m [■: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, D. C, OPO 16—67244-1 ' '''" " . V "ft ■ ...V W The 7^-?d^.lcduJwTrbm the Bread of Charity by the Chriftian Law. SERMON Preached in Boston, before the Society foe encouraging Induftry, AND employing the Took ff&> Aug. 12. 1752. ', ..-v -r By Charles Chaunc), D. D. Drowfinefs fliall clothe a Man with Rags: But the diligent Hand maketh rich. Solomon. BOSTON: Printed by Thomas Fleet, 175a I - , «* (J) The Idle-Poor fecluded from the Bread cf Charity by the Cbriftian Law. 3 ThefTalon. 3. 10.«----—This we commanded you^ that if any would not work, neither fhould he eat, THE Law of Love is, in a fingular and diftingui{h<- ing Manner, the Law of Chriftianity. This is MT Commandment, fays our Saviour, that ye love one another. And again, A NEIV Qom?nandmen^ give I unto you, that ye love one another. And yet again, By THIS Jhallall Men know that ye are my Difciples .if'ys have Love one to another. And by this' were the firil Chriflians difHn^ guifhed from other Men, and known to be the Difciples of Jefus Chrift. A,n\ they difcovered their Benevolences not in Word only, neither- in Tongue, but in Deed and in Truth j never forgetting to do good and communicatee as they had Op- portunity. They did not jud,ge, they could ever do tog much, in a Way of Charity, for the Relief of the poor and needy. And no Inconvenience, one would think, could arife from the Liberalities in which they abounded. And yet, it was owing to this, in part at leaft, that among thofe who took Upon them the Name of Chriflians, there were fume who indulged to Nlenefi ; either not working at all, or not with a becoming Diligence. Cf 3^ 6 if Sermon preach*d lefore the Society Of this Character there feems to have been a confider- ^ble Number among the Chriflians at Theffalonica. The extraordinary Charities, common in that Day, might en- courage thofe, who were before difpofed to be idle, to jiegleft the Buftnefs of their proper Callings. The Hope of having their Wants fupplied, by the Bounties of their Chriftian Friends and Neighbours, might infenfibly flacken their Diligence, and betray them into an indolent inactive way of Life. But, from whatever Caufe it might arife, Idlenefs was the Fault too prevalent among the Thejfalonian Chriflians. The Apoflle Paul feems to be concerned about it; and is particular in his Care to do whatever might be proper to correct and amend it. And to this Purpofe it was, that, among other Things, he fpake the Words of my Text, This zve commanded you, that if any would not work, neither Jhould he eat. In difcourfing to which Words I fhall en^ dcavour the following Things. I. I fhall fay what may be proper to afcertain the true Benfe of the Command, If any ivill not work, neither fhall he eat. II. I fhall mention a few Things, as the Time will al- low, to jujlify the IVifdom and Reafonablenefs of the Command. III. And, Finally, I fliall apply what may be offered to the Qccafion of our being now together. I. I am to explain the Command in my Text, If any VJill not work, neither fhall he eat. Some perhaps may think, that it ought to be interpreted univerfally, as extending to all, the Rich, as well as the Poor j infomuch that they ought neither of them to eat, if they will not work. But fuch an Interpretation does not tall in with the Defign of the Apoflle in this Place. For he is here fpeaking, not of thofe who are able, without Labour, to maintain themfelves ; but of poor People, who, if they won't work, mull have their Expectations of Relief from the Charities cf ethers, Not for encouraging Induftry, &5V. j Not but that it is a fhameful Thing for any to eat the Bread of Idlenefs. If Perfons pofTefs ever fo great an Abun- dance, this gives them no Licence to be lazy. They may indeed reafonably exempt themfelves from the lower and more fervile Parts of Bufmefs : But flill they ought not to be idle. Indulged habitual Idlenefs is a Reproach to any Man, whether lie be high or low, rich or poor. We were made for Bufmefs. Both our Souls and Bodies are fo con- flicted, as that Exercife is a great and necefTary Means to keep them in an healthful and vigorous State ; and without it we fhall foon contract a flrange Hebetude of Mind, as well as Inability of Body to all the Functions of Life. If the great and rich would but thoroughly realize this, it might happily tend to lefTen their love of Eafe, and put them upon Activity and Diligence in the Employment of their Time and Powers to fome or other of the valuable Purpofes of Life. But the Rich, as I faid, are not the Perfons the Apoflle has here to do with, but the Poor ; whofe Circumftances in the World are fuch as that, if they won't work, they have nothing to depend on but the Charities of their Friends and Neighbours. And it is with refpect to this kind of Per- fons, in fpecial, that the Apoflle has commanded, if any zuillnot work, neither fiould he eat. " And the Manner in which he has worded the Com- mand is obfervable, and clearly afcertains its true Mean- ing. If any JV1LL not work. Thofe that will not work, not thofe that cannot, are the Perfons here pointed out. Such among the Poor as are willing to work, but can't get Employment, are not the Perfons fecluded from the Bread of Charity. Neither are they retrained from eating of this Bread, who would be willing to work, but are incapable of Labour, by Reafon of Sicknefs, or Lamenefs, or the De- cays of an infirm old Age. As for difabled Perfons*, it was never the Defign of the Apoflle to command, that, if any would rot work, rcither fhould they eat: No; tho' their Incapacity for Labour was