The royal benefactress: or, the great charity of educating poor children. In a sermon preach'd in the parish-church of St. Sepulchre, June 1. 1710. ... At the anniversary meeting of the children educated in the charity-schools, in and about the cities of London and Westminster. ... By George Smalridge, D.D. 1710
Smalridge, George
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Ver, gx And Pharaoh's Daughter ſaid anto Her, Take. this Child away, and Nurſe it for Me, and Þ will give Thee thy Wages. And the Woman tool the Child, and Nurfed it. And the Child grew, and She brought Him unto Pharaoh's Daughter, and He became Her Son. x FX HE Inſpird Books of Moſes are, as it .____ were, One continued Hiſtory of God's pProvidential Care of his choſen Peo- pliwKue: Many and Wonderful are the Inſtances therein recorded of the Interpoſal of 8 the Almighty, in reſcuing his Servants from Im- | minent Dangers : But amongſt theſe, None is more Remarkable, None was attended with grea- ter Conſequences, than the Preſervation of Moſes from that Death, to Which He was.expos'd in his Infancy ; and the Deliverance of Him, whom God had appointed to be the Weliverer of his People. dee ee ee e „ Meaſures had been taken at the Court of Pha- raoh, for the utter Extirpation of the Children of Iſrael: And in purſuance of theſe an Edict had iſſued forth, That every Son that was born unto them, ſhould be caſt into the River, Exod. i. 22. Under theſe nahappy Circumſtances Moſes is born, by the Cruelty of his Prince deſtin'd to immediate Death, but by the Decrees of God reſerv'd to | be the Glorious Inſtrument, who was to Execute | His All-wiſe Purpoſes. All the Care, that could I de taken by a tender Wer for a loyely Child, adi ie 1 1 8 4 The Royal Benefactreſs. was taken by the Mother. of Moſes, for his Pre- _ * ſervation: When ſhe ſaw Him, that He was 4 good-. ly Child, ſhe hid Him three Months, Ver. 2. But it ſeems the Enemy was as Vigilant for his Ru- in, as his Parents could be for his Safety; and longer Practicable. x u If He ſhould: be found in his Mother's Cu- ſtody, He muſt inevitably Periſh; if He were ex- pos'd abroad, He could but periſh; and by. ſome therefore the Concealment of Him was now no- -- unuſual Accident, rather to be Wiſh'd; than to be Hop'd' for, He might poſſibly eſcape: To God's Providence therefore She commits Him, and putting the Child into an Ark, lays it in the Flaggs by the Rivers brink, Ver. 3. Nor was her ſignal Truſt in God defeated : Her Hopes were more than anſwer'd; and all things ſucceeded better, than She in her fondeſt Wiſhes could de- ſire. By an happy train of Events, Pharaoh's Daughter comes at that very time to that very Place; She Spies the Ark, ſends one of Her Re- tinue to fetch it, Opens it, ſees the Child Weep- ing, hath Compaſſion on Him, diſcovers it to be One of the Hebrew Children, ſends for a Nurſe of the Hebrew Women to Nurſe it; who hap- pens to be its own Mother; and to whom, as to a Nurſe, ſhe delivers it to be brought up at Her Expence. From this entertaining piece of Sacred Hiſtory, there do naturally ariſe ſeveral Obſer- vations, worthy of our Notice, and pertinent to the preſent Occaſion. And 1f, We may obſerve,. how Particular a Care the Divine Providence takes of Little Chil- dren. We find here a Child born of Parents under a State of Bondage and Perſecution; born to be a Slave, if perchance He ſhould live; but doom'd to Expire from the very firſt _—. „ on. wt Fes : 1 2 The Royal Benefactreſs. 5 He ſhould Breath; ſentencd to Deſtruction by that ſoveraign Power, from which by his Native right He might expect Protection; deſtitute of all help from Parents, Relations or Friends; and abaridon'd to Numberleſs Accidents, any One of which might have prov'd fatal. In this deſpe- ; , rate State, by the over-ruling Hand of God things are ſo order'd in his Behalf, that no Child born in the Happieſt Circumſtances could be better provided for: That in the. Nurſing of 4 | Him no tender care might be wanting, He is | ſuckled by his own Mother; and that the Child f might not any ways ſuffer by the Poverty of its 1 1 4 Parents, a liberal Maintenance is afferded by the Bounty of his Charitable Benefa&reſs. Thus did That lafant, who, according to all humane Ap- 5 pearance, was forlorn and helpleſs, thro God's 1 Aſſiſtance, enjoy all thoſe Advantages, which ſcarcely ever fall to the Lot of Children, born either of Mean, or of Noble Parentage. So pe- culiar a Providence as this, is not perhaps to be exemplified in many other Inſtances: But Rea - ſon, Scripture, and Experience do all aſſure Vs, that the like Providential Care doth extend it ſelf to Other Children. The Mercy of God is over / All his Works: From Him they have their Being, and by Him they Subſiſt : He ſendeth forth his Spirit, and they are created; He with-draws his Influence, and they die, and return to their Duſt ? And as All things are upheld only by his Power, fo it is rational to conclude, that He Propor- tions his Aſſiſtance. to the Wants of his Crea- tures; and, like a tender Parent, ſhews