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^^ THE 
 
 Great Duty 
 
 O F 
 
 cH^Rirr, 
 
 confide red and applied 
 
 I N A 
 
 SERMON, 
 
 Preached at the Church in 
 'Prattle-Street^ Lofton, on the 
 Lord's-Day, November 28. 
 1742. 
 
 ^yJonathanAfhlcy^ a.m. 
 
 Paftor of the Church of Christ, in Deerfield- 
 ^ ««*««« «j- «* ^ «.«*««««, «j. ^ ^ ^ 
 
 BOSTON' 
 Printed by J. Draper, for S. ElioTj in CornWL 
 1742. 
 
Preface. 
 
 Courteous Reader, 
 
 TJjrrHOEVER thou art, into whofe Hands tlefe 
 
 yf/ following Pages may fail ; 1 ask the Kindnefs, 
 
 that thiU woullft read wiihiut Prejudice : lean 
 
 ajfire y.u 1 had an h'tcfi Intention in delivering of it ; 
 
 and hope you will have the fame in reading. If what 
 
 1 have faid in the Introdu^ion to my Text may openyour 
 Eyes, when ycu fee the fame Diforders in our Churches, 
 as were in the Church of Corinth, and reclaim you from 
 ihem : Or, if it be a Means of removing the Prejudice 
 cf your Mind aga'tnjl Things of a ferious ISJaturCy 
 when you find there were the fame Irregularities 
 in the Church cf Corinth ( at the fame Time that the 
 Fruits cf the Spirit were evidently amongji them) as 
 are amomft us at this Day of the Grace ofLjOD, in the 
 hopeful Converfi n of many in our Churches', Or if it 
 excite in you earnefi Prayers and longing Dejires after 
 that Charity which is greater than Faith and Hope, 
 which is the Life and Soul of Religion here., and the 
 Happinefs of Heaven above ; let GOD have all the 
 Praife ; tny End is anfivered. 
 
 I am your Servant in the Gofpel, 
 
 J. Afliley, 
 

 r^c. 
 
 
 i!§®©®^i^i@®®i®i 
 
 THE 
 
 great DUTY 
 
 O F 
 
 C H u4 R ITT 
 
 confider^d and applied. 
 
 I C O R. xiii. I. 2,3. 
 
 *THO' Ifpeak with tie Tongues cf Men anH Angels ^ 
 an] have not Charity^ I am become as f^undtng 
 Brafi^ or a tinkling Cymbal. 
 And tbo' I have the Gift ofProphefy^ and under ftand all 
 Myftcries^and all Knowledge i and though 1 have all 
 Fatthyfothat I could remove Mountains^ and have no 
 Charity, Jam nothing. 
 . Jnd though J heftow all my Goods to feed the Poor^ 
 and tho' I give my Body to be burned-, and have not 
 Charity, it profiteth me nothing. 
 
 HOEVER carefully reads this E- 
 piftle of the Ap'ftle to the Church of 
 Corinth, and examines their State by 
 what the Apofile fays to them, and of 
 them, and then brings his Tho'ts 
 down toourownTimeF, and the State 
 of Religion amongft us, cannot, I 
 think, well avoicl rnnning a Parrallel between Us and 
 
% ne great Duty c/C H A R I T Y 
 
 T^em : And the Circumftance^^ of Religion in T^h Land 
 will in nothing appear very differenc, 2nd in many 
 Thhgs will exa(5liy referable Theirs. 
 
 The Apof:^Ie Owns and blefles GOD for it ; That 
 there was a very pleiUiful Effufion of the Divine 
 ,Sf-iri* on the Church of Crrimh in his extraordinary 
 Gift:-, fuch ?.s Tejigues^ working Miracles^ Prophefying^ 
 gcc. And in his ccmmcn^ and fuving Graces on the 
 Hearts of Believers ; en'ightning and comforting their 
 Souls J Chapt, I. 4, 8:h Ferp, 
 
 And it is fa'.ly evident to every nnprejadiced Mind, 
 that GOD has remirkab'y fhower'd down his Spirit 
 on the Chvjches in our Land (not indeed in his ex- 
 trmrdinary Glfrs o^' Tor>^,ues and working Miracles ; for 
 thefe are not necdT^ry for u?, ncr to be expected ; but ) 
 in his ecmmctt and fjii^g Operations on the Minds of 
 Men, in canvinciuo, converting, edifying und com- 
 fcning his People. 
 
 But yet, It is obfervable, That in the Chu'-ch of 
 C'^rinth there was mucn Contention and Divifion in 
 rt^lig-ons M?tter> : They feU into diverfe Seds and 
 F*r;ia.,v.ho w-ere too much void of Charity towards each 
 c:ber: One faid he was of Pdul^ another of JpcJlos, a 
 t'uidci CcfhaSy or Peter, a fourth oiClrifi ; snd each 
 Fsjrfy \'.-as concern'd to exalt it feif, and puU down 
 tilie Gther ; iKsrefore the Ap^ftle expoffulates with then^i 
 .Tisbe dees in. rbe irrh, 12th and lyh Ferfes ci tht ift 
 Chapter. And herG'n v.e are nor unlike them: A!- 
 suolc erKjitfs are the ^ecfls and Parties tmongft us ; 
 i:ori\e Foi'Qwer.-^ and Admirers of. one, and fon^e of a- 
 siQth.er ; nor i.s there a fm-il Deoree of Contention a- 
 SBor.? u- : Our re) j^iouJ Debates are the common To- 
 ^^ of Ccrcverfutioa with ali. 
 
 And thpn> What was naturally confcquent upoa 
 !fh:e Chu CT of CAoriritJf's fa1lin°r into divers Sedis and 
 Fartiti, they yrere gui'ty of averyfinful exaltingthofe 
 !\'e'> who vvere at the Head of their Sects, above the 
 F.2.CS of Ir (if assents j aad fstiing thsm up ia the Room 
 
 a. 
 
Conjlder'd and Imprcv'd. 5 
 
 of GOD, J5S tho' they conid impart Faith and Salva- 
 tion to their Followers : Hence the ApofHe addreffeth 
 them in the $d Chapter 5th, 6th and 7th Fer/es. Nor 
 can vveexcufe ourfelves in this Point ; for the Perfonj 
 of Tome have been evidently had in Admiration ; 
 and they have been fee above the Place of Means and 
 Inftruments. 
 
 Nor was the Church of Corinth free from uncha- 
 ritable Judging and Cenfuring one another; and even 
 the Apoftle himfelf was not fpared, but fell under 
 their Cenfures ; and therefore he lets them know, ic 
 was afmall Matter to be judged of them or any other, 
 Cbapt. 4. /^t/ 3, 4, 5. And I need not fpend Time 
 to Ihow you how tar this Evil of Judging and Con- 
 demning our Brother is fpread smongft uf. 
 