brought upon them by their own Follies and Vices. It is very unhappy indeed when this is the Cafe, as, God knows, it too often is. And fuch Perfons have infinite Reafon to look % ^Sermon preached before the Society look back upon their paft mad and finful Conduct with Grief and Shame : But yet, if they are really unable to do any Thing, in a way of Labour, towards their owrt Sup- port, they are by no means to be neglected. They are, in common, with other difabled Perfons, the proper "Objects of Charity, the Poor of this. World, concerning whom it is the Will of God, that they fhould be pitied and help'd. And the, Rich fhould look upon themfelves obliged to fhew Companion towards them. If any fhould y*? a Brother or Sifler, of this Character, naked, and dejlitute of daily Foody they fhould not only fay to them, depart in Peace, be ye warm- ' ed and filled, but give them thofe Things which are needful to the Body; fuiting their Charities to their particular Wants and Circumflances. But we are under no fuch Obligations with refpect to the Other Sort of poor People, thofe who can work, but won't j who may have Work to do, ai\d have Activity of Body to do it, but no Will to employ themfelves in Labour. Con- cerning thefe Poor, it is the Command of an infpired Apoflle, that they fhall not eat, i. e. fhall not be maintained at the Charge of others ; fhall not live upon the Charities of their Chriflian Friends and Brethren. Some, perhaps, may think this a very unreafonable Com- mand. Doubtlefs, it will be complained of as hard and fevere by the indolent and lazy among the Poor. But it is really one of the mofl equitable Commands ; a Com- mand founded on (o much Reafon and Juflice, yea, and Goodnefs too, that not a Word can fairly be objected againfl it. And this leads me, as was propofed, II. Irt the fecond Place, to fay what may be thought fufficient to juflify this Command of the Apoflle, and point out its Reafonablenefs, Equity and Goodnefs. And the follow- ing Things may be briefly offered to this Purpofe. r. The eflablifhed Laws of Nature are fuch as render it impoffible, that Mankind fhould be fupported, if they are generally lazy. Our Bodies are fo made as conflantly to require Food and Raiment: Nor can thefe NecefTaries be fupplied but by Labour. The Conveniencies and Com- forts of Life are more numerous, and require flill greater for encouraging Induflry, &c. £ Care and Pains. The Almighty, it is true, if he had feen fit, could have maintained the humane Race, without the Concurrence of any Endeavours of their own, by making Nature fo rich and fruitful, in every refpect, as to h.ave rendered Art ufelefs, and Induflry fuperfluous. But he has ordered Matters otherwife ; and, no doubt, for wife and good Reafons. Our Food does not fpring out of the Earth without Culture ; neither does our Raiment natural- ly grow on us, as it does on the inferiour Creatures. The Birds of the Air jow not ; neither do the Lillies of the Field toil or fpin : But we are obliged to do both. The efla- blifhed Order of Nature is fuch, as that, if we don't, we mufl unavoidably fuffer, if not perifh, for want of Food to eat, and Raiment to put on. Now if Labour is thus necefTary for the Support of Life, it is contrary to all Reafon, that thofe fhould eat the Bread of Charity who won't work, while yet they have Ability therefor. What Right have the lazy and in- dolent, who are both healthy and flrong, to live on the Fruits of other Men's Labour ? Wherein lies the Fitnefs of this ? If without Labour the World can't fubfifl, for any to fit idle, depending upon a Supply from other Men's Induflry, is certainly incongruous to an high Degree. Why (hould fome Men labour and toil to get Bread for thofe who are as able to work as they are, but chufe rather to fpend their Time in doing nothing ? The Suppofition is abfurd. It is not fair; it favours neither of Reafon nor Juftice, that the diligent and laborious fhould, by their Bounties, relieve the Wants of thofe, who are poor and needy, not thro' Incapacity for Bodily Exertions, but be- caufe they are fluggifh and idle. 2. The pofitive Will of God has appointed Labour the Means in order to a Livelihood in the World. To this Purpofe are thofe Words of the Almighty, which, tho* originally directed to Jdam, are yet obligatory upon all his Poflefity, Gen. 3. 19. In the Sweat of thy Face thou. fhalt eat Bread, Will thou return to the Ground. As this Ap- pointment of Heaven was publifhed after the Fall of Man, and as a Punifhment for Sin, it fhould feem as tho' hu- mane Labour had but an ignoble Original. And fo it B had, ao # Sermon preached before the Society }iad, if confidered as to Kind and Degree : But as to the Thing itfelf, it was as truly the Requirement of God from Man in his innocent, as in his lapfed State. Even Adam in Paradife was not fo wholly provided with every Thing by the fole Bounty of Nature, but that it was necefTary he fhould be employed in Labour. We therefore read, not only that he had Work to do in his innocent State, but What it was, namely, to drefs and keep the Garden of Eden, Gen. 2. 