust unto you, the good, or ill management whereof will make him easy, or uneasy in his Government, and the Nation happy, or unhappy; and as you, and your Loyal Brethren of the Bench, have in all things acted suitably to the Greatness of this Trust, which his Majesty reposes in you: So, it is my hearty Prayer, among other Loyal Subjects, to God, that this City may never want such a Lord Mayor, and such a Court of Aldermen, all of one Principle of Loyalty, and all hearty Lovers of their King, and the Church. We already feel the happy Effects of having such Loyal Governors over us, and if God in mercy please to continue the Blessing unto us, we shall within a few years see such happy days, as our Ancestors did, before the deceivable multitude were led into the gainsaying of Corah, and taught to set up private Temples, and private Altars, in opposition to the Church. God grant that we may so walk, as to deserve the continuance of such a Blessing, which is the daily Prayer of Your Lordships, Most Obedient Servant, George Hickes. Heb. XIII. 16. But to do good, and to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. THE Primitive Christians, living in a state of Persecution, had no other way to relieve their poor Brethren, but by transient Beneficence and Contributions, not daring as yet to found Hospitals, or erect Banks of standing, and public Charity for them, lest they should be seized, or escheat to the Higher Powers, if they came to be discovered; and this is the true reason, why at first they had all things in common, and why, all along the New Testament, and much longer, we never read of Building, or Endowing Houses of Charity, but only of Collections, and Contributions: So that if a man had a mind to trifle, as the Congregational Writers do in arguing against National Churches, we might ask you, Where are Hospitals commanded in the Scriptures? Show us an Example of any one man in the new Testament, that builded an Hospital, a School, or a College? No! these are but Humane Inventions, mere ostentations of Charity, and devices of Satan to make men trust in good works. But the Gospel way of supplying the wants of the Poor, which is of Gods own Institution, is by giving, distributing, and making Collections, as it is * 1 Cor 1é 1,2. written. Now as concerning the Collection for the Saints, do ye, as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia, let every one of you, the first day of the week, at the public Assembly lay by something in store for the Collection, as God hath prospered him, that there be no need of gathering, when I come, and then I will send your liberality to Jerusalem, by whomsoewer you shall approve. So saith the Apostle to Timothy. * 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge those who are rich, that they be ready to give, and glad to distribute, and, in my Text, to do good, and communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. This indeed was the Primitive, and only way of Charity, while the Church was in the Wilderness; but when, after many Sufferings and much Passive Obedience, she was settled, as it were, in the Holy Land, under the protection of Christian Emperors and Kings, she then let her light shine before men in standing and visible works of Charity; proceeding to Erect Buildings of public use, and for the public benefit; insomuch that Julian, the Apostate Emperor, exhorted his Pagan Subjects, in imitation of the Christians, to build 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soz. l. 5. c. 16. Naz. 1 Invect. p. 102. Edit. par. 1630. Hospitals and Schools, and Houses for reception of indigent Travellers, together with Monasteries for Contemplative, and Religious Persons of both Sexes, thinking that the doing of these good Works would bring Paganism into as much Credit among the Christians, as it had done Christianity among the Pagans. * Ep. 49. Appoint (saith he unto Arcasius Chrief Priest of Galatia) Hospitals for poor Travellers in every City, for it is a great dishonour to us, that when none of the Jews go about begging, and the impious Galileans maintain not only their own, but ours too, our Poor should only be neglected, and left naked, and helpless by us. So advantageous, even by the Confession of its most malicious Enemy, were standing and conspicuous works of Charity to the growth, and advancement of the Christian Religion; and therefore taking this, and all other Scripture Exhortations unto Christian beneficence and liberality, to extend to standing and permanent, as well as transient good works, I shall discourse upon the words in the following Method. First, I will show, that doing of Alms-deeds is a Duty incumbent upon all men, who are able to do them, and that we are most earnestly exhorted unto it by God in his Holy Word. Secondly, That the performance of this Duty is highly pleasing, and acceptable unto God, and very beneficial unto Men. Thirdly, That the Charitable man, who performeth this Duty, shall notwithstanding have enough, and that his Charity shall never bring Him or his Children into want. Lastly, I shall make a brief Exhortation to the performance of this Duty, and so conclude. 1. First, I will show, that doing of Alms-deeds is a Duty incumbent upon all Men, who are able to do them, as Heathen Writers univerisally acknowledge, the Latins in calling Charity Humanity, and the Greeks Philanthropy, or the love of Men. For every Man, as * Julian imp. fragm Julian observes upon this Subject, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whether be will or no, is akin to all Mankind. For (saith he) whether we are all descended of one, Nan, or one Woman; as some (meaning the Jews and Christians) say; or whether the Gods Created many Men and Women together, in the beginning of the World; or wheter they produced them any other way; it is certain, we all partake of the same Common Nature, and derive our Original from the Gods, and therefore have one Common Tie of Nature to be kind to one another, and Religious towards the Gods. And truly, as there is something in Humane Nature, which prompts Men to be Religious: So, there is something in it likewise, that prompts them to be Charitable, and I think the difference of Men from Beast, and the Excellency of our Nature above theirs, appears in nothing so much, as in these two inclinations of being Religious towards God, and Kindly-affected towards Men. For every man is of the blood of every other, we have all one common alliance, not only in the participation of the same common Nature, as the Grecizing Apostate observes, but in the derivation of it from the same common Parents, and by his favour, it makes every man more willing to acknowledge another for his Brother, and perform the Offices of Humanity more indifferently towards all Men, when he shall consider, that all Mankind were once equal in the loins of Adam, and that, as St. Paul taught the Athenians, God, who made World, made of one blood all Nations of Men. This Consideration, that all men have the same common Nature, and Parentage, and have derived it in all Countries from the same common Stock, found'st the first Obligation of Charity or Humanity; and upon this account only, the Moralists assert Man to be * Julian. in fragm. