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ment of God's Glory, which is the chief End, and therefore fhould be the chief Aim of every Rational Creature, the Good of Mankind demands the Exercife of Goodness at our Hands. And as it is obferved above, that our Obligation to Glorifie God, does lay us under a Neceffity of all fuch Pofitive Duties, as may be fubfervient to that Great Purpose and does not confift in the pure Avoidance of Wicked Actions, which would reflect Dishonour upon him; fo here it is obvious, that the Good which we are to do unto our Brethren, is Direct and Pofitive, and does not only confift in our forbearing to Hurt and Annoy them.

Under the Great Conflicts betwixt Kingdoms, in the direful State of War, That which Succours and Supports Another, in the Defence of its juft Rights and Privileges, is intitled to the proper Glories of Beneficence; but that which stands Neuter, deferves no Acknowledg ments, because it confers no Benefits, and is but One Degree removed from the State of a profeffed Enemy. 'Tis by no means a fufficient Juftification,

which Men commonly offer in their own Favour, That they have done no Injury to their Neighbours; for wide is the Difference betwixt an Oppreffour and Benefactour, betwixt the Charitable and Injurious. It may eafily happen, that He who is not fo defperate as to become the One, is not yet found in the hopeful State of the Other. No Man can value himself, for Adding much to the Happiness of Mankind, purely on this Account, that he is not a Thief or a Robber. 'Tis not our keeping to the Letter of the Sixth Commandment, that fils up the Measure of Duty to our Neighbour, in regard to his Life; for as we must not destroy it, we ftand Further obliged, to Protect it, and to Crown it with Comforts, by proper Acts of our own, to the utmost of our Power. "Tis not fufficient that we do not Hate our Neighbour; but we muft moreover Actually and Ardently love him, and give all poffible Demonstrations of that Love, by fuch Fruits of it, as may be most Beneficial to him: "Tis not fufficient, that we do not covet any Thing that is His,

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but we must moreover communicate unto him that which is our Own, as His Exigencies require, and Our Abilities allow.

Those have little Reafon to expect Admiffion into the Society of the Bleffed Above, who do not Contribute their utmost to the Happiness of Humane Society upon Earth. When we are taught that the Fruitless Tree must be cut down, that it may not be an Incumbrance upon the World, which receives no Advantage from it; what can thofe Unprofitable Souls think of themselves, which ferve to no other Purpose, but to drag their Bodies through the Benefits of the Air, which they scarce deserve to breath in? Let them fo far apply the Parable, as to confider, that though they are let alone for this Year alfo, yet God's Long-suffering will have a Period; and when they are Hewen down, they shall be caft into the Fire.

These Two Particulars are the Weightieft Arguments of our Obligations to Pofitive Duty, or the Actual exercise of Goodness; but ftill there are fome O

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ther Confiderations, which may be a Further Illuftration of this Point; As, That Pofitive Goodness is ne3. ceffary to prove our Fidelity in the Service of God. Whofoever neglects the Affirmative Precepts, whilft he observes the Negative ones, cannot be efteemed a Faithful Servant; because he doth but obferve a Part of his Lord's Will. And therefore as he falls fhort in his Service, he muft do fo in his Reward too. Though God rewards all that is Religion in us, yet he rewards nothing else, and doth not place to His account, what is done upon a Worldly Convenience to our Selves. And 'tis obfervable, that if we go no further in our Duty, than Abftaining from Exceffes, there is nothing in This, but what Nature, without Religion, would fuggeft and fupport. The feveral Rules of Abstinence are fo many Laws of Selfpreservation; And 'tis poffible that our Obedience may rife to the Height of Thefe, whilft we do not fo much ferve God as our felves. Therefore 'tis obfervable, that the ancient Philofophers, making Nature, rather than the Will of God, P

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the Rule of their Virtue, did turn their Precepts chiefly upon Negative Goodness. But the Son of God, who came from Heaven to Reveal his Father's Will, hath taught us to give Other and higher Evidences of our Fidelity to God. The several Parables which have been mentioned, and the Parable of the Virgins, and the Account of the laft Judgment, do All fignifie, that our Fate at the Laft day will be determined by the Measures of Pofitive Goodnefs; Which will appear,

4. To be ftill Further neceffary in us, as it is an Engaging Recommendation and Endearment of Religion to Others. 'Tis obvious that Those Duties are peculiarly Reasonable and Neceffary which reflect Honour upon our Holy Religion; as Pofitive Goodness ever does. The Obligations of this kind are so Great, that a Negligence or Indifference towards them is accounted Criminal. He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, Scattereth. The Difciples of our Lord are, for the Influence of their Example, and for ex

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