upon a level, with respect to fuch perifhing qualifications. Nothing but religious principles, and a good and charitable difpofition, will then make the final distinction betwixt separated fpirits. The poor patient Lazarus, we may remember, was after his departure out of this life conveyed by Angels into Abraham's bofom; whilst the impious and uncharitable rich man was configned to a place of torment.

In a word-By thus habitually applying this balm of Charity to our corrupt thoughts and affections, we fhall best learn to think foberly of ourselves, and candidly of others; which is the neceffary groundwork of a truly Chriftian life Without which all our good words will in the hearing of God, who trieth the reins and fearcheth the heart,

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be but as founding brafs or a tinkling cymbal;

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cymbal; and all our most plaufible actions be in his fight as nothing worth.

Pray we therefore Almighty God that He will fanctify our hearts and minds with the spirit of Chriftian Charity, without which whofoever liveth is as one dead before Him And this for the fake and through the alone merits of his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord and Saviour.

SERMON

SERMON XIV.

COLOSSIANS, iii. 14.

Above all things put on Charity, which is the bond of Perfectness.

HARITY is here ftiled the Bond

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of Perfectness, because all other virtues are included in this comprehenfive duty, and perfected by it: So that when practised in deed and in truth it is the fulfilling of the whole moral law; as our Apostle argues in another place. And for this reafon he earnestly exhorts us in a figure to make it habitual to us in mind and act; putting it on as a

habit, the diftinguifhing habit of Chrift's Difciples; alike conducive to improve the inward man, and to adorn the outward.

But feeing the excellence of general precepts is beft difcerned, and brought more effectually home to the confcience, by a particular application of them; I therefore propofed to enquire fomewhat minutely into the fpirit and power of true Chriftian Charity, refpecting the temper and behaviour in general, and the thoughts, words and actions in particular, of every Difciple of Christ.

The happy influence of this moral antidote upon the corrupt thoughts and affections of the heart, has been already treated of and recommended. I am in the next place to reprefent it's fingular efficacy upon our words and conversation,

2. The privilege of language is no lefs peculiar to mankind than reason. And why it is fo is fufficiently obvious. For though divers kinds of animals have different voices and notes, and perhaps none of these without some signification; yet to be able to difcourfe requires ra, tional deduction; which latter as they are not poffeffed of, so neither have they any capacity, nor indeed any occafion for the former.

It is however worth obferving, that whereas the utterance of brutes is ma nifeftly adapted, and invariably fubfervient, to that principle of instinct by which they are governed; the more important gift of human language is in like manner ordained by Providence for the fole use of that reasoning faculty, which is, at least ought to be, the ruling principle of man. So that to abuse it in the fervice of falfhood, or any

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