this matter our Common Prayer-book, in the Catechism, has greatly exceeded the bounds of scripture: What is required of them who come to the Lord's supper? To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins, stedfastly purposing to lead a new life, have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his death, and be in charity with all men.' But this universal charity was rebuked by God himself, even under the Old Testament: "And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. And Jehu, the son of Hanani the seer, went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God."

This charity is sovereign and discriminating even in God himself. He loves his own elect chil dren with an everlasting love, all others only partake of his providence. "He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment," but no further. Hence it appears that his elect are the objects of his eternal love in Christ; all others are the creatures of his care, and are supplied by his providence, as I observed before.

And this love is discriminating, as all do not

share in it: "I have loved you, saith the Lord: yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever," Mal. i, 2-4. Here are some that God himself says he hates, and against whom he hath indignation for ever. Now I know that God in his nature is love; yet he has indignation against some; and I know by sad experience that the carnal mind of every man is enmity, and the spirit that reigns in him in a state of nature lusteth to envy; yet the commandments of men tell us that we must live in charity with all men; so that we must extend our love beyond God himself, for he does not extend his eternal charity to all mankind; and I am fully persuaded he will never damn me because I cannot exceed him in love. "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master" without excelling him. Hence I conclude, that to live in charity with all men is one of the doctrines and commandments of the church of England. The Arminian will bear hard upon me for this, I doubt not; yet even his charity is no more uni,

versal than mine; for although I confess I cannot love them that hate God, yet I am as sure that they hate all them that love God. Thus charity is sovereign and discriminating, even in the Arminians; and so it is in God himself, who is the fountain of charity.

It is sovereign and discriminating in Christ Jesus, who, as mediator, is the channel through which this charity flows. All men do not share in his dying love: "I lay down my life for the sheep." But we read of a herd of goats, of foxes, wolves, bears, swine, dogs, serpents, and a generation of vipers, none of which are included in the dying charity of the Son of God. And as they are not included in his dying love,

No more are they in his prophetic office; for he came for judgment into the world, that they that see not, might see, and that they that see, might be made blind; and he thanks his Father for hiding these things from the wise and prudent, and for revealing them unto babes, and heartily acquiesces with him in it: "Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight."

Nor does the chief Shepherd exercise his charity in feeding the non-elect: "And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Then said I,

I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another." These that our Lord declared that he would not feed, these that he loathed, and these whose soul abhorred him, whom he declares shall die, can never be the objects of Christ's charity. Nor does our Lord include all the world in his intercession any more than in his sacrifice: "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me." And in this also the service of our establishment exceeds the charity of the Son of God himself; for though he prays not for the world, yet she prays him that it may please him to have mercy upon all men.

Nor is the world included in the charity of the Holy Ghost, whose office it is to testify of Christ, and to shed abroad the love of God in the heart, and to comfort the saints with it: "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." Hence it appears plain that not all mankind, nor even those that are called neighbours, nor the world, are the objects of God's charity; the elect of God, among angels and men, are the only objects of that divine charity which comes from God, Father, Son, and Spirit.

Charity is a fruit of the Holy Ghost; and among the members of the new man of grace it is called true holiness: "Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." And this true holiness is charity: We are holy and without blame before him in love, Eph. i. 4. Having proved that divine charity is sovereign and discriminating even in God the Father, and in God the Son, and in God the Holy Ghost, so it evidently appears to be even in the administration of it.

Mary Magdalene was a very lewd and bad character, and was led on in sin by seven devils that had possession of her; but the love of God flowed into her heart with such irresistible force as drove all the devils, the power of sin, the guilt of sin, the love of sin, her enmity to God, her unbelief, rebellion, &c. all before it; and left Simon, the Jewish pharisee, in full possession of all his dead works, further from the kingdom of God than either publicans or harlots. And so we read of some, even among the heathens, and especially at Corinth, that were the most notorious sinners, and yet were washed, and sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, read 1 Cor. 6th chapter; when numbers of the Jewish scribes and pharisees, so far from reaping benefit by Christ's charity, he threatens them that at his departure the devil should enter into them with double force: "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,