 And in the Church cf Ccrinth there was a Difpofi- 
 tion in many to defplfe and reject thofe Minifter?, who 
 had been labouring amongft them ; and by whcfe Mi- 
 niftry they had believed ; and to heap to themfelvea 
 Teachers of more Eloquence, greater Zeal and Gifts as 
 they imagined : And hence the Apoftle reproves them, 
 2S he dees in the r3th, 14th, 15th, r6th Verfes of the 
 4th Chapter. And who can be ignorant that it ha.? 
 been too much [the Temper amonglt U>, to lay aFde 
 ftated Minifters* of the Gofpel, and to fet up Novices 
 without end to be our Teachers ? 
 
 Again, Difcipline in the Church of Ccrinth \va? al- 
 molt wholly ncgleded ; they were grown fo concei- 
 ted of their Attainments, that they would not fubmit 
 to Order : Offenders could not be called to an Account : 
 And even a notorious Fornicator was le: alone: See 
 the 5th Chapter. And how greatly is Church-Difci- 
 pline deftroyed in many Places with us : Seme are 
 grown fo zealous and conceited of their own Graces, 
 that they cannot be brought to fubmit to the Order of 
 Churches ; and even defpife Reproof. 
 
 So alfo in the Church of Corinth there was a Dif- 
 
 pofitionto abufe th« Liberty of the Gofpel 5 and thereby 
 
 "^ " diilblve 
 
4 ne great Luty of C HARIT Y 
 
 diflblve the civil Relations of Life : The Wife to de- 
 part from the Hasband, and the Servant to rebel a- 
 gaiRft the Mafter, under a Pretence of chriftian (liberty : 
 And this moved the Apoftle to write as he did in the 
 7th Chapter from the i3th to 2 2d Verfe. And it is 
 v/ell known there has been fomething of this Spirit in 
 our Land : Some have been upon the Point of break- 
 ing the Bands of chefe Relative Duties bccaufa of Uncon- 
 verfion ; the Wife to forfake the Husband, and the 
 Servant difobey his Mafter. 
 
 Again, We may obferve in the Church of Corinth 
 an unbecoming StifFnefs and Unyieldablenefs towards 
 one another j not avoiding the Occafions of Offence to 
 one ano^-hers Co fcience, as they ought to have done ; 
 fome would eac Part of thofe Beafts which were flain 
 to be facrificed to Idols, and perhaps in the Idol's Tem- 
 ple with their Worfhippcrs, faying an Idol was nothing; 
 however cfFc;nfive it was co Tome others; therefore it is 
 the Apoftle gives them fuch Directions in the SthChap- 
 ter io:h Ferfe to the end. And can we excufe our 
 felves in this Point ? Have we avoided giving Offence 
 to one another ; and carefully abftained from Things 
 indifferent becaufeoffjnfive toothers? 
 
 It is alfo eafily obferved from the Apoftle, that there 
 was too great SparingneG towards the Miniftcrs of the 
 Gofpel, who imparted fpiritual Things to them : Yea, 
 it leem„> it became a Qiieflion with fome, whtther they 
 were oblig'd to contribute for the Support of Mini- 
 fter?,fince the Spirit was {0 plentifully poured out.- And 
 hence the Apofile anfwers them, who put the Queffcion 
 to him, in the pth Chapter from P'erfe 3,10 14 And ic 
 is too true of us in this Land (in fome Part) of it at 
 left ) notwithftanding ail the Revival ci Religion. 
 There is a greater Backwardnefs to the Support of Mini- 
 fters than ever ; zs tho' an extraordinary Degree of 
 Zeal excus'd People from fupporting their Miniftcrs. 
 
 Again, In the Church of Corinth there was the ^'if- 
 order of leaving the proper Bufinefs, and Calling GOD 
 had put thsmin, and inYadingthQ Province anci Bufinefs 
 
 of 
 
Conjidered and Applied. $ 
 
 cf another. They uere guilty of a prord, afpiring 
 Humour, which encHn'd them to fet up for Teachers 
 in the Church ; And hence the Apofllc exhorts them 
 in the 7th Chapter, Ver. 20, 21. And expoftuJates 
 with them with warmth in the 12th Chapter, Vtr 28, 
 2pi 30 And who is ignorant that this has been, and 
 is ftiil our Cafe ? What Numbers of illiterare Teach- 
 ers have thruft themfelves into the Churches \ 
 
 Nor was the Church o( Corhth free of all Pride and 
 Vain-gloryino; in their Religious Matters: They indul- 
 ged rpiritualPride,nnd this it was that ftirred up fomuch 
 Contention. The Apoftle tells us they were puffed up 
 one againft another, 5th Chapter 2d Firfe. They glo- 
 ried in their Gifts and Attainment?, and were forward 
 to difcover them ; fo that many prophccied together ; 
 And would to GOD we had been more free from fpi- 
 ritual Pride and vain Oftentation in Religion ! Who is 
 icrnorant ? There has been no fmall Appearance of it 
 in the Worfliip of GOD's Houfc ? 
 
 Soalfo the Church of Corinth fell into great Irregu- 
 larities and Difordcrs in their religisus Aflemblie^ ; fe- 
 veral taught and exhorted at the fame Time. The 
 WoBaenlaid^ afide thtir female Modefty, and (tt up to 
 be Teachers in the Church : l^herefore the ApoltJe 
 direct:? them as he does in the r4th Chapter from the 
 goth to the 35th Verfe. And who is fo blind that he 
 cannot fee our Diforders defcribcd as in a Glafi by 
 the Apofile in this Chapter. 
 
 And once more, by way of Comparifon, The Church 
 of Ccrintb was -under the Judgments of GOD for 
 thefe Things; fee the nth Chapter, Tfr/l? 30,31, 32. 
 And have we not reaibn to fear GOD is angry with 
 us at this Day, for the many Things which have been 
 amifs : And let u3 confider v/herefore it is his Judg- 
 ments are ftill continued in many Refpeds. 
 
 Having thus confidered what the Aooftle fays of 
 the Church oi Corinth ; I ask Liberty of my Hearers 
 to nialce one Remark, ^/>. *< That the AdoRIq Paul 
 
 li «* in 
 
6 Tie great Duty of CHARITY 
 
 '• in the Jndgment of fome modern Teachers, was the 
 «' greatefi: Oppofer that Religion ever had ; for he in 
 <' the firft Place acknowledges the Operations of the 
 " divine Spirit in the Church of Cortntr., and then 
 " proceeds to enumerate, and bear a full Tefliraony 
 *' againft all the Extravagancies they were guilty of i 
 " nor did he think he dilterved Religion by it. '* 
 
 What I have hitherto faid, may ferve both to let 
 you fee the the Reafbn of the Apoftlc his recommen- 
 ding Charity, and giving of it fo high an Encominm ; 
 and alfo juftify me in oftiring the Words read to 
 your ferious Confideration. 
 
