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Admonition, and I have done. These are first the Hypocrites, who do good Works for Applaufe and worldly Intereft, and level all these good Things at the carrying on fome worldly Defign or other. I defire fuch Perfons to confider what is fo plain in my Text, that all the Reward they have for these their good Works, is that Applaufe or worldly Intereft they gain; but that they have not the leaft Title to God's Favour, or to any Degree of Happiness in the World to come. He that does good Works for any other End than to please God, and benefit his Neighbour, and to fave his own Soul, will be mightily mistaken in the End, if he expects any Reward in Heaven. The other Part of my Exhortation thall be directed to a better Sort of People, namely, to them who with all Sincerity are ftudying to serve and please God, and have him principally before their Eyes in all the Good they do. And the Advice to them is short, that in regard other worldly By-ends are apt to mix themselves with their pious Intentions, they be upon their guard against them, that they admit them only as Acceffories, but not at all to fupplant or difplace their other better Designs or Purposes, or to intermit the doing of Good, when it happens to be deprived of thofe collateral worldly Encouragements.

The fhort Conclufion of all this Doctrine is, that the chief care of a Christian ought to be about his Heart; for that all Actions in the Sight of God take their Tincture and Complexion from it, and shall be rewarded accordingly; and therefore let us not only use our own utmost Endeavours to keep our Intentions pure, but pray to God for his ALfiftance in it, which we cannot do in better

Words

Words than in that collect of our Church, with which I fhall conclude.

Almighty God, unto whom all Hearts be open, all Defires known, and from whom no Secrets are bid; cleanfe the Thoughts of our Hearts by the Infpiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SER M.

II.]

SERMON II.

MATT. VI. 2.

Therefore when thou doft thine Alms, do not found a Trumpet before thee, as the Hypocrites do, in the Synagogues, and in the Streets, that they may have Glory of Men. Verily I fay unto you, they have their Reward.

Ver. 3. But when thou doft Alms, let not thy left
Hand know what thy right Hand doth.
Ver. 4. That thine Alms may be in fecret: and thy
Father which feeth in fecret, himself fhall Reward
thee openly.

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The First Sermon on this Text.

UR Saviour having in the first Verse of this Chapter, cautioned his Difciples that in general they should do their Righteousness, that is, their Duties and good Works, out of a pure Intention to ferve God and to promote his Honour and Glory, and not out of Oftentation or other selfish Defigns; comes now to branch out the fame Advice more particularly in three great Duties, Alms-giving, Prayer, and Fafting; which we are in the greatest Danger of corrupting by the Moth of Pride: Being all three Duties which the World defervedly has in great Estimation.

The

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The Words I have read relate to the first of thefe, Alms-giving. And in them we have,

I. A Caution against Oftentation and Vainglory in the giving of Alms.

II. The Reasons of that Caution, which are two. 1. First, that by these finister Designs in our Actions we resemble the Hypocrites. 2. That by fo doing we receive all our Reward in this Life; inftead of fecuring to our felves the Approbation of Almighty God, and the true Honour, which otherwife we might expect in the great Day of Ac

counts.

I. I begin with the first, the Caution against Oftentation and Vain-glory in giving of Alms. Therefore when thou doft thine Alms, do not found a Trumpet before thee, as the Hypocrites do, in the Synagogues, and in the Streets, that they may have Glory of Men. But when thou doft thine Alms, let not thy left Hand know what thy right Hand doth: That thine Alms may be in fecret. In which Words we have the Caution expreffed both Negatively and Affirmatively.

1. Negatively in a Prohibition of Oftentation, or an Affectation of Vain-glory.

2. Affirmatively in an Injunction of Secrecy and Humility.

Both want a little further Explication.

1. As to the Prohibition of Oftentation and Vain-glory in our Alms, it is here put in a figurative Expreffion of not founding the Trumpet before us, as the Hypocrites do, in the Synagogues, and in the Streets, that they may have Glory of Men. For understanding the Meaning of it, the Original Words un oaλtions, fignify only, Do not Trumpet or make a Noife." I called it a figurative Expreffion;

Expreffion; for I cannot find in any of our Books, that the Scribes and Pharifees, or any others. among the Jews, did literally make ufe of a Trumpet upon thofe Occafions; though by themfelves and others they took Care to have their good Deeds divulged and trumpeted about: The Thing then here intended to be cautioned against is, the unneceffary Publishing and Proclaiming of our Alms or Works of Charity, with a defign either to gain Honour or Praife to our felves, or by the Means of that Honour to carry on any other ambitious, covetous or selfish Intereft. And the further Explications of the Caution here added, confirm this Senfe; firft, from the Example of the Hypocrites, who affect to make a Noife with their Charities, and choose to give them before Multitudes of Spectators; then from the Discovery of the Defign and Intention they have and propofe to themfelves in these their good Works; namely, that they may be feen of Men, for fome temporal End or other, which they aim at.

2. The Injunction of Secrecy and Humility is in thefe Words. But when thou doft Alms, let not thy, left Hand know what thy right Hand doth; that thine Alms may be in fecret. Here again is a very fignificant proverbial Expreffion, of not letting the left Hand know what the right Hand doth; by which is meant that we should not only forbear Proclaiming and Publishing thefe Things to the World, but fhould forbear divulging them to our own near Friends and Acquaintance; nay, fhould forbear thinking of them our felves fo as to feed Pride and Vanity.

From the Words thus explained there are these following Particulars with Relation to the Duty VOL. III.

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here

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