67o Ofdoing Good. Vol. le hibited familiarity with Idolatrous Nations, and were enjoyned to maintain perpetual Enmity with Amalek, and the Seven Nations of Canaan, whom God had call out before them, and devoted to Ruin ; they looked upon themfelves as perfectly difcharg'd from all Obligation of Kindnefs to the tell of Mankind And yet it is certain, that they were exprefly enjoyn'd by their Lew, to be kind to Strangers, becaufe they themfelves had been Strangers it the Land of Egypt; But our Saviour hath reflored this Law of Loveand Charity to its NatùraJ and Original extent ; and bath declared every onethat is of the fame Nature with our felves to be our Neighbour and our Brother ; and that he is to be treated by us accordingly, whenever he ftands in need of our kindnefs and help ; and to, thew that none are out of the compafs of our Charity, he hath exprefly com- manded us to extend it to thofe, who of all others can !call pretend to it, evert our Enemies and Perfecutors. So that if the Queftionbe about the extent of our Charity hi general, theta two things areplainly enjoyned by theChriflian Religion. T. Negatively, That we thould not hate, nor bear ill-will tö any Man, nor do him anyharm or mifchief. Love worketh no Evil to his Neighbour, (faith the A- poftle) Rom. 13. ro. And this negativeCharity every Man may exercife towards all Men, without Exception, and that equally, becaufe it does not lignifie any pofitive At, but only that we abftain fromEnmity and Hatred, from Injury and Revenge, which it is in every Man's power, by the grace of God, and the due care end government of himfelf, todo. 2. Pofitively, the Law of Charity requires, that we fhould bear an univerfal goodwill to all Men, and with every Man's Happinefs, and pray for it, as fin- cerely as we with and pray for our own ; and if we be fincere in our Wifhes, and Prayers for the goodof others, we fhall be fo in our Endeavours to procure and promote it. But the great difficulty is, as to the exercife of our Charity, and the real Ex- preffions and Effets of it, in doing good to others; which is the Duty here meant in the Text, and (as I told you before) does more particularly relate to the Relief of thofe who are in Want and Neceflìty. And the realm of the dif- ficulty is, becaufe no Man cando good to all in this kind, if he would ; it not being poßïble for any Man to come to the knowledge of every Man's Neceffity and Difirefs ; and if he could, no Man's Abilitycan poffibly reach to the fupply and the relief of all Mens Wants. And indeed this limitation the Text gives to this Duty ; as we have opportunity (fags the Aponte) let us do good unto all Men; which either lignifies, as occafion is offered, or as we have Ability of doing, or both ; as I (hall thew afterwards. So that it being impoftible to exercife this Charity to allMen that !land in need of it, 'tis neceffary to make a difference, and to ufe Prudence and Difcretion in the Choice of the molt fit and proper Objets. We do not know the Wants of all men, and therefore the bounds of our Knowledge doof neceffity limit our Charity within a certain compafs ; and of thofe whom we do know, we can re- lieve but a (mall part for want of Ability ; from whence it follows, that tho' a Man were never fo Charitably difpofed, yet he mutt of necefiity let force Rules to himfelf, for the management of his Charity to the bell advantage. What thofe Rules are, cannot minutely and nicely be determined ; when all is done, much mutt be left to every Man's Prudence and Difcretion, upon a full view and confideration of the Cafe before him, and all the Circumftances of it; but yet fuch general Rules may be given, as may ferve for the direlionof our Pra'ice in moll Cafes ; and for the rett, every Man's Prudence, as well as it can, mutt determine the matter. And the Rules whichI fhall give, (hall be thefe. Fini, Cafes of Extremity ought to take the firft place, and do for that time challenge precedence of all other Confiderations. If a Perlon be in great and prefent Diflrefs, and his Neceffity fo urgent, that if he be not immediately re- lieved he mutt perith ; this is fo violent a Cafe, and calls fo loud for prefent help, that there is no refitting of it, whatever the Perlon be ; though a peefet Stran ger to us, though moll unworthy, though the greatefl Enemy we have in the World,
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