 The Apoftle allowed the Corinthians to covet ear- 
 mfily the heft Gifts ; but yet, fays he, 1 fiew you a more 
 excellent J'Vay^ izih Chapter laft Ferfe ; a more excellent 
 Way for Peace,for Order,for Edification,and to recover 
 them from their Diforders and Confufions ; and this he 
 Jets ua knov/ is Charity : And he told them, and 
 now tells us, that without Charity we are nothing : 
 Notwithftanding all our Gifts, if \vq have not Charity 
 we sre no real Chriftians ; nothing but empty Noife 
 and Sound. The Dothine I fliall fpeak to from the 
 Words before us is, 
 
 DOCT. TH AT whatever Attainments we may ar^ 
 rive to in Religiotj, if we are void of Charily ^ we 
 are no real Chriftians ; nor will they profit ui any 
 Thing, 
 
 tJnder this Dof!rin» I propofe thefe Thing"?, 
 
 ift. To open the Nature of this Charity^ which is fo 
 
 necefpiry in oar Religion. 
 sdly, 'Tojhow that Men may go great Lengths in Re- 
 
 ligicn, and yet have nothing of this Charity. 
 3dly, That all cur Attainments without Charity^ 
 
 will neither make us real Chrifiians j nor profit u^ 
 
 qny Thing, 
 
 Lailiy, Apply thg Truth to our felvcs. 
 
 I. I ac9 
 
Ccnfjdefd and Applied. *f 
 
 I. I am in the firft Place to open the Nature of this 
 Charitv, the Apofile (o recommends ; and without 
 which^ every Man, as well as he himfelf, will be no- 
 
 I am fenfible that Ufe and Cuftom in thefe latter 
 Days has confined the Term Charity to Alms-Deeds^ or 
 giving our Wealth to thePoor and diftrefled ; and foic 
 is only a Fruit or Effed of Charity; But that the A- 
 poftle does not intend JIms-Derds by Charity, is evi- 
 dent from theCharader he gives us of it in the Ver- 
 fes following our Text ; none of which can agree 
 with Charity^in the vulgar Senfe of the Word, and are 
 compatible only with that D/^/«^ Loz;^ which is fo of- 
 ten recommended in the Gofpcl. 
 
 « Charity then is Love in the Gorpel-Latitude, 
 <« comprehending Love to GOD and our Neighbour^ i^ 
 ^^ all the Branches of it." 
 
 And this Charity or divine Love, the Apoftle tells 
 us is the Fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. A Man can- 
 not poffibly plant it in his own Soul : All his Care and 
 Pains ; all his religious Duties and Services ; all his 
 Prayers and Tears, will notof themfelves fubdue that 
 Enmity that is in the Heart to GOD, Rcm.S.y. and 
 bring the Soul to love GOD with a true Love of Com- 
 placency, and refling in Him as a Being of Holinefs and 
 Goodnefs. Nothing but the Spirit of GOD can turn a 
 Man from being not only an Enemy to GOD, but En- 
 mity it felf, to love Him with his whole Soul; foaa 
 to make choice of GOD for his Portion and Inheritance 
 
 forever, and account his Favour better than Life. 
 
 I'he beft Education and the beft Mean?, the moft p!- 
 ousCounfcls, and th^bcft Difcourfes concerning GOD'a 
 Goodnefs and Mercy can never beget this Love in U3 
 without the gracious Operations of the Div.'ne Spirit on 
 our Hearts. Nor can we without the Heia of the 
 
 Spirit ever love one another in a Gofpel Senfc. We. 
 
 naturally live in Hatred, Tit 3. 3. We may love as 
 Publicans did of old, fuch as were Friends to them, Mat. 
 t. 46. But to love all Men, even our Enemies as our 
 fclvfs, is above the utmoft ftretch of human Natu;ej^ 
 * •■ ' ' B, 2 aad 
 
8 The great Duty cf CHARITY 
 
 and only the Spirit of Christ can enable us to do 
 To. 
 
 And this Charity the Apoftle lets us know is a ne- 
 cefTary Confequenr and Attendant on Faith ; ior Faith 
 works hy Love^ Gal. 5 6. This Love never preceed?, 
 bat always follows Faith: A Man cannot love as the 
 Gofpel requires, before he believes in Christ j but if 
 he does believe he will have this Chanty : They can- 
 not be feparated from each other, no more than the 
 Caufe can frcm the Effect: And if we have not Lo've, 
 we may affure our felves we are deftitutc of i'/2//;&. 
 
 And, 'the Apoftle informs us, That it is a fulfilling 
 of the Law. {Rom. 13. 10.) in both the Tables of it. 
 Ic inclines a Man to a diligent Attendance upon all 
 the Duties, which the moral and revealed Law of 
 GOD enjoin upon him towards his Maker: He loves 
 to fear, obey, and ferve Him : He loves to furmit to 
 h\% Will and attend his Worlhip, and fpeak: his 
 Praife. Love to GOD makes ail the Duties we owe him 
 cafy and delightful. And as he knows the fame GOD 
 that requires him to fear and ferve him, has enjoined 
 it upon him, to do Juiiice to his Neighbour, to fpsac 
 the Truth, to be cautious and obligmg to all ; So 
 he take Pleafure in doing fo ; becaufe it is the Will 
 of G<0 D he fnould. And he is not willing to cmic 
 one Duty to GOD, or his Neighbour ; for Love 
 teaches him none of the Commands arc grievous. 
 
 And, the Apoftle Peter tells u?, this Love is with' 
 tnt Di/Jtmulatfon and Difgaife, r Pet. i. 22. It con- 
 fifts not in .Wcrds, or feme courteous and obliging 
 Carriage ; but is feated in the Heart ; and the truly 
 charitable M^.n is really as defirous of your Welfare, 
 as he profefles to be : He does not fpeak fmooth 
 "Words, whilft Gall and Bitternefs is in his Heart : 
 He is honeft and upright in his Pretenfion?. 
 
 And, this Love is a great Prefervative to the Chrif. 
 tian againft the Allurementf, the Fiatterie^, or Threats 
 Qi ihS World i and ail thi Temptatio.is of Satan. 
 
 Hencf. 
 
Conjidered and Applied. 9 
 
 Hence the Apoftle compares it to' a Breafi-plate^ 
 I Thejfalon. 5. 8 which prefer ves the Heart from all 
 Wounds from the Enemy. And could we always 
 keep this Charity in a lively Exercife, how would it 
 keep us from the Temptations of Earth aad Hell f 
 
 And, the Apoftle afflires u-^, That this Charity is a 
 fure Evidence of our being torn cf God^ i John 4. 7. 
 thereby we may know whether Christ is formed 
 within US; whether all old Things are pafled away, 
 and all Things become new within us ; for none but 
 the Regenerate love GOD above every thing clfe, and 
 their Neighbour in fincerity as themfelves. 
 
 As to the Fruits and EfTecls of this Love : The 
 ApoHile fets them before us in the Verfes following 
 our Text ; and they well deferve a particular confi- 
 deration. 
 
 Charity, faith the Apoftle, Suffereth long ; it defers 
 Anger, and does not fuffer it loon to boil up in the 
 Mind, and difcover itfelf in bitter Words, and railing 
 Accufations. The charitable Man fets a Guard upon 
 himfelf : If he has any Injuries and Abufes offered 
 him, he turns his Refentments into Picy, and Re- 
 venge into a rendering Good for Evil. 
 
