of good desire, for the welfare of our neigh. | feel in the faith, in the virtue, in the orderly bour, to him who is able to work and be- conversation of those brethren to whom he stow it. writeth. 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 knowledge, 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 mayest 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 knowledge 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 neighbour; 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 neighbour's virtue, or with the splendour of his fortune, but vieweth either of them steadily with pleasure, as a very delightful spectacle; it beholdeth him to prosper and flourish, 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 neighbour. 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 This charity possessed St. John, when he said, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.Þ 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 neighbour; they are ready to conspire in rendering thanks and praise to the Author of their welfare, taking the good conferred on their neighbour as a blessing and obligation on themselves; so that they upon 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 bouna to thank God always for you, brethren, be cause 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.a It is a precept of St. Paul, Give thanks always rig war; which is translated for all things, but it might as well be rendered for all persons, according to that injunction, Texhort, 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 neigh. bour 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 pas sionately (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 endeavours? charity crieth out alas! as if it were itself defeated: is any man afflicted Luke xv. 7. 10. a Thess. iii. 9; b3 John 4. 2 Thess. i. 3; 1 Cor. i. 4, 5; (Phil. i. 3; Rom. i. 8; 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 succour, 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 carcasses, 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 neighbour 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 h Such was the charity of the Psalmist, even toward his ingrateful enemies: They (saith he) rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul; but as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I humbled my soul with fasting. I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother; I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother. Such was the charity of St. Paul: Who is weak (said he) and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not ? with fervent compassion. Such was the charity of our Saviour; which so reigned in his heart, that no passion is so often attributed to him as this of pity, it being expressed to be the motive of his great works. Jesus (saith St. Matthew) went forth, and saw a great multitude, xa jorλayxvíoln iz' avros, and was moved (in his bowels) with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick: and, I have compassion* on the multitude, because they have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way and, Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and, Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand and touched him (the leper), and saith unto him, I will, be thou clean:" and, When the Lord saw her (the widow of Nain, whose son was carried out), he had compassion on her: and, He beheld the city, and wept over it, considering the miseries impendent on it, as a just punishment of their outrageous injuries against himself: and when the two good sisters did bewail their brother Lazarus, He groaned in spirit, and was troubled; and wept with them: whence the Jews did collect, Behold how he loved him! Thus any calamity or misfortune befalling his neighbour doth raise distasteful regret and commiseration in a charitable soul; but especially moral evils (which indeed are the great evils, in comparison whereto nothing else is evil) do work that effect; to see men dishonour and wrong their Maker, to provoke his anger, and incur his disfavour; to see men abuse their reason, and disgrace their nature; to see men endamage their spiritual estate, to endanger the loss of their souls, to discost from their happiness, and run into eternal ruin, by distemper of mind and an inordinate conversation; this is most afflictive to a man endued with any good degree of charity. Could one see a man sprawling on the ground, weltering in his blood, with gaping wounds, gasping for breath, without compassion? And seeing the condition of him that lieth grovelling in sin, weltering in guilt, wounded with bitter remorse and pangs of conscience, nearly obnoxious to eternal death, is far worse and more deplorable; how can it but touch the heart of a charitable man, and stir his bowels with compassionate anguish? Such was the excellent charity of the the holy Psalmist, signified in those ejacu lations: