3. Charity hath the preheminence of Faith and Hope in respect of its immediate operations and effects. Faith only takes hold of and receives, and Hope reacheth out after things hoped for but Charity gives out and imparts,which is of greater perfection than to receive for our Saviour faith, 'tis a more bleffed thing to give than to receive, Ads 20.35.

5

4. Charity hath the preheminence in refpect of the extent of its usefulness. Faith and Hope do immediately and chiefly profit our felves; the benefits of them both principally redound to a Mans own Soul; but Charity is of a more diffufive and communicative Nature, as being helpful and ferviceable to many, as hath at large appear'd by what hath been formerly fpoken concerning the Properties of that Grace.

Use 1. Are Faith, Hope and Charity fuch excellent and fingularly useful Graces? Then are they in a very bad condition who have none of these Graces, as 'tis certain that no wicked Man is endued with them, or any one of them. Neither Faith, nor Hope, nor Charity are to be found in that Mans Bb 3 Heart,

Heart, the general and ordinary course of whofe Life is Vicious and Ungodly. These Graces wherefoever they are, will have their influence upon Mens Lives, to regulate, order, and frame them in fome measure according to the word of God. Faith and Hope purify the Heart and Life, and Charity difpofeth a Man to the Conscientious performance of all Duties which he oweth unto God and Man. And as Charity relates to Man, under which confideration the Apostle in this Chapter defcribes it, it difpofeth a Man to do to others as he would be done to himself. A Man whose Heart is throughly seasoned with this Grace will injure no Man, but be always ready to do all good offices to all Men,even to Enemies, as hath formerly been shewed. Wicked Men therefore, whofe Hearts and Lives are impure, and who care not whom they injure fo they may gratify and advantage themselves, being utterly void of thefe Graces, can have no found comfort in Life or Death, as for Life though a Man fhould enjoy all the Profperity that a Man is capable of in this World, yet without Faith the Wrath of God abideth on him, John 3. 36. and having no lively hopes of better

things when this Life is ended, he receives his Portion in this World, and what a damp is this to all his present Jollities, when he fhall confider that when this Life is gone all his Happiness is gone.

And Laftly, being deftitute of Charity, as he fhews no Mercy fo he can expect none, and as he finds his Implacable and Revengeful Heart will not be brought to forgive his Brother, fo neither must he ever expect forgiveness at the Hands of God. And then when he comes to Dye, being destitute of these Graces, how Rueful will his Condition be! either he must go out of the World full of Horrour and Despair; or which is little better, if not in fome refpect worse, he must go hence in a fearfully hardened and fenfeless Condition, dropping down into Hell, and falling into unquenchable flames before he hath any apprehenfions of his danger.

Ufe 2. Let us all therefore endeavour to be furnished with these excellent Graces: and having attained them, let us cherrish and improve them, carefully applying our felves to the use of all Bb 4 those

thofe means that may promote the growth of them.

And feeing Charity is the chief and greatest of them all, let our greatest care be for the improving of that Grace, and the rather, because, befide all the Service it will do us, and all the ftead it will stand us in here, it will accompany us into the other World when Faith and Hope fhall take their leave of

us,

SERMON

SERMON X

John 12. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Note, This Ser

mon was Preached

: upon occafion of

ftribution

ny, given

the Poor

Then took Mary a pound of Oyntment, the Di of Spicknard, very coftly, and anoint- of Charied the Feet of Jefus, and wiped his table Mo Feet with her Hair: and the Houfe by Benewas filled with the Odour of the Oynt- factors to ment. Then faith one of his Difciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's Son, which Should betray him, why was not this Oyntment Sold for Three Hundred Pence, and given to the Poor? This he faid, not that he cared for the Poor, but because he was a Thief, and had the Bag, and bare what was put therein. Then faid Jefus, let her alone, against the Day of my Burying bath She kept this. For the Poor always ye have with you, but me ye have not al

ways.

TH

HIS Portion of Scripture may perhaps be judged not fo proper and fuitable for this Day, as many o

ther