The Nature and Excellence of it. A fort of Instinct Difpofition. We are not left, in this Refpect, to the flow Re- Mercy confider'd in its Social Relation. The Want of it moft provoking to God. The Behaviour of the Jews in this Respect. The Cafe of the Stranger confidered. The most proper Object of Mercy is he who The Motive here affign'd to the Jews. Nothing like Experience to raise Compaffion for This mention'd as a Motive in St. Paul's Beha --- in our bleffed Lord's himself. Some Obfervations on the whole. The Grounds and Regulation of Self-Esteem. For I fay, through the Grace given unto me, to every Man that is among you, not to think of himself more bigbly than he ought to think; but to think Self-Esteem interwoven in our Compofition. very dangerous, if we mistake in the Object Let Love be without Diffimulation. Love, its feveral Kinds and Degrees. 2. Friendship upon Self-Interest. 3. Generofity, more dazzling, but not so use 4. Friendship, excellent in itself, but of less Benefit to Mankind than any of the others. 5. Love of our Country, of extensive Influ- 6. Charity, greater than all, and including all Our Saviour the Object of their Derifion. Enquiry into the Nature of this Laughter. quite contrary to Poverty of Spirit. Contempt, and Ridicule, moft hateful to others. These two Characters compar'd, with relation to the three great Branches of Duty. The Pharifee, full of his own Attainments, de- The Publican muft difapprove of his Conduct If the Pharifee be guilty of the fame Crimes with the Publican, they must be attended with more Though both their Sins are odious to God, the An An Account of the Sadducees. wherein they differed from the Herodians. the latter wholly addicted to Ambition. --- the former to Voluptuousness and Infidelity. --- both very oppofite to Jefus Chrift, and his Doctrine. --- no Account that any Sadducee was ever converted. DISCOURSE DISCOURSE I The Infufficiency of Human Reason. 2 COR. iii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any thing, as of ourselves: but our Sufficiency is of God. T HE Apostle having begun to commend himself, explains and confirms what he had faid, in the Words of the Text; and disclaiming all Sufficiency in himself, all Matter of boasting, he afcribes his Sufficiency to God. VOL. I. |