I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word: and, Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy law. Such was the charity of St. Paul toward his incredulous and obdurate countrymen (notwithstanding their hatred and ill treatment of himself), the which he so earnestly did aver in those words: I say the truth, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart' for them. Such was the charity of our Lord, which disposed him, as to a continual sense of men's evils, so upon particular occasions to grieve at their sins and spiritual wants; | the same hopes and fears, the same joys as when the Pharisees maligned him for and sorrows), as about our own nearest and his doing good, he, it is said, did evλaursî- most peculiar interest; so that his danger ata, grieve (or condole) for the hardness of will affright us, and in his security we shall their heart; and, When he saw the mul- find repose; his profit is gain, and his titude, he was moved with compassion on losses are damages to us; we do rise by his them, because they fainted, and were scat- preferment, and sink down by his fall; his tered abroad as sheep having no shepherd: good speed is a satisfaction, and his disand when he wept over Jerusalem, because appointment a cross to us; his enjoyments it did not know in its day the things which afford pleasure, and his sufferings bring belonged to its peace," (either temporal, or pain to us. eternal.) This is that charity, which God himself in a wonderful and incomprehensible manner doth exemplify to us: for he is the Father of pities; xúcλayxvos, full of bowels; his bowels are troubled, and do sound, when he is (for upholding justice, or reclaiming sinners) constrained to inflict punishment; of him it is said, that his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel; and that he was afflicted in all the afflictions of his people. So incredible miracles doth infinite charity work in God, that the impassible God in a manner should suffer with us, that happiness itself should partake in our misery; that grief should spring up in the fountain of joy. How this can be, we thoroughly cannot well apprehend; but surely those expresses are used in condescension to signify the greatly charitable benignity of God, and to show us our duty, that we should be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful, sympathizing with the miseries and sorrows of our brethren." This is that duty which is so frequently inculcated; when we are charged to put on bowels of pity, to be sorhayxv, tenderhearted, to be ruμæabris, compassionate one toward another." Hence it is, that good men in this world cannot live in any briskness of mirth or height of jollity, their own enjoyments being tempered by the discontents of others; the continual obvious spectacles of sorrow and of sin damping their pleasures, and quashing excessive transports of joy: for who could much enjoy himself in an hospital, in a prison, in a charnel? V. It is generally a property of love to appropriate its object; in apprehension and affection embracing it, possessing it, enjoying it as its own: so charity doth make our neighbour to be ours, engaging us to tender his case and his concerns as our own; so that we shall exercise about them the same affections of soul (the same desires, Mark iii. 5. "Matt. ix. 36. Luke xix. 41. James v. 11; Luke i. 78; Jer. xxxi. 20; Isa. lxiii. 15; Judg. x. 16; (à . LXX.) Isa. lxiii. 9; (Hos. xi. 8.) Luke vi. 36; Eph. v. 1; (Luke xvi. 20.) Col. ili. 12; Phil. ii, 1; Eph. iv. 32; 1 Pet iii. 8. So charity doth enlarge our minds beyond private considerations, conferring on them an universal interest, and reducing all the world within the verge of their affectionate care; so that a man's self is a very small and inconsiderable portion of his regard: whence charity is said 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 same proportion as one man hath to all men; being therefore exceedingly small, and as it were none at all. This (saith St. Chrysostom) is the canon of most perfect Christianism, this is an exact boundary, this is the highest top of it, to seek things profitable to the public:* and according to this rule charity doth walk;` it prescribeth that compass to itself, it aspireth to that pitch; it disposeth 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 saved. VI. It is a property of love to affect union, or the greatest approximation that can be to its object. As hatred doth set things at distance, making them to shun or chase away one another; so love doth attract things, doth combine them, doth hold them fast together; every one would be embracing and enjoying what he loveth in the manner whereof it is capable: so doth charity dispose a man to conjunction with others; it soon 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 bosom free to receive all, who do not reject or decline its amity. It is most frankly accessible, most af fable, most tractable, most sociable, most * Τοῦτο κανὼν χριστιανισμοῦ τοῦ πλειοτάτου, τοῦτο ὅρος ἠκριβωμένος, αὕτη ἡ κορυφή ἡ ἀνωτάτω, τὸ τὰ κοινῇ συμ Sigorta CUTII. -Chrys. in 1 Cor. Orat. xxv. 1 Cor. xiii. 5; x. 24; Phil. ii. 4. 