Vol. I. Idol of the World juft fuch another thing as an Idol of the Egyptians: ev'ry thing about him full of State and Worship; but himself, a Monky, a Crocodile, or fome other the moft contemptible of Creatures. Such a thing, I fay, is, Nabal in himfelf: for how gawdy and glittering foever his Fortune were his Luxury and Riot, yet Sordidnefs and Inhumanity; Vanity and Oftentation; Sowrnefs and Churlifhnefs; in in one word, Wilfulness and Pride, Self-love, Sottishness and Folly, make up his Character; and Shame and Deformity conftitute the very Effence of his Soul. All which I might infer from this fingle action of his, his Aufwer to the Request of David; and that at a time when his Soul, if ever capable of it, might have been prefum'd enlarg'd and fet free from Cares and Covetoufnefs, from Morofenefs, and Churlifhnefs. For 'tis faid, v. 36. He held a Feaft in his Houfe like the Feast of a King; and his Heart was merry within him. But we need not form our judg ment of him by Inferences. His Wife and his Servants, who certainly knew him beft, give us a very wretched account of him. A Servant giving his Miftrefs a Relation of what paft between him and David's young men, concludes

it with this very fevere Reflection, Our Serm. 8. Mafter is fuch a Son of Belial, that a Man cannot speak to him, v. 17. And his Wife reprefents him to David, as a Man not worth his anger; telling him, that Nabal in all he had done, had but acted like himfelf: and that he might as well be angry with an Afs for braying, or a Cur for fnarling, as with Nabal for Ingratitude, Sordidness or Railing. Let not my Lord, I pray thee, regard this Man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his NAME, fo is he, NABAL is his Name, and FOLLY is with him, v. 25. Having thus impartially reprefented David and Nabal, give me leave to make two or three Reflections on their different Characters and Fortunes: which may I hope, in fome meafure, contribute to promote the defign of this Solemnity.

First then, I believe there is not a wealthy Perfon prefent, who wou'd not account it an honour, a happiness, to be a Patron and Benefactor to fuch a Supplicant as David; and yet, I doubt, many may prove deaf and impregnable to whatever I can fay in behalf of thofe for whom I plead this day. This, I muft

tell

you, is a grofs miftake. The Cause of Charity is ever honourable and important, whatever the Supplicant be. The

Safety

Vol. I. Safety of our Country, the Honour of Religion, and the Salvation of Souls, have a great interest in our Alms. Charity, as it is the greateft, fo is it the Lovelieft of all the Vertues of the Gofpel: and by confequence as nothing adds greater Luftre and Ornament to our Religion, fo nothing is more apt to reconcile Sinners to an Elteem for it, or to prevail with God to preserve both it and us. If this don't prove what I aim at, I must carry the matter a little further; and tell you, that those towards whom I implore your Bowels of Compaffion, are greater than David; they are Chriftians, Difciples of Jefus, the Children of God, and Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven: And being fo, you will not be furprized at my Affertion when you call to mind the words of our Saviour concerning John the Baptift, Matt. II. II. Verily Ifay unto you, among them that are born of Women there hath not rifen a greater than John the Baptift: Notwithstanding he that is the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, is greater than he. And yet I muft advance a little higher ftill, and put you in mind, that fo clofe is the union betwixt Christ, and

his

poor needy Members, that they fuftain his Person, and in them you confer your Alms upon him. This is the plain Do

Єtrine of our Mafter Mat. 25. for there Serm. 7. he tells us, that when he shall appear in the glory of his Father, with his Holy Angels, at the laft day, and all Nations fhall be gather'd before him, he fhall fay unto the Righteous, Come ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepar'd for you from the foundation of the World: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a ftranger, and ye took me in, naked, and ye cloathed me; I was fick, and ye vifited me; I was in Prifon, and ye came to me. Then fball the Righteous answer him, saying Lord, when faw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When Saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or when faw we thee naked, and cloathed thee? Or when faw we thee fick or in prifon, and came unto thee? And the King fball answer, and fay unto them, Verily, I fay unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the leaft of thefe my Brethren, have done it unto me.

ye

This being fo, the Argument by which David endeavour'd to move Nabal, that he had been a guard, and a wall about all that he had, and that other foft Infinuation, give Ipray thee, unto thy Servants and unto thy Son David, fall infinitely short of those which every poor Christian has

Vol. I. a right to make ufe of: Give to him, who has redeem'd, who has preferv'd not thy Substance, but thy Soul give to him, who lov'd thee, and died for thee, that he might refcue thee from the captivity and bondage of the Devil, from the Corruptions of thy Nature and the Wrath ofGod; and restore thee to his Favour, to the Vertue,and theGlory, to the Liberty and Immortality of the Sons of God. And indeed every Chriftian does in effect, attack thee with all thefe paffionate Arguments,as often as he makes known hisNeceffities to

thee, and importunes thy Compaffion by our common Christianity, and the Name of our common Redeemer.

I'll leave thee to confider, what guilt thou doft contract as often as thou dost fcornfully and imperiously, barbarously, or uncharitably, reject his Petitions.

My next Reflection fhall be founded on the Character of Nabal, and 'tis this: That want of Charity is, generally, an Argument of want ofSenfe;as well as of true ReligionandVertue.'Tis an Argument ofwant of Senfe; for no part of a rich man's Fortune is fo advantageoufly employ'd, as that which is laid out inCharity. The meaner fort of People area wall and a guard about the wealthier, either in their Perfons or their Prayers: and the Tenderness of the Rich to thePoor is anObligation,not only on those

that