SERM. it. It is in the reality and truth, not in the IX. meafure of the affection, that felf-love is the ftandard of charity; and by looking into our own hearts, and comparing it with that undiffembling defire we have of felicity to our felves, we may judge the fincerity of our love to our neighbour.

The proper expreffions and fruits of this inward good affection in the mind are as various as the neceffities of fome of mankind, and the abilities and opportunities of others to relieve them. As our prefent condition is imperfect, one way of fupplying its wants is by the focial and compaffionate difpofitions God has planted in mankind; fo that the cares of every one are not confined to himself, but as parts of the fame fyftem, the fame fociety, or as members of the fame body, which is the fimilitude ufed in fcripture to represent the near relation of chriftians, every one fhould be folicitous for the good of his brother, and the good of the whole. The happiness of the fouls of men, arifing from their integrity and virtue, is the greateft, in its kind, that "they are capable of, and the longest in its duration; and, therefore, to promote it is the first demand of charity. To inftruct the

3

SERM.

ignorant, to reclaim the difobedient, to convert finners from the error of their way, to ftrengthen the weak, comfort the feebleminded, to encourage the fincere, and excite them to growing diligence and zeal in religion; these are the nobleft offices we can poffibly perform to our brethren, because they ferve the highest ends, and produce the best and most lafting effects. And these are the charitable offices which the apostles very often and with great earneftnefs recommend to chriftians; as they feverely inveigh against the contrary faults, and prefs all the difciples of Chrift to avoid them, fuch as offending, weakening, cenfuring, judging, defpifing, and grieving one another; particularly, the New Teftament urges two inftances of charity, the forgiving of injuries, and forbearing the weak; that is, thofe of our fellowchriftians, in whom we obferve pitiable infirmities, not wilful and obftinate wicked. nefs, and errors not pernicious or inconfiftent with the very being of chriftianity. You will find it is the current doctrine of the apostles, that we ought to practice thefe conftantly and they are prefs'd with the greatest warmth, and enforced with the ftrongeft arguments, Q3

239

10

taken

SERM, taken from the example of Chrift, from the IX. defign of his death, and the obligations he

has laid us under by his love. How often do they call upon us to lay afide all animofities and contentions, all bitterness, clamour, envy, revenge, wrath and evil-fpeaking; to forgive one another, if any one have a quarrel against any, even as God for Chrift's fake freely forgave us; to receive our fellow Chriftians, the weak as well as the strong, as Chrift received us to the glory of God; on account of leffer differences in religion (which in this imperfect ftate are inevitable) not to break the unity and peace of the church, not to alienate our affections, nor withdraw from the religious fellowship of each other? Scarcely is there any thing more defignedly and largely treated on, especially in St. Paul's epiftles than this; as the condition of the church, and particularly the difference between the Jewish and Gentile converts, did in a pecu liar manner require it. And, by the by, thefe are offices of charity which need now as much as ever to be inculcated, there being notorious trefpaffes against them in almost all the Chriftian churches; not only particular perfons are chargeable with it, but the very conftitution of religious focieties founded on

IX.

things confeffedly of very little moment, ap-SERM. propriating the tokens of chriftian communion and marks of esteem to those who agree in them. Any one may fee how difagreeable this is to the apoftolical rules which injoin Chriftians to receive thofe who are weak in the faith not to doubtful difputations; and to that spirit of meekness and gentleness, of brotherly kindness and charity, which the rule of our religion fo warmly recommends.

But, befides these offices of charity, there are others injoin'd by the natural law of benevolence, and which the gospel so far from overlooking, peculiarly enforces; thofe, I mean, which relate to the prefent condition of mankind. The wife and fovereign providence of God has fo ordered that there is a diverfity in the state of men; fome are indigent, others in a capacity of relieving; the rich and the poor meet together, the disconfolate and the comforter, the diftreffed and him who is able to help him. In all thefe and other cafes of a like nature, reafon and a compaffionate heart will readily fuggeft to a man how he ought to fhow his charity; that it is by feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, vifiting the fick, and the prifoner, and taking in the stranger. To these good works Q 4

the

SERM. the law and the prophets witness as: duties of IX. perpetual obligation. And our Saviour, in

ftead of diminishing from the value and im

-3

བ

portance of them, preffes them with the greatest earnestnefs. In the account he gives of his own diftribution of rewards and punishments at the laft judgment, thefe he mentions as particular examples of the works he will liberally recompence; not fo as to exclude others, but to fhew that they are in God's fight of great account. And let it be

remembered, that we must exert ourselves in the practice of them according to our feveral i abilities. For charity is not an unactive af fection refting in the heart, but fhews itfelf with vigor in genuine beneficial fruits. The apostle James puts fo plain a cafe that everyo man at first hearing must be convinced that the demands of charity are not fatisfied either! by good wishes or good words without fubftantial good works. If a brother or a fifter be naked and deftitute of daily food. And one of you fay to them, depart in peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding yev give them not those things which are needful for the body, what doth it profit? Indeed it is equally unprofitable to the object and the

*James ii. 15, 16.

pretendern