the - greateſt Care towards: thoſe of his Off. ſpring, who are moſt Weakly, and moſt ſtand in need of his Help. Now Little Children, by reaſon of their natural Frailty, are liable to Innumerable ö 5 e Caſual- 16. ĩ?70 Ed dd, BE nr, ates OSS. Caſualties, from which Grown Ape is uſually ex- empted; they can neither Foreſee Evils, when Approaching ; nor Repel them, when at Hand; nor Support themſelves. under their Preſſure : Theſe Natural Defects are therefore ſupplied by the God of Nature, and His Strength is made perfect in Their Weakneſs. And as the Imbe- cility of their Conſtitution doth render them pro- per Objects of that Divine Aid, which is ſo ne- ceſſary to them for their Support, ſo their Spot- leſs Innocence doth powerfully beſpeak the fingu- lar Love and Favour of God. Whatever Title adult Perſons might pretend to God's loving Kind- neſs, as they are his Creatures, they may ſeem with Juſtice to have forfeited, as they are Sin- ners: But Young Children, as they have no Me- rits to give them any rightful Claim to the di- vine Favour, ſo neither have they any ſuch fla- grant Demerits, as may ſhut them out from the Benefit of his Protection. ; e This Benefit therefore we are ſure from the Word of God they do enjoy: This watchful Care over their Infancy, the Saints of God, when come to riper Vears, have thankfully acknowledg d; in the Catalogues of Mercies receiv'd through the Courſe of their Lives, Thoſe, which either their Own Memories have ſuggeſted to them, or thetr godly Parents have reminded” them of, as con- - ferrd on them from Heaven, during their Child- hood, have always found a Place; their Obſer- vation of God's care of Other Children has led them into a Senſe, that the Same Care has been taken of Themſelves, when by Themſelves it could not be obſery'd: On the Experience they have had of the divine Goodneſs, manifeſted to them, whilſt in a State of infancy, they have built their Hopes of finding the like Sapp, $04). = © 0% When e 2e T „ aa inc e _ous ad A. Dad ' The Royal Benefactreſs. ©7 2 whenreduc'd to the like weak Condition by the : Infirmities of Old Age. Thou art my hope, O Lord ' God, faith the Pſalmiſt; thou art my truſt from my Youth, Pſal. 71. By Thee have I been holden up from the Womb : Thou waſt my hope when I yet hanged up- on my Mother's BreaFt : Caft me not off in the Time 4 Old Age; forſake me not when my ſtrength faileth, Pſal. 22. ; po EG But we have a ſtill ſtronger Teſtimony of God's peculiar Care of Children, from his appointment of Tutelar Angels to guard and protect them: For that there is ſuch an Appointmeat, is the general Doctrine of the Church, grounded on that Precept of our bleſſed Saviour; Tale beed, that Te diſpiſe not one of theſe little Ones; for I ſay unto Tou, that in Heaven their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father, which is in Heaven, Mat. xviii. 10. That Children are every moment wonderfully preſerv'd from many fatal Accidents, by the inviſible Pow- er of God, either Immediately inter poſing, or act- ing by the Miniſtry of his holy Angels, Parents have the moſt Senſible and moſt Affecting proof from their Own happy Experience: For they muſt have been careleſs Obſervers of divine Providence, who have not taken notice of Many ſuch wonder- ful Deliverances wrought within their Own Fami- lies, ſuch as are not to be accounted for by any Natural Cauſes ; and they muſt be of very ſhal- low Capacities, who do not from. thence inferr, that many More. Deliverances of the like Kind muſt have been Wrought, which have eſcap'd their Notice. | LOR] The next Obſervation, which I ſhall make from the above-recited Hiſtory is this; That there is implanted by God in Humane Nature a ſtrong Propenſion to Acts of Charity and Compaſſion. The Royal Princeſs, whoſe Charity is here recorded, was an Utter Stranger Fa God's Reveald Will: ” J He 8 Dye Royal Benefactreſs. | He had not yet ſhew'd bis Word unto Jacob, nor de- liver'd his" Statutes and his Fudgments unto Iſrael : Theſe were to be given by the Hand of this very Moſes, when come to the Ripeneſs of Manhood; much leſs had God manifeſted Himſelf 'to Other Nations, neither had the Heathen knowledge of his Laws. But there was no need of a Written Law to inſtruct Her in that Duty of helping the Diſtreſs'd, which was plainly taught Her by the Law of Na- Mee. Without reaſoning, without deliberating, puſht on by the ſecret and powerful Impulſe of Nature, She affords an immediate Succour ; and Her firſt -Thoughts of what it become Her to do in ſo la- mentable and preſſing a Caſe, were as juſt and ra- tional, as if they had been the final reſult of the "cooleſt and moſt mature Deliberation. he very firſt Principle imprinted on the Mind of Sociable Creatures by the Finger of God ſeems to be this, That they ſhould do no wrong to any; the Next, that they ſhould do all the good poſſi- dle to thoſe, who want their Aſſiſtance. This Duty therefore of helping the Helpleſs, thoſe who had no other Light to guide their Actions by, but that of Reaſon, found themſelves plainly inſtructed in by the Reflections, which they made on their Own Inclinations, Sentiments and Diſpoſitions. This is a Duty, to which they own'd themſelves Born, for which they acknowledge d they were Made; and without which they could give no rational Account, why their Natures ſhould be ſo fram'd, as in Fact they found they were. For when they took No- tice of what paſt within their own Breaſts, they could not but obſerve, that when any Om = ed il et oy eh AMO. e & O. JJ. Ie SEES Geo ⁵⁵—;Lꝰꝶ᷑ eld ol oat % ⁵ͤàmũdm T The Royal Benefactreſs. 