42 The Gofpel a Law of Liberty. S E R M. the poor were defpifed. This was a very II. faulty refpeä of perfons, unbecoming re- Y`'' ligious fimplicity, and contrary to that royal law, as he calls it, ver. 8. Thou (halt love thy neighbour as thyfelf Certainly no one can imagine, that the outward diftindions of condition in this world fhould direct the meafures of our regard to our neighbours : according to that law in which our whole duty to them is comprehended, fence the poor, as well as the rich, partake of the fame human nature, and the fame gofpel grace, are united, by the fame bonds, in fine, are in every refped equally our neighbours, how are we juftified in making a difference ? Charity is an undiftinguifhing principle of good offices to all men, and brotherly kind - nefs the principle of the fame good offices to all our fellow fervants, and children of God our father, and fellow members of the body of Chrift. Indeed, according to the religion of the .7ews, it was otherwife, efpe- daily according to the fentiments which pre - vail'd among them in the Taft age of that difpenfation. The ceremonial law made an inclofure which appropriated many of their kind offices, and their intimate fellowship, to thofe of their own nation. But, efpe -. cially, their teachers carried this much far - ther
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