15. If therefore Sin had not entered into the World, Men would not have lived without Labour ; thoT it would have been of a nobler Kind, and in a lefi Degree. In thefe refpects, Sin has made a difference. We mufl now fweat and toil. Nature calls for this Sort of Labour, and will not furnifh us, upon any lower Terms, with fuch of her good Things as we fland in need of: ' And it is the exprefs JVM of God, that, in this Way, we fhould earn our Bread. Laborious Diligence is the Means by which he has ordained we fhould fupply ourfelves with Food, and other NecefTaries of Life. If any therefore indulge to Idlenefs, who have Ability for Labour, they virtually fet afide the Method God has been pleafed to direct to, and enjoin, in order to their be- ing fupported in Life. And is it reafonable they fhould be maintained in any other ? Is it fit, if Men won't work, when they can, that a different Way, from what the Wif- dom of God has inflituted, fhould be taken for their Supply with Bread ? And yet, by fupporting the needy in Idlenefs, We conflructively oppofe the Appointment of God, and fub- flitute a Method for their Maintenance of our own devi- ling. And is this reafonable ? Can it be juflified ? Ought Perfons to be maintained in plain Contempt of the Con- flitution of God ? I am fenfible, it has fometimes been pleaded, that, how- ever it might be in former Days, the Cares of Religion now, in a great Meafure, fuperfede the Affairs of the World; infomuch that if Men neglect their temporal Bufmefs, pro- ■' vided they do it that they may have Time to attend on the Spiritual Concerns of their Souls and another World, they ought to be confidered and helped ; and that it is a Chriflian Duty to fupport fuch pious Perfons upon the Bread of Charity, A for eiici8^^InaH^^;:"*i'-^r A fpecioiis Pretence this for-Idje'n^s, in contempt of the Government of God; but a-^feryl.poor one; as bet- ing founded on intirely wrong Ndfefcift' of the Chriflian Religion, which requires its ProfefTors, not only to mind the Things of another World, but the Affairs of this alfo. And it is particularly obfervable, Chriflianity is fo far from allowing Men to be flothful in the Bufmefs of their pro- per Callings, that it has reinforced the Law of Labour given to Adam, and in him to all Mankind, by adopting it into its Scheme of Morals. Says Paul, the Apoflle of Jefus Chrifl, addreffing himfelf to the Theffalonians, and in them to all Chriflians, We command and exhortx by our Lord Jefus Chrifl, that with ghiietnefs they work, and eat their own Bread \ as we read in the 12th v. of my Context. Very obferva- ble is the Manner, in which thefe Words are delivered, We command, and exhort, by our Lord Jefus Chrifl. He does not fatisfy himfelf with exhorting only; but he com- mands. And he does it by our Lord Jefus Chrifl, i. e. by his Authority, as commimoned, and empowered by him. So that whofoever, in this Article, defpifeth, defpifeth not Man, but God; for here the Contempt does finally termi- nate, as our Saviour himfelf has taught us, in Luke 10. 16. He that defpifeth you, defpifeth me j and he that defpifeth me, defpifeth him that fent me. Induflrious Labour is therefore the Law of Chriflianity. Inflead of altering this Method appointed by God, from the Beginning, for the Support of Life, the Gofpel has confirmed it. So that Idlenefs is a Reflection upon the go- verning Wifdom and Authority of God under the Qhriflian% as well as former Difpenfations. And to fupport Man in Sloth, tho' they fhould difguife their Guilt under the Co- ver of the mod pious Pretences, is a virtual fetting up our own Wifdom in oppofition to the Wifdom of God, and fubverting the Method he has eflablifhed, both in the nature of Things, and by pofitive Revelation, for the fupply of Man- kind with the NecefTaries and Conveniences of Life. 3. The Command, in my Text, is founded on the publick Good. For there cannot be a flourifhing People, without Labour. It is by Improvement in Arts and Trade, that they muft grow in Weahi:, and Power, and become "" J B 2 pWM >iz if Sermon preached before the Society poffeffed of the various Emoluments tending to the Bene- fit and Pleafure- of Life ; and thefe Arts take their Rife from, and are carried on by, the Ijrtduflry of particular Perfons. And this is fo evident, that while fome Nations have increafed in Riches, and Grandeur, and Power, by being induflrious, tho' great Obflacles, and difcouraging Difficulties have flood in the Way ; others, thro' Sloth and Indolence, have been kept low, and funk in Oblivion, tho' under great natural Advantages to have got into flou- xifhing Circumflances : Or, it may be, they have become a Prey to other more active and enterprifing Nations, who knew how to make a better Ufe of their Advantages. And the Truth is, the natural Advantages a People are fa-« voured with, whether for Hufbandry, Navigation, Fifhery, Manufactures, or any other Source of Wealth, will be, in a great Meafure, loft, and, as it were, thrown away upon them, without Labour and Induflry, in making a wife and good Ufe of them. The Athenians were fo fenfible of this, that Idlenefs, in that State, fubjected the guilty Perfon, whoever he was, to a Profecution at Law, as an Injury to the Common- Wealth : And they made Inquiry of each Man and Wo- man, qua Arte fe Alerent ? By what Trade they fupported themfelves ? And fo long ago as the Days of Pharaoh, it was taken for granted that a Man could not be without fome Occupation, or other. Hence that Queflion of his to yofeph's Brethren, upon their coming into Egypt, Gen. 47. 3. What is your Occupation ? The Law, in my Text, is therefore connected with the publick Good; as it tends to encourage Induflry, by reflraining us from Diflributions to the lazy and flothful. And it is indeed a great Hurt to a Community, when pri- vate Perfons difpenfe their Charities to fuch, among the poor, as keep themfelves fo by an Indulgence to Idlenefs, while yet they are able to work. For the Public lofes the whole Benefit of the Labour of thofe, who are thus fup- yorted in Idlenefs; and not only fo, but is liable to fuffer all the Inconveniencies which are to be looked for, in Con- fequence of their indulging to Sloth, and doing nothing. And it is ©bfervable, the 4p°/ll* had it particularly in his for encouraging Induftry, &?