9 of Compaſſion was preſented to them, they were, without debating about it, immediately ſtruck with Pity, and forcibly carried away with an im- patient deſire of contributing to the removal of that Miſery, which made the Spectators, as well as the Sufferer of it, Uneaſie : They found that Sympathy betwixt themſelves, and Others of the ſame Nature with themſelves, that they could not look upon Another's Calamity, without be- ing themſelves touch'd, and as it were Infected 7 with it; and that therefore to deny Relief to the Diſtreſs'd, was to offer Violence to their own Na- ' tures, and to be in the ſevereſt Manner cruel to their own Fleſh and Blood. 47 They Obſerv'd farther, That when they reach'd out Help to thoſe, who wanted it, there imme- diately ſprang up in their Minds an inexpreſſible Joy and Satisfaction; in the actual Doing of good they felt a ſenſible Pleaſure and Delight: And when afterwards they at leiſure took a review of their Aas of Charity, they could not but applaud themſelves for them, and think the Pleaſure they found in that Self-Approbation, a ſufficient Re- ward for what they had done; and yet, at the ſame Time, as the Wiſeſt of them judg'd, an Earneſt of ſome unkown Greater Reward ſtill in reſerve. This eager Propenſion of Mind to aſ- ſiſt the Indigent, and to help the Helpleſs, they lookt upon to be ſo ſuitable to the Nature of Man, that this One Virtue carried away from all Others the peculiar Name of Humanity. They thought therefore they could not be deaf to the Importunities of the Neceſſitous, and harden their Hearts agaiaſt the Supplications of the Di- ſtreſs'd, without forfeiting the Title of Men, and degenerating into the Rank of Barbarous and Cruel Savages, Upon theſe Natural Prin- 8 . 8 ciples as The Royal Benefactreſs. ciples did thoſe, who conſulted their Unaſſiſt- ed Reaſon, prove the neceſſity of being Com- paſſionate and Charitable; Suitably to theſe the Beſt of them acted, and ſtand to this Day re- corded in the Hiſtories of their ſeveral Ages and Countries, for eminent Acts of Beneficence and Goodneſs ; to their Own Immortal Honour, and to the juſt and indelible Reproach of thoſe, who are leſs careful to diſcharge This Duty under the | > J Senſe of much nobler Principles, and much ftron- ger Obligations.. I don't know whether under this Head it may not be proper to obſerve farther, That this ſtrong Propenſion towards Acts of Pity and Compaſlion, which is implanted in Humane Na- ture, is generally ſpeaking moſt ſtrong and moſt operative in Women. That noble Princeſs, 7 whoſe generous Pity. towards a poor Helpleſs Infant is here regiſtred by her grateful Bene- ficiary, muſt be endued with -a more than Or- dinary Degree of Tenderneſs; becauſe it is hard to aſſign any Other Principle, which could ex- cite Her to act as She did, and eaſie to alledge ſeveral other- Motives, which had they not been over rul'd by This, might probably have reſtrain'd Her from ſo AQtiing- She was bred up amidſt the Luxuries of a Court; and it is not Uſual for Perſons, who abound in all man- ner of Plenty, who are inur'd to Eaſe and De- licacy, and ſeldom meet with any Thing that may diſquiet or moleſt them, to be affected with a deep Senſe of the Calamities of Others. Thoſe, who have themſelves felt the ſmart of Miferies, are apt to have a Fellow-feeling of the Sufferings of the Miſerable; and thoſe, who have hitherto been Proſperous, but have reaſon to fear that they may ſhartly be over- taken Wa Pw TY C7 I 5 am 4 4. Maw FIT 1 mano = > wo 7 Þ 4 pt * TÞ a "wha © The Royal Benefactreſs 11 ö Intereſt to Afford that Relief, which they them ſelves ſhould be glad to find in the Day of their Diſtreſs. But thoſe, who have enjoy d a con- ſtant flow of Uninterrupted Pleaſure, have no Inward Senſe of the Bitterneſs of Pain to quicken their Compaſſion; and thoſe, who, by the af- fluence of all the good things of Life, ſeem to de plac'd without the reach of Adverſity, may 7 be leſs ſollicitous to Lend that Aid, which they themſelves have no probable Occaſion of ever Borrowing. It is the Obſervation of the Prophet concerning thoſe, who lie upon Beds of Ivory, and ſtretch themſelves upon their Couches ; who eat the Lambs out of the Flocks, and the Calves out of the midſt of the Stall; who chaunt to the ſound of the Viol, and invent to themſelves Inſtruments of Muſick, who drink. Wine in Bowls, and anoint themſelves with the chief Ointments; that they are not griev'd for the Afliction of Jo- ſeph, Amos vi. 4. And if ſuch an Affectionate concern for the Affliction