1 Cor. x. 33 Phil. iv. 16. apt to interchange good offices; most ready to oblige others, and willing to be obliged by them. It avoideth that unreasonable suspiciousness and diffidence, that timorous shyness, that crafty reservedness, that supercilious morosity, that fastidious sullenness, and the like untoward dispositions, which keep men in estrangement, stifling good inclinations to familiarity and friendship. VII. It is a property of love to desire a reciprocal affection; for that is the surest possession and firmest union, which | is grounded upon voluntarily conspiring in 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; disposing us to affect their amity, and by obliging means to procure it. Hence is that evangelical precept so often enjoined to us, of pursuing peace with all men, importing that we should desire and seek by all fair means the goodwill of men, without which peace from them cannot subsist; for if they do not love us, they will be infesting us with unkind words or deeds. VIII. Hence also charity disposeth to please our neighbour, not only by inoffensive but by obliging demeanour; by a ready complaisance and compliance with his fashion, with his humour, with his desire in matters lawful, or in a way consistent with duty and discretion. e Such charity St. Paul did prescribe; Let every one please his neighbour, for his good to edification: such he practised himself; Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit; and, I have made myself a servant to all, that might gain the more.' not stiff, in humour; to be smooth and gentle, not rugged and peevish, in behaviour. or It doth indeed not flatter, not soothe, not humour any man in bad things, or in things very absurd and foolish; it would rather choose to displease and cross him, than to abuse, to delude, to wrong, hurt him; but excepting such cases, it gladly pleaseth all men, denying its own will and conceit to satisfy the pleasure and fancy of others; practising that which St. Peter enjoined in that precept, Be of ont mind, be compassionate, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous; or as St. Paul might intend, when he bid us xagigibas iλAh, to gratifu, to indulge one another. IX. Love of our neighbour doth imply readiness upon all occasions to do him good, to promote and advance his benefit in all kinds. It doth not rest in good opinions of mind, and good affections of heart, but from those roots doth put forth abundant fruits of real beneficence; it will not be satisfied with faint desires or sluggish wishes, but will be up and doing what it can for its neighbour. Love is a busy and active, a vigorous and sprightful, a courageous and industrious disposition of soul; which will prompt a man, and push him forward to undertake or undergo anything, to endure pains, to encounter dangers, to surmount difficulties, for the good of its object.j Such is true charity: it will dispose us to love, as St. John prescribeth, igy❤ zai and, in work and in truth; not only in mental desire, but in effectual performance; not only in verbal pretence, but in real effect. Hence charity will render a man a ge1neral benefactor, in all matters, upon all occasions; affording to his neighbour all kinds of assistance and relief, according to his neighbour's need, and his own ability: it will make him a bountiful dispenser of his goods to the poor, a comforter of the afflicted, a visitor of the sick, an instructor of the ignorant, an adviser of the doubtful, a protector of the oppressed, a hospitable entertainer of strangers, a reconciler of differences, an intercessor for offenders, an advocate of those who need defence, a succourer of all that want help.† Such was the charity of our Lord, for even Christ pleased not himself: he indeed did stoop to converse with sorry men in their way, he came when he was invited, he accepted their entertainment, he from the frankness of his conversation with all sorts of persons did undergo the reproach of being a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.h It is the genius and complexion of charity to affect nothing uncouth or singular in matters of indifferent nature; to be candid, not rigid, in opinion; to be pliable, Spes mutuæ charitatis.- Sen. Ep. ix. 4 Heb. xii. 14; 2 Tim. ii. 22; Rom. xii. 18. • Rom. f1 Cor. x. 33; ix. 19. xv. 2. Rom. xv. 3; John IL 2. Matt. xi. 19; Luke vii. 34. * Ομόφρονες, συμπαθεῖς, φιλάδελφοι, εὔσπλαγχνοι, φιλά @ports. Pet. iii. 8. * 'Αντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν ἀσθενούντων. Acts xx. 35. -Αντεχεσθαι τῶν ἀσθενῶν. 1 Thess. v. 14. Παραμυθείσθε τοὺς ὀλιγοψύχους. 1 Thess. v. 14; Job xxix. 17, xxxi. 32. Eph. iv. 32; Col. iii. 13. Love is strong 1 Jo! niii. 8; James ii, 16. death.