dom known, or receives its due Praises, till it has left this World, and its Lofs is thoroughly felt. As this is the higheft Species of Generofity, fo what was faid of Generosity in general, will be in Proportion applicable to this. It provides for the Whole, and of Confequence includes Individuals, but not by any fpecial Confideration of private and particular Exigencies. Accidents and Misfortunes, that proceed not from the Publick, are abfolutely out of the Scheme of its Obfervation and Influence. I have yet one particular to offer, one more uncommon, more unexperienced, and yet more material than any of the foregoing, and that is the Chriftian Love, which is commonly called Charity. This is the most perfect Love that imperfect Creatures are capable of: This is more extenfive and more vigorous, than any Kind or Degree of Love before enumerated: It goes goes beyond the Force of any Inftinct: and proceeds upon Reasons or Motives, which meer Reafon could never fuggeft: Here is the Wisdom of the Serpent with the Dove's Innocence: Here is Good-nature without Weak nefs; Generofity without Vanity or Affectation, Friendship without any partial and particular Attachments: and instead of the Love of one little Spot, the Love of all Mankind, the whole Species. If we look into its Behaviour towards its Enemies; it loves even them; it forgives them their Trefpaffes; and does them good, looking for nothing again, no Return of Favours, not feeking its own, but their Happiness: If to its Friends; they only have this Appellation, who do the Will of their Father, which is in Heaven; Regarding this facred Relation above all others, no other Tye muft difunite them from their heavenly Father; without including this, Friends P 3 Friends and Countrymen, Party and Perfuafion, Father and Mother, Wife and Children are nothing to it. It will go into the Dungeon to relieve the Prifoner, into the Stews to reform the Harlot, into the Tombs to cure the Poffeffed; It will dine with the Publican in order to convert him; It will reprove Herod in his Judgment-hall, and the High-Prieft in the Sanhedrim, and take care of the Samaritan robbed and wounded and half dead, though the Pricft and the Levite look on him only, and pafs by on the other fide. The Motives it is fupported by, are the Precepts and Example of Jefus Chrift; a Conscioufnefs of endeavouring to live up to the Perfection and Dignity of his Commands; and, as human Nature cannot poffibly be divefted of all Regard to it felf, an Expectation of an eternal Reward from him in Heaven. DISCOURSE IX. Character of the Scorner. I LUKE Vi. 25. Wo unto you that laugh now: for F we look back unto what goes before these Words, we may easily find what Sort of Laughter this Woe is denounced againft: When our Lord had felected the Twelve, whom he called Apoftles, from the rest of his Followers, he took occafion, not only before them, but in the Prefence of a great Multitude of People out of P 4 all all Judea and Jerufalem, and from the Sea-coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their Difeafes, to declare the Reasons of his Conduct, the Reafons upon which he chofe his Difciples from the Multitude, and the Twelve from them. He lifted up his Eyes on his Difciples, and faid, Bleffed are ye Poor, &c. Setting forth thofe moral Characters, or Habits of Mind, which are the neceffary Qualifications of receiving his Gofpel, and advancing in his Kingdom; beginning with the first Difpofition, and proceeding regularly in the Order of Nature to the last, and utmost Perfection we are capable of. On the other hand, he describes all thofe Habits which were the great Obftructions to the Reception of his Doctrine in the fame Order, and ftrong Contraft, Wo unto you that are rich: Wo unto you that are full: Wo unto you that laugh, &c. There |