of Joſeph is not to be hop'd for even in thoſe of his own Kin- | dred, whilſt in the height of their Gaiety, much leſs was it to, be expected in One, who by Birth, and by the Prejudices of Education, was diſpos'd to be an Enemy. The JU/raelites were Scorn'd and Hated by the -e/Egyprians ; their utter Extinction was reſolv'd upon: every Male-Child was by Pharaohs's Decree proſcrib'd: And ſhe might ſeem to be no good Ap ] tian, no loyal Subject, no dutiful Daughter, who ſhould Spare , who. ſhould Favour, who ſhould Cheriſh One, that ſtood condemn'd by the common Vote of her Country, her Prince, and her Father. But the Tenderneſs of her- Sex pleaded: more ftrongly for her ſhewing Pi- 3 e | ty, _ i Y © 1 : ol. 8 = be + 5 + KY $ ES C wy. + 18% 1 wy 1 : 1 { 44 "44 1 » 4 me Mi l 110. 9 1 A —. - 4 1 1 1 12 The Rojal Benefactreſ. ty, than all theſe Conſiderations could do againſt it; they might have hardned the Heart of a Son of Pharaoh, but they were not of force enough to prevail upon his Daughter. For very wiſe and good Purpoſes hath God been pleas'd to form this Softneſs of Temper, this Sweetneſs of Diſpoſition, this powerful bent towards Acts of Pity and Compaſſion, in the Very Frame and Conſtitution of Women: The bringing up of Children from the firſt Years of their Infancy is Their allotted Pro- vince; in the diſcharge of This Many Hard- ſhips are to be undergone, many Diſquietudes are to be born, which, tho' otherwiſe trouble- ſome and vexatious enough, yet the tender- neſs of their Affections makes them paſs tho- | rough, not only with Patience and Content- | ment, but even with Cheerfulneſs and Delight: | It is this Tenderneſs, which makes that Sex fo Quick to Diſcern, and ſo Prompt to Relieve the Wants of Children: to this Tenderneſs, under God's Bleſſing, We all of Us Owe it, that We died not from the Womb, that We have Eſcap'd Manifold Hazards in our Child- hood., and that when in Our .grown Years We have at any time been confin'd to the Bed of Sickneſs, We have ſtill found Comfort In it, and have roſe again From it. It is not to be denied, that here and there an Inſtance may be given of Want of Pity, or perhaps even of extraordinary degrees of Barbarity in Women; but at the {ame time it muſt be Own'd, that ſuch Women are look'd upon as Monſters in Nature; that they are ſuppos'd to have long ſtruggled with, and at laſt to have overcome the innate Softneſs of their- Sex; and that for the moſt part, it is Obſervable, that as Strength of Ao rg. g. ges gag * g. f of Mind and of Body, Prudence in Council, and Courage in War, are the diſtinguiſhing Characters of Men; ſo Gentleneſs, Kindneſs, Bowels of Mercies, Tenderneſs of Heart, Acts of Love and Charity, of Pity and Compaſſion, are the peculiar Graces and Ornaments of Wo- VVV e Cr Io Our zd Obſervation from the Hiſtory pre- mis'd ſhall be this; That Generous Souls, the more Kindneſs they have ſhewn to the Indi- gent, the more ſtrongly they are inclin'd to be ſtill farther Kind to the Same Perſons. It was a great degree of Kindneſs in Pharaob's. Daughter to Spare an Hebrew Child; it was a ſtill, greater to take care of it, and to defray the Charge of it's Maintenance; but her Boun- ty ſtopt not here: The Child, when grown up, is brought home to Her, and becomes her Son. Mean and narrow Minds are apt to be very ſparing and frugal of their Favours: When they have beſtow'd One Kindneſs, they Wait for ſome return, before they go on to conferr An- other; it is their Buſineſs to traffick for good Turns, and therefore like Wiſe Merchants, they are unwilling to Venture too much upon One bottom: Where they Sow, there they expect to Reap, and think a ſecond Seeds-time comes too quck, if it returns before the Harveſt. Bat Per- ſons, who are Truly and Sincerely Charitable, who act upon noble and diſintereſted Principles, do good for the Sake of doing good; it is the ſingle de- ſign of their Charity, that it may be Uſeful to O- thers, and whilſt it is ſo Uſeful, they Have their Aim: The Epicure Himſelf doth not find half that Pleaſure in his Senſuality, as Theſe do in Ads of Bounty and Beneficence : If a return be made by | the Perſons oblig d, they are glad to find that their Favours \ * 14 The | Royal Benefactreſs. Favours are beſtow'd on the deſerving and thankful ; and if they meet with no recompence for their Benefactions here upon Earth, their | 8 485 is enlarg'd, and they look forwards to thoſe more Glorious Rewards, which are referv'd for. the Charitable at the great Day of Retri- bution. They are not therefore likely to be Weary in Well-doing ; becauſe whatever be the Diſpoſitions of thoſe, to whom they are boun- tiful, be the Soil, in which they Sow their Seed, never ſo Barren and Unkindly, Tet they know, that in due Seaſon they ſhall reap, if they faint not. Charity, as it beareth the neareſt Reſemblance to the Image of God; ſo like Him, it delighteth f to perfect all its Works; nor is a skilful Artiſt more Uneaſie in leaving his Work Unfiniſh'd, or a tender Parent in ſeeing his Child defective in any of its Limbs, than a