SER M. of the Credit of their Office refts upon us.

VI. For, as Solomon obferves, The Glory of Chil

dren are their Fathers, Prov. xvii. 6. I do suppose we have as good Reason, at least, as any other Race of Men, to apply this to ourfelves. Not that I mention it with Design to boast an Honour, but to infpire a Virtue. Permit me therefore to repeat the Wife Man's Saying: Childrens Children are the Crown of old Men; but the Glory of Children are their Fathers. Which Bishop Patrick paraphrases thus: "The Honour and Comfort of Parents "lies in a numerous Progeny, which do not degenerate from their Ancestors Virtues. "And that which makes Children illuftrious, "is their being defcended from worthy Parents, "whofe Wisdom and Virtue reflect Honour "on their Posterity."

Let us therefore look unto the Rock from whence we are hewn, Ifa. li. 1, 2. and to the Hole of the Pit whence we are digged. Let us look unto Abraham our Father, and unto Sarah that bare us. Let us reflect both on the Characters and Examples of those from whose Loins we are sprung, that we may adhere to their Faith, and imitate their Converfation.

VI.

fation. And let us not think to fay within S ER M. ourselves, we have Abraham to our Father, Luke iii. 8. unless we do the Works of Abraham, John viii. 39. and walk in the Steps of his Faith and Obedience. Let us evidence our Lineage by the Purity of our Lives, and fhew to what Tribe we belong by the Spirit we are of

And now I think nothing remains, but that I should beg the Bleffing of God upon this good Work in which you are engaged: And whether my Endeavours can any ways contribute to your Success in it, or not; yet, for my Brethren and Companions Sakes, I will wish you Profperity: Yea, because of the Houfe of the Lord our God, I will seek to do you Good, Pfal, cxxii. 8, 9.

A SER

A SERMON Preached at St Nicholas's Church in Newcastle, before the Governors of the Infirmary, for the Counties of Durham, Newcastle, and Northumberland, on Thursday, May the 23d, 1751. being the Day appointed for opening the Hofpital for the Reception of Patients, and for returning Thanks to Almighty God for the fingular Success he hath given to this Charity; and for imploring his Bleffing upon it at all Times. Published at the Request of the Governors.

Luke x. ver. 36, and part of 37.

Which now of these three, thinkeft thou, was
Neighbour to him that fell among the Thieves?

And he faid, He that fhewed Mercy on him.

TH

VII.

HERE feems to be fomething peculiar, S E R M. and worthy of our Attention, in the Application our Saviour makes of this Word Neighbour to the Samaritan, of whom he had been just before relating, in the Way of Parable,

VII.

SER M. Parable, an extraordinary Act of Goodness, in relieving and taking Care of a wounded and half-dead Man.

We may not at first Sight perceive what, or how much, is contain'd in this Character of a Neighbour, as it is here applied. It has indeed appear'd a Matter of fome Difficulty with the Commentators how to account for its being attributed to the Samaritan, rather than to the wounded Man, fince the latter, by the apparent Scope of the Parable, was defign'd to represent a Neighbour in the fartheft Remove, or in the largest Acceptation of the Word.

You will be fo good as to lend me your Patience a little, while, by a fhort Comment on this Paffage, I endeavour to remove that Difficulty, and at the fame Time lay a Foundation for applying my Text to the Welcome Occafion of our meeting here this Day; The Propriety of which Application you will the better judge of after you have learn'd the Force and beautiful Import of the Word Neighbour in this Place.

The Text then is a Refolution of a Queftion that had been put to our Saviour by a

certain