according to your ability ; knowing that, " if ye are to do good unto all men, ye are especially to do it unto them that are of the household of faith >'." Do it then in every possible
way^ And the more ye resemble the angels here,
the more richly shall ye participate their felicity in a better world.]
y Gal. vi. 10.
^ Here recommend the Bible Society, or Mission Societies, or Jews' Society, or Charity Schools, or Visiting Societies, or Charities of any kind, as occasion may require.
Heb. ii. 3. How shall we escape, if tve neglect so great sal- vation ?
TO estimate our privileges aright, we should com- pare them, not with those of the heathen world, but with those enjoyed by God's ancient people the Jews. These were favoured with a revelation from heaven, and with ordinances of divine appointment, whereby they were to obtain acceptance with God. But their dispensation was burthensome beyond measure ; their laws were executed with a rigour that was extreme ; insomuch, that a man was stoned to death for only gathering a few sticks upon the Sabbath-day ^ In fact, any presimiptuous violation of the law, attested by two or three witnesses, brought with it the punish- ment of death ^ Now, when it is considered how very different a dispensation we live under, it may well be asked, *' How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" For surely, if a dispensation introduced by angels only required such strict at- tention, and was so inexorably enforced, much more must the Gospel dispensation, introduced as it has been by God's only dear Son, and attested by the Holy Ghost, demand attention and observance from all to whom it is revealed.
The words which I have read, will lead me to shew you,
a Numb. XV. 32. i) Numb. xv. 30.