WHEN we ſeriouſly conſider the frail, corrupt, and diſtreſsful State of Human Nature; when we reflect on the general Lot and Portion of Mortality; when we call to Mind to what Variety of Evils we are ſubject, to how many Diſeaſes our Bodies are expoſed, and by how many Anxieties our Minds may be depreſſed and tormented, we are naturally led to imagine that it muſt be the Buſineſs, Concern and Intereſt of every Individual to lighten as much as poſſible the general Burthen; that every Office of Tenderneſs and Humanity to our Fellow-creatures would of Courſe be duly and punctually performed by every one of us, as well knowing that all the poor Aid and Aſſiſtance which each particular could lend, would ſtill be much too little and inſig⯑nificant Preſervatives againſt the univerſal Calamity; that the moſt we can do is to ſoften the Diſtreſs which we cannot prevent, to ſooth thoſe Sorrows which we cannot remove, and to pour Balm into thoſe Wounds which we cannot heal.

[2]To diffuſe this Spirit of Love and Tenderneſs, to increaſe this Philanthropy, to make Man ſociable to Man, God, the Father, hath implanted in every Breaſt a Principle of Benevolence, and God, the Son, hath in his holy Religion ſtrengthened, dignifyed and improved it. This Principle ſhineth forth with diſtinguiſhed Luſtre in every Page of the Goſpel of Chriſt; it is taught by his Precepts and enforced by his Example: and there is not perhaps any part of Holy Writ, wherein it is more viſibly or more warmly inculcated, than in the ſhort and beautiful Parable before us, wherein the Virtue of Humanity towards the diſtreſſed is painted in the livelieſt Colours, and propoſed to us as an Object of our Ap⯑plauſe and of our Imitation alſo.

As the following Diſcourſe therefore is intended to enforce this Principle, I cannot I think more ſurely engage your Attention to it, than by

FIRST, Running over, as briefly as poſſible, the principal Cir⯑cumſtances of this affecting Narration.

AND Secondly, applying them to the preſent ſimilar Occaſion.

A certain Man, ſays the Parable, went down from Jeruſalem to Jericho; unfortunately for him, his Journey lay thro' a loneſome and melancholy Deſart; a Place, as we are inform'd by thoſe who were well acquainted with its Situation, ſo remarkable for the fre⯑quent Murthers and Robberies committed there as to be called, the bloody Way; perpetually infeſted by the Sons of Rapine and Violence. By ſome of theſe our unhappy Traveller was beſet; [3] and being unable and probably unwilling to reſiſt, was quickly overpowered by them. They attacked and plundered Him, and not content with their Spoil, to their Injuſtice added Inhumanity alſo, they ſtripped and wounded him, and left him half dead. In this miſerable and diſtreſſed Condition he remained, we may ſuppoſe, a long Time, expecting with Impatience the Arrival of ſome charitable Traveller to aſſiſt him; when at laſt, as the ſacred Hiſtorian relates it, there came down a certain Prieſt that way; a Sight no doubt inexpreſſibly agreeable to a Man in ſo dreadful a Condition; a Perſon of his own Religion, and a Teacher of it alſo; One who; beſides the common Ties of Humanity, was in a more eſpecial Manner bound by his Order and Profeſſion to Acts of Charity and Beneficence; ſuch a one, he had Reaſon to expect, would have gladly embraced the Opportunity of doing good, and flown with Pleaſure to his Aſſiſtance; how great then muſt have been his Grief and Diſappointment when the Prieſt paſſed by on the other Side! The unfeeling Man muſt doubtleſs have heard his Groans and ſeen his Diſtreſs; but he purpoſely avoided croſſing over that he might not be obliged to ſtop and relieve him; he re⯑doubled his Speed therefore, and, without the leaſt Regard to the Diſtreſs of an unhappy Brother, proceeded on his Journey. To add to the Calamity of the poor Traveller, we are told that a Levite likewiſe, when he was at the Place, came and looked on him, and paſſed by on the other Side! It is impoſſible perhaps to read this Account without making the following reflection. How does every one, who hears the Circumſtances of this melancholy Re⯑lation, deteſt ſuch Behaviour, and abhor ſuch Inhumanity! and yet at the ſame Time how many amongſt us are guilty of it! Do we not, almoſt every Day and every Hour, meet with Objects worthy of our Compaſſion and Relief, and yet are we not too apt, with the Prieſt and the Levite, to paſs by on the other Side? But to pro⯑ceed. [4] What the diſappointed Traveller did not find, where he had Reaſon to hope, he met with, where he had no Expectation of it. A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he ſaw him, he had Compaſſion on him, and went to him, and bound up his Wounds, pouring in Oil and Wine, and ſet him on his own Beaſt, and brought him to an Inn, and took care of him. The Samaritans, it muſt here be remembered, were deteſted by the Jews as Corruptors of the true Religion, and Deſerters from the true Worſhip: The Traveller therefore, who had already been neglected by the Prieſt and the Levite, Men who embraced the ſame religious Principles as himſelf, could not ra⯑tionally expect that his avowed Enemy, the Samaritan, would take the leaſt notice of him; he was notwithſtanding moſt agree⯑ably deceived; for the Samaritan, as we have ſeen, performed every Office of Friendſhip, every Act of Charity, neceſſary on the Occaſion; not content with ſoftening his paſt Evils and Misfor⯑tunes, he endeavoured to provide againſt his future Wants; when he departed, ſays the Parable, he took out Two pence, and gave them to the Hoſt, and ſaid unto him, take care of him, and what⯑ſoever thou ſpendeſt more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

