18. And the reason of all this is plain; there is the same _necessity_ of being charitable at one time as at another. It is as much the best use of our money, to be _always_ doing good with it, as it is the best use of it at any _particular time_; so that that which is a reason for a charitable _action_, is as good a reason for a charitable _life_; for charity has nothing to recommend it to-day, but what will be the same recommendation of it to-morrow; and you cannot neglect it at one time, without being guilty of the same sin as if you neglected it at another time. As sure, therefore, as these works of charity are necessary to salvation, so sure is it that we are to do them to the utmost of our power; not to-day, or to-morrow, but through the whole _course_ of our life. If therefore it be our duty at any time to deny ourselves any _needless_ expences, that we may have to give to those that want, it is as much our duty to do so at all times, that we may be able to do more good: for if it is at any time a sin to prefer _needless_ expence to works of charity, it is so at all times. If it is ever necessary to take care of these works of charity, and to see that we make ourselves in some degree capable of doing them; it is as necessary to take care to make ourselves as capable as we can be, of performing them in all the parts of our life. 19. Either therefore you must say, that you need never perform any of these good works; or you must own, that you are to perform all your life in as high a degree as you are able. There is no middle way any more than there is a middle way between temperance and intemperance. If you do not strive to fulfil all charitable works, if you neglect any of them that are in your power, let it be when it will, or where it will, you number yourself amongst those that want Christian charity; because it is as much your duty to do good with all that you have, as it is your duty to be temperate in all that you eat or drink. 20. Hence appears the _necessity_ of renouncing all those _foolish_ and _unreasonable_ expences, which the folly of mankind has made so common and fashionable in the world. For if it is necessary to do good works as far as you are able, it must be as necessary to renounce those needless ways of spending money, which render you unable to do works of charity.