<:. %$ his View to guard againft thefe public Inconveniencies, when he gave the Command in my Text. Hence he adds, in the Words that immediately follow, giving the Reafon, at leaft one Reafon, of the Command, For we have heard, that there are fame among you which walk diforderly, working not at all; but are Bufy-bodies. You obferve, thefe Perfons who did not work, and were the' Occafion of the Command in the Text, were dif- orderly. And this, in a Senfe, is always the Cafe. When- ever Perfons are idle, they are diforderly : For an idle Life is, in the whole of it, a Diforder. It fubverts the Order God has eflablifh'd for the Support of Mankind, and would introduce another Method of Livelihood than that, infinite Wifdom has contrived and appointed. Nor is this the only Senfe in which idle Perfons are diforderly. They are too often Tempters to others to negleSi their Bufmefs. Having none of their own, and being in- clined to none, they endeavour to find, or, if they can't do that, to make Perfons as idle as themfelves, to the great Detriment of the Public, and, many Times, the intire Ruin of their Companions in Sloth. And who are fo much noted for the moral Diforders of Lying and Stea/ing, as thofe who have fettled into an Habit ofLazinefs? Their Lazinefs reduces them to Straits and Difficulties; and thefe, as the readiefl and eafieft Way to fupply their Wants, put them upon deceiving the kind and charitable by artfully invented Falfhoods, or elfe upon fecretly robbing them of their Money, or their Goods. And who more given to Tipling than the Perfons who have accuflomed themfelves to Idlenefs ? The Drones in a Place are commonly the People who doze away their Time and Senfes over their Cups, There are indeed no Diforders, but the idle are liable to them ; and their Danger lies in their Idlenefs. Were they diligently employed in Bufmefs of one Kind or another, their Thoughts and Time would be properly taken up; but having fettled into a Temper inclining them to fit idle and do nothing, they lie open to every Temptation, and are in danger of being betrayed into moral Diforders of every Kind. And thefe idle Perfons were not only diforderly, but Bufy- 14 A Se r m on preached before the Society Bufy-bodies. We hear there are fome who work not at all, but are Bufy-bodies. This may feem an Inconfiflency ; but it is moft commonly the Truth of the Cafe. None more ready to bufy themfelves in other Men's Matters, than thofe who neglect all Bufmefs of their own. Not mind- ing their own" Affairs, they have Leifure, and generally Inclination, to intrude into other Men's. Hence that Cha- racter of fome, in the Apoftolic Times, They learn to be idle; wandring about from Houfe to Houfe; and not only idle, but Tat- ters alfo, and Bufy-bodies, fpeaking Things which they ought not. l Tim. 5. 13. And none indeed are, ufually, more free with their Tongues than idle Perfons; none wander more Ebout from Houfe to Houfe ; none are more ready to meddle in Things which don't belong to them j acting in the Sphere of others,,tho' they won't in their own. And I need not fay that this intermeddling in other Men's Con- cerns, greatly tends to public Hurt;—for it kindles Con- tention, creates Feuds and Animofities ; and is indeed a main Scource of that Variance and Strife, which diflurb the Peace of Society. And is it any Wonder, when Idlenefs is connected with fuch Damage to the Public, which might be as much be- nefitted by Induflry, that we fhould be reflrained from fup- porting thofe who won't work, thro' Slothfulnefs of Difpo- fition ? It is certainly a moft reafonable Reflraint : And the Command that lays it, is fo far from being hard and unjufl, that it kindly and equitably confults the public Good. And it is an Honour to the Chriflan Religion, that it can boaft of this, and a great many other Commands, which, the more critically they are examined, the more wife and equitable they appear to be. 4. The Command we are confidering is admirably a- dapted to promote private as well as public Good. For induftrious Labour is the Way for Individuals, as well as Communities, to thrive and flourifh. Men, it is true, may come to the pofTeffion of Wealth by Inheritance. But Wealth, even in this Cafe, was originally the Purchafe of Labour; and it is only in this Way, that it can be im- proved to Advantage. Idlenefs naturally tends to Wafle^ and will, in Time, reduc* the greateft Eftate to no- thing. for encouraging Induftry, He. x$ thing. But however it be as to Men of Subflance, thofe, who have their Fortunes to make, mufl certainly take Pains. They may as well expeft to be learned without Study, as to be rich without Diligence. If a Man's Cir- cumflances are low, he can rife and profper in no other Way, but that of Induflry. To this Purpofe are thofe Proverbs of Solomon, Ch. 10. v. 4. He becometh poor that dealeth with a flack Hand: Bui the Hand of the diligent maketh rich. And in the 12th Ch. v. 24. Tl)e Hand of the diligent fhall bear Rule : But the fothful fhall be under Tri- bute. And fo necefTary an expedient is Diligence in or- der to Wealth, that if Men are idle, they will unavoidably be poor. Hence that Obfervation of the wife Man, Prov. 23. 21. Drowfmefs fhall clothe a Man with Rags. And again, Ch. 24. 30. 31. 