curious in the ranking of the duties in which Christian
love should exercise itself. All the commandments of the second table are
but branches of it: they might be reduced all to the works of
righteousness and of mercy. But truly these are interwoven through other.
Though mercy uses to be restricted to the showing of compassion upon men
in misery, yet there is a righteousness in that mercy, and there is mercy
in the most part of the acts of righteousness, as in not judging rashly,
in forgiving, &c. Therefore we shall consider the most eminent and
difficult duties of love, which the word of God solemnly and frequently
charges upon us in relation to others, especially these of the household
of faith.

I conceive we would labour to enforce upon our hearts, and persuade our
souls to a love of all men, by often ruminating upon the words of the
Apostle, which enjoin us to "abound in love towards all men," 1 Thess.
iii. 12. And this is so concerning, that he prays earnestly that the Lord
would make them increase in it, and this we should pray for too. An
affectionate disposition towards our common nature is not a common thing.
Christianity enjoins it, and it is only true humanity, Luke vi. 36, 37.
"Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and
ye shall not be judged, condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned,
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." Now in relation to all men, charity
hath an engagement upon it to pray for all sorts of men, from that
Apostolic command, 1 Tim ii. 1: "I exhort therefore, that first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for
all men." Prayers and supplications, earnest prayers out of affection,
should be poured out even for them that cannot, or do not pray for
themselves. Wherefore are we taught to pray, but that we may be the mouth
of others? And since an intercessor is given to us above, how are we bound
to be intercessors for others below, and so to be affected with the common
mercies of the multitude, as to give thanks too! If man, by the law of
creation, is the mouth of the stones, trees, birds, beasts, of heaven and
earth, sun and moon and stars, how much more ought a Christian, a redeemed
man, be the mouth of mankind to praise God for the abounding of his
goodness, even towards these who are left yet in that misery and bondage
that he is delivered from?

_Next_, Charity by all means will avoid scandal, and live honestly in the