and Particularly, the New Commandment, as it is ftyled by our Saviour, wherein the Second Branch of Charity is enjoyned; for this Commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother also.

And under This are contained all the Other commandments, which concern our Regards and Behaviour to One another. For fo the Apostle expreflly declares, and on this account adds, * that love is the fulfilling of the law, that is, if Love it felf be Fulfilled and Perfect; for then 'tis the Model, upon which all our Duties to our Brethren are Formed and Finished. But if This be either totally Wanting, or Confined and Imperfect, then the very Fountain fails, from whence all our Sentiments and Difpofitions, as well as Actions, relating to our Brethren fhould be Derived, and Diffused through the Whole course of our Conduct towards them.

The Neceffary and Indiffoluble Connexion betwixt our Goodwill and our

*Rom. xiii. 9, 10.

Good

Good Works, betwixt the entire Love of our neighbour and proper Acts of Beneficence towards him, is in many Other places of Scripture fully represented, and hath been very often, and very Accurately treated of, upon this Occafion. But the Apostle's Defign in this place, is, not fo much to enforce the Neceffity of Good Works, as to lay the proper Foundation, upon which they should be built. Though I beflow all my Goods to feed the poor, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing, . 3. Charity, as the Principle of all our Thoughts and Deportment, is what he is labouring to Fix and Establish. All our Behaviour towards our Brethren, be it ever fo Specious in it Self, or ever fo Beneficial unto Them, will be to our Selves Unprofitable, if it does not proceed from an Inward Principle of Charity. It should therefore be our Chief Care and Study, to attain and keep up Charitable Thoughts of our Neighbour, and Charitable Affections towards him. And yet it cannot be denied, that men may poffibly be found in fuch Circumftances, that a perfect Good Opinion of

them

them can neither be Required by the Law of Charity, nor Confiftent with

it.

Indeed a Mutual Good Opinion amongst men is so Agreeable, and Lovely, and Defirable, and, in Moft cafes fo Neceffary, that we should be exceeding Cautious of failing in it, or Diminution of it; that we fhould be to the Utmost Careful of Preferving and Defending it, as long as ever there is the least Foundation for it to ftand on, and, that we should be heartily Grieved and Afflicted, when, in any Inftance, it must of Neceffity be excluded.

Many other branches of Charity are Neceffary duties, even towards the Worst of men, whether in respect of Faith or Manners. We are Indifpenfably bound, most Sincerely and Affectionately to Commiferate their Condition; to weep and mourn for the manifest Danger they are in, though they Themselves are not fenfible of it; to offer up our most Ardent prayers to God, for their Conversion, and, to contribute towards that Converfion, according to our Capacities and Op

portu

portunities. But ftill we May, and Ought to be thus Affected to them, without running into an Approbation of them. Habitual and Notorious Sinners have no more Right to our Intire Good Opinion, than to our Imitation of them. For Charity does not Oblige us to Abandon Common Sense; and our Bleffed Lord, the Perfect Pattern of Charity hath taught us, that the tree is known by his fruit. Nor can it ever Confift with Charity, which ever Implies an Intire Love of God, Throughly to Approve of His Open Ene

mies.

And the cafe is much the fame, in refpect of Those who Offend against the Rules of Belief, as of Those who break in upon the Rules of Action. But of fome have Compaffion, making a Difference. Charity will not fuffer any one to throw off a Good Opinion of Thofe, who, though they be Attempted, and Shaken, and become Weak in Faith, by the Infinuations and Artifice of Deceivers, have not yet caft off their First faith, but appear Modeft, and Humble, and Tractable, and Defirous to come unto the knowledge

ledge of the Truth. But if any man takes up Heretical opinions, in Oppofition to the Mysteries plainly proposed to our Belief in the Scripture, and remains Obftinate and Perverse, and Incorrigible in the Profeffion and Vindication of fuch his Opinions, and in the Disbelief and Difavowance of those Mysteries, which God hath required us to Believe; we are no more obliged, by the Law of Charity, to entertain an Intire Good Opinion of him, than we are by the Rule of Faith, to become Unbelievers with him.

We cannot Avoid thinking, though we cannot be Easy under the Thought, that men are Infidels, when they Profess themselves to be fo: And Charity, which always supposeth a Stedfast Faith, and an Inviolable Love of God, and of the Truth, can never Confist with a Perfect Approbation of Thofe, who do Refolutely and Notorioufly Difobey and Dishonour God, by Disbelieving, and Rejecting, and Opposing the Truths, which he Exprefly Requires them to Believe. And This, which is fo Clear in it Self, appears under as Full a Light, in the Scriptures,