of grace''." He would even account himself " unjust," if he did not do so ^ He considers himself as our debtor for every thing that we do, provided we do it from a sense of gratitude to him, and of zeal for his glory ; and " he will repay us*-" Not even " a cup of cold water, given for his sake," shall pass without a recompence ". Our exertions in acts of mercy will be the pe- culiar subjects of his inquiry in the day of judgment, and will be considered as evidences either of our being meet for glory, or ripe for vengeance^. And if we be found to have fulfilled his will in relation to them, our harvest shall be proportioned to the seed that we have sown y. Certainly it becomes us to be jealous of ourselves, that we do not found our hopes of salvation upon our deeds of mercy : for Jesus Christ is the only foundation of a sinner's hope^: but if we look for happiness to arise from the employment of " the unrighteous mammon," we must look for it, not in the hoarding of riches, nor in making them sub- servient to carnal gratifications, but in doing good with them ^ : . and in that view, we do lay up a good foundation against the time to come, a foundation that shall stand for ever*'.]
We will subjoin for your use some salutary cautions:
1. Be careful to distinguish between mercy and piety—
[It is possible for persons to be of a merciful disposition, whilst they are utter strangers to real piety. Natural constitu- tion has made some more tender than others ; and education has formed some to better habits. But it often happens, that persons of benevolent minds imagine all religion to consist in acts of kindness to their fellow-creatures. They found this notion even on the word of God itself*^ : but they sadly misin- terpret that passage, and entirely overlook the duty of "walking humbly with God." But this is no less necessary than acts of justice and of mercy : yea, without it all our virtues will be no better than splendid sins ^ ]
2. Be careful at the same time to combine mercy with piety —
[Piety cannot exist without mercy. " The wisdom that is from above is full of mercy and good fruits^." " The tree that bringeth forth not good fruit is fit only to be hewn down and cast into the fire." It is by " bearing one another's bur- thens that we fulfil the law of Christ f." We may talk of love.
■" Rom. iv. 4. s Heb. vi, 10. ♦ Prov. xix. 17.
" Matt. X. 42. ^ Matt. XXV. 34— 4G. y 2 Cor. ix. 6.
^ 1 Cor. iii. 11. a Luke xvi. 9. " i Tim. vi. 17—19.
<" Mic. vi. 8. d Hab. i. 16. « Jam. iii. 17. f Gal. v. 2.