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that they will reasonably bear; and we must on all occafions be ready to publifh whatever in them is virtuous and commendable.

(2.) THE fecond inftance, doing good, is of a mighty latitude. It extends as far, and fhews it felf in as many forms, as the neceffities of our indigent life, and the troubles of our uncertain ftate, as far as all that our enemies can poffibly fuffer, all that they can ftand in need of, all that we can do to help and to relieve them, and all the benefits they are capable of receiving, either with regard to foul, body, or estate. Though they are daily contriving new injuries, or repeating old ones, and doing us all the mifchief in their power; yet we must act a contrary, and a better part towards them, by all fuch acts of charity, as fuit beft with their prefent circumftances and condition, relieving them in want, comforting them in affliction, affifting them in their difficulties; and if they will admit of it, advifing them in their affairs, reproving them for their fins, admonishing them of their duty, in fuch a way as may be likelieft to have a good effect upon them. And in fhort, we must be ready always to do for them, whatever may be really of advantage, to the forwarding of their temporal or eternal happiness.

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(3.) By the third inftance, we are taught to pray for them alfo, even for thofe that bitterly malign and perfecute us. What help we cannot give them our felves, we muft fincerely and fervently pray God to give them; recommending them to his infinite power, and infinite compaffion to reftore their health, relieve their wants, and bless them with all needful bleffings: As David did for his enemies, who when they were fick, *cloathed himfelf with fackcloth, and humbled his foul with faft

*Pfalm xxxv. 13.

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ing, and prayed for them, though his prayer returned into his own bofom. But efpecially recommending them to the grace and mercy of God, that he would never revenge upon them the injuries they have done us. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, as the greateft of fufferers prayed for those who were then abufing and murdering him with the greatest infolence and cruelty; fetting us hereby an illuftrious example of that perfect charity he requires. We fhould befeech God, by the power of his holy Spirit, fo to awaken their conIciences, and fo to improve their convictions, that they may be brought to a true and effectual repentance for all their fins, that a thorough converfion to God and goodness may be wrought in them, and their fouls may be faved in the day of the Lord Jefus. All this is imply'd in the word love, and is a chriftian duty from which no one, who pretends to be a difciple of our charitable Lord and Mafter, can hope to be excufed: For no less than this brotherly affection for all mankind, be they never fo injurious, will be accepted by him. But perhaps it may be objected, that if this extenfive affection be due to my enemies, there will be no room for any diftinction in favour of my friends. If I am bound to do all the good offices I can for them, what is there I can do more for these? I anfwer, that though by chriftian principles, friendship, as a duty, is extended to all mankind, even to those that hate and injure us, as well as to thofe that do us good, and our religion (now) calls it charity; yet particular and Special friendship, the loving of one perfon more than another, which induces a voluntary additional obligation, and is one of the greatest comforts of fociety, is doubtless ftill as lawful, and as commendable as ever. I need go no farther for an inftance that will thoroughly juftify this, than our Lord himself; who though he was continually instructing,

inftructing, warning, admonishing, healing, and doing good to an ungrateful and malicious people, and though he purposely came into the world to * die for his enemies, which is the strongest effort of love that can be made even to our dearest friends, had nevertheless his twelve felect Difciples, with whom he converfed more intimately, and taught with greater diligence and freedom, and prayed for in a particular manner, with more than ordinary. tenderness and concern. And even in that number, three of them were fingled out for special confidences and favours. And even of thefe three, St. John is eminently diftinguished, as the Difciple whom he loved, his bofom friend; no doubt therefore, our religion, notwithstanding the extenfive charity it requires, has left us room enough for particular friendships. And if it be still afk'd, what thefe particular friendships can imply, and fuppofe, beyond what is included in that charity? I anfwer, that fuch a friendship confifts in three things: The doing of real benefits and good offices, the diftinctions of Special honour and efteem, and the particular freedom and intimacy of converfation. Now real benefits are either fuch as are neceffary, as relieving the wants of people, affifting them in diftrefs, praying heartily for them, admonishing them for the good of their fouls, doing juftice to what is commendable in them, and fhewing a tenderness to the reft of their character; those I confefs are benefits promifcuously due to all mankind, whether friends, enemies, or indifferent perfons, according to the 'knowledge we have of their neceffities, and to our own ability of ferving them: Yet even here, in fome of thefe, where it may fo happen that a parti

* Rom. v. 10. John xv. 13.
† John xvii. Matth. xvii. 1, 2.
John xiii. 23. John xxi. 20.

Mark iv. 33, 34.
Mark v. 37. Mark xiv.33.

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cular friend may need and require our help at the fame time an indifferent person or an enemy does, and we cannot relieve, or do fervice to them all. ĺ queftion not but we may prefer the fervice of our friend; and that, because there is another moral duty, called gratitude, which in his cafe throws an additional weight into the fcale. Or farther, benefits may be fuch as are not strictly neceffary, but voluntary; and, if I may call them fo, redundant: Now these I may referve for my friend. For tho' I am bound to relieve an enemy, if I can, when he is in want, &c. I am not bound to make him extraordinary presents, to folicit extraordinary advantages and preferments for him, to leave him legacies, or make him my heir, and the like. Again, the two laft conftituent parts of friendship, which I mentioned, are peculiar to it; an enemy cannot claim them. As friendship ought to be founded on virtue, built up by good offices, and strengthned by a grateful fenfe of them, the diftinctions of Special honour and efteem are due to it, not merely because we love, but because the virtue and merit of our friend deferve to be diftinguished, and his particular regard to us ought in justice to be returned. And lastly, the freedom and intimacy of converfation, is what the Scripture no where requires us to ufe, with either a known or a fufpected enemy. This is entirely facred to friendship: So fays our Saviour to his Apoftles, * I have called you friends; for all things which I have heard of my Father, I bave made known unto you. And indeed, to difclose to an enemy our inmoft thoughts and purpofes, and the fecrets of our affairs, would only enable him to do us the more effectual mifchiefs; whereas religion was never defign'd to overthrow

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common prudence. I hope the objection is by this time fufficiently anfwered, and charity to our enemies fhewn to be confiftent enough, with a parti cular and diftinguishing favour to our friends. And now, fince the practice of fuch a love to those that hate and injure us, as is here required, may feem difficult to human nature; let us fee, very

II. THE motives and arguments by which our Lord has condefcended to urge and encourage us thereto.

(1.) THE firft is, that hereby we prove our felves to be the children of God, who difpenfes the neceffary benefits of life with a promiscuous bounty, gives out the light and warmth of the fun to che rifh the perfons, and direct the affairs, not only of those that love and ferve him, but of the unthankful and rebellious alfo, and fends his showers to enrich and bless the lands not only of the good, who employ the fruits of them to his glory, and the relief of others; but of the worft of men, who turn his grace into lafcivioufnefs, pervert his benefits to luxury, and the riches he bestows upon them to oppreffion and injuftice. Now if our heavenly Father is thus daily kind to those that are daily provoking, and perhaps blafpheming him, no argument can be ftronger than this, to all who have a right notion, what an honour it is to be efteem'd the children of God, and who confider that imitation is the most natural evidence, that they stand fo related to him. For children are apt to imitate their parents, in whatever they obferve in them, especially what is moft remarkable and confpicuous; and fhall not we then endeavour to resemble our heavenly Father in one of his chiefeft properties, that of doing good to the greatest offenders?

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