 It is Kind. It moves the Affedions towards fuch as 
 need our Pity and Companion ; It foftens oar Hearts 
 into Compsffion : It unlocks our Hands to diftributc 
 our Wealth to fuch as want our Alras : It docs not 
 fuffcr a Man to live to himfelf; but puts him upon 
 doing all the Good hz can, .and making himfelf as 
 cfeful as pofTible to his fellow Cueatures, 
 
 Chanty, Envieth not. In the Greek (auZelo/) 
 is not Zealous, ( i. e ) Does not i^arn with Eitternefs 
 towards others. Are they Richer than ourfclvcs ; it 
 
 ftiff«:r8 us not to be uneafy. Are they endowed 
 
 with greater Parts, or have they more Credit and 
 Reputation^ Charity will not fuffcr us to be bitter to- 
 wards then), as tko'they had injured us : Do they differ 
 
 from 
 
10 rhe great Duty of CHARITY 
 
 from us in feme things? Charity don*t allow us to 
 call for Fire from Heaven to confome them. It will 
 not fufFdr us to parfue them with Warmth and Bitter- 
 nefb. Charity teacherh us Mildnefs and Gentlenefs to- 
 wards them. 
 
 Charity v^untefh net itfelf; or it maybe rendered, 
 dees not a^ ^^fl^h- T\\^ charitable Man does not 
 defpife the Counsel of the Wife and Aged: He is not 
 refolute in his own Purpofes, in Oppoficion to all others : 
 He qaeftions h-mfr/.f, and is ready to prefer the Jadg- 
 ment of others to his own. 
 
 Is not puffed up: If he is Rich, he does not value 
 himfelf for it, and defpife the Poor ; for his Heart is 
 not fet upoT) this World. Is he honoured and applau- 
 ded in the World; He does not fwell with thefe emp- 
 ty Titles, for he fees they are Vanity. Has he grea- 
 ter Gifts or Graces than others, he blelTc^s GOD for 
 them ; ^ind does not allow himfelf to be proud of them; 
 ior he knows it is by the Gr-ice of GOD, that he is 
 What he is : And he has not made himfelf to difr«;r. 
 
 Doth not behave it [elf unf emly^ or indecently or 
 ttnhcautifully ; but is a careful Obferver of Order and 
 Decency in all Things: It tesches Men to reverenc^ 
 the Superioiir^ to be courteous and kind to Equals 
 and Inferiours. — The charitable Man obferver the Di- 
 re Clion of the Apofile, Chapter 14, ^^r. 40. He does 
 rot cry out of Order, as hurtful to Religion, and a 
 P?gon that is to be thrown down and deltroyed. He 
 dees not bring ferlouis Things into all Companies and 
 Places, to be Iccfred at and reproached. He is not 
 willing to expofe his holy Religion to the needlcfs Re- 
 proach of the Propharie. 
 
 Charity fceketh nether own. This Gofpel Love does 
 not fuffer a Man to look altogether at his own Things ; 
 but dirpofeth him to have regard to the Good of his 
 Neighbour, Phil. 2. 4. And in many Things Charity 
 terc^es Men to forego their own Profit and Advan- 
 tao-e for the Good of others. 
 
Conjidered and Applied. 1 1 
 
 /; not eafily provoked. Charity calms the Mind, fo 
 that the P ffions are net eafily ftirred up and carried 
 forth to wrong Objeds— And could we always have 
 our Love to GOD and one another in exercife : How 
 nluch above thefe fmall Injarie and Provccaticnsfhould 
 we bef* It would noc be an eafy Matter tofiir up An- 
 ger and Revenge in our Minds : Like Christ we 
 Ihould tear long and pray our heavenly Father to for- 
 give fuch as defpitetully ufe u?. 
 
 It thinketh no evil : It b.inifhes Jealoufiesand Sufpi- 
 cions Ircm the Mind. Itdo':^ nor TufFer us to fufpecl 
 a Man as vile and wicked, when he dees not appear fo. 
 The charitable Man will not entertain low and bafe 
 Thoughts cf his Neighbour, when he can think ho- 
 nourably and well of him i he is careful to think the 
 beffc he can. 
 
 Nor does the truly charitaVe Man rejoice 'when Sin 
 IS prevalent, and the Iniquities ot Mankind abound : 
 He is forry when Vice \t practifed openly, and Righ- 
 teoufnefs is treated with Contempt: Nor is he glad at 
 the Calamity of others : it is no pleafure to him to fee 
 Men evil entreated, injured andabufed: But he ejoi- 
 ceth when the Fighteous profper, and are accounted 
 honourable amongfl Men ; when Truth prevails in 
 the Power of it: And he takes Pleafure in the Inno- 
 cent's being vindicated from all thofc Afperfions which 
 have been cafl on them. 
 
 Charity leareth all things ; or a? it ought to be 
 rendered, covereth or conceaMh all things : It does not 
 allow us to divulge the Errors and Miftakes, the 
 Infirmities and the Failings of our Brother : It teach- 
 cth to caft a Mantle over them ; that they may bs 
 hid ffom the World j that Men may not hate and 
 reproach him. 
 
 And the charitable Man is ready to believe alt 
 things well concerning his Brother : Is any thing 
 fpoke in his Praife and Commendation, be believes it 
 Is true. He does no5 fay, he don't think he can fpealc 
 
 cr 
 
12 The great Duty of CHARITY 
 
 or do To well : He believes all things that there may 
 be any Foundation for: If fee lives Honeftly, he beHeves 
 him to be fo : If he lives like a Chriftian, he believes 
 him to be fo indeed. 
 
 And when there are fome Things to dagger his 
 Faith concerning his Brother j yet then he keeps up 
 his Hepe : Is he fpolce evil of, he hopes he is Inno- 
 cent : Does he err in fome Things, he hopes it is 
 nor wilfuU : Does he fail in his Duty, he hopes not- 
 withftanding he is a good Man, until it is too evident 
 that Sin is his Delight and what he allows himfelf in. 
 — And it is a plain Breach of Charity, to think our 
 Neighbour unconverted and a Sinner, when his Life 
 1% fuch, that we may hope he is a real Chriftian. 
 
 Charity evdureth all tlir.gs. It difpofeth a Man to 
 bear all Manner of ill Treatment, with Patience : 
 If we have this Love of G O D in our Hearts, how 
 eafy will it be to be Poor and Low ? Divine Love 
 will yeild us more Satisfadion than all the World : 
 How light a Thing will Reproach and Slander be, if 
 we have Love in our Hearts ? How little will it af- 
 fedl us to be fpoken all manner of Evil of? Love will 
 make the moft sbufive Treatment eafy, — If we have 
 Charity, we fhan'c think hard to be made the OfF-fcou- 
 ring of all Things ; we Ihall not greatly difturb our 
 lelves let Men fay or think what they will about us. 
 