THUS generouſly and beneficently did the good Samaritan behave towards the truly worthy Object of his Compaſſion; no Wonder therefore that our Bleſſed Saviour ſhould propoſe this Ex⯑ample to the young Lawyer, and diſmiſs him in the Words of my Text with Go, and do thou likewiſe; that is, ‘"^* Since you commend the Samaritan for acting like a Neighbour to the Jew, do you learn to act like a Neighbour to the Samaritan."’ and to every other Fellow-creature in Diſtreſs.

[5]THE Maxim inculcated in the Parable (and which indeed ſeems to have been the chief Scope and Deſign of it) has been often, but cannot be too often, repeated and enforced to us: Namely, that no national or religious Prejudices, no Difference of Party, [...]ect, or Opinion, no private Jealouſy, Pique, or Animoſity ſhould ever be ſuffered to diminiſh, weaken, or counteract the noble, univerſal Principles of Benevolence and Humanity towards each other. The good Samaritan, we ſee, extended his Bounty and Compaſſion to the diſtreſſed Traveller, without any Regard to his oppoſite Opinions; he conſidered him not as a Jew, whom he as a Samaritan was at Enmity with, but as a Man and a Fellow-crea⯑ture, whom he therefore, as Man and Fellow-creature, was bound to relieve.

THE Words of the Text therefore may very properly be con⯑ſidered as ſpoken with a View not only to inſtruct the inquiſitive Lawyer, to whom they were immediately addreſſed, but as written for our Learning alſo, as conveying an uſeful Admonition to all Mankind, and exhorting them to the Imitation of this illuſtrious Example; happy are thoſe who have the Virtue and the Reſolu⯑tion to follow it!

PERMIT me then to apply the Circumſtances of the Parable to the preſent ſolemn Occaſion.

THANKS be to God, our own Times, heedleſs and unwary as they are, cannot be condemned as inſenſible to the Feelings of Compaſſion, or Strangers to the Virtues of Humanity; we be⯑hold with Pleaſure and Satisfaction the Spirit of Mercy and Ten⯑derneſs diffuſing itſelf on every Side. That Poverty, which our [6] Extravagance produces, our Pity relieves, and we at leaſt endea⯑vour to heal the Wounds which we have made, Hoſpitals, Schools, and Foundations riſe up, flouriſh, and increaſe amongſt us; and publick Vice and Folly is, in ſame Meaſure, covered and extenuated by public Generoſity and Beneficence.