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Creature communicative by Nature, and call want of Charity by the reproachful Name of Inhumanity, as being a Vice which turns a man, like Nabuchadnezzar, into a Beast. The Holy Scripture also lays the first Foundation of Charity in the Community of humane Nature, every man being bound to relieve the necessities of another, as he is a Brother of the same Nature, and Parentage with himself. Thus saith the Prophet Isaiah. Is not this the fast, which I have chosen, to deal thy bread to the hungry, to bring the poor, that are cast out, to thy house, to cover the naked when thou seest him, and that thou hid not thyself from the OWN FLESH. According to this general obligation to humanity upon the account of human Nature, our Blessed Lord, in the Parable of the Man who fell among Thiefs, enlarged the Signification of the word Neighbour to take in all Mankind; and in general Evangelical Sense of it, the Apostle said unto the Corinthians, Love worketh no ill to his Neighhour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law. And, Own no man any thing, but the debt of mutual love, which can never be paid, for love is the fulfilling of the Law. And in another place he saith, As we have opportunity let us do good unto all men, even unto our Enemies, as is written in Exod. 23. If thou meet thine Enemy's Ox or Ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring back to him again, and if thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee, lying under his burden, thou shalt leave thy business, and come and help him. For the Common Duties of Humanity cannot be canceled by the greatest Injuries, and Hostilities, but when my Enemy is in want and misery, I must remember, that he is my Brother, and, upon the account of common Kindred and Relation, fulfil the Precept of our Saviour, who said, Love your Enemies, and do good to them that hate you; and of the Apostle, who Paraphrased that Precept of his Lord in these words, If thine Enemy hunger, feed him; and if he thirst, give him drink, for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals fire upon his head. So saith * F●agm. Julian, like a true Plagiary, concealing from whence he had his lovely Notions upon this Subjects, We ought to be beneficent to all men, and tho' more especially to the good, yet we must relieve the necessities of all indigent Persons whatsoever, nay, I will say one thing more, which will seem a Paradox to you, that it is a very holy thing and pleasing to the Gods, to cloth your naked and feed your hungry Enemies; nay, Humanity will not let us forget the wicked Malefactors in Prison, because, in these cases, we give our Charity to the men, and not to their evil manners, and sins. So great a Duty is incumbent on us, on the common account of our Nature and Original, so that what the Apostle said of the Duty of Husbands to their Wives, may be said with little variation upon the Subject of Charity: So ought men to love the Poor, as their own bodies, he that loveth the poor, loveth himself, and no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it; and therefore the Rich aught to nourish and cherish the Poor, as their Brethren, as flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bone. But besides this obligation to the duty of , upon the common score of our Nature and Original, there is another, resulting from this Consideration, that the Poor are Members in all places of the same Societies with the Rich. For the Rich are represented in the Prophetical Writings by Mountains, and the Poor and Indigent by Valleys; and, as Philosophers observe, that Mountains can neither be, nor be conceived without Valleys. So the Rich in this World can neither be, nor be conceived without the Poor. For Rich and Poor are Relative terms, and no man is properly either, but in comparison to another, to whom he is unequal in Estate. For if all men were equal in their Estates, there would be neither Poverty, nor Riches, but one uniform state of Temporal things in all places; just as if the Valleys were raised as high as the Hills, or the Hills leveled with the Valley, there would be nothing, but one uniform plane all over the World. But this Civil Equality is morally impossible, because no Common-weal, little or great, can subsist without Poor. They are necessary for the establishment of Superiority, and Subjection in Humane Societies, where there must be Members of Dishonour, as well as Honour, and some to serve and obey, as well as others to command. The Poor are the Hands and Feet of the Body Politic, the Gibeonites and Nethinims in all Countries, who hue the Wood, and draw the Water of the Rich. They Blow our Lands, and dig our Quarries, and cleanse our Streets, nay, those, who fight our battles in the defence of their Country, are the poor Soldiers, who, as the Legions of Blaesus once complained in a Mutiny, sell their lives * Denis in diem assibus animan & corpus aestimari. Tacit. An. 1. c. 17. for seven pence a day. As there must be Rich to be, like the Centurion in the Gospel, in Authority: so there must be Poor, to whom they may say, Go unto one, and he goeth, and to another, come, and he cometh; but were all equally Rich, there could be no subordination, none to command, nor none to serve. But in such a case, the body Politic must dissolve, as the Natural body was like to do in the Fable of Agrippa, when the rest to the Members would work no longer for the Belly, which, they thought, did nothing at all. Wherefore the Poor being as necessary for the Rich, as the Rich are for the Poor; the common Law of Equity, received among all Mankind, obligheth us to do unto them, as, if Fortune or the hand of Providence should turn the Wheel, we would have them do unto us. There could be nothing more unjust, nothing more against the Law, and the Prophets; nay nothing more Inhuman and Barbarous, than not to relieve their necessities; and, as the Apostle speaks, Let our abundance be a supply to their wants; for they are not only our Brethren, but our fellow Members of the same body Politic, and such aught to be the mutual compassion of the Members, that, if one Member suffer, all the Members suffer with it. Wherefore, saith * Deut. 15. God unto the Jews, Thou shalt not harden thine Heart, nor shut thine Hand from thy poor Brother; thou shalt surely give unto him, and thine heart shall not be grieved, when thou givest unto him; and for this thing the Lord shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto, for the Poor shall never cease out of the Land. Therefore I command thee, saying, thou shalt open thine hand wide unto the poor and needy Brother in thy Land. This suggest unto me the Third consideration, upon which it becomes the Duty of the Rich to be liberal to the Poor, out of gratitude to God, who hath put the difference between them, and as Hannah saith in Samuel, hath made the Rich and the Poor. For as the Body is not all one member, but many: So it is God, that hath set he Members, (saith the Apostle) every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. If