Imatges de pàgina
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"wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speak"ing be put away from you, with all malice: "And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, (6 forgiving one another, even as God in Chrift "hath forgiven you." See alfo Col. iii. 12, 13.

As a most important branch of chriftian duty, and a proof of the moft fincere brotherly love, we are frequently exhorted, in the fcriptures, to confult one another's improvement in virtue and goodnefs: Rom. xiv. 19. "Let us therefore follow "after the things which make for peace, and "things wherewith one may edify another :" Heb. x. 24. "Let us confider one another to provoke "unto love, and to good works."

It being our Lord's chief object to inspire just difpofitions of mind, and right principles of action, which fhall fuperfede all nice diftinctions about particular rules of conduct, by leading us to feel properly upon every occafion, he gives us this one rule, which, in fact, comprehends all the duties of focial life: Matt. vii. 12. "Whatfoever 66 ye would that men fhould do to you, do ye even "fo to them for this is the law and the pro"phets." An important example to this rule he alfo gives us with refpect to candour in judging of one another, Matt. vii. 1. "Judge not, that ye be "not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, "ye fhall be judged: and with what measure ye 66 mete, it fhall be meafured to you again."

It is not neceffary to recite the precepts of fcripture which relate to the univerfally acknowledged duties of justice or equity, which are very full and explicit; but I shall obferve, that the obligation of compaffion and charity, which is variable in itself, and which might be difputed and evaded by subtle cavillers, is frequently infifted upon both in the Old and New Teftament. Some of the paffages in which this duty is inculcated, are peculiarly affecting. Deut. xv. 7. "If there be among you

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a poor man of one of thy brethren, within any "of thy gates, in thy land which the Lord thy "God giveth thee, thou fhalt not harden thy "heart, nor fhut thine hand from thy poor bro"ther: But thou fhalt open thine hand wide unto "him, and shalt furely lend him fufficient for his "need, in that which he wanteth." Lev. xix. 9. "And when ye reap the harveft of your land, thou "fhalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, "neither halt thou gather the gleanings of thy "harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vine"yard, neither fhalt thou gather every grape of

thy vineyard; thou fhalt leave them for the poor "and stranger: I am the Lord your God." Ifa. Iviii. 6. &c. "Is not this the faft that I have "chofen--to undo the heavy burdens, and to "let the oppreffed 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 houfe: when thou feest the naked, that "thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself "from thine own flefh? Then fhall thy light "break forth as the morning, &c." Pf. xli. 1. "Bleffed is he that confidereth the poor: the Lord "will deliver him in time of trouble."

Our Saviour is far from being forgetful of a duty, which has fo near a relation to that affectionate fympathy and brotherly love, which enters fo much into the spirit of his gospel. Upon occasion of the rich making feasts for the entertainment of others, as rich as themselves, he says, Luke xiv. 13. "When thou makeft a feaft, call "the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; And "thou shalt be bleffed; for they cannot recom"pense thee: for thou shalt be recompenfed at "the refurrection of the juft." The apostle James, whose whole epiftle is a recommendation of good works, does not omit this duty: James i. 15. "If a brother or fifter be naked, and deftitute of

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daily food: And one of you say unto them, De"part in peace, be ye warmed, and filled; not"withstanding ye give them not thofe things " which are needful to the body: what doth it "profit?" And the apostle John, whofe temper feems to have been peculiarly benevolent, fays, I John iii. 17. "Whofo hath this world's good, and "feeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his " bowels

"bowels of compaffion from him, how dwelleth "the love of God in him?"

Eph. iv. 25.

fpeak every

The obligation of veracity feems to have been but weak in the heathen world, and therefore the apostles are careful to caution their chriftian converts very particularly on this head. "Wherefore, putting away lying, 66 man truth with his neighbour: for "bers one of another:" ch. iv. 15. "the truth in love." Col. iii. 9. "to another, feeing that ye have put off the old 66 man with his deeds."

we are mem"Speaking "Lie not one

Laftly, the most explicit rules are laid down for our conduct, with refpect to the various relative duties of life, as those of husband and wife, parent and child, mafter and fervant, magiftrate and fubject, minister and people; recommending, in gegeneral, to fuperiors, a regard to equity, and an affectionate attention to the interest of those who are under their power; and to inferiors, a reasonable fubmiffion, and a faithful attachment to those to whom they are fubject; but a detail of all the particulars is not neceffary in this place. See 1 Pet. ii. 13. to the end, iii. 1-7. Eph. v. 22. to the end, .vi. 1-9. Col. iii. 18. to the end, vi. 1. &c.

I

SEC

SECTION III.

Of the duties which refpect ourselves:

HEREAS very little account was made by

the heathens of the duties of temperance and chastity, and in general of those duties which refpect a man's government of himself, in cafes where others are not immediately concerned, we find that thefe duties make a confiderable figure in the fyftem of the revealed will of God, and thatthe utmost purity of heart, as well as life and converfation, is required of us in these refpects. More efpecially, as the gentile converts had not been ufed to put any restraint upon their private paffions, from a principle of confcience, the apoftles, in writing to them, are particularly careful to enforce a regard to these virtues.

"Bleffed," fays our Saviour, Matt. v. 8. " are "the pure in heart: for they fhall fee God." The apostle Paul cautions Timothy, 2 Tim. ii. 22. "to flee youthful lufts, and to keep himself "pure." 1 Tim. v. 22. To the fame purpose the apoftle Peter, 1ft ep. ii. 11. "Dearly beloved, "I beseech you, as ftrangers and pilgrims, abstain "from fiefhly lufts, which war against the soul.” And Paul to the Ephefians, ch. v. 3.

"Fornica

❝tion,

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