 And this Charity, if it be once implanted in our 
 Hearts, it will never wholly fail and die ; we may 
 lofe it very much as to the Exercife of it ; but it 
 never will wholly ceafe, hut will be as a IVell of fVa^ 
 ier fprinyjng up to everlajJing Life : When we die, 
 we Hiall carry it into the other World with us. 
 Faithy as it refpects future Things, will ceafe, and end 
 in VifiJii. Hope will end alfo in Fruition. But, Charity 
 will not leave us ; but will abide with us throughout 
 the endlefs Ages of Eternity ; and on this Account 
 it is greater than Faitb and Hope, v. i$. 
 
' Cofifider'd and Applied. 1% 
 
 Bnt I proceed, Secondly^ to confider that Men may 
 go great lengths in Religion and yet be void of Charity. 
 So the Apofile fuppcfcs in the Wo'ds under Confide- 
 ration^ that he might [peak with the Tofigue cf Men 
 and Angels ; that he might have the Gift of Prophecy^ 
 under fl and all Mifieries^ and all Knowledge ; that he 
 might have the Faith of Miracles, Co as to remove 
 Mountains into the midfi of Seas., and yety after all, 
 have nothing of this Love to God, and his Neighbour. 
 I May mention feme things Men may attain ro, and 
 yet not have this Love the Apoftle fpeaks of. 
 
 A Man may be under very great ConviBton for 
 Sin^ and have a Jively Apprehenfion of his Danger, 
 and the Wrath of God, which his Sins have expofed 
 him to : He may be under great Horror and Amaze' 
 menty fo]asto cry'^out, The Pangs of Hell have gat hold 
 on me. He may cryjout in the Anguilh and Bitterncfs 
 of his Spirit : His Fkfli may tremble, and his Heart 
 be ready to melt within Hm, and yet be void of 
 Charity. It is granted that Convidicn precceds Ccn- 
 verfion ; and evangelical Love follows it : And it is 
 certain, Convidion?, yea very ftrong ones too, do feme- 
 times prove abortive, and don't ifTue in Converficn ; 
 and confequently Love is not the confequent ot 
 them. Cam had ftrong Convidions ; faid, his Punifj- 
 tnent was greater than he could bear. Lamech was un- 
 der great Diftref^^ for his Sin. Judas hanged h'mfelf 
 iw the extremity of his Horror ,• yet neither of them 
 had the leaft Spark of this Divine Love. Convicftion 
 then is not a Proof a Man has Charity. 
 
 So alfo a Man' may reform his Life, abandon his 
 former finful Courfes ; and become fober, grave, and 
 temperate in his A(5tions ; and yet have no'^Charity ac 
 all. There are many Things may urge a Man to 
 reform his Life : A Fear of Hell, which he fees his 
 Sin cxpofes him to ; the Uneafinefi of his Confcience, 
 fear of Difgrace, or of the Punilhmenc of the Magif- 
 trate, may put him upon a more] fober Life ; and yet 
 he have no Love to GOD ; and hence it is too too 
 common fuch return again to their former Courfe?, 
 
 C hk» 
 
t4 ^^e great Duty of CHAKITY 
 
 like thd Sew that wai wafloed^ to her wallowing in tht 
 Mire, and the Dog to bis vomit ; and the evil Spirit 
 returns into them again, and has more Power over 
 them than ever : But if they had this Love of GOD 
 in their Hearts they could not have fo finned ; for 
 their Seed would have remained in them. 
 
 Again, A Man may be very Zealous^ and yet be 
 void of this evangelical Love. Zeal is nothing but the 
 Ardour of the AfFedticns, or the cngagednefs of the 
 Powers of the Soul ; and a Man may be zealous in 
 a had Caufe, as well as a good one j and even in Re- 
 ligion itfeif. A Man may be fired with Zeal, who 
 h a Stranger to viral Piety, and the Love of GOD- 
 The Pride of a Man's own Heart may fire his AfFec* 
 tions, and blow him up into a burning Zeal. Educa- 
 tion may infpire a Man with a great Degree of it. 
 A Man's own Intereft may fill him with it. Thus 
 Jehu was all Zeal for the Lord of Hoft?, when he 
 wa? actuated by nothing but his own ambitious Views; 
 and never felt the ieaft Spark of the Fire of divine 
 Love in his Heart. Who more zealous than the 
 VPi^Sl? ? And few or none in our Land have yec 
 equali'd them ; but who can think many of thetn 
 have the leaffc Love to GOD. 2)eal is therefore no 
 Evidence of Regeneration, and the Love of GOD in 
 the Soul. 
 
 Furthermore, A Man may be greatly diftrejfed and 
 C'^nrerned f^r others ; and yet have no Love to GOD 
 fiim''elf. How common is it, when Perfons are 
 under Convidons for Sin, and feeking their own 
 Salvation, to look with Pity on their Friends and 
 Companions, who have no ferious Tho'tfulnefs about 
 their own Souls ? x^nd thefc Perfons when they have 
 fe'c the Workings of their religious Affections, may 
 ( feme of them at Ieaft ) miftake thera for Grace in 
 the Heart ; and haftily conclude their own State is 
 fiife ; a:nd novy all their Concern is for others : They 
 nvay be in great Concern for them* ind have not the 
 lealt Fear about their €wn State ; and we have reafon 
 to [ear this ha2 bee a lometiwes the Cafe when they 
 
 have 
 
Confidered and Applied. ig 
 
 have had nothing of the Love of GOD ixi their 
 Hearts. 
 
 And what is conTquent upon their hoping theirCon- 
 dition is fafe, is a J^y and Delight in fuch a Confide- 
 ration : All which may be when they are c'eceived, 
 and do not love GOD. Men may take fome Pleafure 
 and Satisfadlion in religious Dudes who are not Rege- 
 nerate, and confequcntly do not love GOD : Thus our 
 Saviour tells us of fome who beard the PVord with Joy 
 for aSeafon^ Matth. 13. rp,2o. And the Apoftle tells 
 us of fome who have taftedofthe good fP'ord ofGOD^ 
 and the hcwen of the IVorldto come-, and yer might faJi 
 away, Heb. 6. 5,6. The Prophet Ezekiel, was as a 
 hvely Seng to a People who did not love GOD. 
 
