not such things commonly disposed by his hand with a gracious intent?

Is it for meanness of parts, or abilities, or endowments? But are not these the gifts of God, absolutely at his disposal, and arbitrarily distributed or preserved; so that thou who art so wise in thy own conceit to-day, mayest, by a disease, or from a judgment, deserved by thy pride, become an idiot to-morrow? Have not many good, and therefore many happy men, wanted those things?

Is it for moral imperfections or blemishes; for vicious habits, or actual misdemeanors? These indeed are the only debasements and disparagements of a man; yet do they not expunge the characters of Divinity impressed on his nature; and he may by God's mercy recover from them. And are not we ourselves, if grace do not uphold us, liable to the same? Yea, may we not, if without partiality or flattery we examine ourselves, discern the same within us, or other defects equivalent? And, however, is not pity rather due to them than contempt? Whose character was it, that they trusted they were righteous, and despised others?' That the most palpable offender should not be quite despised, God had a special care in his law, for that end moderating punishment, and restraining the number of stripes; If,' saith the law, the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.'

We may consider that the common things, both good and bad, wherein men agree, are far more considerable than the peculiar things wherein they differ; to be a man is much beyond being a lord, or a wit, or a philosopher; to be a Christian doth infinitely surpass being an emperor, or a learned clerk; to be a sinner is much worse than to be a beggar, or an idiot. The agreement of men is in the substance and body of things; the difference is in a circumstance, a fringe, or a shadow about them; so that we cannot despise another man, without reflecting contempt on ourselves, who are so very like him, and not

considerably better than he, or hardly can without arrogance. pretend to be so.

We may therefore, and reason doth require that we should value our neighbor; and it is no impossible or unreasonable precept which St. Peter giveth us, to honor all men;' and with it a charitable mind will easily comply: it ever will des cry something valuable, something honorable, something amiable in our neighbor; it will find somewhat of dignity in the meanest, somewhat of worth in the basest, somewhat hopeful in the most degenerate of men; it therefore will not absolutely slight or scorn any man whatever, looking on him as an abject or forlorn wretch, unworthy of consideration.

It is indeed a point of charity to see more things estimable in others than in ourselves; or to be apprehensive of more defects meriting disesteem in ourselves than in others; and consequently in our opinion to prefer others before us, according to those apostolical precepts, Be kindly affected one toward another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another.' In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.' 'Be subject one to another.'

II. Loving our neighbor doth imply a sincere and earnest desire of his welfare, and good of all kinds, in due proportion: for it is a property of love, that it would have its object most worthy of itself, and consequently that it should attain the best state whereof it is capable, and persist firm therein; to be fair and plump, to florish and thrive without diminution or decay; this is plain to experience in respect to any other thing (a horse, a flower, a building, or any such thing) which we pretend to love: wherefore charity should dispose us to be thus affected to our neighbor; so that we do not look on his condition or affairs with an indifferent eye or cold heart, but are much concerned for him, and put forth hearty wishes for his interests: we should wish him adorned with all virtue, and accomplished with all worthy endowments of soul; should wish him prosperous success in all his designs, and a comfortable satisfaction of his desires; we should wish him with alacrity of mind to reap the fruits of his industry, and to enjoy the best accommodations of his life. Not formally and

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in compliment, as the mode is, but really and with a cordial sense, on his undertaking any enterprise, we should wish him good speed; on any prosperous success of his endeavors, we should bid him joy; wherever he is going, whatever he is doing, we should wish him peace and the presence of God with him: we should tender his health, his safety, his quiet, his reputation, his wealth, his prosperity in all respects; but especially with peculiar ardency we should desire his final welfare, and the happiness of his soul, that being incomparably his chief

concern.

Hence readily should we pour forth our prayers, which are the truest expressions of good desire, for the welfare of our neighbor, to him who is able to work and bestow it.

Such was the charity of St. Paul for his countrymen, signified in those words, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved;' such was his love to the Philippians, God is my record, how greatly I long after you all, in the bowels of Jesus Christ:' and this I pray, that your love may abound more and more in knowlege, and in all judgment.'

