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wicked Courses; when Care is taken, to chuse them from a Condition suitable to that, for which they are designed; and neither in their manner of living, nor their Instruction, to set them above that: every one will allow, it would be excellent private Charity, to do this for a Child; and why not as good publick Charity, to do it for many Children; fince the greater the Number is, the less in Proportion the Expence?

The fecond Method of doing Good, before us at present, is that of Hospitals for the Sick. And whatever Objections may be made against other Benefactions to the Poor, there can be none against restoring Ease and Health to them : against giving them those Helps, which their distressed Families cannot give; and enabling them to be useful again to themselves, and to the Publick. Now Hospitals are infinitely the best Means to this necessary End. They are a fure Way of detecting Counterfeits: they preserve the Sick from unskilful Hands: they are so many publick Schools, where the Knowledge of Medicine is taught, in the most effectual manner, for the common Benefit of Mankind. They relieve Multitudes, who either cannot demand, or cannot obtain, parochial Relief: and they do it, beyond Comparifon, in the surest, the speediest, and the cheapest manner that can be. So that, were we to suppose even great Mismanagements in Hospitals; they would still remain preferable

to

to all other Methods of providing for the Sick : and yet the Numbers and Characters of the Governors of our present Hospitals, fecure them, as far as may be, against any Mifmanagement at all. Another Advantage is, that ever so little, given to this kind of Charity, hath its proportionable good Effect: and the Diseases and Accidents, which befall the lower Part of the World, are so many and frequent, that ever so much given may eafily be employed. Then it well deserves to be confidered further, that Sickness affords a favourable Opportunity for good Impressions : and therefore most important Service may be done to poor Creatures in these Places, by shewing them from Experience the bad Consequences of vicious Lives, and the good ones of Regularity; by giving them strong Impressions of the Excellency of Compaffion and Mercy, at the Time when they are partaking of it; and awakening them to a Sense of what their Condition requires of them, and their eternal Happiness depends upon. But the Benefit of Hofpitals hath been so very well explained to the World of late *, and is fo generally acknowledged; that I need only add a Word concerning one Sort of them, That for the Diseased in Mind.

These poor Creatures are made by their Diforder, whilft it continues, entirely useless to

* See Dr. Alured Clarke's Sermon before the Governors of the County-Hospital at Winchester, and an Account of the Efta. blishment of that Hospital, published in 1737.

Society:

Society: and many of them, at the same Time, exceedingly miferable in themselves; by the frightful, or the gloomy Train of Ideas, that poffefsfes their Minds; and the vehement Paffions, that so frequently agitate them. Now when Persons in low Circumstances fall into this unhappy State, as many of them do; their Friends are more incapable of taking Care of them, than in any other Case whatever: and there is no Way of attempting their Cure, which can possibly be attended with fuch Hope of Success, as placing them in Hospitals appropriated to this Purpose. Nay indeed, when there appears no Prospect of a Cure at all, to provide for them as Incurables is a most useful and excellent Act of Humanity: and the Beginnings, lately made, of a Provision of this Sort, well deferve Encouragement, and peculiarly want it.

The only Kind of Charity, which remains to be mentioned now, is that of Houses of Correction and Work for the Dissolute and Idle. The Terror, which these Places strike, is one great Benefit: as it prevents, at once, both Crimes and the Consequences of them. But where that proves ineffectual, the next Advantage of such Houses is, that Offenders can be immediately secured in them: removed out of the Way of endangering the Properties, the Lives, the Virtue of others; and made to feel, that their Attempt of gaining a Livelihood by eafier Methods than honest People do, shall shall only subject them to harder Labour, and deserved Punishment. Many of them, we are assured, have been brought by these Means to a just Sense of their Interest and their Duty. Very many more, we have fad Experience, much need to have this Kindness done them. And we cannot but know the Importance, both to Them and to ourselves, of checking the Growth of Wickedness, before it is quite too late to think of attempting it.

These then being the Methods of Charity now before you; confider well, what Obligations you are under, as Stewards of God for the Good of your Fellow-creatures, to assist in directing and supporting them.

Such, in the first Place, as are qualified to govern and direct any of these Institutions, are bound in Conscience, not to let so excellent Designs receive Prejudice, for want of a Succession of fit Persons to put them in Execution. For they may well spare a little Time, both from Pleasure, and from Business of other Kinds; to employ it in a manner, so productive of Happiness to the World, and to themselves. And such as have actually taken this good Work upon them, must ever remember, that they are now become Stewards of the Charity of Men, as well as the Bounty of God: and their Faithfulness in the Discharge of their Trust is engaged to both. They, whose constant Attendance cannot be expected, should at leaft least acquaint themselves so far with the Management of Things, as to know, and be able to affure others, that it is, in the main at least, such as it ought: for, in many Cases, this alone may be a valuable Service. And all, who profess to enter further into the Conduct of Affairs, should feriously, and frequently, and impartially confider, what can be reformed in these Charities, and what can be improved. A meddling Spirit, fond of disturbing Things that are well, either to no good Purpose, or none that can be obtained, is indeed a very mischievous one: but prudent, peaceable Endeavours, to make every Thing as perfect as it can be made, are of incredible Use. The Work, in which you are engaged, is a very important one: and a small Defect of Attention, a little wrong Bias or mistaken Judgment, may produce extremely unhappy Effects: may diminish confiderably the Benefit of these excellent Designs, and make even your Good evil spoken of*. The Support of voluntary Charities depends entirely on their Reputation; and therefore it concerns you greatly, to avoid, not only every Thing blameable, but every Thing fufpicious; and to cut off Occasion from them which defire Occasion to find Fault, providing for honest Things, not anly in the Sight of the Lord, but in the Sight of all Men. But more especially give me Leave Leave to recommend to you, that as you are intrusted for the Good of your Fellow-crea

Rom. xiv. 16. † 2 Cor. xi. 12. † 2 Cor. viii. 21.

tures,

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