 And this Joy n\ay fometimes arife to fuch aheighth, 
 and be (o fadden as to be called a Rapture or Trance ; 
 and yet they who feel the fame be wholly ignorant of 
 the Love of GOD.- The Imagination mzy he raifedto 
 a great Pitch ; and wonderful Things may be painted 
 upon the Mind : The Ideas msy be lively, and theRe- 
 prefentation pleiflng ; and yet there may be no Love 
 of GOD in the Heart: This was the Cafe of Balaam ^ 
 he was in a Trance, Numb. 24., beg. ; but who ever i- 
 magined him a true Lover of GOD I 
 
 A Man may alfo attain to 2 great Degree of Know- 
 ledge in religious Matters ; and yet have no real Charity ° 
 So the Apoftle fupppfes in the Text. A Man may by 
 long Study an(^ clofe Application attain a great Degree 
 of Speculation ; he may difpute ]earnedly,and diftinguifh 
 well in the important Points of Divinity : He may 
 vnfold many important Truths; reconcile many Teem- 
 ing Opppfitions in the Word of GOD ; and yet have 
 
 no love to GOD, nor his Word. And fome have 
 
 by a careful Study of the Scriptures, and attentive hea«"' 
 ing the Word preached, when under Convid^ions, in a. 
 few Weeks, made fuch Progrefs, that th^y would £alk 
 wondcrfuJly of Things they knew nothing about be- 
 fore ; and yet after a while raamfcfted themfdve* Str^a- 
 gers to a Love to GOD. 
 
t6 The great Duty of CHARITY 
 
 And many have attained to afurprizing Art t^i ad- 
 drejjing the Pafftons : They have been able to command 
 the greareft Attention ; have talked as tho' they had 
 the Tongues of Angels, and yet knew nothing »xperi- 
 mentally of the Love of GOD and Christ : Some 
 Popifh Mi/Honaries will ftir up all the Paffions, and yet 
 ignorant of GOD aad Christ. And feme of you 
 may remember here, many Years paft. a vagrant Prea- 
 cher addreft you,with all the Force of Oratory, and drew 
 away your Ears andftirred up all your Paffions ; and 
 yet I believe none of you in the End fuppofed him to 
 bavc theleaft Spark of divine Love.* 
 
 Others have counterfeited all Grace^ and yet have 
 been Strangers to this Charity : They have appeared 
 exceeding Meek j fpeaking meanly of Themfelves, and 
 all their Duties ; they have profefs'd to be wholly wea- 
 ned from the World, and all its Enjoyments ; they 
 have talked much of vital Piety, of the Love of GOD 
 and Christ ; they have Teemed to exceU in Holinefs 
 and Heavenly-mindednef^; but in the End have 'dif- 
 cover'd themfelves to be Wolves in Sheep's- Cloathing, 
 They deceived the World, and psrhaps Themfelves 
 too. 
 
 And they naay go fuch a length in Religion, be fo 
 conftant in Duties; and ftir up their own Paffions and 
 AfFcdions, till they are confident of their gocdEftate ; 
 and have banifhed all Doubts and Fears out of their 
 Mind, and yet know not what it is to love GOD and 
 Christ. Confidence is no Evidence GOD loves us, 
 nor we Him : Who more affiired of their good E- 
 fiate than the Pharifees ^ They defpifed Christ's 
 Admonition to efcape the Wrath of GOD: They told 
 him they were Children of Abraham ; and queftion'd 
 not the Love of GOD to them ; but after all their 
 Confidence, they were a Gt neration of Vipers. 
 
 Again, A Man may take Pleafure in difiributing his 
 Goods to the Poor : He may give largely in charitable 
 
 * One il/tfj?. 
 
Confidered and Applied. ry 
 
 Ufes ; he may baild and adorn Churches ; he may give 
 a vaft Eftate, even all his Goods^ to feed the Poor ; a 
 natural Tendernefs of Heart, E.iucation, Cuftora, Pride, 
 and other Things may move him to this, and yet he 
 have no real Love to GOD : He may give much to 
 be feen of Men, that he may have much Applaufc 
 from the World. 
 
 And laftly, and to add no more here, A Man may 
 arrive to fuch a Zeal in religious Matters, that he may 
 Glory in Tribulation; rejoice in Stripes j he may gofing- 
 ing to a Goal, and prefer it to a Palace ; he may even 
 long to ("uffer Pcrfecution, and pray that it may come 
 upon him ; and yet have nothing of this Charity: How 
 many popr deluded Roman Catholjcks have gloried in 
 Perfecution, and tho't they merited Heaven by it? 
 How many Self-deceived Quakers have run into Pcr- 
 fecution being impatient to fuffer for Religion : And 
 the Apoftle fuppofes a Man may give bis Body to be 
 turned f and yet have no Charity. 
 
 Thus I have conHdered many Things a Man may 
 attain to and yet have no Charity. 
 
 I proceed, 7tirdly, To (how you, That if be bas all 
 ihefe Attainments and many more i yet if he has no Cha- 
 rity^ he is no real Chriftian ^ and they will profit him 
 nothing. 
 
 Firft^ After all. He is no real Chriflian without 
 Charity. I am nothings fays the Apoftle, (i.e.) no- 
 thing of a Chriftian. He may be one to Appearance ; 
 the World may judge him fuch ; he may have a 
 great ^ame to live, yet he is nothing in reality j he 
 is but empty Noife and Sound. 
 
 For, after all his Attainment?, he is an Enemy ta 
 GOD in his Heart if he has not Charity. He that 
 lovetb not, is not horn of God ; and every one who 
 is not born of God, is full of Enmity aga'inft Him^ 
 Rom. S. 7. And is it poflible a Man Ihould be a 
 real and thoro' Chriftian, who hates GOD ? If he hates 
 • the Father will he love the Son, fubmit himfelf to hi- 
 
 Go. 
 
1 8 rhe great Duty c/ CHARITY 
 
 Government, and follow his Example ? This cannot 
 be J for GOD the Father and Son are One ; and he 
 who cannot fubjeft himfelf to the Laws of one, can- 
 not to the Laws of the other. 
 
 Nor has that Man, who is void of Chanty, that 
 Meeknefs which is neceflary in order to our being 
 real Chriftians : A proud, arrogant Chriftian, who has 
 not learned of Christ to be Meek and Lowly in 
 Hearty feems to carry a Contradiction ; and it is cer- 
 tain, that a Man is no more than a nominal Chriftian^ 
 who has not a meek and quiet Spirit dwelling within 
 him. 
 
 A Man who does not Love GOD is not Heavenly- 
 minded, as a Chriftian muft be : How can he have his 
 Hopes and Defires, his Expectation and his Convert 
 fation in Heaven, where GOD is, whom he don't 
 love, and looVs upon as his Enemy ? He will not 
 have his Thoughts and Views there, if he don't love 
 GOD. 
 
 Nor is it poiiible He Ihould aim at tie Glory of 
 GOD in all his Ways and Behaviour as a Chriftian is 
 required to do, if he has not this Charity. He never 
 will feelc the Honour and Glory of an Enemy : Self 
 will he the ultimate End of all hisAdions; The great 
 Idol of Self will fwallow up all his Views, and employ 
 all his A(^ions, and GOD will be negledtcd fo long 
 as l:.e don't love hir:^. 
 
 ' And fo long as he is deftitute of the love of GOD, 
 he will be void of all true evangelical Repentance : 
 He may have a legal Repentance, and mourn for Sin 
 as it expofes him to eternal Pain and Torment : But 
 jf he does not love GOD, he never will mourn over 
 his Sins, as they are againft a holy, merciful and 
 righteous GOD. Trne evangelical Repentance always 
 follows the Love of GOD ; and the Soul repents be- 
 cauje it loves GOD3 and Is grieved that it baa ofiend-, 
 ed Him. 
 
 No?. 
 