thou art a Rich and Honourable Member, it is he, that made thee so, if thou hast much Treasure and large Possessions, they came by his special Blessing, who expects, that all and every Man, whom the hath made Rich, should make becoming returns of their thankfulness to him in their Gifts and Offerings to the Poor. He is Lord Paramount of every Rich man's Estate, and every Landed Man holds of him in Chief, as it is written, The Earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof, and the that are upon a thousand Hills. He hath made abundant Provision for all Men, but because it is not consistent with the Being, and Wellbeing of humane Polities, that he should deal his Blessings to all alike, therefore his Wisdom obligeth him to distribute them in very different proportions. Like the Noble Man in the Parable, to some he gives ten, and to others five times as much as gives to another; but then to those, upon whom he bestows more than is sufficient, he gives it, not for their own sakes, but for the sake of the Poor, who ought to be maintained by them. As a Prince or Great Man, going into a far Country, puts his Purse into his Steward's hands, not altogether for his own sake, but because to do so is necessary for the good Government of his Family, that he rest, depending for their maintenance upon him, might be more subject, and subservient to him. But, and if that Steward shall say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming, and will not give his fellow Servants their meat in due season, the Lord of that Steward shall come in a day, when he looketh not for him, and cut him asunder, because he was a Traitor to his Trust. In like manner the Rich are God's Stewards for the Poor, he lays up their Maintenance in their Treasuries, because he would have them depend upon them, and serve them; but then, as St. Paul said of Masters, It is their Duty to give unto them that which is just, and equal, as knowing that they have a Lord and Master in Heaven. And as King Henry the Third did Enact, by the 4th. Chap. of the Statute of Merton, That the Peers and Great Men of this Land should allow their Inferior Tenants sufficient common Pasture for their use: So, God, the King of Kings, and Supreme Lord of all the Earth, hath Ordained, That the Great and Rich in all places should provide, and allow what is sufficient for the use and maintenance of the Inferior, and Poorer sort. Hence it comes to pass, that we meet with so many Admonitions and earnest Exhortations to this great Duty of Charity, in the Holy Scriptures, and other Moral Writings, as, not to repeat those I have already had occasion to mention, our Blessed Lord hath made universal Charity one of the greatest Duties of the Christian Religion; saying, Give to every man, that asketh of thee, and if you do good only to them, who do good unto you, what thank have you, for Sinners also do the same, and if you lend only to them, of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you, for Sinners also lend to Sinners to receive as much again, but love ye your Enemies, and do good to all, and lend to those from whom you can hope for nothing again, and be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful, who is kind unto the unthankful, and maketh his Sun to rise on the evil, and on the good, and sendeth his Rain on the just, and unjust. Nay, he makes the best improvement of Riches to consist in the Charitable use of them in that Parabolical saying, Make ye Friends of the vain transitory Mammon, (for that is the meaning of the place) that when you shall fail, they may receive you into Everlasting Habitations. So Luke. 12.33. Sell that you have, and give Alms, provide yourself Bags, which wax not old, a Treasure in the Heavens, that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth. Nay, he hath so espoused the cause of the Poor, as to declare, that what we do unto Them, he will take it as done unto his own Person, as it is written, Verily I say unto you, in as much as ye did it unto one of these my hungry, sick, and naked Members, you did it unto me. Hence it comes to pass, that we read so much of Collections, and Ministering to the Saints, in the New Testament; when the Rich Christians reserving to themselves only Food and Raiment, were therewith content. Charity to Men was then the only Test of Love unto God, according to what St. John saith, He that loveth not his Brother, whom he hath seen, how can be love God, whom he hath not seen? and whosoever hath the goods of this World, and shutteth up the bowels of his compassion from his Brother, whom he sees in need, how dwelleth the love of God in him? II. Having now showed, that doing of Almsdeeds is a Duty incumbent upon all men, that have wherewith to do them, I proceed in the Second place to show, That the performance of this Duty is highly acceptable unto God, and beneficial unto Men. The first is, the very Motive by which the Apostle exhorts us unto Beneficence in my Text, To do good, and to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. It is plain from hence, that God accepts of what we do for the Poor, as done unto Himself, and that our Alms under the Gospel have the Nature of Offerings and Sacrifices, with which God was pleased, and rendered propitious under the Law. The Apostle expresses the acceptable Nature of yet more Emphatically in Phil. 4.18. where he saith unto them, I am full of the good things, which I received from you by Epaphroditus, as an offering of sweet smelling odour, a sacrifice acceptable, and pleasing unto God. This Phrase of a sweet smelling odour, is purely Sacrificial, and taken from the Old Testament, where God is said to have smelled in the Sacrifices, and to have smelled a sweet Savour in the Offerings, and Sacrifices, which he accepted, as in Gen. 18.21. When Noah offered burnt Offerings upon the Altar, which he builded, after he came out of the Ark, the Text saith, that the Lord smelled a sweet Savour. And in Eph. 5.2. the Apostle in allusion to that place, saith, that Christ gave himself a Sacrifice, an offering to God for a sweet smelling Savour. I would not be so misunderstood by this remark, as if I thought were an offering of the same Nature, and Value, as the offering of Christ, far be that from me, but only to let you see, how highly acceptable it must needs be to God, when his holy Spirit expresses the acceptable Nature of it, by the same Sacrificial term, by which he sets forth the acceptance of the Sacrifice of Christ. Adn as sweet odours perfume other things, and make them delightful to the smell: so the sweet odour of our Alms perfumes our very Prayers, and makes them more acceptable unto God. Prayer (saith the Angel unto Tobias) is good with Alms, and it is better to give Alms than to lay up God; and, saith the Angel unto Cornelius, who gave much Alms unto the People; Thy Prayers, and thine Alms are come up for a memorial before God. And from hence St. Cyprian concludes, that our Prayers, whether in Deprecations or Petitions, * Ostendit orationes nostras, ac jejunia minus posse, nisi eleemosynis adjuventur, deprecationes solas parum ad impetrandum valere, nisi factorum, & operum