^*A certain ſuperficial and declamatory but faſhionable Writer of the preſent Age has indeed lately endeavoured (tho' we hope in vain endeavoured) to make Virtue aſhamed, and put Charity out of countenance, to degrade our Pity into Weakneſs, and melt away our Humanity and Compaſſion into Fear, Cowardice, and Effeminacy: But ſurely Waters thus ſweet and ſalutary can never flow from ſo ſordid and corrupt a Fountain. Our Charity, I am ſatisfyed, ariſeth from a nobler Motive. I would fain perſuade myſelf (and, if it be an Error, it is at leaſt an amiable one) that it proceeds from that generous benevolent Principle, which diſtin⯑guiſhes and naturally ſprings from the Religion which we profeſs, the Religion of Jeſus Chriſt, the good, the charitable, the righteous; from that Beneficence which his example taught, and which only his divine Precepts could inſpire. This is the lead⯑ing, ſtrong, and actuating Principle that directs the Heart even in this otherwiſe degenerate Age; it is this, which has already raiſed in ſo many the Ambition to become good Samaritans, the Am⯑bition of uſing, like him, their Liberty to releaſe the Captive, their Health to ſupport the Sick, their Abundance to relieve the Indigent.

AND amongſt all the fair Copies of this noble Picture, induſtri⯑ouſly drawn by various Hands, there is not perhaps one which [7] comes ſo near to the Original, as that Charity which we are here met to countenance and recommend; a Charity ſo extenſive in its Nature, ſo uſeful in its Effects, and ſo highly conducive to the Good of the Community, as to deſerve all the Approbation we can give, and all the Aſſiſtance we can beſtow.

THE Almighty Creator of all things hath of his infinite Mercy ordained that Man ſhall not in this Vale of Sorrow be afflicted be⯑yond what he is able to bear. The Misfortunes incident to Mor⯑tality ſeldom preſs too hard and too cloſely upon each other, and where they are permitted to accumulate, Power and Opportunity are given to Men to divide, and by dividing to leſſen the Weight of them. Evils indeed, which when ſeparate may be over⯑powered, when united become intolerable.

POVERTY, whilſt ſhe is ſtrengthened by Health, can ſtruggle with Misfortune; but if ſhe is oppreſſed by Sickneſs, ſhe ſinks down, and is unequal to the Conflict; Sickneſs, on the other hand, whilſt ſhe is relieved and ſupported by the lenient Hand of Affluence, lifts up her Head, and ſmiles on the Bed of Anguiſh; but if Penury entereth into the Chamber, her Wounds bleed afreſh, her Pains increaſe, and ſhe drops into Deſpair, and Death. What Praiſe then, what Admiration is due to that Hand which brings a Remedy for this complicated Diſorder! Behold a Hand is ſtretched out; a Building is raiſed to receive the Sick, the Poor and the Miſerable. This noble Charity has provided every Mitigation of theſe dreadful Evils which Humanity could ſuggeſt.

BUT this Hoſpital opens its charitable Arms to receive not only the Sick, but the Lame alſo.

[8]THE greater Part of the Poor in this Metropolis, it is well known, live by the Work of their Hands; they are obliged [...]o earn their daily Bread by the Sweat of their Brows; their Support and Maintenance therefore muſt depend on the Health of their Bodies, the unimpaired Vigour and Activity of their Limbs; and when, by any unfortunate Accident, theſe are hurt or weakened they are left intirely deſtitute. In ſo large and populous a City in⯑numerable Accidents muſt inevitably happen, which no human Foreſight could prevent, no human Prudence could guard againſt. Here, if Aſſiſtance is not immediately given, it can be of no Ser⯑vice; if the Remedy is not at hand to be adminiſtered, it may as well not be adminiſtered at all. Before the Erection of this and other Edifices of the ſame kind, the Poor in ſuch diſtreſsful Situa⯑tions were left to periſh in the Streets: The Levite perhaps only looked at them; the Prieſt, without regarding them, paſſed by on the other Side. Their Pains were either finiſhed by Death, or cruel⯑ly protracted by the Ignorance of Empirics, who lay hold of every Occaſion to try wanton Experiments on the Poor, and play with the Lives of their Fellow-creatures. How noble then, how ne⯑ceſſary, and how beneficial is the Inſtitution which can prevent ſuch Evils, relieve ſuch Diſtreſs, and ſoften ſuch Calamities!

