fenfe, it fignifies the whole of our duty to GOD and man, both in its principle and proper fruits and effects. In a word, charity is the fulfilling of the whole law, and includes the two great commandments laid down by our Saviour as the fum and fubftance of the law and the prophets. "Thou "fhalt love the Lord thy GoD with all thy "heart, with all thy foul, &c. and thy

neighbor as thy felf." Charity, therefore, in this largest sense, implies a right temper of mind, both to GOD and our neighbor, and all its genuine fruits and ef fects, and therefore, is the whole of true religion and morality.

2. This grace or virtue, as it refpects. GOD, (1.) prefuppofes a right knowledge of GOD; that we know him, or have worthy and juft conceptions of him in his adorable and amiable perfections (for there is not a more certain maxim, than that we can have no love for an unknown object;) and this knowledge, though it may be ob tained in part, and in fome degree, from his works and providences, yet it is most perfectly obtained from his revealed word, illuftrated and fet home upon the foul by the influences of his Spirit. (2.) It implies that we love him supremely, and above all other beings; for if we do not love him thus, we do not love him as GOD; or the affection does not correfpond with the ob

ject of it. (3.) It implies that we are cheerfully and cordially devoted to his fervice and obedience: "For this is the love of "GOD, that we keep his commandments."

3. The vices oppofite to this branch of charity-are, (1.) A wilful and carelefs ignorance of GOD; a neglecting the means of knowing him and acquainting ourselves with him, without which it is impoffible we fhould love him as we ought. (2.) An exceffive self-love, or love of any creature, or creature enjoyment, by which the fupreme love and affection of the foul is ftolen away from GOD, and placed on the creature; which is spiritual idolatry. (3.) All fin and vice is a violation of this branch of charity; but more especially those fins, which strike moft directly at the glory of GOD, fuch as blasphemy, profane swearing, atheistical thoughts and fpeeches, fpeaking irreverently and flighting of GOD, his works, word, ordinances, laws, and people. Indeed, the natural mind is enmity againft GOD, and none but fuch as are born of him, can truly love him.

4. The fecond grand branch of charity, and as effential as the former, is love to our neighbor. And this may be divided into two branches, humanity and chriftian charity.

5. Every man, in fcripture account, is our neighbor, be of what nation, or religion

he will, and we owe love or charity to every man as fuch; as our fellow creatures; a partaker with us in the fame common nature; as fprung from the fame original flock, a creature of the fame GOD, an inhabitant with us of the fame world; fubject to the fame feelings, paffions, appetites, wants, neceffities, miferies with ourselves, and bound with us to the fame eternal world. From which relations naturally flow the duties of juftice, fympathy, mercy, compaffion, all fpringing from the root of charity or love to our neighbor. Hence we are to owe no man any thing but love; and this love is the fulfilling of the whole law, as far as it respects our neighbor; because it will naturally and powerfully dif pofe us to treat our neighbor in all refpects as we ought, wherever it truly takes place, and prevails in the heart.

6. Contrary to this branch of charity or humanity, is all injuftice, evil-speaking, evil-thinking, or rafh and cenforious judging of our neighbor; all narrow, national prejudices against men; all local, contracted affections which fhut out a party of mankind from our humanity, on account of their being of a different nation or religion from ourselves; all envy, malice, and cruelty towards our fellow-creatures, and all partiality in the administration of juftice..

7. Chriftian charity or love, properly fo called, confifts in a peculiar affection for our fellow chriftians, under the notion of their being our brethren; disciples of the fame LORD and Master; fpiritual children of the fame GOD by adoption and regeneration; heirs of the fame precious hope, and incorruptible inheritance; fellow pilgrims in the fame ftrange country, and fellow travellers together to the fame land of promife. This is ftill an advance upon humanity, and unites chriftians together in the most peculiar bonds; fo that whatever is a violation of the laws and bonds of common humanity, is much more fo of the laws of christian charity. Indeed, charity, or christian love, is the peculiar genius of christianity, and is that grace which Chrift has honored, by making it the peculiar and diftinctive badge of his difciples. "By "this, fays Chrift, fhall all men know that "ye are my difciples, if you have love one "for another." Nor is the exercife of any grace fo warmly urged upon chriftians, as this.

8. A peculiar fruit of charity is almsgiving, or relieving the neceffities of the poor, the needy, the miserable and the oppressed; and indeed, this is what commonly paffes in the world by the name of charity, though very unjustly: For, the apoftle affuers us, that a man may give even all his

T

goods to feed the poor, and yet have no charity. An alms, if it proceeds not from charity, that is, from a true christian love to GoD and our neighbor, and from a principle of dutiful obedience to GOD, is no grace at all,

&c.

9. We have an excellent character and defcription of charity given, 1 Cor. xiii. 4, "Charity fuffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth "not itself, is not puffed up, doth not be"have itself unfeemly; feeketh not her "own; is not eafily provoked; thinketh "no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but "rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things; "believeth all things; hopeth all things; "endureth all things: Charity never fail. "eth. And now abideth faith, hope and "charity, these three; but the greatest of thefe is charity."

ESSAY XXXI,

CONTENTMENT and the opposite VICES.

1. Co

CONTENTMENT is a grace which refpects only our outward condition in this world, and not our spiritual condition here, or our lot and appointment in the world to come; and it confifts in fuch a moderate value for, and attachment to the things and enjoyments of the body and