accessione farciantur: Revelat angelus, & manifestat, & firmat eleemosynis petitiones nostras efficaces fieri. Cypr. de opere & eleemosy●is. are of little force, and efficacy, without the joint assistance of Alms. I observed before, how our Lord looks upon doing of Alms, as done unto himself, and therefore since the doing of them is so very acceptable to God, and opens his Ears unto our Prayers, it must needs in the end redound very much to the benefit and advantage of men. Thus saith the Lord in Deut. 15. Thou shalt surely give unto thy poor Brother, and let not thy heart be grieved, when thou givest unto him, because that for this thing the Lord shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. So saith the Prophet Isaiah, If thou draw out thy soul unto the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted Soul, then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day, and the Lord shall be thy reward, and guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered Garden, and like a spring whose waters never fail. So saith the Psalmist, Blessed is he that considereth the Poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. And in the 37th Psalm, he confirms this Doctrine by the Observation, and Experience of many years. I have been young (saith he) but now am old, yet I have never seen the Righteous, i. e. the Charitable, man forsaken, nor his seed begging bread, he is ever merciful and dareth, and his Posterity is blessed. So Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the Poor, dareth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again. And in the Third Chapter he saith, Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first Fruits of thine increase, so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty, and thy Presses shall burst our with new wine. To this purpose speaketh Tobit to his Son Tobias in the 4th. Ch. Give Alms of thy substance, and when thou givest Alms, let not thine Eye be envious, neither turn thy Face from the Poor, and the Face of God shall not be turned away from thee. If thou hast abundance, give Alms accordingly, and if thou hast but a little, be not afraid to give of that little, for so shalt thou lay up a good Treasure for thyself against the day of necessity. So saith our Blessed Lord, Lay not up for yourselves Treasures upon Earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where Thiefs break through and steal, but rather lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust do corrupt, nor can Theives break through and steal. By laying up Treasures in Heaven, our Lord understands giving of Alms, as is plain from his Words to the young man, in another place of the same Gospel. If thou wilt be perfect, go, and sell what thou hast, and give it to the Poor, and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven. In this very Sense it is, that the Son of Sirach speaketh, Eccles. 29.11. Lay up thy Treasure according to the Commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than Gold; shut up thy Alms in thy storehouses, and it shall deliver thee from all Afflictions, it shall fight for thee against thy Enemies, better than a mighty Shield or strong Spear. So saith the Apostle unto Timothy, Charge them that are Rich in this World, that they trust not in uncertain Riches, but in the living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy, and that they do good, and be rich in good works, ready to distribute, and willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on everlasting life. From these Authorities it is plain, without any further enumeration, how beneficial the doing of Alms-deeds is to Charitable persons, both upon a Temporal and Spiritual account; Charity, as the Apostle saith of Godliness, having the Promise of the life, that now is, and of that, which is to come. But furthermore, this Doctrine will appear, by the rule of Contrary, from the severe Judgements, which are threatened to want of Charity, as Prov. 28.17. He that giveth unto the Poor, shall not lack, but he that hideth his Eyes, shall have many a Curse. So Chap. 21.13. Whoso stoppeth his Ears at the cry of the Poor, he also shall cry himself, and shall not be heard. Which our Saviour inculcated to the Jews in the Parable of the unjust Steward, whom his Lord delivered in great anger to the Tormentors, because he had not compassion on his fellow Servants, as he had pity on Him. To this purpose also speaketh the Son of Sirach, Reject not the supplication of the afflicted, neither turn away thy face from a Poor Man, turn not away thine Eyes from the needy, and give him no occasion to Curse thee, for if he Curse thee in the bitterness of his Soul, his Prayers shall be heard of him, that made him. Be as a Father unto the Fatherless, and instead of an Husband unto their Mother, so shalt thou be, as the Son of the most High, and he shall love thee more, than thy Mother doth. These are great advantages, which are said to come unto Men, as the Fruits of Charity, but there are greater things said of it still. For the Scriptures, and other Writings of great Authority, and Reverence, speak of Charity, as if it were sufficient to cleanse the Soul, and make atonement to God for our Sins. Thus our Lord told the Pharisees, who were offended at Him, and his Disciples for not washing before Dinner, that the way to cleanse the Soul, was not to wash the Body, but to give Alms of such things, as they had, and then all things should be clean unto them. And Solomon saith Prov. 16. That iniquity is purged by mercy, and truth. Accordingly we read Dan. 4. v. 27. That he spoke unto the King thus: Wherefore O King, let my Counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break of thy sins by Righteousness. i e. by Kindness, and Charity, and thine iniquity by showing mercy to the Poor, if it may be on healing of thy Error. To which agrees that of Tobit, Chap. 4. v. 10. Give Alms of thy substance, because Alms deliver from Death, and suffereth not to come into darkness. This is a mighty Virtue, which is ascribed to Almes-doing, and mightily sets forth the Dignity and Worth thereof, especially if we attend to that saying of Siracides, Water will quench a flaming fire, and Alms maketh an atonement for sin. Which is very agreeable to a place in Deut. where God saith, Thou shalt not sleep with the Poor Man's pledge, but thou shalt in any case deliver it to him, when the Sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own Raiment, and bless thee, and it shall be Righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God. According to this Doctrine Saint * Et quia semel in baptismo remissa peccatorum datur assidua, & jugis operatio baptismi instar imitata, dei rursus indulgentiam largitur— de Eleemes. Cyprian saith, That is equivalent unto Baptism, for the remission of sins, and that the way for men to obtain pardon for their daily sins, is to do daily good works, By sins, he understands sins of ignorance, and error, and sudden surprise, by which the best men are obnoxious to the Justice of God, if he should be severe to mark what they do amiss; and by , he doth not mean the opus operatum, or mere external