Charitable Perſon is in deſiſting from a good Work, Well-deſign'd, Happily begun, and ſo far as it is gone, An- ſwerable to his Wiſhes, before He has put to it his Laſt Hand, and rendred it Intire and Com- pleat. The Goſpel hath We a charming Pi- cture of a Perſon throughly Charitable in the Pa- table of the good Samaritan, Luk. x. His Offices of Kindneſs cloſely follow'd One another in a Continued Train, and there was no ſtint of his Bounty, *till there was no farther Occaſion for it. He ſaw, as He journeyed, a poor Traveler, frript of his Raiment, wounded, and half Dead: He had Compaſſion on Him, went to Him, bound up lis Wounds, pour d in Oyl and Wine, ſet Him on bis own Beaſt, brought Him to an Jun, took care of Him whilſt He ſtaid, and when He departed, gave to the Hoſt. both Money in Hand, and an Unlimited Commiſſion for defraying any far- ther Expence, Take care , Him; A whatſo- ever Deren -s eee AION SHBOAHbPHSYONMNKNSMKMHaEANSCDM 1 1 prove Happy, it is then a Bleſſing, ; ſelves Happy; if by the Fault of their Parents, T be Royal Benefactreſs. 15 ever thou ſpendeſt more, when I come again, I will re pa Thee. SITS 4 8 TL "ty TL cothier Obſervation, which We may gather from the Hiſtory before Us, is this: That thoſe are rather to be eſteem'd the Parents of Chil- dren, who give them good Education, than thoſe: to whom they owe their Birth. Aoſes was by Birth an Hebrew, deſcended of a Son, and of 2 Daughter of Levi: But becauſe He was edu- cated by the Care, and at the Expence of Pharaoh's Daughter, according to his own ac- count, He became her Son. The Mother indeed of Moſes, was not leſs his Mother, tho'-She ex- pos'd Him, becauſe ſhe was compell'd to it by Neceſſity: But had ſne done this out of a Wick= ed Principle. Men have of the Valuableneſs of Life, -nierely on account of its own Intrinſicx Worth; how far they are from eſteeming either the Gift, or Continuance of it, a Benefit, when it is at- tended with Miſery, is evident from theſe bitter complaints of Fob, in the extremity of his Ago- ny; when He curſt his Day, and ſaid - Let the Day Periſh, wherein I was born; and the Night, wherein it was ſaid, there is a Man- Child conceive ed. Why died I not from the Womb? Why. did I not give up the Ghoſt, mhen I came out of the Bel- ly ?. Wherefore' is light given unto Him that is in Aiſery, and Life unto the bitter in Soul? Doth One, who inveighs in this manner againſt Life, look upon it as a thing always Good and Deſir- able? Would He tbank thoſe, who foreſeeing it would prove thus Wretched, had forc'd it upon Him? But above all, would he eſteem them his Friends and Benefactors, who contriv'd to ren- der his Condition thus Woful and Deplorable? Such Friends, ſuch Benefactors are thoſe Parents, who having brought Children into a World full of Miſery and Wickedneſs, take no farther con- cern for them, but leave them Void of all Uſe- ful Knowledge; Deſtitute and Naked, Neglect- ed and Forſaken; Unarm'd againſt Tempta- tions, an Eaſie Prey to that ravenous Lion, who is always going about, ſeeking whom He may devour. Forlorn and hopeleſs is the State of ſuch Children, unleſs reſcued from DeſtruQion hy: ſome Charitable Hand; Unworthy | there- fore are thoſe of the Name of Parents, Un- warrantable are their Pretenſions ta the Love and Honour due to Parents, in whom the Pa- rental Affection is quite extinguiſn'd; to Them doth this Name more properly belong, upon Them .are: the Rights and Privileges: of Pa- 0M | „„ | rontage 4 l able Inſtance in the Child Moſes, and of th The Royal Bene, actreſs. *% 17 rentage deſervedly transferr'd, who are moved with the Affections of Parents, and by whom g the Offices of Parents are readily and conſtant- ly perform d. a i There are Other proper Reflections, which do naturally ariſe from this Inſtructive Hiſtory. We might from hence Obſerve, That Acts of Compaſſioa and Charity add a New Luſtre to 1 Perſons eminent for their Rank and Dignity : That Almighty God, tho' He could ſupply the Wants of the Miſerable by his own Immediate Hand, Yet chooſes to reach forth his Gifts unto Men by the Miniſtry of Men: That Cha- rity ought not to be limited to thoſe of our Own Country, or of our Own Perſuaſion, but to be extended even to ſuch as are of a dif- ferent Nation, or different Religion from Us; Thar. Perſons of Mean Birth, and ſuch as are bred up by the Charity of Others, do ſome- times arrive at the. higheſt Degrees of Honour, and do become eminently ſerviceable both to their own Generation, and to Poſterity. Theſe Obſervations might be eaſily deduc'd from this Story, and to Advantage be enlarg'd upon, were it not Time to apply what hath been deliver'd to that happy Occaſion, for which We are now met together in this Solemn and Large Aſſembly. _ f |. It hath been obſerv'd in the firſt Place, How particular a Care God's Providence takes of little Children: Of this We have One remark- - > 4 We have as many Preſent and Living 'Inſtang- ces, as there do now ſtand poor Children beg; fore Us. When We gaſt our Eyes upon thigls pleaſing Spectacle, (a Mectacle