WHEN the good Samaritan ſaw the poor Traveller, lame, wounded, and ſtripped, he did not, before he relieved him, aſk what Sect, Nation, or Profeſſion he was of, Phariſee, or Sadducee, Jew or Samaritan, but flew immediately to his Aſſiſtance. To the Honour of the Middleſex Hoſpital be it remembered, that the Example before us hath in this Particular been cloſely copyed by it. The Generality of Patients are not admitted into this Place without Letters of Recommendation, that ſo the Merit and Condition of the [9] Object to be relieved may be more fully and thoroughly known; a Precaution highly proper and commendable; but at the ſame Time all Accidents are admitted without Recommendation: In theſe Circumſtances no Recommendation indeed is neceſſary but what the Afflicted carry with them; at ſuch a Time, but to look up for Re⯑leif is to demand it of us, and but to want Aſſiſtance is to deſerve it.

BUT the chief Pride and Glory of this extenſive Charity is ſtill behind; and that is, the Relief which this Hoſpital be⯑ſtows on the weaker and more helpleſs Sex, when they are moſt weak, and unable to help themſelves; when the Snares of Death compaſs them round about, and the Pains of Hell get hold upon them. Need I repreſent to you, that in this dangerous and diſtreſsful Hour all the Aſſiſtances, all the Conveniencies, all the Superflui⯑ties of Affluence united are frequently found inſufficient; the Powers of Medicine are too often ineffectual; the Reſources of human Art, the Improvements of human Knowledge are all too weak to relieve the Pangs, and ſtop the Agonies of Nature; at this perilous Time, all the Tenderneſs of officious Friendſhip, and all the Endearments of Love and Affection are required to ſoften the Diſtreſs and mitigate the Pains of the afflicted Sufferer. What then muſt their Condition be, who at ſuch an Hour have no Home to receive, no Friends to cheriſh, no Remedies near to aſſiſt or ſupport them! In Behalf of ſuch Objects I need not, I am ſure, addreſs myſelf to the ſofter Sex; there is an Advocate, I know, within your own Breaſts that will make all I can ſay ſuperfluous; Nature, that beſt of Orators, will plead the Cauſe of your afflicted Siſters with irreſiſtable Eloquence; ſhe will point out to you your Duty, and direct you in the Practice of it: If you are Women, if you are Mothers, if you are Chriſtians, I need not aſk your Aid, Protection and Support.

[10]HAVING thus enumerated the many Benefits and Advantages of this extenſive Charity, and dwelt with Pleaſure on the ſeveral Branches of it, permit me to draw theſe Rays into a Point, and ſhew you this benignant Sun in all its Heat and Luſtre: Permit me to lead your Imaginations to a Scene which your own Eyes may at any Time ſee in reality.

BEHOLD a Groupe of ſordid and miſerable Beings, their Faces pale with Sickneſs, their Bodies emaciated by Diſtemper, their Hearts depreſſed by Sorrow and Deſpair; obſerve ſome of them ſo weak and diſabled as to want the Power of reaching to the Hand that is ſtretched out to relieve them: Behold others with Limbs broken and diſtorted, deprived of Life and Motion, and with the Eye of Anguiſh looking up for immediate Aſſiſtance; behind them advances a drooping Train of mournful Females, oppreſſed at once by the Throes of Travail and the Weight of Penury, and labouring with all their Sex's Imbecility under a dou⯑ble Burthen: Alas! Nature ſhrinks, Humanity ſhudders at the Proſpect. But ſee, the Clouds divide, a Dawn of Comfort appears to diſpel the Gloom, and beautify the Horizon; obſerve the fair Companion of Faith and Hope, ſweet Charity, approaching to⯑wards them; ſhe lifts them up with benignant Hand, and con⯑ducts them to her beloved Aſylum. Paſs but a little Time, and mark what ſucceeds to the firſt melancholy Scene. Behold the ſame Objects that entered into the Palace of Charity now re⯑turning from it; obſerve the ſudden, the aſtoniſhing Change; the Face of the Sick is lighted up with Smiles; the Roſes of Health bloom upon his Cheek; the Warmth of Gratitude glows upon his Countenance; the Luſtre of Joy ſparkles in his Eye. Behold the lame Man once more rejoycing in the Activity of his Limbs, [11] and returning with freſh Vigour and Spirit to labour for your Ser⯑vice: And laſtly, contemplate the happy Woman, bearing now with Pleaſure what ſhe had ſo long borne with Anguiſh and Diſ⯑quietude; ſhe carries in her Arms a ſmiling Infant, bleſſes her God, praiſes her Benefactors, and forgets all her Pangs for joy that a Man is born into the World.

