SERM. feffing it, enjoying it as its own: fo charity doth make XXVII. our neighbour to be ours, engaging us to tender his cafe,

and his concerns as our own; fo that we fhall exercise about them the fame affections of foul, (the fame defires, the fame hopes and fears, the fame joys and forrows,) as about our own nearest and most peculiar intereft; so that his danger will affright us, and in his fecurity we shall find repofe; his profit is gain, and his loffes are damages to us; we do rife by his preferment, and fink down by his fall; his good speed is a fatisfaction, and his disappointment a cross to us; his enjoyments afford pleasure, and his fufferings bring pain to us.

So charity doth enlarge our minds beyond private confiderations, conferring on them an univerfal intereft, and reducing all the world within the verge of their affectionate care; fo that a man's felf is a very small and inconfiderable portion of his regard: whence charity is faid 1 Cor.xiii.5. not to seek its own things, and we are commanded not to look on our own things; for that the regard which charity beareth to its own interest, in comparison to that which it beareth toward the concerns of others, hath the fame proportion as one man hath to all men; being therefore exceedingly small, and as it were none at all.

X. 24.

Phil. ii. 4.

This, faith St. Chryfoftom, is the canon of most perfect Chriftianifm, this is an exact boundary, this is the highest top of it, to feek things profitable to the publica: and Phil. iv. 16. according to this rule charity doth walk, it prescribeth that compass to itself, it afpireth to that pitch; it dif1 Cor. x. pofeth to act as St. Paul did, I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be faved.

83.

VI. It is a property of love to affect union, or the greatest approximation that can be to its object. As hatred doth fet things at diftance, making them to fhun or chase away one another; fo love doth attract things,

* Τῶτο κανὼν χρισιανισμό τοῦ πλειοτάτε, τᾶτο ὅρος ἠκριβωμένος, αὕτη ἡ κορυφή ή ἀνωτάτω, τὸ τὰ κοινῆ συμφέροντα ζητεῖν. Chryf. in 1 Cor. Orat. xxv.

doth combine them, doth hold them faft together; every SERM. one would be embracing and enjoying what he loveth in XXVII. the manner whereof it is capable: fo doth charity difpofe

a man to conjunction with others; it foon will breed acquaintance, kind conversation, and amicable correspondence with our neighbour.

It would be a stranger to no man, to whom by its intercourse it may yield any benefit or comfort.

Its arms are always open, and its bofom free to receive all, who do not reject or decline its amity.

It is most frankly acceffible, most affable, most tractable, most sociable, most apt to interchange good offices; moft ready to oblige others, and willing to be obliged by them.

It avoideth that unreasonable suspiciousness and diffidence, that timorous fhinefs, that crafty reservedness, that fupercilious morofity, that faftidious fullennefs, and the like untoward difpofitions, which keep men in estrangement, ftifling good inclinations to familiarity and friendfhip.

tuæ chari

VII. It is a property of love to defire a reciprocal Spes muaffection; for that is the fureft poffeffion and firmeft tatis. Sen. union, which is grounded upon voluntarily conspiring in Ep. ix. affection; and if we do value any person, we cannot but prize his good-will and esteem.

Charity is the mother of friendship, not only as inclining us to love others, but as attracting others to love us; difpofing us to affect their amity, and by obliging means to procure it.

2 Tim. ii.

Hence is that evangelical precept so often enjoined to us, of pursuing peace with all men, importing that we Heb. xii. should defire and feek by all fair means the good-will of 14 men, without which peace from them cannot fubfift; for 22. if they do not love us, they will be infefting us with un- 18. kind words or deeds.

VIII. Hence also charity difpofeth to please our neighbour, not only by inoffenfive but by obliging demeanour ; by a ready complaifance and compliance with his fashion,

Rom. xii.

SERM. with his humour, with his defire in matters lawful, or in XXVII. a way confiftent with duty and difcretion.

Rom. xv. 2.

Such charity St. Paul did prescribe; Let every one please his neighbour, for his good to edification: such he 1 Cor. x. 33. practised himself, Even as I please all men in all things, not feeking mine own profit; and, I have made myself a fervant to all, that I might gain the more.

ix. 19.

Rom. xv. 3.

Such was the charity of our Lord, for even Chrift John ii. 2. pleased not himself: he indeed did ftoop to converse with forry men in their way, he came when he was invited, he accepted their entertainment, he from the frankness of his converfation with all forts of perfons did undergo the reMatt.xi.19. proach of being a winebibber, a friend of publicans and finners.

Luke vii.

34.

It is the genius and complexion of charity to affect nothing uncouth or fingular in matters of indifferent nature; to be candid, not rigid in opinion; to be pliable, not stiff in humour; to be fmooth and gentle, not rugged and peevish in behaviour.