Confider'd and Applied, i9 
 
 Nor lias the Man, void of Charity, any faving 
 Fatth— .Faith works by Love ; and if there is no Love^^ 
 there is no Ftf;Vi^, where there is not the o«^, there is 
 not the cf *^r ; for GOD does;not feparate them. When 
 he begets Faith in our Souls by his Spirit, he givesja 
 livincT operating Faith ; and the neceflary Fruit of that 
 is Lovt Thus you fee a Man if he has not Charity, 
 will be nothing of a real Chrifiian. 
 
 Secondly y I am to confider. That ell our Attainments 
 in Religion, if we are void of Chariry, will profit us 
 nothing at all. 
 
 They never will fatlsfy the Demands of that Law 
 we are under the ftrongeft Obligations to yield a per- 
 ffitt Obedience to : The Law denounces Death upon 
 us if we fialfili it not ; and the Apoftle alTures us, Love 
 is the fulfilling of it. Without Love therefore to GOD 
 and Man we become Debtors to the Law, and fall 
 under the Condemnation of it. 
 
 Nor will any of thefe fuppofed Attainments in Re- 
 ligion, ever atone for our palt Breaches of the Law: 
 We have finned, and are become Guilty before GOD: 
 His Law condemns us: and in vain to think any Thing 
 we can attain to, fo long as we are deftitute of Love 
 to GOD, will atone for our Sim. 
 
 Nor will they ever move GOD to pardon us and 
 acquit us from the Sentence of Death we are under : 
 They may move Men to overlook our paft Mifcar- 
 riages and forget our Failings ; but GOD fees the 
 Heart, and if there be Enmity to Him, he will look: 
 upon us Enemies, and condemn us as fuch. 
 
 Nor will thefe fuppofed Attainments in Religion ever 
 entitle us to the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ : 
 It is upon the Account of thefe alone we can be jufti- 
 fied before GOD ; thefe are the Righteoufnefs GOD 
 will accept : And if we are not entitled to thefe, we 
 roufl perifli ; for after all we can poffibly attain to, To 
 long as we have not Faith in Christ, which works 
 h Love, we have no Inter;ft ia the Righteoufnefs of 
 ^ - the 
 
?o rbi great Dafy of CHARITY 
 
 the Son of GOD : It is only by that Faith, which works 
 by Love, that his RighteoufneG is imputed to us. 
 
 Nor will all thefe Attainments fit us for Heaven, 
 and entitle us to it, if we have not Charity : After all our 
 Zeal and Fervour ; if we are void of the Love of GOD 
 we are utterly unfit fcr that World of Light and Love 
 above; GOD never will admit fuch as hate him, there ; 
 and he will certainly exclude us if we are void of that 
 Love, which is the Bufinefs and Happinefs of Heaven. 
 
 And after all the Pains we have taken and the At- 
 tainraents we have made, they will ferve only for a 
 more pompous Defcent into Hell, if we have no love 
 to GOD. The more Knowledge and Zeal we have, 
 the greater our Name and Profcffion has been, the 
 more fearful and amazing will our Fall into Hell be, 
 if we have not Charity ; wefhallonly be more fit Com- 
 panions for Devil and damned Spirits. Thus you fee 
 all your Attainments if you have not Charity, will 
 neither bring you to Heaven, nor fave you from Hell ; 
 you will be nothing but mofl: miferable and wretched 
 Creaturep, if you live and die without the Love of GOD, 
 Which leads me to the Application, 
 Application. 
 
 Ufe I. Of Information. And what has been faid 
 may convince us how falfly many Judge about Reli* 
 gion: It is to be feared the mofl place it in fome- 
 thing it does not confift in. Some think it is enough 
 If they are Sound and Orthodox in their Notions and 
 Conceptions about Things ; if they underftand the 
 Principles of Calvin, and believe them, it) is enough : 
 Others think Religion confifts in being of this or that 
 Denomination of Chriftians : Some think Religion con- 
 fifts in a round of Duties, without any Life or Spirit ^ 
 attending them : Others are well pleafed with them- 
 feives becaufe they have been Zealous in fome Cir- 
 eumftances of Religion ; and difcovered a Vehemency 
 againft fuch as have differed from them : But few- 
 think Religion confifts in what it really does, in that 
 Charity which is the Fruit and Confe^ucnt of Faith 
 in the Son of GOD. 
 
 What 
 
Conftdered and Applied^ If 
 
 What has been faid, alfo gives us too much ground 
 to fear, the Religion of many will after all their Painf 
 fro/it them nothing : There feems to be too Jittle figns 
 of Love either to GOD, or their Brother : A certain 
 Bitternefs feems to be too much intermingled with their 
 Religion, they don't feem to love GOD more than 
 the Creature, nor their Neighbour fo fincercly a$ 
 themfelvc^ 
 
 And we may try our/elves By what has Been faidy 
 and examine the State ef cur own Souls : It is of great 
 Importance for us to know how Matters fiand betwixt 
 GOD and our own Souls : And there is nothing we 
 can try ourfelves by more fafely than the Love of 
 GOD. He that Loveth is born cf GOD. And if we 
 can fatisfy ourfelves in this one Point we can know 
 what the true State of our Soul is. If we love GOD 
 we are feorn of GOD, and are intitled to eternal 
 Life ; but if we love not GOD, we are in a State of 
 Nature, under the Curfe o( th^ Law, and a Sentence 
 of eternal Condemnation. 
 
 So alfo we may examine our religious Duties and 
 Services, by what we have heard ; and fee how far they 
 are acceptable to GOD, and profitable to us ; for GOD 
 is no farther well pleafed with them, nor does he ac- 
 cept of them, only as they are 'done in Faith, and 
 attended with Love ; nor will they ever be any far- 
 ther Advantageous to us, than they proceed from 
 iaith in Chrift^ and are performed in Love : G O D 
 never will own nor will he reward thofe Services which 
 are attended with Hatred to Himfelf and Rancour to 
 our Neighbour : for GOD is Love, 
 
 What you have heard may alfb teach you, to ft a 
 high Value on Charity. Some of late have endeavoured 
 to depreciate, and undervalue it, by cafting the moft 
 opprobious Terms upon it : Bjt the Apoftle valued 
 it above Faith and Hope ; and furely we ought to 
 efleem it above Zeal and party Spirit^ or a great De- 
 gree of Knowledge: You cannot overvalue the Love of 
 GOD) and your Neighbour. It is what every one 
 
ti rke great Duty of CHARITV 
 
 moft highly eftecm and pray earneftly for it : It will 
 be better to us than Tea Thoufand Worlds : If we 
 love GOD, he will love us to all Eternity, and we 
 can't be miferable in his Love : It will make us happy 
 and give us inexpreflible Satisfa6tion thro'ont Eternity. 
 
