is, that Christianity lays us under new obligations to a good life,
as by it the will of God is more clearly revealed, and as it affords
additional motives to the practice of it, over and above those which
arise out of the nature of virtue and vice, I might add, as our
Saviour has set us a perfect example of goodness in our own nature.
Now love and charity is plainly the thing in which He hath placed
His religion; in which, therefore, as we have any pretence to the
name of Christians, we must place ours. He hath at once enjoined it
upon us by way of command with peculiar force, and by His example,
as having undertaken the work of our salvation out of pure love and
goodwill to mankind. The endeavour to set home this example upon
our minds is a very proper employment of this season, which is
bringing on the festival of His birth, which as it may teach us many
excellent lessons of humility, resignation, and obedience to the
will of God, so there is none it recommends with greater authority,
force, and advantage than this love and charity, since it was FOR US
MEN, AND FOR OUR SALVATION, that HE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND WAS
INCARNATE, AND WAS MADE MAN, that He might teach us our duty, and
more especially that He might enforce the practice of it, reform
mankind, and finally bring us to that ETERNAL SALVATION, of which HE
IS THE AUTHOR TO ALL THOSE THAT OBEY HIM.



SERMON XII.
UPON THE LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOUR.
ROM. xiii. 9.