34. / went by the Field of the fothful, and by the Vineyard of the Man void of Underfanding : And lo, it was all grown over with Thorns, and Nettles had cover- ed the Face thereof, and the Stone-wall thereof was broken down, —So fhall thy Poverty come as one that traroelleth, and thy JVant as an armed Man. And it is obfervable, one of* the Argu- ments the Apoflle Paul ufes, to enforce the Duty of La- bour, upon the flothful among the Theffalonians, is its Ten- dency to fupply their Wants, fo as that they fhould have no Lack of outward good Things. 1. Theff. 4. 10, 12. We befeech you, Brethren, to do your own Bufmefs, and to work with your own Hands—that ye may have lack cf nothing. Induflrious Labour is, you fee, in the Apoflle'$ Opinion, an effectual Expedient to prevent Want. If Perfons are idle, they may expect to be needy : Whereas, if they do their own Bufmefs,. and work with their own Hands, they will have lack of nothing ; nothing for their Supply either with NecefTaries or Conveniencies. It is therefore for every Man's private Intcrefl, that the Apoflle has commanded, if any will not work, neither fhall he eat. And indeed charitable Donations, fupplyino- the needy without Labour, inflead of being a Kindnefs, is a real and great DifTervice to them ; as it tends to fettle them in Idlenefs. For if idle People find, that they can be fupported by the Charities of others, inflead of employ- ing themfelves in Labour, they will indulge to Sloth, 'till it it? A Sermon preaehed before the Society it becomes their habitual permanent Temper; than which there is not a more certain Prefage of their Ruin. Fof Idlenefs naturally and powerfully tends to keep Men in Poverty, or to reduce them to it. If they are low in the World, it will unavoidably keep them fo : and if they pof- fefs Eflates, it will foon wafte them away, or fink them into nothing. Nor is this the only bad Effect of Idlenefs. It has a flrange Influence to enfeeble the Powers both of Mind and Body, and render Men ufelefs to themfelves as Well as others. Befides all which, it is the great Inlet to all manner of Wickednefs, and tends to corrupt Men's Mo- rals, and make them Scourges to themfelves, as well as Plagues to Society. It is therefore a real and great Hurt, not only to the Publick, but to private Perfons, individually confidered, to fuppoft them in Sloth ; and the Command, in ray Text, retraining us herefrom, is therefore an In- flance, not of Severity, but of Love and Kindnefs to them. ( I have now faid what may be thought fufficient to juftify the Apoflle % Command, by fhewing that it is fo far from being arbitrary and unreafonable, that it is connected, in the Nature of Things, with the Good of Mankind, con- fidered both individually, and as coalescing in Society, and carries in it all the Marks of Faimefs, Equity, and Good- nefs. III. It remains now, in the laft Place, that I make fome fuitable Application of what has been difcourfed. And, was it upon another Occafion, I fhould befpeak the poor, thofe among them efpecially who are idle, in the Language of the Apoflle, in the Verfe but one following my Text, exhorting and commanding them by our Lord Jefus Chrifl, that with quietnefs they work, and eat their own Bread:—-But confidering the Defign of our being together at this Time, with the Character"of the Perfons here con- vened, it may be more proper to confine my Difcourfe to the rich j who are as truly concerned in the great Gofpel Command we have been illuftrating, as the poor. You are hereby, my Brethren, reftrained as to the Diftrt* butionofyour Charity; nos being allowed to difpenfe it pro- for encouraging Induflry, &c, tf promifcuoufly, but obliged to take due Care to find out fuitable Objects ; diflinguifhing properly between thofe nee- dy People who are able, and thofe who are unable, to employ themfelves in Labour. You can fcarce be too liberal in your Charities to thofej who^- in the Providence of God, are reduced to Straits, not thro' Slothfulnefs, but real Incapacity for Work. The Chriftian Law, requiring Charity, was made with a fpe- cial View to this Kind of needy People: and you may, under no Pretence, fhut up the Bowels of your Compaffi- on againfl the Cry of their Wants. Charity is the Way, the infinitely benevolent God has ordained for the fupply of their Neceffities. And you fhould be ready, in this Way, to minifler to their Relief, according to your Abili- ty, and as you have Opportunity. But it is fuperfluous to urge you upon this Head ; for, as touching charitable Miniflrations to the truly necejfttous, we may even boafl of this Town. The good Lord reward into their Bofom, an hundred fold, all the KindnefTes they have fhewn to the diftrefled, efpecially in the late Day of general Calamity. But tho' you can't be too generous in your Charities to the poor, yet, as I faid, you muft take Care to diflinguifh between them. For as to them who can, but won't, work ; who have Ability for Labour, but no Difpofition, you are reflrained from fupporting them in Idlenefs. The Com- mand in my Text is plainly a Statute of Heaven, tying up your Hands from Charitable Diftributions to the flothful poor. And, fo far as appears to me, it would be an evi- dent Breach of the Law of the Gofpel, as well as of Na- ture, to beftow upon thofe the Bread of Charity, who might earn and eat their own Bread, if they did not fhamefully idle away their Time. This, if I miflake not, is both a feafonable and impor- tant Truth ; and if it were duly attended to, there would not be fo much mifplaced Charity, as that certainly is, which is given to meer Drones. Many fuch there have been among us ; and perhaps it may be too much owing to the un- diflinguifh'd Kindnefs and Companion of the Benevolent, that they have fo increafed upon us, to the