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of our Saviour; inftead of thefe words SER M. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father XVII. which is in Heaven is perfect, he expreffes it thus; Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father alfo is merciful; Luk. vi. 36. And St Paul, fpeaking of the fame excellent Duty of Charity, calls it the bond of Perfection; Col. iii. 14; And above all these things put on Charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

IN this latter Senfe therefore, I fhall take leave to understand the words at this time; and fhall accordingly endeavour in the following Discourse, to recommend to you this excellent Duty of Charity, in the following Method.

ift. By fhowing how

many and great
Obligations we are continually un
der, to practise this Duty.

2dly. WHAT great Benefits and Advan-
tages accrue to our felves, by the Prac-
tice of it. And

3dly. In what particular Methods and
Inftances, it may best and most use-
fully be performed.

SERM. I. How many and great Obligations XVII. we are continually under, to practise this

If. lviii. 6,

7.

Duty. And because they are great and numerous, it may be useful to distinguish them into their proper Heads, as they arife from the confideration either of God, our Neighbour, or our felves. And

It, WITH refpect to God. Is it not the thing that he has chofen, to loofe the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry; and that thou bring the poor that are caft out to thy house? when thou feeft the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyfelf from thine own flesh? Nothing is more agreeable to the Nature of God, and renders us more conformable to the Excellencies of that most perfect pattern; than the exercise of Beneficence and Goodnefs. The Divine Nature is Goodness itfelf; and his bountiful Kindness extends itfelf perpetually over all his works. This is the Attribute which he principally de-/ lights to exercise; and in which, of all others, he most expects and requires we fhould

fhould imitate him.

Our Saviour in the SER M.

Text, and in all his Difcourses, pro- XVII.. pofes this example to us to follow; and frequently repeats it, that hereby only we can truly become the children of our Father which is in Heaven. This Imitation of God, is the Foundation of all Religion, and the true Spring, the inward and natural Principle and Ground of Happiness: Wherefore we are equally obliged both in Duty and Intereft, as we hope to be made Partakers of that Happiness, which is the Perfection of our Nature, and for which God ultimately defigned us; to prepare and fit ourselves for it, by acquiring that divine frame and temper of mind, that beneficent and good Difpcfition, which alone can qualify us and make us capable to enjoy it. This Argument would be equally ftrong, even though we had an abfolute and fupreme Right to the things we poffefs; as God has over the whole Creation. But we are further to confider, that this is not our Cafe. We are not abfolute Lords of the things we poffefs, but enjoy them merely by the divine permiffion and good pleaVOL. VI.

D d

fure.

SERM. fure. We are Stewards intrufted with our

XVII. portion of good things, under the Supreme

Householder the Governour of the Univerfe; and we are to give a strict account, in what manner we dispose of them. We may employ them to all the neceffary ufes, and all the reasonable conveniences, nay and even to the innocent diverfions alfo of Life; but we must not confume them upon Lufts and Follies, and withhold good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of our hand to do it, Prov. iii. 27. Some portions at least of what we enjoy, are due to God, as an: acknowledgment of our dependance upon him for the whole; and instead of coftly Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings to himfelf, he requires only that we be willing to relieve the neceffities of Men like ourfelves; And he feems in the Wisdom of his Providence to have made a very unequal diftribution of the Bleffings of this Life on purpofe, that we might have continual opportunities of paying this reafonable homage to him, according to our refpective Abilities. Thus much were evidently due to him, even tho' we had been innocent

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innocent and finlefs Creatures; But now SER M. how greatly is this motive inforced, when XVII. we reflect how all the Bleffings with which he daily crowns us, were not only originally undeferved, but in their continuance are perpetual inftances of mercy and compaffion towards us! When by Sin we had forfeited all title to his Love and Favour, yet still he caufes his Sun to rife on the Evil and on the Good, and fendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. And not only continues to us these temporal. Bleffings; but moreover, when we by

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Sin had ruined ourselves and must have been miferable for ever, fent his Son into the World, to reftore us to a capacity of recovering that Happiness, which is eternal. And now, What shall we render unto the Lord, for all thefe inftances of his Mercy towards us? Can our Goodness extend to Him? or can a Man ̧ be profitable to his Maker? No; The only way we have of expreffing our Gratitude towards him, is by exercifing fome little Similitude of that mercy and compaffion towards our Brethren, in relieving their temporal wants; which he has extended Dd 2

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