delight ul in ther Sight of Men, of 2 and of God) when? 18 The Royal Benefactreſs. We reflect on the apparent Hazards of Body and Soul, to which Each of theſe little Ones was by the Circumſtances of its Birth left ex- pos d; when We conſider the happy Condi- tion, In which by the Providence of God, and the Charity of God-like Perſons, they are Now Plc; when We carry our Thoughts forward the manifold Bleſſings, which We plainly foreſee will hence redound to Themſelves, to their Families, to theſe Populous Cities, to the whole Kingdom, to the Eſtabliſh'd Church, Yea, and if We are not miſtaken in our juſt Hopes, to diſtant Countreys, and to ſucceeding Gene- rations; We cannot but look upon them, as fo many little Moſe ss, drawn, as it were, out of the Water, reſcu'd from the very brink of Deſtruction, exemplifying in our Days, to the very Senſes of Undelie pers what the Faithful are per- Traded of from the Holy Scriptures, concerning God's Providential Care of Little Children. Now the Natural Inference, which All ſhould make from hence, and which Many, who hear Me, have both already Made, and long ſince pot into Practice, is This; That it is Their uty to concur with the gracious Degas of | Their 'l God, and to look upon thoſe as worthy of moſt tender Cate, who are the Darlings of Pro- vidence, and the Almighty's moſt peculiar Fa- vourites. God's Treaſures are not ſo Scanty, God's Power is not fo Limited, but that He \is able to Subſiſt All his Creatures, without Heaving Some to depend upon the Benevolence Vf Others; He could have fo order'd the Courſe *of Nature, that Children ſhould not have want- ſho are Grown up; and Fed | upport from thoſe, | He could diſpenſe his leſſings with ſo equal an Hand, that there ſhould be no Poor to be main- ms l ou e 42a Ao. ANY = — JOE el + adn. aaa. : | ** The Royal Benefactreſs. 19 maintain'd at the Expence of the Rich: He, who at the Prayer of Moſes, rained down Man- na upon the Iſraelites, for to eat, and. gave them Food from Heaven, could have fed the Infant Moſes with Angels Food, and have ſupported" Him with his Own Immediate Hand. But He Z choſe rather to convey his Di Rog, Frog | Another Channel, and to make Pharaoh's Daugh- ter do unto Him the Office of a Mother, that there might be room for the Exerciſe of Char rity; and that He might ſhew his Goodneſss as well towards Her, who had the Welcome Opportunity of Affording, as towards Him, who Wanted, and who Receiv'd Relief What Honour can accrue unto Mortal Men greater than this, of being the Inſtruments of God in diſpenſing His Gifts to their Fellow- Creatures! How Deſirous muſt good Men be of the Opportunity, how Greedy of the Plea- ſure, how. Ambitious of the Glory of working together with God, in that Labour of Love, in which his Infinite Goodneſs doth moſt delight! When We reach out unto helpleſs Children any Bleſſing, either Temporal or Spiritual, either conducive to their Happineſs in This World, or in the Next, We are the Immediate Convey- ors, but God is the Original Beſtower, of every ſuch Gift; and what God ſaid of Moſes, in Re- lation to his Brother Aaron, is true of every Cha- ritable Benefactor in reference to the Perſon reliev'd by Him, He is unto him inſtead of God: Our bleſled Saviour ſaid of Himſelf, whilſt He was here upon Earth; what things ſoever the Fa- ther doet h. theſe alſo doth the Son likewiſe, Joh. v. 19. 3 and as He copied after the Pattern ſet by his Father in all Other reſpects, ſo did He more Eſpe- 3 cially in his Affectionate Tenderneſs towards T "3 mn 1 20 pe Royal Benefactreſs. Little Children. His exceeding Love, his un- parallell'd Humility, his mighty Condeſcenſion, as they appear'd viſibly in af the Circumſtances b of his Birth, of his Life, and of his Death; fo were they more eminently Conſpicuous in that paſſionate Concern, which He in his Diſcourſes fo warmly expreſs'd, and in his Actions fo appa- rently ſhew'd towards Young Children. Since Therefore it hath appear'd from the Hiſtory of j God's Providence towards the Child Moſes, that the Care of our Heavenly Father doth in a more peculiar Manner extend it ſelf towards Little Children; ſince it is evident from the Goſpel, that our Saviour's tender Concern for them was by his Words, by his Geſtures, by his Deeds, plainly Manifeſted ; Thoſe, who deſire to approve themſelves the Children of God, what their Hea- venly Father doeth in regard to theſe little Ones, the ſame will They do likewiſe; Thoſe, who would ſhew themſelves the true Diſciples of Chriſt, will take care that the ſame Diſpoſitions of Mind, the fame Love and Compaſſion, the fame Goodneſs and Condeſcenſion towards Little Children, be conſpicuous in Them, which were al- ſo in Chrift Jeſus. Our ſecond Obſervation was, That God hath N b implanted in Humane Nature a ſtrong Propenſion to Acts of Pity and Compaſſion. When We, who are the Miniſters of the Goſpel, do, in diſcharge of our high Truſt, exhort Chriſtians to the ſevere Doctrines of Humiliation, and Repentance ; of Mortification, and Self. Denial; of bearing grie- vous Injuries with Patience, and ſtifling All thoughts of Revenge; We ſpeak unto our Hearers with ſome diſadvantage ; becauſe tho' Reaſon and Religion are on our Side, yet Paſſion and Inclina- tion are againſt Us; but when We call upon them 10 c TT ²—ͤU. ]%¾A:uòi nas Za. a é , n 1 ve > BPR e BoeY- 2.” 