great Detriment vf the Public ; which is intirely deprived of the Labour of C great 18 /Sermon preached before the Society great Numbers, who, inflead of living upon the Charity of others, might eat their own Bread. It is to be hoped, there will be a better Care taken upon this Head for the Time to come; and the rather, as there is now a Way wherein the charitably inclined may be affifting even to thefothful among the poor. They may be thus helpful to them by their Donations to flrengthen the Society, not long fince formed, for encouraging Induflry, and employing the Poor. ( My Text evidently countenances the formation of fuch a Society ; the Defign whereof is one and the fame with that of the Apoflle Paul, who delivered the Command con- tained in it, viz. the putting poor People, who are able, upon maintaining themfelves by their own Labour and Induflry, conformable to the Conflitution of Nature, and the Ap- pointment of God from the beginning of the World. And in what more proper Way can we fhew Kindnefs to the poor of this Sort, than by contributing to fuch a generous Defign of fetting them to Work, that with quiet- nefs they may Labour, and, as the Fruit thereof, eat their own Bread. We fhall herein concur with the infinitely good God himfelfj who does not give Men Food and Raiment, and other NecefTaries immediately from Heaven, but by adding his Bieffing to their laborious Induflry. As this Society has not fubfifted for any long Time, it cannot reasonably be fuppofed* they fhould have accom- plifhed any great Things : And yet, more a great deal has been effected, than Strangers to the Execution of their Scheme may be ready to, imagine. „ According to the Information I have received, fome thoufands of Yards of good Linen Cloth have been already fitted for Market;; a Specimen whereof, you have there before your Eyes. And it is eafy to determine, that, in order to this, Employ muft have been given to a very confiderable Number of La- bourers, in raifing Flax, in preparing it for the"Wheel, in fpinning it into Thread, and then in weaving it into Cloth. Some hundreds of Women and Children have, by this Means, been kept at Work, whereby they have done a great deal towards fupplying themfelves with Bread, to the eafing the Town of its Burthen in providing for the poor. Arrd, as one good Effect of the fetting up this Linen /^encouraging Induflry, &fr. 19 Linen Manufacture, it may with Truth be faid, there i*3 now to be found, in the Town, many a virtuous married Woman, and young Maiden (fome Inftances whereof are there prefented to your Y'ew) who may be characterized in the Words of Solomon, She feeketh'Flax, and worketh wiU lingly with her Hands. She layeth her Hands to the Spindle, and her Hands hold the Diflaff. She inaketh fine Linen, and felleth it to the Merchant. Perhaps, fcarce any Defign of this Nature has afforded a more hopeful Profpect in its Beginning, notwithflanding its Interruption, for a confiderable Time, by the late ge~* neral Prevalence of the Small-Pox ; and, if duly encoura- ged, and vigoroufly profecuted, there is good Reafon to think, it will foon become extenfive in its Ufefulnefs j finding Employ for great Numbers*, efpecially among the Female Poor, both Women and Children, and by this Means enabling them to affiil in the fupport of the Fa- milies to which they belong, to the great Advantage of the Community. It is indeed a Scheme, fo far as I am able to judge, well calculated to promote Induflry, and, its Com-* panion, Frugality ; than which nothing will more power- fully tend to deliver us from that Poverty to which we are reduced by our Idlenefs and Extravagance. And every one concerned for the Good of his Country rnuft be fenfible, it is high Time to lend an helping Hand towards the bringing into Effect every wife Projection to raife us out of the low Condition we are in, and make us a fkm- rifhing People. It will, perhaps, be urged by fome, that the fetting up the Linen Manufacture is too great an Undertaking for fo poor and fmall a People, and an unwife one, at this Time, when the Price of Labour runs fo high. But as poor and fmall as we are, we need Linen of moft Sorts, and can't do without it. And if, notwithftau.iing th.» higii Price of Labour, we can make it ouriclves fo as that \\ fhall turn out cheaper than if we imported it from abroad, as it is now known by Experience that we can, it is cer- tainly a Point of Wifeom. to do fo : And the rather, 3* thofe may be employed, to gof;d Puipc-fe, in this Branch of Bufmefs (Children in particular) whv Have Invito '■lp A Sermon preached before the Society been fuffered in a great Meafure, to fpend their Time tea much in Idlenefs. And it ought farther to be confidered, there is no Manufacture our Soil and Climate are better fitted to encourage the fetting up, and endeavouring to cul- tivate and bring to Perfection, than the Linen. And, as this is not the Staple Manufaclure of Great Britain, we have Reafon to hope they will flrengthen us in it. To be fure, it looks as tho' it would be for their Intereft to do fo, as, in Time, if it fhould extend it felf thro' this province, and the neighbouring Colonies, and be brought to any confiderable Degree of Perfection, it might, in a good Meafure, fupply them with what they are now obliged Ho pay their Money for to other Nations. Others, it may be, may fear, if this Manufacture fhould be encouraged, and fucceed, that it might hurt them in their Trade abroad, by lefTening the Demand for, or lowering the Price of, the Linen, they import for Sale. But fuch are evidently too much under the government of a felfifh