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vours of a narrow fpirit, of a mean, fordid, and brutish nature.

Humane, rational fouls fhould have more exalted faculties; fouls, that are so many rays of the divinity; fouls, that are of a noble and heavenly extraction; What can fo become fuch beings, as thoughts that are beneficial like the fun-beams; affections, that are as large as the universe; motions and operations, like his, who was the redeemer of fouls; whofe whole life was, to go about doing good?

His miracles, as well as his difcourfes, and laws, were charity. And by thofe charitable works, he fhewed himself to be the fon of God. Nor may we think, we can give the world, or our own felves, any fatisfactory evidence of our own relation to his Father or him, but by works of charity, as his were; by doing good to every man, as it lies in our power, without distinction; by intreating them gently; by bearing wrongs and indignities with meeknefs of fpirit; by putting our caufe into God's hands, without felf-revenge; by bleffing and wishing well to our very enemies; and by expreffing

expreffing our fincere affections to all man kind.

These things do naturally carry a great deal of force with them: So that if no obli gations were upon us from any laws to this purpose, the divine excellence of thefe actions would recommend them to our practice, because they are godlike actions; and therefore must needs be of the highest excellence in their own nature.

But befides this, we are to confider yet, in the

IV. AND laft place, How helpful a fpirit of charity is to us, not only in bringing ús near unto God in this world, but alfo in fitting and preparing us for the everlasting happiness of another.

Many virtues are required, to difpofe us for the enjoyment of that happiness; to make us capable of it; to render us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light. Neither will the decrees, nor the power, nor the mercy of God, bring us to that enjoyment, without due qualifications on our part, because there can be no true happiness, but where there is a corresponU 2 dence

dence and fuitableness between the mind and the thing; if a man be not pleased with what he enjoys, nor finds any delightful relish in it, it is impoffible for him to be happy by enjoying it; nor can heaven it felf be a place of pleasure to those, whose minds have as little tafte of thofe divine fatisfactions, as a vitiated palate hath of the most pleasant meats and drinks.

To prepare our felves for those delights, it is necessary to transform our fouls into the love of them now; and to accuftom our felves now, to the familiar and delightful practice of those virtues, wherein the happiness of another life doth really confist.

Of which virtues, a charitable difpofition is one, and a very great one; because we fhall be fure, to carry that difpofition with us out of this world, to continue with us everlastingly, and to make us happy indeed, in the enjoyment of a fuitable fociety of bleffed fpirits, which are all made up of love.

Charity never faileth; faith the apostle: But whether there be prophecies, they hall fail, whether there be tongues, they shall eeafe; whether there be knowledge, it shall

vanish away. But charity endureth for ever. It is an infeparable glory, of the fouls of just men made perfect.

UPON all which accounts, it concerneth us, as much as our everlasting happiness is worth, by all poffible acts of charity, to bring our minds to such a loving frame and temper, as when we die, may be suitable to the state and condition of heaven; where there will be no more uneafineffes; where envy and pride fhall ceafe; and malice and difcord fhall be no more,

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SERMON

XVIII.

Several properties of Charity.

[From Dr. PELLING on Charity.]

I COR. XIII, 4.

Charity fuffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up.

THE apoftle is here speaking of that

great and comprehenfive duty of the christian life; an univerfal love and benevolence towards mankind. He had before defcribed it unto us in its true nature and foundation; and is here exemplifying it, in its effects and manner of operation. For the inftances and expreffions of it are manifold and various; and therefore it is a great mistake to fuppofe, that all charity is comprehended under the name of almfgiving. That indeed is one expreffion of charity, when our alms come from a charitable heart; for if that be wanting, all our alms lofeth the name of charity. Tho' I

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