3 3 8 „%. ens » GC.. m aa 3 The Royal Benefactreſs. 21 to be Charitable to the Poor, to Relieve the Di- ſtreſsd, to Help the Helpleſs, We do not find it > Fo extremely difficult to prevail: Becauſe Mens Natural Affections plead the ſame Cauſe as We do, and enforce it with more powerful Rhetorick,than We can pretend to: We have nothing farther in ſuch Caſes to ask of our Auditors, than that they would follow the Bent of their own Inclinations; that they would not ſtruggle againſt the Force of Nature; that they would not deny themſelves that Senſible Pleaſure, which ariſes from doing good; that they would not quench the Motions of Pity and Tenderneſs, which they feel in their Own Breaſts, and which they are not able to ſabdue without Offering Violence to themſelves, and be- Ing cruel to their own Fleſh, which crave, Acts of Mercy from them with greater Earneſtneſs and | Importunity, than do thoſe very Supplicants, who call for Relief. Were thoſe, to whom We addreſs our ſelves on theſe preſſing Occaſions, utterly Un- acquainted with Divine Revelation; had they ne- ver heard of the Name of Chriſt; had they ne- ver learnt, what Excellent Precepts He hath gi- ven, what a Winning Example He hath ſet, what Powerful Motives He hath propos'd, to enforce the Duty of Charity; Yet there is a Law written in the Tables of their Own Hearts, which is ſuffi- cient to inſtruct them in this Duty, in which they cannot be wanting, whilſt they remember that they are Men, altho' they ſhonld forget, that they are alſo Chriſtians. natur'd Man, tho' Unregenerate, and void of Grace; but Faith alone can inſpire Us with a juſt Senſe of their Spiritual Wants, and an Earneſt de- fire to relieve them. i | When we contemplate the Infinite Love of Chriſt towards the Souls of Men; when We ſeriouſly con- ſider, that the Salvation of Souls was the Occaſion of his Birth, the Buſineſs of his Life, and the End of his Death; that fer this End He emptied Him- ſelf of the Glories of his God- head, took upon Him the form of a Servant, and became Obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Croſs ;, that to procure this He left the Joys of Heaven, and deſcended to the Nethermoſt parts of Hell; that to make way for. this, He ſent his Meſlengers Before Him, and to promote this He left his Apoſtles Behind Him; that the Miſſion of the Holy Ghoſt was iu proſecution of this Deſign, and that this is the Object of his continual Inter- ceſſion at God's Right Hand; that the Mercies, which God beſtow'd on his Ancient People the Jews, were only faint Types of this Greater Deliverance, to prefigure it to the Ages Paſt; and that the Sacraments, which He hath inſti- tuted, are Memorials of his Mercy to All Ge- nerations to come; that All the Return which our Saviour expects from Us, for theſe Wonderful Inſtances of his Love towards Us, is, that We alſo love One Another; that Chari- ty is the diſtinguiſning Character of Chriſt's Diſciples; that it was his Laſt Dying Com- mand; that it is the Rule, by which He will try Us at the laſt Day; that a more Exceeding Weight of Glory is reſervd for thoſe, who are the Inſtruments of bringing Others to Hea- ven, and that they, that turn hoy to Righte- ever; Theſe ouſneſs; ſhall ſhine as the Stars for ever an L. 15 e — on- ' the Motions both of Nature, and o T he Royal Benefactreſs. Under this ſecond Head, I took Notice, that this Natural Propenſion towards Acts of Pity and Charity is uſually ſtrongeſt in Women; of which the Text gives Us a remarkable Inſtance in the Generous Act of Pharaoh's Daughter. But we need not look backwards into Ancient Hiſtory, or go out of our Own Kingdom, for. an Example of a ROYAL BENEFACTRESS, Eminent for Her Tender Compaſſion, and Liberal Bounty towards 4 the Poor, ans and Helpleſs Children. Amongſt  d A 1 aaa. EI 14% - * 14 4 21 0 =. N A N. | ( * * UF: - 891 32 ' 1 1 : n BIS. b | — — 2 . = — wn — ——— a — naked * — 2 » fo —. — — ä ; — = ———_— > CR 7 Tz 5 1 — _— ————ůů— ĩr˙ r 3 — — — . I — LR — — = - — r pore nanny bs "2 * — — —— In D 2 5 — * * . 2 EY. r i — — % 7 r —— =_ * — — — - ——.— — — Ph - — ngs £ be I . " _—_— — — 5 2 4 = - 8 — * _ — — — © — 8 — 4 — < — — — . — — o — 4& * 456 — — — —— r RE. ds 2 FS 2 = — — 8 wc r — r . * 8 : 9 . Tr. —— ... 