Of Brotherly Kindnef and Charity. 239 itfelf in love. Nay, we are members one of SERM. another *, bound, therefore, by a mutual IX. tender care, even as the hands, and eyes, and the feet of the natural body are ready to contribute their good offices for the fafety of each . other as for their own. In the third place, we are with refpedt to God under great and indifpenfable obligations to the exercife of brotherly kindnefs and cha- rity. This is clearly infinuated in the text, for the apoflle exhorts us to add charity to godlinefs, intimating the neceffary connexion between the things themfelves, and that if the principles of the fear and love of God be in our hearts, they will naturally determine us to exercife good -will and beneficence to our brethren. It is true, the moral obliga- tion of benevolence to our fellow-creatures may be perceived without attending to the authority of God as injoining it, or fuch fan &ions of his law as direly operate on our hopes and fears ; for fo the mind of man is framed, as necefíarilÿ to approve fome things, of force difpofitions and alions of free agents, or to efieem them honeft and lovely and praife - worthy, prior to any con- fiderations of the confequences to ourfelves or * Rom. NE. of
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