Use 2. Is to exhort us —
1. To show compassion to those in necessit}'.
2. To show it not in word or tongue only, but in real kindness.
1, To persuade you to mercifulness and charity. A cheap profession of the name of Christ will do you no good ; that which costs nothing is worth nothing. To quicken you —
[1.] Without it you cannot show your thankfulness to God. Alms is your thank-offering : Heb. xiii. 16, ' But to do good and to communi- cate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.' God showeth his love to us in the great sin-offering, we to God in this thank- oflfering.
[2.] Consider the many promises made to it : Mat. v. 7, ' Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.' Compassion to others giveth us hope and confidence of the Lord's mercy to us, which is a
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g^reat encouragement; for we stand in need of the daily mercy of God : Prov. xxi. 18, ' Wlioso stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, and shall not be heard ; ' if not by men, not by God.
[3.] Consider what mercy Christ hath showed to you. Christ's kindness should enkindle the bowels of compassion in us ; he showed compassion to you at the dearest rates, and loved us unto death ; and will you not be at some expense in your love to the brethren ?
[4.] How comfortable it is for the present: Prov. xi. 17, ' The mer- ciful man doeth good to his own soul ; he also refresheth the souls of others.' See the verse next the text, ' And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.' This will yield you a great deal of comfort, as any other fruit of faith or act of piety.
[5.] This will make your reckoning more comfortable hereafter : Luke xi. 41, ' Give alms of such things as you have, and behold all things shall be clean ; ' Mat. xxv. 35-40, ' For I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in : naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungry, and fed thee ? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ? And the king shall answer and say unto them. Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' These will be the inquiries at the day of judgment ; acts of self-denying obedience must justify and evidence our qualification when it cometh to be judged.
2. To press you to real kindness. To quicken you consider —
[1.] God's love towards christians is a hearty real love ; he not only loved us, but gave us the proof in the fruits and effects of it : Rom. v. 8, * Herein God commended his love, in that, when we were sinners, Christ died for us.'
[2.] At the last day we shall be judged, not for our words only, but by our works : Rev. xx, 12, ' And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ; and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life ; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works,' These will be the questions at the last day. Have you visited ? have you fed ? have you clothed ?
[3.] Lip-love will neither do thee good, nor thy brother good. Not thee good ; in no other grace and duty are words taken foi- performance, so not in this. Not in the general : many say they have a love to the brethren, but when it cometh to the trial wherein it is evidenced, there is no such thing. There is a great deal of tongue-kindness abroad ; men seem to be all made up of love ; they boast they love the brethren, but never demonstrate it by any real effect ; like the carbuncle, which at a distance seemeth to be all afire, but come to touch it, and it is key-cold. In this particular expression of love, mouth-mercy, or giving good words to him that needeth, The Lord help you, without
154 SERMONS uroN 1 JOHN 111, [Ser. XXIV.
actual relief, is'nothing worth ; so dotli not thy brother any good : James ii. 15, 16, ' if a brother or a sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed, and be you filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit ? '