20g; Cots, IL MES wn, anemone — r of np 2 * 4 — — — U03“ʃ. ———— — —— 24 The Royal Bene factreſs. the Many and Signal Proefs, which our moſt Gra- cious Sovereign hath given, of Her real and ſincere Kindneſs for this Church, and of her tender Con- cern for its Welfare and Proſperity, We have rea- ſon to look upon This as None of the leaſt, that All Charitable and Pious Deſigns, which have been form'd for Advancing its Honour and Intereſt, both at Home and Abroad, have always been by Her Countenanc'd and Encourag'd. & Oneof theſe Nur- {cries of Religious Education, erected lately near her Palace, and growing up under Her more Imme- diate Influence, 1s conſtantly refreſh'd by plentiful - Streams in a liberal Manner flowing from her Roy- al Bounty: 4 Another of them She hath been Graci- ouſly pleas'd to Incoꝛpoꝛzate, in oer to make a mo2e ſolid Foundation fo? its Suppoꝛt and Maintenance: What Pharaoh's Daughter ſaid un- to the Hebrew Woman, to whom She committed the Care of the Child Moſes, the ſame our Gracious Queen, by the Tenour of Her Royal Charter, hath ſaid to the Truſtees of that Hoſpital, Take theſe Chil- dren, and Nurſe them for Me. And tho' She hath not Vet added her Royal Promiſe, that She will out of Her OwnTreaſure defray their Expences, Yet from Her Known Goodneſs they are ſecure, that the Nur- ſery, which Her Own Hand hath Planted, ſhall by the ſame Hand be Water d alſo in due Seaſon. By ſuch Acts of Beneficence and Condeſcenſion do Re- ligious Princes, who are the Subſtitutes and Repre- ſentatives of Heaven here upon Earth, beſt reſemble the Goodneſs of the Lord their God, who dwellin on high, humbleth Himſelf to behold the very meaneſt of his Creatures, and raiſeth up the Poor out of the Duſt, and lifteth the Needy out of the Dunghil. 35. 6 8 — Aeon — — — * Charity-School at Kenſington. | Logs 7: 1 The Grey-Coat Hoſpital in To:hil-Figlds, of the Royal Foundation of Queen ANNE. Our /. "OI" OE a a ft... „„ Lo fads R wad Wai amd AM Wis ow ack ws ha ” a. © an aan £QQ a CO. eg The School for Blue-Coats belonging to the New- A, T1 he Royal Benefactreſs. 25 Our third Obſervation was, That Generous Sduls, the more Kind they have been to Any, the Einder they are diſpos'd Still to be; the more they have been Exercis'd in Deeds of Charity, the ſtronger Propenſions do they find in themſelyes to abound in this Labour of Love ſtill More and More. Of this We have an Hiſtorical Inſtance in the Noble Benefactreſs of the Text, and of this We have a nearer and more delightful Proof in the liberal Contributions that Have been, and Are conſtantly given to theſe Charitable Schools. In * One of them, which I may with the more Decency ſingle out, both becauſe of my more Im- mediate Relation to it, and becauſe being the Firſt of this Kind it may modeſtly challenge ſome- ſort of Precedency by right of Primogeniture, I find enroll'd in the Liſt of its preſent Benefactors, many Names which have ſtood there ſince its firſt Foundation; And I have no reaſon to doubt, but what I know to be true, of the continual Sup- port, which hath been given to the Eldeſt of theſe Siſters, is equally ſo in reference to the Younger. _ With Perſons, not by Goodneſs of Nature ſtrongly diſpos d to Acts of Humanity, not by the Grace of God- powerfully ſtirr'd up to Cha- ritable Deeds, it may be a plauſible Argument againſt expending More on the Same Occalion, that they have already expended very Much; but Thoſe, whoſe Souls are thoroughly poſſeſs d with an ardent Deſire of Doing Good, thoſe who have a juſt and lively Senſe of the Indiſpenſable Obli- gations, which our Holy Religion layeth upon Us, to abound in all Acts of Brotherly Love with- out Ceaſing, and without Wearineſs, are us'd ta — — * enn s 3 1 26 The Royal Benefactreſs. argue after a different manner; and do think it a forcible Motive to their contributing cheerfully and largely towards any good Work, that their Liberality towards it hath on former Oceaſions been Eminent and Conſpicuous. Were the Re- wards promis'd to our Charity Stinted and Li- mited, it would then be more reaſonable, that our Charity alſo ſhould be confin'd within cer- tain Limits, beyond which it ſhould not paſs; but be it in its Objects never ſo Extenſive, be it in its Meaſures never ſo much Enlarg'd, be it in its Fruits never ſo Luxuriant, Sure We are; that on a ſtill fuller Meaſure than We meet withal, it ſhall be meaſur'd unto Us again: Good Meaſure, preſſed down, and ſhaken together, and running Over, ſhall be given into onr Boſom. As theſe Charity- Schools have from their firſt Erection Thriven and Encreas'd by thoſe Supplies, which have been conſtantly and liberally afforded to them, as they have from Low Beginnings been gradu- ally advanc'd to their preſent Height; ſo would the Pious Contributors thereto take an Eſtimate- i of the State which their Own Fortunes were Then in, when they firſt reacht forth their Boun- ty, and compare it with their Preſent Circum- ſtances, I doubt not but they would, to their Comfort, find, that their Own Wealth hath ? grown together with theſe Charitable Funds; That they have Encreas'd the Poor's Stock with- ont any Decreaſe of their Own | nay farther, that their Own Heap is become Larger by thoſe Supplies, which they have given out of it for the Support and Maintenance of theſe growing Be- nefactions. What they have thus leat unto the- Lord hath already been repaid them with Inte- fi reſt, in Private, and in Publick Bleſſings; and WE they have found their Charity abundantly recom- 1 55. pensd * Rn * 8 8 — © "4 — \ pg A 2 8 EET ITY OE. wo) 1 ct 8 8 5, 3) WV SY we LEE IE On, . 3. 