And why should I doubt it, since it is so, that even an unjust and ungodly Judge will redress the Grievances of the Oppressed, shall not the Best and Most Christian Government exercise its power, for suppressing and reforming intollerable Evils, Oppressions, and Disorders, seeing the Wellfare and Prosperity of the whole Nation is as it were Intail’d to such an Act of Justice and Mercy.  It is said of Faith, Hope, and Charity, That the greatest of these is Charity; yes, if a Man had all Faith, and all Hope, (both which are most excellent and necessary) yet it availeth nothing, if Charity be wanting.  And since ’tis a Maxim, That the best of Men cannot be Uncharitable:  I chearfully hope, that my humble Proposals for an Act of Charity, will not be contemn’d by our Greatest Worthies, since now in our view, the Wealth and Prosperity of the Nation, is in pursuit of the same.

I would not flatter my self or others, but do confidently believe, That what with the Decrease of Poor People, The happy Reformation, and total Restriction of Beggers, Vagrants, Nurses of Debauchery, _&c._ The yearly increase of Ten or Twelve Hundred Thousand Pounds, which now will be kept at home, that before went beyond the Seas for Linnen; The great Improvement of Lands; The Exportation of Linnen of our own growth, _&c._ The worth and advantage of the whole cannot amount to less than Two or three Millions Sterling, per Annum, to the Nation:  and over and above many lives preserved, and (with Gods blessing on the means) many souls saved; which, if so, certainly it will be the best Bargain and happiest that ever the Nation made, all circumstances considered; Because where so much Money is disburs’d as will compass this great Wealth (without which it is almost impossible to be attain’d,) our Posterity will have it for nothing; yea, the present Inhabitants have their Purchase Money still amongst themselves, as it were, in their own Sacks with their Corn, seeing we Buy not this profitable Expedient of other Nations; which, if we were obliged to do, to be sure they would make us pay dearly for it.

But suppose neither of these Advantages were to be reap’d for our Money, only the Poor provided for, and Reformation of Vagrants accomplish’d, Must we do nothing for Charity?  Suppose any Opposers of this Design, were worth 5000 l. or 10000 l. per Ann. a piece, Can they be certain, that none of their Posterity may within 200 years come to Poverty?  Why then should they be unwilling now to contribute freely, seeing the Method proposed, may secure both Rich and Poor from Extremity?  And how dishonourable is it to this Kingdom, that so fruitful a Soil as England, which by the Industry of its most unuseful Inhabitants, might so easily become the Garden of Europe, should, by their sloth and obstinacy, lie unimproved?  How many Hundred Thousand Beggers, Vagrants, Drones, Nurses of Debauchery, _&c._ who are not only a Dishonour, but a great Disadvantage to the Nation, living in continual sinful Practices against the Laws of God and good Government, depriving themselves of all means of Religious and Civil Education, to the great danger of their own Souls; Ill Example of others; and destruction of their Posterity, being neither serviceable to the Publick, nor capable of raising themselves to any better condition, might by this Method, be wholly reform’d, or prevented?