ง *Novam planè patientiam docet Chriftus, &c. Tertul. adv. Marcion,l. 4. which Chrift hath taught his Difciples, faith Tertullian; to do good unto all Men without diftinction or limitation. Even the Old Law required the Jews not to hate their Brethren in their hearts, Levit. 19. 17. Nay, it required them to do friendly Offices to one another, although there were enmity between them, as we find, Exod. 22. 4, 5. If thou meet thine Enemies Ox or his Afs going aftray,thou shalt Surely bring it back to him again, &c. But all this was meant with peculiar respect to their own Tribes and Countreymen; for other Nations they were permitted to hate, and in many Cafes were bound to treat them after an hoftile manner. But Christ's. Religion carries a far different Spirit with it. A Christian is bound to look upon every Child of Adam as his Neighbour, though an Enemy even to the Faith, though without Chrift, though an alien from the Commonwealth of Israel; and confequently he is obliged not only to abhor all malicious Designs against him, but moreover to extend the utmost of his Charity unto him, like the common Maker and Father of us all, whose mercy is over all his Works. Te have heard (faith Chrift) Mat. 5. That it hath been Said, thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate love hate thine Enemy; But I fay unto you, your Enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that defpightfully use you, and perfecute you; that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven; for he maketh his Sun to rife on the Evil, and on the Goad, and fendeth rain on the Just, and Unjust. For if ye love them only which Love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the Publicans the fame? And if ye Salute your Brethren only, what do you more than others? Do not even the Publicans fo? Alas, this comes infinitely fhort of the boundless and moft generous Spirit of Christianity, which teacheth us, not to be overcome by Evil, but to overcome Evil with Good; if an Enemy hunger, to feed him, if he thirst, to give him drink; and by fo doing, to heap coals of fire upon his head; to melt and intender his Spirit, instead of calling for fire from Heaven to confume him, as thofe Disciples would have done upon the heads of the Samaritans, who knew not what Sweetness and Charity the Chriftians Spirit is of. 2. THUS you fee the nature of that Charity, which confifteth in Fraternal Forgiveness, in its full Latitude and Extent. To come closer to our purpose yet, M 3 let let us now in the next place confider the particular neceffity of this thing when we Celebrate this Divine Mystery. Forgive us our Trefpaffes as we forgive them that Trefpafs against us, is a Prayer we ufe daily by our Lord's own directions; and thereby we are taught, that Charity is always to be mixt with our Devotion, and that we should pity the neceffity of others Souls, as often as we call for mercy upon our own. But, as I have already fhewn you, there are at this great Solemnity Special and Peculiar Reafons to to actuate, not only our Faith and Repentance, but our Charity too, in its fe veral Parts and Properties; and therefore laying afide at prefent the Confideration of thofe General Obligations which are derived from the Commands of Chrift, that were given on other Occafions; I fhall take notice only of thofe fpecial Reasons, which have a more peculiar influence upon our minds, from the Confideration of this Mystery. IF thou bring thy Gift to the Altar, and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy Gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift, Matth. 5. 23, 24. It was this place of Scripture which gave occafion occafion to the Primitive Chriftians to call the Lord's Table an Altar, and just as they went about to offer up their Sacrifices of Prayer, Praises, and Alms-deeds, to express their Reconciliation and perfect Love, by Saluting each other with an Holy Kifs, the Deacon having called out unto them, μή τις κατά τινος, let none have ought against another. The peculiar Reasons of this Charity, may be drawn from these 4 Confiderations. 1. FROM the Confideration of that Analogy, which this Christian Feast bears to the Sacrifical Bagquets of old, to which this Banquet doth in fome meafure correfpond. Heathens themfelves were wont at those Solemnities to * The *Illud autem observatum ab antiquis videmus, ut quoties Supplicationes aut lectiAernia indicerentur, a jurgiis litibus abftinerent,& vintis vincula demerent. Gyrald. Syntag. 17. page 482. give over all Strifes and I do not speak this to leffen the Dignity of this Christian Eucharift, but to fhew, that if they made it a great part of their Religion to be thus difpos'd, who wanted the affiftance of Divine Revelation, and fed only upon Ritual and mean Entertainments, which the Custom of Nations had made every where common; certainly the Nobleft acts of Charity must be required of us, who have been so often told of the infinite Love of God to us, and have the fingular Honour and Happinefs to feed together upon that Lamb of God, which was Sacrificed for the forgiveness of the whole World. 2. HERE we Celebrate the Memorial of our Saviour's Sufferings; who refused not to be kift by the impureft lips in the World, even when he knew that Judas his own Disciple, his Almoner, came to betray him; who called him by no harder Name than Friend; who healed the Officers Ear which had been cut off by the rash zeal of another Difciple; who held his peace, though opprefs'd at his Tryal with falfe accufations; who took no notice of the rudeness of their malice, when his implacable Enemies fpit upon him, buffeted him, fmote him on the face with their hands, that wanted nothing but to be embrewed in his Blood; who for |