 life 2d5 Of Humiliation and Self- Aba fement. Let 
 us all be afhamed and humbled before GOD, that we 
 have [q little of this Gofpel-Charity^ in which Rtligioa 
 confilis: We profefs to be the Difciplesof a lovely Je- 
 sg-, who has loved us unto the Death : We have his 
 Example fet before us, and his fpecial Command to /o-z;^ 
 cm another'. We all profe fs to feek the fame Felicity 
 above, and hope to live forever together in Heaven, 
 loving GOD and ChrisT; and one another : And is 
 it not a Shame that we love one another fo little here 
 on Earth ? Charity is almoft banifhed from us : Bit- 
 ternefi, Cenfofioufnefs and Clamour have almoft drove 
 Charity out of the Land: But can we be eafy whilft 
 we love fo little and have (o many Heart-burnings to- 
 wards one another f Can we think how Christ lo- 
 ved us when Enemies aud not be afhamed that we 
 cannot love our Brethren ? Let us all fte wherein we 
 have been faulty in this great Gofpel-Duty of Loving 
 one anotb'.r^ and confefs our Sin before GOD. 
 
 life 3d, Here fufFer me to enforce a Cautisn upon el- 
 very one, to fee to it that he does not deceive himfelf 
 in this important Point. Miftake not a natural Ten- 
 dernefs of Conftitutisn for this Charity : You may have 
 a more tender Heart ; and your Affedions be more 
 eafily moved than others: You miy be lefs cruel and 
 morofe .• You may have a polite Education, and know 
 how to fpeak: the W^ords of Decency and Comelinefs, 
 and be a Stranger to this Charity. The young Man 
 in the Gofpel, addrefs'd our Saviour in a delightful 
 Manner ; and Christ as Man, lov'd him ; but he 
 had no Love to GOD: His AfFedions were upon this 
 World. 
 
 This Charity is a Fruit of the divine Spirit, mould- 
 ing you into the Frame and Temper of the Gofpclj 
 «xciting in yoa all the gracious PifpofiUons of a vir- 
 ' ~ tuoas 
 
Confider'd asd, Jpplied. 53 
 
 tuous and holy Life : And if thefe attend not your Cha- 
 rity, it is not fuch as the Apoftle means, and tells you 
 without it you are nothing. 
 
 Ufa 4th, Of Motive to us all, to pray earneftly to 
 GOD to pour out a Spirit of Charity f rem on High upon 
 us: It is only GOD can fill our Souls with Love to 
 Himfelf and one another: It is He alone can deftroy 
 that Enmity there is in cur Hearts; ?nd he will be 
 fought to for this as well as ail other Graces : And 
 when we confidcr thefe Thing?, fhall we no: all wifli 
 and defire and pray for this Charity 
 
 Firfi^ It is the heft andos/y ffjy^ in order to our pro- 
 fiting under the Means and Jdvantages we are favoured 
 with. We are lifted up to Heaven in Privilege- ; but 
 how Barren and Unfruitful are we under thefe happy 
 Advantages f And whence comes it to paf^, but from 
 hence, that there is fo little Charity araongft us ? We 
 don't love GOD, therefore we don't fear, ferve and 
 reverence him, as we fhould do. We have Envying, 
 Strife and Debate amongft our felve^, therefore we don't 
 grow in the Chriflian Life and make Advances towards 
 Heaven ; but v/as Charity fervent and lively^ how much 
 Ihould we profit. 
 
 Secondly, This is the only excellent Way to retrieve 
 us from the miferable Confufions and Animoficies we ar.e 
 
 ran into. Every one may fee they are great and 
 
 melancholy; and happy would it be could we recover 
 our felves out of them. Thi^ is the only excellent Way 
 for Peace and Order amongft us, Xoput onCharity : So 
 the Apoftle told the Corinthians, and his Words are 
 inftruciive to us : And wou'd all Sec^s and Parties put 
 on Charity towards one another, we might fcon e:c- 
 pe(5t thai Things would return to their due Order a- 
 gain ; but it's in vain to expedt it, if Love to GOD and 
 one another does not fill our Hearts. 
 
 Thirdly, Charity, or Love to GOD, and cnc ano- 
 ther, is attended with a great deal of Pleafure and.^ 
 SetisfaBm here on Earth -, if there was nothing of 
 I> s E>ut^, 
 
14 The ireat Duty of CVikmr^ 
 
 Tiity in it, it Would bfe well worth o^t Pains to prit* 
 tice it as much as pofilble we could : It calms iht 
 PaHlons ; caftg but Uneafinefs, and Melancholy ; makes 
 the whole Soul cheerful s It deftfoys Anger andEnvy* 
 Which are rottennefs to the Bones, Charity faves us 
 ff"om that Jealoufly, which is as cruel as the Grave. 
 Charity gives a Pleafure to all the Cares and Bufincfs 
 of Life ; and it drives away Uneafinefs. U is a Sort 
 of Heaven in the Mind : And whilft other Men carry 
 5» Hell in their Souls, the charitable Man enjoys the 
 BlefTed nefs of the Spirits above. Who does not long 
 to ftel this Love in his Soul ? 
 
 P*oufthIy, By this it is we become mofi like to GOB 
 ^nd Christ. How noble is it to be like GOD ? and 
 herein we can refembie Him ; we cannot imitate him 
 in Faith and Hope^ thefe Things cannot agree with 
 the Divine Nature : Bat GOD is Love ; there is pure 
 2nd perfect Love in GOD j and the more we love, 
 the more we are conformed to his Image. And how 
 much like our Lord Jesus Christ do we become 
 Dy Charity ? How pure, how fervent and conftant 
 v/as his Love ? Shall we not lon^ to be like the great 
 GOD, and our afcended Lord, who is full of Love 
 to his Church and People on Earth. 
 
 fifthly, Without Charity we never fiaU he fit for^ 
 tor can we pojjlbly arrive to an heavenly JVorld : That 
 IS a World of Love, and inconceivable Delight, wher6 
 there is no Uneafinefs and Hatred ; and it is only 
 S|>irit5 who are filled with Love, who are fitted for 
 th^t State of Blefftidners. What Pleafure could a Man 
 take in Heaven v.ho delights in Envying, Revenge, 
 and Strife f And GOD never will ardmit any to Hea- 
 ven, who have not their Enmity fubdued, and their 
 Minds caft into the Mould of the Gofpel, and prepared 
 to love GOD, and all the Spirits of Light and Holi* 
 iiefs. 
 
 Laftly^ The more We love on Earth, the more our 
 Affections and Defire? are drawn out after GOD, and 
 tk^ ^ovt we par on Charity to one another, Co tnuth 
 
 .•••"■ the' 
 
Confidered and Applied* 
 
 25 
 
 tfce more Happy fhall we be when we arrive to the 
 Paradife above : The more we encreafe and enlarge 
 our Love here ; fo much the larger and extenfive 
 will it be in Heaven ; and confequently the more 
 Happy and Blefled we muft be. Who can think of 
 this, and not pour out his Soul to GOD that he would 
 give him fuch a Faith in the Son of G O D, as fhal! 
 fill his Soul more and more with Love to GOD and 
 Christ and all the Children of GOD on Earth. Let: 
 tis wreftle with GOD in Prayer for this Charity : 
 And will GOD of his Grace grant to each one of us 
 to love the Lord our GOD with all our Heart, and 
 oar Neighbour as ourfclves. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
r- 
 
 
 a- *'-l 
 
 Ip^li