Such was St. John's charity to his friend Gaius, to whom he said, Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayst prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.'

Such is the charity, which we are enjoined to express toward all men, by 'praying for all men,' in conformity to the charity of God, who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowlege of the truth.'

Such is the charity we are commanded to use toward our enemies, blessing those who curse us, and praying for those who despitefully use us and persecute us; the which was exemplified by our Lord, by St. Stephen, by all the holy Apostles.

III. Charity doth imply a complacence or delightful satisfaction in the good of our neighbor; this is consequent on the former property, for that joy naturally doth result from events agreeable to our desire: charity hath a good eye, which is not offended or dazzled with the lustre of its neighbor's virtue, or with the splendor of his fortune, but vieweth either of them steadily with pleasure, as a very delightful

spectacle; it beholdeth him to prosper and florish, to grow in wealth and repute, not only without envious repining, but with gladsome content: its property is to rejoice with them that rejoice;' to partake of their enjoyments, to feast in their pleasures, to triumph in their success.

As one member doth feel the health and the delight which another immediately doth enjoy; so hath a charitable man a sensible complacence in the welfare and joy of his neighbor.

His prosperity of any kind, in proportion to its importance, doth please him; but especially his spiritual proficiency and improvement in virtue doth yield matter of content; and his good deeds he beholdeth with abundant satisfaction.

This is that instance of charity which St. Paul so frequently doth express in his epistles, declaring the extreme joy he did feel in the faith, in the virtue, in the orderly conversation of those brethren to whom he writeth.

This charity possessed St. John, when he said, 'I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.'

This is the charity of heaven, which doth even cheer the angels, and doth enhance the bliss of the blessed spirits there; of whom it is said, 'there is joy in heaven over every sinner that repenteth.' Hence this is the disposition of charitable persons, sincerely to congratulate any good occurrence to their neighbor; they are ready to conspire in rendering thanks and praise to the Author of their welfare, taking the good conferred on their neighbor as a blessing and obligation on themselves; so that they on such occasions are apt to say with St. Paul, 'what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before God?' and, 'We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and that the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth:' and, I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ, that in every thing ye are enriched by him.'

It is a precept of St. Paul, give thanks always rèp návTwy;' which is translated for all things,' but it might as well be rendered for all persons,' according to that injunction, 'I

exhort that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men :' not only prayers are to be made, but thanksgivings are to be offered for all men, out of general charity.

IV. Correspondently, love of our neighbor doth imply condolency and commiseration of the evils befalling him: for what we love, we cannot without displeasure behold lying in a bad condition, sinking into decay, or in danger to perish; so, to a charitable mind, the bad state of any man is a most unpleasant and painful sight.

It is the property of charity to mourn with those that mourn ;' not coldly, but passionately, (for it is to weep with those that weep,') resenting every man's case with an affection suitable thereto, and as he doth himself resent it.

Is any man fallen into disgrace? charity doth hold down its head, is abashed and out of countenance, partaking of his shame is any man disappointed of his hopes or endeavors? charity crieth out alas, as if it were itself defeated is any man afflicted with pain or sickness? charity looketh sadly, it sigheth and groaneth, it fainteth and languisheth with him: is any man pinched with hard want? charity if it cannot succor, it will condole: doth ill news arrive? charity doth hear it with an unwilling ear and a sad heart, although not particularly concerned in it. The sight of a wreck at sea, of a field spread with carcases, of a country desolated, of houses burnt and cities ruined, and of the like calamities incident to mankind, would touch the bowels of any man; but the very report of them would affect the heart of charity. It doth not suffer a man with comfort or ease to enjoy the accommodations of his own state, while others before him are in distress: it cannot be merry while any man in presence is sorrowful: it cannot seem happy while its neighbor doth appear miserable: it hath a share in all the afflictions which it doth behold or hear of, according to that instance in St. Paul of the Philippians, ' ye have done well, that ye did communicate with (or partake in) my afflictions;' and according to that precept, Remember those which are in bonds, as bound with them.'

Such was the charity of Job; Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?'