wary; but here can no caution be a bar to my duty. And if I will be wife overmuch; while I fo aim to be wiser than I ought, I am not fo wife as I fhould be. In good truth, how can I ever be wife and not faithful? when my greatest fagacity lies in my fidèlity; because I ferve a Lord, that will never fuffer me to be a final lofer, by following of him; through whatever difficulties and hardships he calls me. But the greater hardfhips I have fuftained, the better rewards with him shall I find. And how little need I then to regard, though the world fhould call me incendiary, and troubler of Ifrael; if I can but hear from him, "Well done, good and faithful fer

"vant!"

To him, my foul, let it be ever my highest care, to approve myself, leaving all the world for him; and not sticking to difoblige any in the world, when it is to obferve and honour him. Let me infinitely prefer his mighty interefts above all my petty concerns, and never count it a forry, bargain, though I offered up all that I had, and myself after it, in the cause and obedience of fuch a Lord. And how thall I fhew myself a true philanthropos, but in doing all the good I can to all men? not to humour them, to their hurt; but to make them for ever happy; though, for the time, I may make them a little uneafy. First muft I regulate things within doors; and take care, that my own foul be fafe; and then feek the good of Jerufalem, and take upon me the care of the church, and of the world; opening my arms, to receive even all mankind, and lending myself, as far as I am capable, to every one. For` Ifrael was called an empty vine, when he "brought "fruit but to himself," Hof. x. 1. And my Lord's command is," when thou art converted, ftrengthen "thy brethren," Luke xxii. 32. Though my goodness then will not extend to the Lord, yet it must be fhewed, in doing all the good that I can VOL. I.

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to all men. And can I hear of the idolatry and fuperftition, and perfecution abroad. The fad darknefs of Heathens, the ftrong delufion of Antichrift's followers, and the fharp trials of my brethren, whom they harrafs (hear of it) with an unrelenting heart can I ftand by, and fee the calamities of my neighbourhood, and of my nation, as nothing to me? can I hug myself, that I, and my particular ftock are exempted, whatever any elfe do fuffer? no, I fympathize with them (if they be the members of Chrift) as very parts of myself; and though they be fuch as are not yet gathered, I even travail in birth for them, till Chrift be formed in them! my head and heart are working what to do in their cafe, and how to mend the matter with their fouls. All the wit, and power, and intereft, that I have, thus do I think it beft bestowed. And any work fet a foot, that looks hopeful, to help on fuch a glorious defign, as the public good, and the reformation of the world, my heart is with it; and all my ability fhall moft readily be contributed to it. And, O that I may live to better purpose yet in the world than I have done, and be an inftrument of greater good in my generation than I have been! and where I have not the temporal advantages, which many others enjoy, yet may I not ceafe to employ my labours and my prayers, that the kingdom of our Lord may come in power; and that fin and Satan may be trodden under foot; and the wicked turn, and the godly rejoice; and pure religion and undefiled, prevail and flourish; and God in all things be glorified, through Jefus Chrift.

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O be narrow fouled, hears ill from the world; but I defire, O Lord, to be clear "from that blame, not only for the fhame with

❝ men,

"men, but the fin against God, because it is an "omiffion of my needful duty; in neglecting the "care of that body to which I belong; and which "is of vaftly greater worth, than I (a fingle dimu"nitive part) am. And though I have not ability

"to effect what I would for the church, or the "world; yet give me, O my God, a hearty concern for both; to defire, that all men living may "fhare with me, in thy mercy and bounty; ac

cording to every one's particular cafe and ne"ceffity. And to my prayers, let me join my ut"moft endeavours, to promote the converfion of "finners, the profperity of thy fervants, the flou

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rifhing of religion, and the falvation of fouls; "that thou, O bleffed God, mayeft be glorified by us all, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

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MEDITATION LXXXII.

Of being in charity with all men.

My foul! to love my neighbour, is to love every partaker of human nature, who is a member of the fame great body, to which I do belong; made after the fame image, and capable of the fame glory of God as myself. And I muft love him as myself, in my favourable opinion, and my kind words of him; and not only in wifhing him well, but endeavouring alfo to do him good. And not putting him off with compliments and lies, to profefs the love which I have not, nor hardening my heart against him, and being unconcerned for him, without any fellow.feeling of his wants and miferies; but having the cordial kindness for him; and that, to be fhewed, upon every proper occafion,

not

not only to his body, but also, and efpecially, to his foul, to promote his faith, his holinefs, and fo, his highest good, and his everlasting happiness. For to give bread to the hungry, and clothes to the naked, how fmall a matter is it, and even nothing, to the charity of turning a finner from the error of his way, and winning a foul to God? but if any will not fee nor refent this love, yet is it neverthelefs for that. Indeed there is no affection valuable and hearty, deferving the name of love, feparate from this true and noble, and beft and chiefeft of all love, to the foul. Though (it is true) I may feek heaven for myself, before, and more, than I do for another; yet would I not have him excluded, but to fhare alfo in the blifs as well as myself. Yea, let him be never fo much my enemy, yet do I defire, that God may forgive him, and receive him. And though he be never fo vile and ungodly, I defire his converfion and reformation, and confequently his real felicity and everlasting falvation, So far am I from wishing damnation, even to fuch as I would convince of their damnable condition; that I threaten them with it, only to fcare them from it. For I would not have even the worft alive to perish, if I could help it, but would much rejoice in his repentance, and be glad with all my heart, that he might turn and live. Thus, my foul, it is not to confine my kindness only to my own kindred, or to love none but fuch as love me, or jump and agree with me, and fit my purpofe, and ferve my ends. No, but my love like the fun) muft look fweet upon all. Though I am not to love all alike, neither in the fame measure, nor after the very fame manner; but to love them more or lefs, according to the greater or leffer goodnefs and lovelinefs that they have in them; and to love the good and godly, with a love of delight and complaifance, fo as to take pleasure in them; when I

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can

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can love ill ungodly men, only with a love of pity and benevolence, fo as to be forry for them, and with the matter amended with them; and to contribute what lies in my way, to recover and fave them. Yea, in fuch a way, may I exprefs my love to them as does not please them; and for my freedom and boldness with them, may be fpighted by them as an enemy to them, when yet if I did not fo admonish and rebuke them, I could not be their friend indeed, nor bear to them the hearty love. I may be grieved at them, and contend with them; yea, and lothe them, fo as I do myfelf, i. e. as far as finful; but I do not (I dare not) hate them; nor wish them any hurt, but what may be for their greater good; as, that juftice may be done upon them, to restrain them, and to warn others from following them; to have them here fo corrected, that they may not be for ever damned. And let them call it a malicious grudge, when any one checks and interrupts them in their wicked way; he that fhould "fuffer the fin upon them, would

really hate them," Lev. xix. 17. For where, alas, is the love, when I will not offer to stop one, that I meet even running upon hell? but the reprehenfion of finners, is indeed fo far from being a violation of love; that it is one of the clearest demonftrations of unfeigned friendship, that can be fhewed in the world. And never can I be a right lover, if I am not (as occasions offered) a free reprover. I cannot therefore but fcorn their notions of love, with whom nothing paffes for kind, but what helps to pamper lufts, and murder fouls; and inftead of stopping a finner, will rather laugh at him, and applaud him, and lend their affiftance to pack him to the devil. They feem to know no love, but luft; no charity, but the loose fraternity; no friendship, but their revelling fellowship; and cry out of the uncharitableness of all that find any fault