performance of the Duty, but such , as proceeds from pure Charity, and not from Vainglory, or other by-ends, as it did in the Pharisees, who sounded Trumpets before them in the Synagogues, and in the Streets, when they gave Alms, that they might have glory of Men, and therefore they had no reward of God. This Pharisaical humour, was, I believe, to be found among the Christians of the Church of Corinth, which made the Apostle say unto them; Though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. No! such profiteth nothing, nor hath any title to the promises of God, but Almes-giving proceeding, like good fruit, from the Divine root of Charity, justifieth sinners, and maketh atonement for sins. For Charity is a justifying Grace, as well as Faith, nay Faith owes its justifying Virtue to Charity, and cannot justify a sinner, by the terms of the Gospel, unless it be such a Faith, as worketh by love. This is the secret of all the forecited Authorities, about the atoning virtue of Charity. It is so divine a Virtue, and doth so conform a man after the image of God, that for the sake of it, and of the good works, which proceed from it, God will accept of honest, hearty, and sincere, for sinless, and unerring Obedience from the Charitable man, who is so like him in the most excellent of his Moral Perfections; I mean in his Goodness, which moved him to Communicate, and let out his infinite fullness, among an infinite variety of Creatures; and which, as the Platonists say, is the fundamental Attribute, or Root of his blessed Nature, and makes him to be God. III. Having now showed, that doing of Alms is a great Duty, and that the doing of the is very acceptable to God, and beneficial unto Men. I proceed in the Third place to show, that the Charitable man, who performenth this Duty, shall notwithstanding have enough, and that his Charity shall never bring him, or his into want. This partly appears, from what I have observed before out of the Scriptures, and other Venerable Writings; and if we consult them further, we shall find, that employing our Money in Charitable uses, is as profitable, as to put it out to use. So saith Solomon, Eccl. 11.1. Cast thy-bread upon the waters, i, e. among the poor multitude, for thou shalt find it after many days. And Prov. 11.25. The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall be watered himself. And to this purpose speaks our Lord and Saviour, saying, Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom, for with the same measure that you meet withal, it shall be measured to you again: So saith the Apostle to the Corinthians, He that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully, for God loveth a cheerful giver, and is able to make all grace, or charity, abound towards you, that you, having all-sufficiency always, in all things may abound to every good work. And God, that administereth seed to the sour thereof, will minister bread to your food, and multiply the seed which you have sown, and increase the fruits of your bounty, which causeth through us, who dispense it among the Saints, thanksgiving unto God. So saith the Son of Sirach, there is a gift, meaning a gift of Bribery, that shall not profit, and there is a gift, meaning gifts of Charity, whose recompense is double. And in another place he faith, Give unto the most High, according as he hath enriched thee; and as thou hast gotten, give with a cheerful eye, for the Lord recompenseth, and will give thee seven times as much. Wherefore * Fragm. Julian, in his Exhortation of the Pagans to Charity, challenges them to tell him of any one Man, that ever fell into want through his liberality to the Poor? For my own part (saith he) whatever I have given to the poor, I have still received it of the Gods with manifold interest, although I am one, that understand not the Art of getting money; for, not to mention my Royal Munificence, since I was Emperor, I ascribe it to my Charity, while I was a private man, that my Grandmothers inheritance, which had been, injustly kept from me, fell to me, because out of the little pittance, I had at first to live upon, I dispensed part unto the poor. The Apostate still kept himself Orthodox in this piece of Divinity, having so much of the Christian yet remaining in him, as to believe, that God is prompted by his goodness to provide in a particular manner for Charitable men; according to what he must have often read, and heard in the Church of Nicomedia, where he was a Reader, God is not unrighteous to forget your good works, and the charity, which you have showed towards his name in ministering unto the Saints. Wherefore let me speak unto you, as St. Cyprian did upon the same argument to the People of his Diocese, Do not fear that your Charity can beggar you, or that you can lose by the money, which you lend to Christ upon use. I do here promise, and engage, not of myself, but upon the faith of the holy Scriptures, and the authority of God's promises, it cannot; for the Holy Ghost hath said by the mouth of Solomon: He that giveth to the poor shall not lack, And, that the Lord will not suffer the liberal soul to famish. These Promises we also find verified by many Examples in the Scriptures, as when God fed Elias in the Wilderness, by the Ministry of a Raven; and prepared a Dinner for Daniel in the Lion's Den, where that speech of King David's was literally fulfilled, when he said: The Lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but they who seek the Lord, shall want nothing that is good. So the Widow of Sarepta for a morsel of bread, which she gave the Prophet, when she had not a whole Loaf for herself, was sustained with all her Family by a Miracle, The barrel of her meal never wasting, or her cruse of oil failing, until the famine was removed out of the Land. These things, as the Apostle saith, were written for our Instruction, to show us, that God will not falsify his promises, but rather work Miracles than let those perish, who, trusting to them, relieved other men's wants. After so many promises, and such instances of the fulfilling of them; A doubting heart (saith that Charitable Saint, Cyprian) would become no man, who belongs to the household of faith. No! saith that Holy Father ( * V●t. Cyprper Pont●um ejus Diaconum. who sold a great Estate, and gave it to the Poor, before he was baptised) doubting thoughts in this case are sacrilegious, and to want Faith in this point, is to treat Christ like the Pharisees, who being covetous derided him, when he exhorted them to make themselves friends of the false unconstant Mammon, and, by so doing, oblige God to commit unto them the true, and lasting riches. In know, it is often objected against this Doctrine, that Charitable Men, and their Children sometimes fall from Plenty into Poverty, and suffer as much by want, as those who hardened their hearts against the Poor. To which I answer, That such Instances are rare, and seldom happen, but when Charitable Men suffer with others in common judgements, when, as Heathen Apologists for God's Providence have observed, God visiting a Nation, or a City, as such, must punish Good with the Bad. 2ly, Of those few Instances, which otherwise may be brought, it is doubtful, whether those esteemed Charitable Men, were really so, or no? For as there is an Art of appearing Rich, or Learned, when Men are not; so there is Art of appearing Charitable; and of that small number of Men, reputed Charitable, who come to suffer want, it may very well be presumed, that a great part of them were such only, as had the Name, and Reputation of being Charitable, without being so indeed. 