measure of tendernefs and concern for one another's cafe and quiet, or, which is the fame thing, to love one another as Chrift has loved us, they would no more be in danger of biting and eating up one another. I Of all things, they would be in the least danger of rejoicing in evil; and being pleafed to get an ill tale to tell of their neigh bours. The Apostle directs here to a very contrary courfe. When a brother is overtaken in a fault, it will not be fufficient to forbear infulting him, and rejoicing over him, which is fo much the way of the world, but they must make it their business to restore him. The original word is very fignificant: it is to restore a dislocated member to its proper place and pofition. All Chriftians are members of the body of Christ, by their union to him their head, and confequently members one of another; and every member has its proper place and ufe in the body, as the Apostle elegantly reprefents it, Rom. xii. 4. 5. and 1 Cor. xii. 12. & feqq.

The injunction is directed to those who are fpiritual, to fuch as are born of the Spirit, who live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit; brethren in Christ, and are living members of his VOL. III. 3 H

body.

body. And indeed no body else will either have inclination or capacity for fuch a work for it is a work of that kind, as cannot be managed without all the affection and tenderness of a brother. They are to restore fuch an one in the Spirit of meekness. The first office of brotherly love is faithfulness. Not to fuffer fin upon our brother, but by all means to rebuke him, was a precept of the law of Mofes, Lev. xix. 17.; and what is very remarkable, the neglect of it is called hating one's brother in his heart. The hatred may not be fo direct as to wifh him ill, much lefs to do him ill: but it certainly argues a want of that due concern, and brotherly love which is always watchful for our brother's good, and much more against his fuffering any damage which we can prevent; and fin unrepented of is without all doubt the greatest damage one can fuftain. By no means may he be suffered to go on without being rebuked: not in the manner ignorant zealots rebuke, as lords over God's heritage, who treat every little difference, by the ftandard they have made for themfelves, as an enormous crime; but in the fpirit of meeknefs, that it may appear

that

that pure love, and tender brotherly affection to the party, is the only motive.

The Apostle gives a good reason for this mild conduct; and if it is in the leaft reflected on, will most certainly be effectual. It is this, that no man can be fure that he will not fome time or other fall into temptation, and even fall under it: Confider thy felf, left thou also be tempted. It is but the application of our. Lord's rule,

to do as we would be done by in the "fame circumstances;" a fhort plain rule, perfectly just and equitable; and fo extenfive, that were it minded, every man would be in cafe to be a law unto himfelf

But there is a principle deeply inlaid in the heart of every child of Adam, which puts a very great difference between himfelf and another; fo great, that whenever the natural connections of blood or particular friendship wear out, the principle of humanity is well known to be a very flender tie. Strangers are fuch as we reckon we are not concerned to mind: and not only thofe Chriftian duties of mutual concern mentioned, verf. 1. but all the duties of humanity lie by neglected; and 3 H 2

the

the neglect is justified by that very common excufe, that it is impertinent officioufnefs to meddle in other people's affairs. However that may hold in worldly affairs among the men of the world, it can never be the cafe among Christians. The connection among them is too close to admit of any separate interefts. And the Apoftle lays it down as a general rule, which admits of no exception, to bear one another's burdens. The fame which he extends further, and lays ftronger, 1 Cor. x. 24. Let no man feek his own: but every man another's wealth. One needs not fay how much this reaches beyond bare fympathizing with one another in our diftreffes and troubles. That is a very vain affection, if it does not engage us to exert our utmost efforts to relieve them. But the Chriftian's concern for his brethren in Chrift is not terminated folely in their burdens and diftreffes. their concerns are his, and he ftands as much bound to promote their interests and welfare as his own.

All

But it is not only a duty arifing from their near relation, but it is what they stand bound to by exprefs commandment. The law of Chrift cannot be fulfilled with

out

out it. There is no need of any laborious search to find out this law of Chrift; it is

the law of love. It is true, all God's laws are his; and he is, in the most proper fenfe, our lawgiver, as well as our king and judge. But what is most properly and peculiarly his law, is that which he commanded his disciples, and preffed on them by the love which he had shown them, that they should love one another; and which he gave as the badge by which his difciples fhould be known and distinguished from all the rest of mankind. On this foundation the Apostle John, who well understood it, carries it fo far, as that we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren: and furely then we ought to bear their burdens, and concern ourfelves in all their interefts of every kind, and affift them to our utmost ability; for it is notorioufly true, even though our Lord had never faid it, that the life is more than meat, and the body than raiment.

The Apostle understood human nature perfectly in all the views it could be taken in; and particularly how apt men are to be pleased with themfelves, and even value themselves greatly above what they deferve. He knew likewife, that none of

Adam's