Sphit to be regarded in this Matter. And in- deed, if their Fears are juflly grounded, there cannot be a flronger Argument, fo far as we confult the public Weal, to let forvyard the prefect Scheme with the utmoft Vigour ; as the profefTed Intention of it is, the Good of the Community, and not the private Intereft of zny indivi- dual Perfon whatfoever. There may be flill others, who may think much of the Expence that mufl attend the effectual carrying this De- fign into Execution, and imagine it better it fhould drop than be fupported at any confiderable Charge. But what Projection of this Nature was ever formed, but upon the $uppofition of Charge in executing it to Purpofe, in the Beginning ? The only proper Queftion is, Whether this is a likely Scheme, under proper Cultivation, to counter- balance, with Advantage, the Expence necefTary in order to its taking Effect ? And there does not feem tQ be much jjloom for Debate upon the Point, thus flated- The Linen ManUfatliire has proved a noble Scource of Wealth to, other People. And why may not we reap the like Benefit jrom it ? Our natural Advantages to carry it on are well adapted to the Purpofe, Wo are in thefe Rcfpects, ex- * CGcdci for encouraging Induftry, &c. %'t eeeded by no People on the Earth. And if it be not our own Fault, we may foon find our Account in the Pro- fecution of this Branch of Bufmefs. It will certainly, if not neglected, or difcouraged, fave a great deal of that, which is now exported, either in Money, or other Things, to purchafe the Linen that is necefTarily confumed in the Country ; befidts which, it will employ a great many needy idle People, who inflead of being fupported by private Cha- rities, or public Taxes levied for that Purpofe, may be fed and clothed with the Fruit of their own Labour; by Means whereof, inflead of continuing burthenfome, they will be- come ufeful and valuable, Members of the Community. And thefe Advantages alone, if there were no other, are fufficient to juftify the prefent Undertaking, as a very wife and good one. Upon the whole, it is not eafy to conceive, but that everv Lover of his Country fhould wifh God-Speed to this diun- terefted Scheme for its Welfare : Nor is it doubted, but that many will affift, by their Donations, towards its be- ing vigoroufly carried more and more into Effect. It is indeed a difficult Day. We are in a low impoverifh'd Condition. But this is a Confederation powerfully fuited, not to fhut, but to open wide, both the hearts and Hands of thofe who have Ability to help forward the prefent De- fign ; as it was at firft projected, and then entered upon, directly with a View to relieve us under our Poverty, by opening a new §cource of Induftry, well adapted to better our Circumflances, and that can't well fail of doing fo, if properly encouraged, and wifely improved. It is to be hoped therefore, the Gentlemen, to whom it. is principally owing, that we have a Linen Manufacture now fet up, and fo far under Improvement, as to exhibit fenfible Proof of its being 3 capable Fund of rich Advan- tage to the Public, will continue their Supfcription, till it has got more Strength, and is better able to fupport it felf. The fame Benevolence of Spirit, which at firft prompted you to encourage fo ufeful a Defign, will power- fully urge you to go on doing fo, that it may, at length, get fo well eftablifh'd, as to be in no Danger of coming to nothing. £e net wary of well doing ; for ye foil reap if ye faint not% \ I'S 22 ASekmok preached before the Society The Society here prefent gratefully acknowledge the Help they received the laft Year, in this Place, not only from the Subfcribers, but other well difpofed Perfons ; whonviH now alfo have an Opportunity, if they pleafe, to contri- bute towards the farther carrying on of their good De- fign. And this I can heartily, and would earneftly, re- commend to every one profeffing a Love to his Country, in proportion to his Circumflances. You cannot, my Brethren, be too liberal in your Donations upon this Oc- eafion. For what you give for the encouragement of In- duftry, and the Relief of the poor, as the Effect of their own Labour, you may depend is well-placed Charity, Even God himfelf exercifes his Benevolence towards Men conformably to the great Law of Induflry. And can you have a better Pattern f It is indifputably kinder and wifer to beftow your Money to encourage and enable poor Peo- ple, according to the Law of their Nature, and the Law of God, to feed and clothe themfelves by their own Labour and Induftry, than to fupport them in Idlenefs and Ufe- lefsnefs. And this is the Method of Charity you are now invited to. And if only a Part of that Charity might be put into the Hands of this Society, which has been for- merly loft and thrown away, by being bellowed on Drones, who are Burdens, without Profit, to the Community ; it would enable them to go upon this Defign with Spirit, and to profccute it with fuch Vigour, as that it would probably foon gain Strength, fo as to convince us all by Expe- rience, that a noble Scource of Riches was thereby laid open, within ourfelves, fufficient to raife us out of our prefent Poverty, and make us a happy and flourifhing People. The good God profper this, and all other Schema that may be projected for fo deferable an End, Amen, and Amen, F 1 N I S. C*3 > The Reafons for forming the Society, to whom the preceeding Sermon was preached, as originally pub- lished by themfelves. jt/HEREAS it is found by Experience, that this Pro* " vince is not adapted for raifmg Sheep, by reafon of our long and tedious Winters ; and therefore the In- habitants