It doth indeed not flatter, not footh, not humour any man in bad things, or in things very abfurd and foolish; it would rather choose to displease and crofs him, than to abufe, to delude, to wrong, or hurt him; but excepting fuch cases, it gladly pleaseth all men, denying its own will and conceit to fatisfy the pleasure, and fancy of others; practising that which St. Peter enjoined in that precept, Be of one mind, be compaffionate, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous b; or as St. Paul might intend, Eph. iv. 32. when he bid us, xapísaι åλλýλ015, to gratify, to indulge

Col. iii. 13.

one another.

IX. Love of our neighbour doth imply readiness upon all occafions to do him good, to promote and advance his benefit in all kinds.

It doth not reft in good opinions of mind, and good affections of heart, but from those roots doth put forth

* Ομόφρονες, συμπαθείς, φιλάδελφοι, εὔσπλαγχνοι, φιλόφρονες. 1 Pet. iii. 8.

abundant fruits of real beneficence; it will not be fatisfied SERM. with faint defires or fluggish wishes, but will be up and XXVII. doing what it can for its neighbour..

death.

Love is a bufy and active, a vigorous and fprightful, a Love is courageous and induftrious difpofition of foul; which will trong as prompt a man, and push him forward to undertake or un- Cant. viii. dergo any thing, to endure pains, to encounter dangers, to furmount difficulties for the good of its object.

6.

8.

Such is true charity; it will difpofe us to love, as St. 1 John iii. John prefcribeth, špyų xaì ààndeía, in work and in truth: James ii. not only in mental defire, but in effectual performance ; 16. not only in verbal pretence, but in real effect.

νεσθαι τῶν

14.

Hence charity will render a man a general benefactor, 'Avri in all matters, upon all occafions; affording to his neighbour all kinds of affiftance and relief, according to his Acts xx. 35. Αντέχεσθαι neighbour's need, and his own ability: it will make him. a bountiful difpenfer of his goods to the poor, a com- 1 Theff. v. forter of the afflicted, a vifiter of the fick, an instructor of nagaμıdırthe ignorant, an advifer of the doubtful, a protector of Bhathe oppreffed, a hofpitable entertainer of firangers, a re- i Theff. v. conciler of differences, an interceffor for offenders, an job xxix. advocate of those who need defence, a fuccourer of that want help.

γοψύχους.

14.

all 17. xxxi.

and I brake the jaws

32.

The practice of Job defcribeth its nature; I, faith he, Job xxix. delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him 12. that had none to help him. The bleffing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caufed the widow's heart to fing for joy. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame: I was a father to the poor, and the caufe which I knew not I fearched out of the wicked, and plucked the Spoil out of his teeth. If I Job xxxi. have held the poor from their defire, or have caufed the eyes of the widow to fail; or have eaten my morfel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; if I have Seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering. The ftranger did not lodge in the Street; but I Job xxxi. opened my doors to the traveller.

Such is a charitable man; the fun is not more liberal

16.

32.

SERM. of his light and warmth, than he is of beneficial influXXVII. ence.

He doth not spare his fubftance, being rich in good works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate: and where his eftate faileth, yet the contribution of his endeavour will not be wanting; he will be ready to draw and prefs others to beneficence; fo doing good not only according to his power, but in a manner beyond it, making the ability of others to supply his own weakness, and being liberal with their wealth. The defcription of Corn. Nep. Cimon is a good character of a charitable man, Nulli fides ejus, nulli opera, nulli res familiaris defuit.

in Cimone.

(1 Cor. iv. 11.)

2 Cor. vi. 10.

Thus may the pooreft men be great benefactors: fo the poor Apostles, who had nothing, yet did enrich many ; not only in spiritual treasure, but taking care for supply slax of the poor, by their precepts and moving exhortations: warigoris.and he that had not where to lay his head, was the moft 2Cor.viii. 9. bountiful perfon that ever was; for our fake he became poor, that we by his poverty might be made rich.

πολλὰς δὲ

Ifa. lviii. 7 -10.

Ezek. xviii.

16.

In all kinds charity disposeth to further our neighbour's good, but especially in the concerns of his foul; the which as incomparably they do furpass all others, so it is the trueft and nobleft charity to promote them.

It will incline us to draw forth our foul to the hungry, and to fatisfy the afflicted foul; to bring the poor that are caft out to our houfe; to cover the naked, to loofe the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, to break every yoke; to fupply any corporal indigency, to relieve any temporal diftress: but especially it will induce to make provifion for the foul, to relieve the spiritual needs of our neighbour; by affording him good inftruction, and taking care that he be informed in his duty, or conducted in his way to happiness; by admoEis wagoğu- nition and exhortation quickening, encouraging, provok

σμὸν καλῶν ing, spurring him to good works; by refolving him in his

ἔργων.

Heb. x. 24. doubts, and comforting him in his troubles of conscience; 'AvogJá(lifting up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees;) Heb.xii.12. by feasonable and prudent reproof: by all ways ferving to

1 Theff. v.