SERMONS. 385 



stain from the evil we are inclined or strongly 

 solicited to, and so accepts graciously our very 

 nothing, as I may call it, our not doing amiss ; 

 thus giving us leave to inclose, as it were, a part 

 of our waste, and to raise some revenue upon it :) 

 yet this is so much short of the height of the les- 

 son we are to learn in God's school, that it is only 

 the unlearning something that might obstruct it ; 

 so far from making us truly righteous, that it can 

 only style us innocent, and set us extra vitia rather 

 than intra virtutem. We must not then content 

 ourselves with a negative righteousness ; nor con- 

 fine and limit it within the sorry bounds of the 

 Pharisaical boast, *that we are not, as other men 

 are, extortioners or unjust: in some cases, he is 

 unjust too, that gives not his own, as well as he 

 that takes away what is another s:-]" in the Sacre,d 

 Dialect, alms-deeds are justice too ; even acts of 

 mercy and bounty to those that need them, stricti 

 juris, a part of our righteousness sometimes so in- 

 dispensable as not to be omitted without sin. 

 And therefore glorify thyself no longer, that thou 

 doest harm to no man : 



Cum dicis stultum, qui donat amico. 



Qui paupertatem levat, attollitque propinqui, 

 Et spoliare doces 1 



could the heathen poet say : he robs his neigh- 

 bour that relieves him not : he spoils his friend, 



* Luk. xviii. 11. f Ps. cxii. 9. Isai. Iviii. 7, 8. 



X Juvenal. Sat. xiv. 



VOL. II. C C 



