many Christians either fpeak of more gladly, or listen to more willingly, than the Infirmities of others.

I need not fay how contrary all this is to the nature of Love, and to that. Long-fufferance that is a property thereof. Charity would make us lefs сарtious and critical in fpying out and obferving the Infirmities of others, less severe in cenfuring them, more patient in bearing them, more fparing in fpeaking of them, more willing to cover them. We love our felves fo well that thus we ftand affected in reference to our own Infirmities, and fo likewife in reference to the Infirmities of those who are nearly related to us ; I mean, if they be those whom we dearly and intirely love, and who have a fpecial interest in our Affections. The Infirmities of these we are fo far from delighting to pry into, that we turn away our Eyes from them, and are unwilling to see them and when we cannot but 5 take notice of them, we are fo favourable as to apprehend them to be lefs than they are, rather than greater; and as for the itch of divulging them, there is fo little of this, that we do all that we can to conceal them. And if others

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take notice of them, we are ready to make the best Excufes and Apologies that we are able, that seeing they cannot be altogether hid from other Mens Eyes, yet as much of the Evil of them may be concealed as is poffible. And if we loved others that are a little more remote from us, as well as we love our felves, and those that are pear us, would not the effects of our Love be the fame? 'Tis therefore from what hath been spoken, too apparent that we have but a very little Charity for any but our felves, and fome few others that are fo near us, as that they may in fome sense be accounted a part of our felves, and confequently our Love to them little other than Love to our felves.

4. As for the more enormous Faults and Irregularities of others who are of a vicious and profligate Life, certainly it cannot in reafon be well fuppofed that we should have more true Love and Charity for these, than we have for those who fin through Infirmity. Our want of Charity that fuffers long in reference to these is most visible, in that we are fo quickly weary of waiting for their Reformation; in that we are fo cafily perfwaded, after a little unfuc

cessful

cefsful Pains taken with them, to look upon them as incurable, and defperate, fuch as we may not hope that ever any Good will be done upon them: In that because God is not prefently prevailed with to change their Hearts, we are fo ready to conclude that he never will do it; and thereupon caft them out of our Prayers, and forbear to give our felves any further trouble in making use of any other Means for gaining them. This is indeed a fhort way to be rid of them, and to ease our felves of the labour of indeavouring their Converfion. But Charity would not be fo quick; that would fuffer long, and wait long in the ufe of Means, and never be weary of waiting, if God peradventure might at any time be pleased to give Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth.

Use 2. If to fuffer long be the property of Love, let us be exhorted to indeavour to evidence the truth and fincerity of our Love by Long-suffering. Let us not give up our felves to be transported with those inordinate Paffions, which Perfons void of Charity are fubject to. Let neither Unkindneffes nor Injuries fo work upon us as G 2

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to put us out of order, or make us meditate, contrive or at any thing contrary to Charity. Let us bear the Infirmites of the weakeft of Saints, and wait for the Repentance of the worst of Sinners. And wherefoever we find that at any time we come fhort of that Long-fuffering which hath been defcribed, let us thence conclude, that as much as we want in Long-fuffering, fo much we want in Charity, and accordingly be humbled for, and bewail our deficiency in that Grace, and labour to ftrengthen it. As our Charity grows stronger, our Long-fuffering will be greater.

And fo I come to the next property 1 Cor.13. of Charity; Charity is kind.

SERMON

SERMON III.

not.

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I COR. xiij. 4.

Charity is kind; Charity envieth

N handling of this Property, I fhall only speak a little of the nature of Kindness, and then make Application. As concerning the former, the nature of Kindness cannot be fet forth better than by shewing, by way of particular Instances, what the Things are in which it is difcovered: and they are chiefly-these that follow.

1. Kindness fhews it self in a propenfion, or readiness to do Good to Men, or to be useful and beneficial to others. The Greek word xensos, is a good, beneficent, or useful Man. So Rom. 2. 4. Defpifeft thou the riches of the Goodness of God; xensin du; that is, of his Beneficence, or Bounty. So like

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