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peaceably in this World. Even those Things that are fo extreamly bad as divers of thefe are, that they may not always be born with, but muft in due manner, time and place, be reproved; yet must they be born and paft by many times for Peace fake, left you should always chide, a thing which God himfelf doth not, how much foever provoked by us. O how large a field is here for this Property of Charity to expatiate in! Here are Burthens enough to be born, if we had Charity enough to bear them as we ought. And as for those Things which you do not fo bear, but that you endeavour by Reproof, or other fuitable Means, to correct and reform them, yet you must bear them ftill for the most part, for they are not presently cured, as foon as the Cure of them is attempted. You may bear long and long, and bear more perhaps after you have endeavoured to cure them, than ever you did before. God complains, that when he would have healed Ifrael, then the iniquity of Ephraim Hof. 7. 1. was difcovered, and the wickedness of Samaria. This measure we must expect to meet with often when we would ; endeavour to heal the diseased Souls of

those

thofe that are about us, then the Malignity of their Disease breaks forth, and discovers it felf worse than before; and fo all that for the prefent we gain by our Endeavours, is, that we make our felves more work, there is fo much the more for us to bear, and to exercife our Charity on.

2. Charity beareth hard Things and troublesome Services, is willing to take Pains, to undergo labour and travel, when others may receive Benefit thereby, especially where it may tend to the Good of their Souls. The Apostle St. Paul abounded with Love, all his Wri tings breathe out Love. This his abundance of Love made him willing to take so much Pains, and undergo fo many Hardfhips as he did, for procu ring the Good, and furthering the Salvation of Souls. It made him more abundant in Labours, as he fpeaks of himself, not out of vain oftentation and boafting, but in way of just and 2 Cor. neceffary Vindication of himself.

11. 23.

3. Charity beareth the offensiveness and unacceptablenefs, the noyfomness and irkfomnefs of poor and mean Services where they are neceffary, and any Good may be done by them. It

will not only undergo the most difficult Services, but ftoop to the lowest and most unwelcome Imployments. There is no Office of Love fo mean that Charity sticks at, where there is a. Call thereunto, and the prefent exigencies of others require her affiftance. It was our Saviour's Love, as well as his Humility, that made him condefcend to wash his Disciples Feet, an Imployment in those hot Countries not very defirable, but that Love and Humility made it acceptable.

4. Charity beareth in way of Suffering as well as of Doing. And this in a Man's Estate, good Name and Body.

(1.) Where much Love is, Men will be willing to undergo fome Lofs and Damage, to be thereby useful and ferviceable to others; and especially if by a fmall Lofs fome greater and more confiderable Good may redound to their Neighbour. St. Paul's great Love to Onefimus, whom being now become a true Convert, he calls his Son, and his own Bowels, Philemon 10. 12. I fay, his great Love to him makes him willing to undergo fome Damage, and to be at fome Expence, to recommend him again to his old Master, from Q whom

John 13+

4:5.

whom he had run away, and likewise as 'tis probable, wronged befides. If he bath wronged thee, faith the Apostle, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account. I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it, ver. 18, 19.

(2.) So as to a Man's good Name, Charity will make a Man flight the Cenfures, Evil-fpeakings, and Clamours of uncharitable and reproachful Tongues, where he may be useful to others. Love and Integrity in fuch a cafe would enable a Man to say with Job, chap. 31. 35, 36. If my Adverfary had written a Book against me, furely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown

to me.

(3.) As to Bodily Sufferings, what fore Things did St. Paul chearfully bear and undergo out of his fervent Love to Chrift and his Church! We have a large Catalogue both of his Labours and Sufferings, unto the undergoing of both which, Love conftrained him, 2 Cor. 11. 23. and fo on to the end of that Chapter.

Ufe. This again may convince us of our great deficiency in Charity. Let us reflect upon our felves, and confider

how

how it ftands with us in reference to this Property of Charity, and we may foon difcern how little Charity we have attained, if we have any at all ; Cha rity beareth all things; and we, it may be, can fcarce bear any thing.

1. In reference to the Infirmities of others, how little can we bear! So little do we confider the Frailties, and Weakneffes of others, that though many times we know their Miscarriages to be their Burthens as well as our Trouble, yet we have no Patience for them, or Compaffion towards them. The least thing which we obferve amifs in them, calls forth all our Spirits against them. And though towards fome we have a little more forbearance, yet against fome others we are so keen and quick, that scarce an unadvised word falls from them, but we are all in a flame.

2. As for undergoing any Labour or Travel, or putting our felves to the trouble of any difficult Service or Hardfhip for them, we are so far from this, that we are moftly for confulting and contriving our own Eafe, though to the Disease and Trouble of others, and feeking how we may best caft off all Q 2

Burthens

t