Page:The history of Tom Jones (1749 Volume 1).pdf/191

 ‘As to the meritorious Part, he aid, he readily agreed with the Captain; for where could be the Merit of barely dicharging a Duty; which he aid, let the Word Charity have what Contruction it would, it ufficiently appeared to be from the whole Tenure of the New Tetament. And as he thought it an indipenfable Duty, enjoined both by the Chritian Law, and by the Law of Nature itelf; o was it withal o pleaant, that if any Duty could be aid to be its own Reward, or to pay us while we were dicharging it, it was this.

‘To confes the Truth, aid he, there is one Degree of Generoity, (of Charity I would have called it) which eems to have ome Shew of Merit, and that is, where from a Principle of Benevolence, and Chritian Love, we betow on another what we really want ourelves; where, in order to leen the Ditrees of another, we condecend to hare ome Part of them by giving what even our own Neceities cannot well pare. This is, I think, meritorious; but to relieve our Brethren only with our Superfluities; to be charitable (I mut ue the Word) rather at the Expence of our