"Let him, therefore, that has stolen, steal no more!" let him that has gained by fraud, repent and restore, and live and die in the exercise of honesty!
SERMON XIX.
"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not
grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 Cor.
ix. 7.
The frequency with which the duty of alms-giving has of late been recommended; the perspicuity with which it has, on many occasions, been explained; the force of argument by which its necessity has been proved to the reason, and the ardour of zeal with which it has been impressed upon the passions; make it reasonable to believe, that is now generally understood, and that very few of those, who frequent the publick worship, and attend with proper diligence to instruction, can receive much information, with regard to the excellence and importance of this virtue.
But as most of the crimes and miseries of our lives arise rather from negligence than ignorance; as those obligations which are best known, are sometimes, from the security to which the consciousness of our knowledge naturally betrays us, most easily forgotten; and as the impressions which are made upon the heart, however strong or durable they may at first appear, are easily weakened by time, and effaced by the perpetual succession of other objects, which crowd the memory, and distract the attention; it is necessary that this great duty should be frequently explained, that our ardour should be rekindled by new motion, our conviction awakened by new persuasions, and our minds enlightened by frequent repetitions of the instructions, which, if not recollected, must quickly lose their effect.
