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DUTIES PECULIARLY CHRISTIAN.

[Pakt VI.

The truth is, that all pain given to others, which neitheranswers any good end, nor was designed to answer such end, isa breach of that charity, which, as St. Paul says, is uniformlykind, —■ kind in her looks, kind in her expressions, kind in hersympathies, kind in her intentions, and kind in all her conduct.How many families must there be in every community, whichare in circumstances to enjoy all the happiness that can belong tothis life, but which are rendered comparatively unhappy by theprevailing absence of this law of kindness ? How many mustthere be in subordinate situations of every kind, whose allot-ments in life are of themselves sufficiently humiliating, and whoare in this way deprived of much of the small remnant of hap-piness, which they might otherwise enjoy. And when we reflecthow large a part of mankind must spend all or most of their livesin the inferior stations, which law, custom, or the rules of societyhave assigned them, we may form some imperfect estimate ofthe value of that charity, which is habitually and always kind, andwhich ought, as a principle of duty, to be practised by parents,instructors, masters, and all other superiors, whose will (discre-tion) is and must be, in a great measure, the law to which those,who are subordinate to them, are subjected.

5. This duty comprises a suitable regard to the civilities, pro-prieties, and courtesies of life. This is the meaning of St.Paul, when he says, “ Charity doth not behave itself unseemly,”unbecomingly, or indecorously. And he enjoins the same thing,when he says again, “Let all things be done decently (decor-ously) and in order.” * And St. Peter, exhorting Christians tolove as brethren, adds the injunction, “ Be pitiful, be cour-teous ■.” f The manner of St. Paul, towards the magistrates andothers whom he had occasion to address, was always decorousand respectful, j “ Honor all men,” § is another injunction ofSt. Peter upon all Christians ; and the courteous treatment,shown to St. Paul, by Julius and Publius, on his voyage toRome, is specially noticed by the sacred historian. || Whenthis branch of the subject, therefore, has been commended to our

* I Cor. xiv. 40. 11 Peter iii. 8.

t Acts xxi. 39; xxii. X -21 ; xxvi. 1-29.

§ 1 Peter ii. 17. || Acts xxvii. 3. xxviii. 7.