A SCENE ſo dreadful and ſo pleaſing; a Contraſt ſo ſtriking, muſt ſurely warm the coldeſt Heart to Senſibility, and open the narroweſt Mind to Sentiments of Love and Compaſſion, of Ten⯑derneſs and Humanity. To reflect that by our little Contributions, by ſetting aſide our Superfluities only, we have it in our Power to produce ſo aſtoniſhing a Change in the Circumſtances and Condi⯑tion of our Fellow-creatures, muſt doubtleſs afford that heart-felt Pleaſure which is infinitely ſuperior to every wordly Enjoy⯑ment: A Pleaſure which the Contributors to this noble Charity have felt, and long, I truſt, will continue to feel.

LET us not then, my Brethren, be weary of well-doing; when the Edifice is large and ſpacious it muſt ſtand in need of continual Repairs to maintain and ſupport it: This Charity, as I have be⯑fore obſerved to you, is in its Nature very extenſive; the Fund, therefore, raiſed to preſerve it muſt be extenſive alſo; the Number of Patients who are perpetually applying for Admittance, ſhew the Neceſſity of punctually continuing the old, and earneſtly ſolicit⯑ing new Subſcriptions to it. Add to which, that the Hardneſs of the Times, together with the Scarcity and Dearneſs of Proviſions of every kind, oblige many to take Shelter in this Place, who little thought they ſhould ever have ſtood in need of it.

[12]LEAVE not therefore, my Brethren, this Labour of Love un⯑finiſhed: Let each Perſon, already concerned in the Support of this Hoſpital, conſider the Whole as one miſerable and helpleſs Individual whom he has taken under his Protection. The good Samaritan, we may remember, not only bound up the Traveller's Wounds and poured Oil into them, but ſet him upon his Horſe, lodged and paid for him, and when at laſt he left him, provided in ſome Meaſure for his future Wants. If it would be cruel to neglect an Individual whom we had taken under our Care, ſo would it like⯑wiſe be, but in a much higher Degree, with regard to the whole Charity. To withdraw the Aid we had once given, would can⯑cel at once all the Merit of the Obligation; nor would it excuſe thoſe, who acted in this Manner, that what they ſubtracted from one Charity was beſtowed on another, that it was the ſame Stream of Beneficence directed to a different Channel. This is the Child whom we have adopted, we are not to transfer our parental Af⯑fection to any other, but to conſider ourſelves as bound in Honour and Conſcience to feed and maintain it. I mention this, becauſe Charities, God be thanked, are daily increaſing amongſt us; and the Fickleneſs of Men's Diſpoſitions may diſpoſe ſome to change the Objects of their Bounty: In this Caſe, as the Seeds of Bene⯑volence ſprouted up and bloſſomed in one Place they would wi⯑ther and decay in another; Charity would by degrees defeat its own End and Purpoſe, and, like the Suicides of our Age, finally deſtroy itſelf.

To conclude, let us all devoutly intreat the Lord and Father of Mercies, that he would pour into our Hearts the Spirit of Mercy; that he would imprint ſtrongly on our Minds the Image of the good Samaritan, and teach us to go, and do likewiſe. Let us intreat [13] him that our Charity may increaſe, our Humanity and Compaſ⯑ſion be daily ſtrengthened and improved; that he will permit them to cover from his Eyes the multitude of our Sins, and that in kind Regard to the Poor and Afflicted whom he loveth, he will not be extreme to mark what we have done amiſs; but, in the laſt and great Day, will ſuffer thoſe whom we have relieved to plead in our Be⯑half; that ſo, howſoever we may have offended him, he may yet look upon us with Eyes of Compaſſion; and ſay unto us, becauſe we have conſidered the Poor and Miſerable, well have ye done, my good and faithful Servants, enter ye into the Joy of your Lord.