whom, in the passage hereafter mentioned, He
has described as His own representatives upon earth. At the same time,
we should manage our charity with such prudence and caution, that we may
not hurt our own friends or relations whilst we are doing good to those
who are strangers to us.

This may possibly be explained better by an example than by a rule.

Eugenius is a man of a universal good nature, and generous beyond the
extent of his fortune; but withal so prudent in the economy of his
affairs, that what goes out in charity is made up by good management.
Eugenius has what the world calls two hundred pounds a year; but never
values himself above nine-score, as not thinking he has a right to the
tenth part, which he always appropriates to charitable uses. To this sum
he frequently makes other voluntary additions, insomuch, that in a good
year--for such he accounts those in which he has been able to make
greater bounties than ordinary--he has given above twice that sum to the
sickly and indigent. Eugenius prescribes to himself many particular days
of fasting and abstinence, in order to increase his private bank of
charity, and sets aside what would be the current expenses of those times
for the use of the poor. He often goes afoot where his business calls
him, and at the end of his walk has given a shilling, which in his
ordinary methods of expense would have gone for coach-hire, to the first
necessitous person that has fallen in his way. I have known him, when he
has been going to a play or an opera, divert the money which was designed
for that purpose upon an object of charity whom he has met with in the
street; and afterwards pass his evening in a coffee-house, or at a
friend's fireside, with much greater satisfaction to himself than he
could have received from the most exquisite entertainments of the
theatre. By these means he is generous without impoverishing himself,
and enjoys his estate by making it the property of others.

There are few men so cramped in their private affairs, who may not be
charitable after this manner, without any disadvantage to themselves, or
prejudice to their families. It is but sometimes sacrificing a diversion
or convenience to the poor, and turning the usual course of our expenses
into a better channel. This is, I think, not only the most prudent and
convenient, but the most meritorious piece of charity which we can put in
practice. By this method, we in some measure share the