3ly, Of those that are really Charitable, really, I mean, as to the eyes of Men, many do not, or cannot give aright: and so their Charity, though it be real, as to the material performance of it, yet through other defects it is false, and vicious, and not that true genuine Charity, which hath a right unto the promises of God. Such is the Charity of those Pharisees, who give to be seen of Men, and all extorted or disproportionable Charity, which is given too sparingly, and grudgingly, and doth not proceed from a Charitable, Free, and Compassionate mind. Likewise Charity of those, who give Alms to cover their Injustice, Extortion, and Oppression, and who foolishly think to satisfy God by their Almes-giving, before they have made restitution unto Men. This is to offer unclean Beasts, and unhallowed Bread upon the Altar; to bring the hire of a Whore, or the price of a Dog into the House of the Lord, which are Abomination unto him; or, as Malachy speak, To cover the Altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out; for such offerings, are the Tears of Widows, and Bread of Orphans; and as St. Basil well observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they shall be imparted to the giver, as if he had rob a Man. The Sacrifice of the wicked (saith Solomon) is an abomination to the Lord, especially when he bringeth it with a wicked mind; and he that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, saith Siracides, his offering is ridiculous, and whoso bringeth an offering of the goods of the poor, his offering is not accepted, but he doth as one, who killeth the Son before his Father's eyes. Likewise the Charity of those, who live in Schism, and Communicate at private Altars, in opposition to the public, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, utterly unacceptable to God; for where Charity is genuine, the fruits of it will appear in a love of Union, and in an endeavour to preserve the unity of the spirit, or spiritual union, in the bond of peace. But the Schism of the Spiritual Corah, as St. * Passim in Tract de unit. Eccles. Cathol. Cyprian observes, makes his Prayers to be no Prayers, his Sacraments no Sacraments, and his Alms by consequence to be no Alms. Nay, he saith, though he were a Confessor greater than Solomon, and should suffer death for Christ, yet he could not die a Martyr, nor obtain a Crown of Martyrdom, if he died in his Schism, as it is written, Though I bestow all my goods to feed the Poor, and give my body to be burnt, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Hither I may also refer the Charity of those, who, living in the practice of any other known sin, think to atone God by , and procure an easier Pardon, or perhaps an Indulgence from him by their good works. Thus many do, especially among the Papists, who, mistaking the Texts, which speak of the atoning virtue of Charity, run into two mistakes, First, That they trust in the opus operatum, or bare performance of Alms-doing. and 2ly, That they think to be justified by them from chosen and presumptuous, as well as from erroneous and surprising, sins. In all these cases, though Charity, as to the matter is Real, yet as to the manner of giving, or intention, and incapacity of the giver, it is not Genuine, but altogether Spurious, and hath no Title to any reward from God. But Fourthly, there is one case, where Charity being both real and genuine, the Charitable Man comes to great want, but not by his Charity, but for want of thrift, frugality, and temperance, being profuse and expensive in his Apparel, or Diet, or Buildings, or Sports, or Furniture, or Entertainments; and in this case, Men are often mistaken in the true cause of the Charitable Man's Poverty, attributing that to his Charity, which indeed ought to be ascribed to his foolish Prodigality, and want prudence in managing his Estate. In the Fifth place, a Charitable Man, who is grown Rich by the special Blessing of God, may sometimes, like the Good Man in the Famous Parable of the Pilgrim, and Angel, begin to grow Covetous, and set his Heart upon his Riches, which may oblige God in kindness to him to blast his Estate, and reduce him to a low Condition, to secure the Salvation of his Soul. Or else, God may foresee, that if he should let him die Rich, his Children would abuse those Riches to Luxury, and Riot, and other sinful Excesses; and so out of his tender Fatherly care over Him, and His, reduce them both to a poor Condition, wherein tho' they have not the greater Blessing of giving, yet they shall have the lesser, to receive. These and such like Solutions are a perfect Answer to the former Objection, and perfectly reconcile the Promises of God to Charity, and the want, and penury, to which They, or their Children are sometimes reduced, who are, or seem to be, Charitable Men. Wherefore let God and his Word be true, and every man a Liar, and let none, who confesseth the Name of Jesus, question the Truth of so many Promises in the Old and New Testament, but rest upon this Principle, as a certain, and never failing truth, That the Charitable man, notwithstanding his Charity, shall always have enough, and that God will take care, that He and His shall never suffer by want. Exhortation. Having now showed, that doing of Alms is a great Duty, and that the doing of them is very acceptable to God, and beneficial unto Men; more especially having shown, that God will take care, that the Charitable Man, shall, notwithstanding his Charity, always have enough; I now proceed in the last place, to exhort you to the Practice of this Duty, and if ever Exhortations to this Divine Duty were proper, and seasonable, they are at this time in this Nation, where Riches, and Property, by God's special Blessing, are met together, but more especially in this City, the Crowning, or Imperial City, whose Merchants, as the Prophet speaks, are Princes, and whose Traffickers are the Honourable of the Earth. Here it is, that Riches and Plenty, and therefore here it is, that Charity ought to Reign. The King hath done here, what Solomon did in Jerusalem; by his Auspicious Reign, and Princely Care for Trade, and Navigation, he hath made Silver as plentiful, as Stones, not that Plate and Money is here, as common as Stones, any more, than it was in Jerusalem, but that there is enough of it in the Chests, and Coffers of the Rich, to make it, with the usual liberty of speaking, as commons, as the Stones in the Streets. Therefore to you, who have it in so great abundance, and such ample Revenues issuing from your Lands, or Trade; to you, who have gotten Riches by God's Blessing; and to you, who, by God's Blessing too, have Riches, which you never got; to you all, who any ways possess Estates