Note, 1. The honour of doing good is what we may laudably be ambitious
of. It cannot but be the desire of man, if he have any spark of virtue
in him, to be kind; one would not covet an estate for any thing so much
as thereby to be put into a capacity of relieving the poor and obliging
our friends. 2. It is far better to have a heart to do good and want
ability for it than have ability for it and want a heart to it: The
desire of a man to be kind, and charitable, and generous, is his
kindness, and shall be so construed; both God and man will accept his
good-will, according to what he has, and will not expect more. A poor
man, who wishes you well, but can promise you nothing, because he has
nothing to be kind with, is better than a liar, than a rich man who
makes you believe he will do mighty things, but, when it comes to the
setting to, will do nothing. The character of the men of low degree,
that they are vanity, from whom nothing is expected, is better than
that of men of high degree, that they are a lie, they deceive those
whose expectations they raised.