have been and muft forever continue to be un- der a Neceffty of importing large Quantities of Woollen Goods from our Mother Country, Great Britain, which with Pewter, Brafs, and other Commodities bro't from thence, that we cannot fubfft without, nor produce our- felves, will require all we can procure for Exportation to make Returns : And inafmuch as confiderable Sums are yearly exported to purchafe Linens, that are not the Produce or Manufaclure of Great Britain, but im- ported there from Germany, Holland, &c. and which this Province is very capable to Produce and Manufac- ture ; and, if done, would be much for the Benefit of our Mother Country, as well as our felves, as it would enable us to apply our Exports to pay for Woollen and other Goods their Produce, and employ our own Women and Children, who are now in a great meafure idle : -----For thefe Reafons, a Number of Gentlemen have formed themfelves into a voluntary Society, by the Name and Title of, The Society for encouraging Induf- try and employing the Poor.----And we do hereby invite all well-difpofed charitable Perfons to join in promoting the good Ends 'above-mentioned. THE C*4 J *T"HE many Advantages arifmg From a well regu- lated Society of this Sort, as they ate exceeding apparent, fo it is prtfum'd the Defign will meet with a chearful Reception, and excenflve Encouragement. ——In the prefent State of this Province, we are not perhaps in a Condition greatly to enlarge our Ex- . ports, it becomes neceffary therefore, that by all pru- dent Methods we contrive as much as pofilble to lefTen our Import. This will be confiderably effect- ed, by promoting a Linen Manufacture ; for which it is computed that £. 50,000 Sterling are annually fent to Europe, when at the fame Time it may be carried on to fuch Advantage, as that Linen of all Sorts may be made cheaper among ourfelves, as is now found by Experience.—Bcfides, the Hufbmd- man will from hence receive ^ Encouragement for raifing of Flax, to which the Lands in this Pro- vince are known to be well adapted, and fo a new Source of Riches laid open to that ufeful and necef- fary Body of Men, extracted in the moft natural and unenvied Way, as being the Product of our own Soil : Hereby alfo fundry Trad'efmen and Handi- crafts will receive further Employment; fuch as the Makers of Looms, Spinning Wheels, Heckles, Reels, and the like ; but the moft immediate Advantage is that,, which will arife from the Employment of the Poor, at prefent a great Burthen to this Community, by the heavy Taxes levy'd for their Support. Ma- ny Thoufands of thefe may be employ'd in this fingle Manufacture, and taught not only to fupport themfelves, but to become ufeful and valuable Mem- bers of the Community. By this Means the Price of Labour, fo much and juftly complained of, will gradually bs kffcn'd, as more Hands will be in- duftrioufly duftrioufly employ'd •, the Poor will be decently cloath'd, and fed with the Fruits of their own Dili- gence 5 the publick Taxes abated, and in general a Spirit of Frugality, Induftry and Virtue will proba- ^ bly take place among us. This Town has remarkably fignalized its felf, Fot , its Charity and Compafiion to the Poor % who for fome Years paft have been an encreafmg Burthen, and yet the Supplies that afe annually furnifh*d, are very far from being an adequate Relief to their Ne- cefiities 5 and what is worfe, there is no Profpect of diminifhing this Burthen in the prefent Way of dif- tributing our Charity 5 on the contrary, it muft be expected to increafe by the continual Addition of new Objects, from which nothing but their Death will be likely to releafe us, while a new Succeffion of them will daily prefent themfelves in the' Room of thofe, who are at reft from their Miferies: Every Man of Senfe muft fee, and every Lover of his Country will deplore the Calamities that muft arife from increafing Poverty, Idlenefs and Vice 5 but every Chriftian will feel the Miferies of fuch a State, almoft as if they were his own, and be uneafy till fome Method be entered upon, for, providing an effectual Remedy againft them.-----Temporary Me- thods of Relief are very commendable, till fome- thing better can be eftablifhed -, but thefe are of the Nature of Palliatives only ; it muft be a lafting and permanent Scheme, that may be expected to reach the Root of this Malady : The Linen Manu- facture, when thoroughly underftood, will appear to be fuch a Scheme, and under proper Cultivation will, it is apprehended, enlarge it felf into a noble De- fign, fo as nor. only to yiejd prefent Relief to great D Num- lumbers of poor People, but by gradually extend- ing it felf to all Parts of the Province, feems to pro- mife a perpetual Eftablilhment ; and if it be enter'd upon with a« proper Spirit, and vigoroufly fupported in the Beginning, it will foon add a new Branch of Riches to the Province, will cloath the naked, find Bread for the hungry, and Employment for the idle. TN hopes of accomplishing the good Ends above- mentioned, and depending upon the Bleffing of - Almighty GOD, to give Succefs to the Under- taking, we the Subfcribers do promife to pay unto hereby appointed Treafurer to us the Subfcribers, ■within one Month from the Date of thefe Pre- fents, the Sums annexed to our refpective NameSj, for promoting and carrying on a Linen Manufac- ture, and fuch other Manufactures, as the Society ihali hereafter think proper to encourage. We likewife promife to pay quarterly the Sums fub- fcribed by us, as they (hall become due, untij we fhall giye Notice to the Society of oue Defire to be excufed. TflO , :<-".-ii ■'.'';.:' ■■: "'M