by Gift; Inheritance, or Purchase, by your own sweat, or by the sweat of your Ancestors, in the Change, or in the Shop, in the Court, or in the Camp, on the Bench, or at the Bar; to you all, and every one of you, I indifferently address myself in the Words of the Son of Sirach, Give unto the most High, according as he hath enriched thee, and, as thou hast gotten, give with a cheerful mind. Remember, I beseech you, that Charity is not an Arbitrary thing, which may be done, or lest undone at discretion, (as too many think) but a necessary duty incumbent upon all Rich men, who have a manifold obligation to make Provision for the Poor, resulting, from the Common Nature, and Original of Mankind; from the Nature of Humane Societies, whereof the Poor are Members with the Rich; and from the Trust, which God hath reposed in the former, as his Stewards to supply the necessities of the latter. Hence it comes to pass, that the word for Charity, and Charitable in the Old Testament, and in the Language, which our Lord spoke, signifies Righteousness, and Righteous, to let us understand, that Almsdeeds is a debt, which we own to God, and to the Poor. As for God, consider what it is he requires of thee for his Poor; a Bullock out of thine Herd, a Shock or two out of thy Harvest, a small Quitrent for the great Estate thou holdest of him, a little Tribute, the Tenth, or Twelfth, or at least the Twentieth part of all thy just Gains, and Revenues, and this, as thou hast heard, will be kindly taken of him, and oblige him to bless thee, and thine the more. Wherefore plead not the number of thy Children against the Duty of Charity, as the Men of this World are wont to do, say not in thy Heart to the Poor, as the Wise said unto the Foolish Virgins in the Parable, We have not enough for us, and you; but remember Job, who had ten Children, seven Sons, and three Daughters, and yet his Charity was so great, that, as we read in the 29th. Chapter, He was a Father to the Poor, Eyes to the Blind, and Feet to the Lame. And besides his great Expenses upon this account, as Cyprian well observes, in answer to this unworthy Plea, he daily offered up Burnt-offerings according to the number of his Children; and therefore, if thou wouldst have God bless thy numerous Offspring, the Pledges of his Love which he hath given thee, oblige him to take care of them by thy daily Oblations, by setting something aside of thy daily income for Charitable uses, for such are the Sacrifices under the Gospel, and with such Sacrifices God is well pleased. I am very confident, that one great cause of the usual infelicities, which attend those, the World calls Great Fortunes, is to be ascribed to the worldly-mindedness of their Progenitors, who, as they increased in Wealth, did not increase in Charity, never considering, that he that hath mercy on the Poor, honoureth his Maker, and he that giveth Alms, sacrificeth praise. There is, saith Solomon, that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to Poverty: Which I desire those to consider, who neither living, nor dying will spare one out of ten, or twenty thousand Pounds to Charitable uses from their Children, it may be but from one Child; who by that means comes to Inherit the unsanctified Riches of his Father without the blessing of God. But more especially, I desire those to consider the great Obligation which lies upon them to do good Works, Who heap up Riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them, I mean those to whom God hath given great Estates, and no Children, and among them, more especially, such as have no reasonable hopes of Issue, having dead bodies, as the Apostle said of Abraham● and who perhaps are yet unresolved, who shall Inherit after them, the Next of Blood, as Heir at Law, or it may be a Stranger, whom they do not yet know, as Testamentary Heir. God seems by his special Bounty, and Providence to call and invite these Men above all others, to give their Estates to Charitable uses, as to Found, or Endow Hospitals for the Nurture of exposed Infants; or the ingenuous Education of poor Orphans; or the Reception and Cure of Sick, Maimed, or Wounded Persons; or for the Maintenance, and Consolation of the Incurable and Aged; or for the Government of poor Lunatics, and Distracted persons; or for the Correction of vagrant, sturdy, and idle Beggars; to whom it is an abuse of Charity to give, because, as St. Basil observes in his discourse of , We shall minister by our Alms not to their necessities, but to their idleness, and lusts. To these I ought to add the Erection of Work-houses, which are yet wanting in this great City, to complete the Oeconomy of her Hospitals: And because there are different inclinations among Charitable Men to different sorts of Charity, give me leave to recommend unto you the endowment of poor Vicariges, and Erecting of Hospitals for Poor clergymen's Widows, which would atone God in a great measure for the Sacrilege of former Ages, for which, among other causes of his displeasure, I verily believe these three Nations do yet smart. I will also put you in mind of establishing a Found for Endowing of poor Maids, who have lived so many years in Service, and of building Schools, or Colleges for the Education of young Women, much like unto those in the Universities, for the Education of young Men, but with some alteration in the Discipline, and Oeconomy, as the nature of such an Institution would require. Such Colleges might be so ordered, as to become security to your Daughters against all the hazards to which they are exposed at private Schools, and likewise a security to the Government, that the Daughters of the Land should be bred up according to the Religion now established in it, to the unconceivable advantage of the Public, in rooting out Enthusiasm, with her Daughter's Schsime, both which are upheld by nothing among us so much, as by the Women, who are so silly and deceivable for want of Ingenious, and Orthodox Education, and not for want of Parts. Methinks the Rich and Honourable Ladies of the Church of England, the Elect Ladies of her Apostolical Communion should be Zealous to begin, and carry on such a work, as this; which upon more accounts, than I have mentioned, would make the Daughters of Israel be glad, and the Daughters of Judah and Jerusalem rejoice. Hitherto I have spoken to the Rich of the first, and second Rank, not to excuse those, who have the good things of this World in a less proportion, but because they are not of Ability to do Works of standing, and perpetual Charity, as the others are. However God excepts his Quota of every one of them, For the administration of this Service, according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not. If thou canst not spare a Talon, thou canst spare a Pound to a work of Charity, or if thou canst not spare a Pound, thou canst spare a Crown, or a Shilling, or, as the poor Widow, who ought to be mentioned wherever the Gospel is preached, a Penny, or a Mite. If thou canst not Found a Church, or an House of Charity, thou canst Contribute to the building, or repairing of it; thou canst spare a Gift now and then to, a poor Housekeeper, or to a