SERM. the good, and sendeth rain on the just VIII. and on the unjust *.

And again we learn from the book of revelation, that God is no respecter of persons in the distribution of his spiritual gifts. Though the knowledge of his will was limited for a season to the house of Israel, yet as soon as our Saviour came, the partition wall was broken down between Jew and Gentile. In consequence of which all mankind through him have access by one Spirit unto the Father: now therefore they are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the household of God'. Accordingly the Apostle gives this character of God our Saviour in the gospel dispensation, that he will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for allTM.

Being thus united to one another in every endearing bond both of nature and of grace, it becomes us to regard all mankind as brethren, and notwith

* Matt. v. 45.

Eph. ii. 18, 19.

m 1 Tim. ii. 4, 5, 6.

standing

standing the several distinctions and sERM. varieties of men in manners and com- VIII. plexion, and language and religion, to treat them all with the charities of that relation. For whatever be the civil or political distinctions under which we fall, or whatever be the modifications of religious doctrine or discipline that make divisions among us, the voice of Reason dictates universal love: and if her voice is overpowered by the calls of passion or interest, the Gospel of our blessed Lord commands it in a tone of language too strong for passion to suppress, too clear for schism to misinterpret.

It must be admitted, that as the providence of God has distributed mankind into various degrees of relation, so it has accordingly adjusted the scale of our affections towards one another, For as we are bound together by the several relations of family, of country, and of species, so we also acknowledge and experience a long gradation of benevolence from the lively charities of kindred to the more comprehensive sympathies of human nature. While we feel and encourage a benevolence for those who partake in the same com

mon

SERM. mon nature, we are more closely at-. VIII. tached to those who live in the same civil society, and who profess the same religious faith: and we bear a still warmer affection for those of our own kindred and our own household. And though the gospel dwells more largely on general than on special charity, yet by occasionally insisting on the relative dutics of domestic life, it clearly intimates, that every relation has its corresponding duty through the great household and family of the world.

By this economy the poor and distressed of every clime are placed within their proper sphere of friends; to whom they may impart their sorrows, on whom they may repose their cares, and to. whom in their several troubles and afflictions they may look for consolation and relief. In this more contracted sphere of neighbourhood we have opportunities every day to put in practice the duty of social love. For the poor we have always with us; and the afflictions of our more immediate Neighbours have continual claims on our benevolence.

But from this disposition of things we can by no means draw a reasonable

plea,

plea, to contract our charity within the SERM. limits of our kindred, or even of our VIII. country, when there are urgent calls upon us from remoter objects. Such calls indeed do not frequently occur: and calls for extensive aid can occur only on extraordinary emergencies in the case of some natural calamity of some civil commotion. But whenever they do occur, our hearts are to be opened and our hands are to be stretched out according to our several means and abilities. It is then incumbent on us, that we make no respect of country of profession of faith. For however we may differ in the manner and habit of our journey, the object of our pilgrimage is the same to all, to arrive at the City of the living God, to finish our course in the Jerusalem of Heaven.

Thus we see how well the parable is designed to illustrate and exemplify that great commandment of God, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. It teaches who our Neighbour is, and how we are to love him.

Do we need any further motive or argument to open our hearts and hands in dispositions and acts of charity.

Q

1

SERM. charity than the precept and example VIII. of our blessed Lord; it behoves us to

look to the certain recompence of another life, when he will come a second time to visit us, not as a Prophet, to instruct us in our duty; nor as a Priest, to shew his love in offering up his life a ransom for us; but as a King, to reward or punish us according as we have obeyed or neglected his commandments. And on the practice or omission of no duty has he laid a greater stress in determining our final doom, than on that of charity to our fellow-creatures. For in the figurative description which he has given us of that aweful day, when he shall appear unto the world in the character of a Judge, he dwells upon this duty as the principal, and as it were the only test of man's obedience: and according as men have performed or neglected the various offices of brotherly love, he pronounces upon them all the final and irreversible sentence of happiness or misery ".

It is rather by a filial love, than by a servile fear, that he would gain us to himself: it is rather by his mercies than

" Matt. xxv. 31, &c.