-Cant. viii. 6. The practice of Job describeth its na-gency, to relieve any temporal distress : ture: I (saith he) delivered the poor that but especially it will induce to make pro cried, and the fatherless, and him that had vision for the soul, to relieve the spiritual none to help him. The blessing of him that needs of our neighbour; by affording him was ready to perish came upon me; and I good instruction, and taking care that he caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 1 be informed in his duty, or conducted in was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the his way to happiness; by admonition and lame: I was a father to the poor, and the exhortation quickening, encouraging, procause which I knew not I searched out: and voking, spurring him to good works; by I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked resolving him in his doubts, and comfortthe spoil out of his teeth. If I have held ing him in his troubles of conscience; the poor from their desire, or have caused (lifting up the hands which hang down, and the eyes of the widow to fail; or have eaten the feeble knees;') by seasonable and prumy morsel myself alone, and the fatherless dent reproof: by all ways serving to conhath not eaten thereof; if I have seen any vert him from the error of his way; and perish for want of clothing, or any poor so saving a soul from death, and hiding a without covering. The stranger did not multitude of sins; which is the proper work lodge in the street; but I opened my doors of charity; for charity (saith St. Peter) to the traveller.1 covereth a multitude of sins.' Such is a charitable man; the sun is not more liberal of his light and warmth, than be is of beneficial influence. He doth not spare his substance, being rich in good works, ready to distribute, will ing to communicate: and where his estate faileth, yet the contribution of his endea vour will not be wanting; he will be ready to draw and press others to beneficence; so 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 description of Cimon is a good character of a charitable man: Nulli fides ejus, nulli opera, nulli res familiaris defuit. m Thus may the poorest men be great benefactors: so the poor apostles, who had nothing, yet did enrich many; not only in spiritual treasure, but taking care for supply of the poor, by their precepts and moving exhortations:" and he that had not where to lay his head, was the most bountiful person that ever was: for our sake he became poor, that we by his poverty might be made rich." In all kinds charity disposeth to further our neighbour's good, but especially in the concerns of his soul; the which as incomparably they do surpass all others, so it is the truest and noblest charity to promote them. It will incline us to draw forth our soul to the hungry, and to satisfy the afflicted soul; to bring the poor that are cast out to our house; to cover the naked, to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, to break every yoke; to supply any corporal indi 1 Job xxix. 12; xxxi. 16, 32. Corn. Nep. in Cimone. (1 Cor. iv. 11;) 2 Cor. vi. 10,-; πτωχοί, πολλοὺς δὲ πλουτίζοντες. 2 Cor. viii. 9. Lea. Ivil. 7-10; Ezek. xviii. 16. This was the charity of our Saviour: He went about doing good, healing the bodily infirmities (every sickness and every disease among the people'), satisfying their bodily necessities, comforting them in their worldly distresses, so far as to perform great miracles for those purposes (curing inveterate maladies, restoring limbs and senses, raising the dead, multiplying loaves and fishes:) but his charity was chiefly exercised in spiritual beneficence; in purveying sustenance and comfort for their souls, in feeding their minds by wholesome instruction, in curing their spiritual distempers, in correcting their ignorances and errors, in exciting them to duty by powerful advices and exhortations, in supporting them by heavenly consolations against temptations and troubles." Thus also did the charity of the holy apostles principally exert itself: they did not neglect affording relief to the outward needs of men; they did take care by earnest intercession and exhortation for support of the poor; but especially they did labour to promote the spiritual benefit of men: for this they did undertake so many cares, and toils, and travels; for this they did undergo so many hardships, so many hazards, so many difficulties and troubles: Therefore, said St. Paul, I endure all things for the elects' sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." X. This indeed is a property of charity, to make a man deny himself, to neglect his 4 Εἰς παροξυσμὸν καλῶν ἔργων. Heb. x. 24. Orar. Heb. xii. 12. Thess. v. 14; James v. 20; 1 Pet. iv. 8; Prov. x. 12. Acts x. 38; Matt. iv, 23; ix. 35. "John xiv. 1; xv. 11; xvi. 33; Matt. v. 10. Acts iii. 6; v. 15, 16; viii. 7; xxviii. 8, 9; xx. 35; Rom. xv. 26; 1 Cor xvi. 1; Gal. ii. 10; 2 Cor. viii 7; ix. 1; 1 Tim. vi. 18; Heb. xiii. 16. 2 Tim. U. 10 |