poor Debtor to set him out of Prison; or thou canst Present a poor Minister, who is a man of Parts and Piety, and yet sits privately mourning in his Study for want of necessary Books. To these good ends, and purposes, thou mayest Erect a Private Bank for Charity out of thy own Frugality, and Temperance, and make thy Back, and Belly give Alms, if thou hast not a mind to set aside a part of thy ordinary Gains for good Works. But if thou art Perfect, thou wilt do this, that is to say, if thou hast tender Bowels of compassion, as thy Saviour had, Who said, it was more blessed to give, than to receive. This is thy Duty, and if thou shalt do it with a cheerful heart, Blessed shalt thou be in the City, and blessed shalt thou be in the Field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy Body, the fruit of thy Ground, the fruit of thy , the increase of thy Kine, and the Flocks of thy Sheep. The Lord shall command a Blessing upon thy Storehouses, make thee plenteous in Goods, and bless in all that thou settest thine hand unto. To conclude the whole matter, Charity is the most speedy, and effectual means to reconcile God to a Church, or Nation, as well as to a single Man. It is a most Divine Virtue, which will oblige God to dwell among us, and shelter us under the Wings of his Divine Majesty. It will make him become unto us a Cloudy by Day, and a Pillar of Fire by Night, it will make him fight our Battles, and scatter our Enemies, and be as a Wall of Brass round about us. It will make him lengthen the Days of our Gracious King, and preserve him against all Conspiracies. It will keep our Cities from Fire and Plague, our Fields from Mildews and Blast, our Ships from Wrack, our Religion from Popery, and Enthusiasm, the Government from Usurpation, and our Purses, and Estates from Arbitrary Power. In a word, it will help us all to an happy, and glorious Resurrection, and to appear with joy, and comfort at the day of Judgement, when, standing at the right hand of our Lord, we shall hear him say unto us; Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me meat, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and ye took me in, naked I was, and ye clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came unto me, to pay my debts and set me free. All this you did for my sake, to my Poor Members, whom you always had with you; And in as much as you did it unto them, ye did it unto me. Thus much for the general Exhortation unto the great duty of Charity; I shall conclude it with another more particular, which for your further Encouragement, I was desired by the Governors of the Hospitals to read. A true REPORT of the great number of Poor Children, and other Poor People, Maintained in the several HOSPITALS, under the pious care of the LORD MATOR, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of LONDON, the year last passed. CHildren put forth Apprentices, Christ's Hospital and discharged out of Christ's Hospital, the year last past 101. Ten whereof being instructed in the MATHEMATICS and NAVIGATION, were placed forth Apprentices to Commanders of Ships, out of the Mathematical School, in the said Hospital, Founded, for the benefit of this Kingdom, by the Kings Most Excellent Majesty 101 Children buried the year last past 12 Children now remaining under the Care and Charge of the said Hospital 712. They being so many in number, and the Charges of keeping them so great, (and the Hospital having sustained great Losses by the late lamentable and dreadful Fire,) it is hoped several good Christians will freely contribute towards the maintenance of the said Children: The certain Revenue of the said Hospital being little more than the Moiety of the necessary Charges thereof. THere have been Cured in the Hospital of St. Bartholomew, S. Bartholomew 's Hospital. the year last passed, of Wounded, Sick, and Maimed Persons, though (as it hath pleased God) the greatest part of the Revenues of the said Hospital was consumed by the late dreadful Fire 1793 Buried this year after much charges on them 227 Persons remaining under Cure in the said Hospital 237 THere have been Cured, S. Thomas Hospital. and Discharged, this year last passed, in the Hospital of St. Thomas in Southwark, of Wounded, Sick, and Maimed Persons, though (as it hath pleased God) not only a principal part of their Revenue was consumed in the dreadful Conflagration in this City, 1666; but also the best of their remaining houses were wholly burnt down in the great dismal Fire in Southwark, which happened in May, 1676, wherein also the Scite of this Hospital itself was very much damnified, and very likely to have been destroyed 1410 Buried, this year last passed, after much Charge in the time of their Sickness 232 Remaining under Cure at the Charge of the said Hospital 291 REceived this last year into the Hospital of Bridewell, Bindewel Hospital. Vagrants, and other Indigent and Miserable People 822 Maintained in the said Hospital and brought up in divers Arts and Trades, at the only Charge of the said Hospital, Apprentices, notwithstanding (it pleased God) the Hospital, and all the Houses within the Precinct thereof, (which was the greater part of its Revenue) were wholly consumed by the late dreadful Fire; besides the great Loss sustained in the remains of its Revenue by two terrible Fires; the one in June 1673; and the other in November last, 168●, which happened in Wapping 223 Bethlem Hospital. BRought into Bethlem Hospital the last year Distracted Men and Women 75 Cured of their Lunacy, and discharged thence the said year 41 Distracted Persons buried the last year 13 Now remaining there under Cure, and provided with Physic, Diet, and other Relief, at the Charge of the said Hospital 118 The Charge whereof is great, and the Revenue of the said Hospital so small, as not to amount to one half part of the yearly Expenses thereof; and the Building of the Old Hospital of Bethlem being Ruinous, and not Capacious to receive and contain the great number of Distracted Persons, for the admission of whom, daily applications are made to the Governors thereof; a more commodious House was Erected; in the Building and Finishing whereof, the Governors of the said Hospital, have laid out and disbursed above Seventeen Thousand Pounds, whereby not only the Stock of the said Hospital is Expended, but the Governors thereof have been necessitated to take up several great Sums of Money for the Finishing the same, for which they pay Interest. And therefore the said Hospital is a very fit object of all good men's Charity, to do as God shall enable them, towards the relief of the said poor Lunatics, and payment of their Debts; There having been, and daily are, by the Blessing of God, and the Charge of the said Hospital, and the Care of those that are entrusted therewith, divers reduced to their former Senses. These are the fruits of their Charity, who have gone before us in the Faith; God give us grace to follow their good Example, that with them we may be partakers of Eternal Glory, though Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed, as is most due, Eternal Praise, Might, Majesty, and Glory, now, and ever. Amen. FINIS.