The Measures of Christian Obedience, Book 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the particular Duties contained under Justice and Charity.
The CONTENTS.
Of the particular Duties contained under Justice and Charity. Both are only expressions of Love, which is the fulfilling of the Law. Of the particular sins against both. Of scandal. Of the combination of Justice and Charity in a state that results from both, viz. Peace. Of the several Duties comprehended under it. Of the particular sins reducible to unpeaceableness. Of the latitude of the word Neighbour, to whom all these dutiful expressions are due. Its narrowness in the Jewish sense. Its universality in the Christian.
FOR the third general Duty, righteousness, or our Duty towards our Neighbour; our love of men will lead us into the several Laws which it containeth. For the first effect of love, our doing no hurt or injury to any man, founds all the Laws of Justice; and the latter, our doing good and showing all kindness, founds all the particular Laws of Charity; in which two are comprehended all those several Duties which God has enjoyned towards other men.
The first, I say, founds all the particular Laws of Justice. For in that we do no evil or injury to our Neighbour, nor hurt him by prejudicing his just Rights, or taking away from him any thing that is his; is implied that we do not wrong or endammage him,
1. In his Life, by taking it away either,
1. In private force and violent assassination, which is murder.
2. Under colour of Justice, by a false charge of capital crimes; which is false witness.
2. In his reputation, by sullying or impairing it through a lying and false imputation of disparaging things to him; which is slander or calumny.
3. In his belief and expectation, by reproaching and abusing it either,
1. By deceiving him against his Right to his hurt in a false speech of what is past or present; which is lying.
2. By frustrating his expectations, which were raised by our promise of something that is to come; which is unfaithfulness or perfidy.
4. In his Bed, by invading that which the Contract of Marriage has made inviolable; which is adultery.
5. In his Goods or Estate, and all wrong herein proceeds from our unsatisfiedness with our own, and our greedy longing and ungovernable desire of that which is his; which is covetousness. The effects and instances whereof are,
1. In taking away from him that which is his, either,
1. Directly, By secret or open force, and without his knowledg and consent; which is stealing or robbery.
2. Indirectly, or by forcing his allowance, and extorting a necessitated consent from him. Which is done by taking advantage,
1. Of his impotence, and inability to resist and contend with us; which is oppression.
2. Of his necessity, when he cannot be without something which we have, and so is forced to take it upon our own terms; which is extortion and depressing in bargaining.
3. Of his ignorance, when we outwit him, and trepan and over-reach him in Bargaining and Commerce; which is circumvention, fraud or deceit. The wiliness and subtle Art wherein is called craftiness.
2. In denying all kindnesses and good things to him, in unmercifulness, uncharitableness, &c. Of which I shall discourse under the next Head.
All these Particulars of Justice now mentioned, are natural effects of love to our Neighbour, in as much as it makes us keep off from offering any injury or doing any evil to him. Upon which account St Paul says of it, that as for these particular Laws of Justice, it fulfils them all. Which he shows by an induction of such Particulars as I have named. He that loveth another, saith he, hath fulfilled the Law, viz. that part of it which requires Duties of Justice towards others. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet; which are the five last Commandments of the Decalogue: and if there be any other Commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this Saying, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self. Now Love worketh no ill, neither these nor any other, to his Neighbour; therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.8, …, 10.
And as this first effect of Love to our Neighbour, viz. its keeping us back from offering any injury or doing any evil to him, contain in it all the Laws of Justice: so doth its other effect, our doing all good offices, and shewing kindness to them, comprehend in it all the particular Laws of Charity wherewith we stand obliged towards other men.
Love is not only innocent and harmless, and careful to create no trouble, nor occasion any prejudice; but moreover it is all kindness, benevolence and good nature, and diligent in creating all the pleasure and delight it can to its beloved.
Now this goodness, kind-heartedness, or desire to please and delight others, will be an universal cause of beneficence or doing good to them, and make us cast to please them in so many ways, and advantage them in so many relations, as we can at any time be placed in. In particular it will effect these Vertues in the Cases following:
1. As to what we see them to be in themselves, and in this respect it produces in us,
1. If they are worthy and vertuous, a great opinion and venerable esteem for them; which is honour.
2. If they have honest hearts, but yet are weak in judgment and knowledg, a compassionate sense of their weakness, and an endeavour to relieve them; which is pity and succour. And if this weakness be instanced in judging those things to be a matter of sin, and so unlawful for them to do, which no Law of God has forbidden; and which therefore we, who better understand it, see plainly that we lawfully may do; and our practice of it before them, who, distrusting their own skill, are swayed more by our example than their own opinions, would draw them on to practise it too, though their own Conscience condemns it, which would be to them a sin; in this Case the way of Loves affording pity and succour, is by making us forgoe the lawful practice of it at that time; which is restraining of our Christian Liberty for our Brothers edification. For this Vertue there was great place in the Apostles Times among the Christianized Jews. For the Jewish Law placed Religion in forbearing certain sorts of Meats as unclean and unlawful; and particularly in abstaining from Meats offered to, and set before an Idol God, as it was in the Gentile Sacrifices. And the simpler sort and weaker people, who had all along placed so much Religion in these things, could not be brought over without much patience of instruction, and a long usage, to know and see that Liberty which, upon their becoming Christians, they had obtained either to use or forbear them. And whilst the judgments and opinions of many good people were in these things thus weak; the Apostles that they might secure the innocency of their practice under their errour, and prevent their being scandalized or drawn on to do what themselves condemned as evil through the authority of other mens examples, whom they looked upon as wiser Christians, are wont very much to press this part of Charity, our using of our Christian Liberty, not in all things for our own ease, but for our weak Brethrens edification. Particularly St Paul is earnest in it, Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8.
3. If they are wicked and vicious, this kind-heartedness will effect in us a pious admonition to reduce and reclaim them; which is friendly reproof. And whether they be good or evil, weak or strong; it will produce an affectionate tenderness and near concern for them, such as we have for those of our own Kindred; which is brotherly kindness.
2. As to what we see them receive from others. And in this respect this kindness and desire to please effects in us,
1. If it were good, an expression of pleasure and rejoycing in it; which is Congratulation.
2. If evil, then
1. If we cannot redress and remove it, it will make us help to bear it in concern and sorrow for it; which is compassion.
2. If we can, it makes us relieve and ease them of it. Which it doth if the evil be
1. Of want, by supplying it according to our power; which is Alms and Distribution.
2. Of disgrace, by endeavouring to hide and smother it where it is deserved; which is covering and concealing of our Brethrens defects: and by confuting and wiping it off where we know they have not deserved it; which is vindicating our Neighbours reputation.
3. As to that place and quality which they bear in respect of us, this kindness and desire to please will exert it self, if they are persons
1. Below us, in a freedom of access and easiness of being spoke with; which is affability or graciousness.
2. Equal to us or below us, in a readiness aforeign, says Andronicus Rhodius, is foreign, lib. foreign.to do good Offices, and to make their concern our own; which is courteousness or officiousness. And in pursuit of this in stooping down to some things below our Rank and Quality, either in words or actions; which is condescension. And if this courtesy be used towards Strangers, and expressed in entertaining them at our own house; 'tis hospitality.
3. Towards all men whomsoever we converse with, it will beget,
1. A quietness of temper, and tameness of intercourse; which is called gentleness.
2. A fair interpretation, and putting the best sense upon any thing that is done or spoken; which is candor.
3. A maintenance of good agreement and correspondence; which is unity.
4. And as to what we our selves receive from others; this kindness of nature and desire to please will produce,
1. If it were good, a grateful sense and affectionate resentment of it, with a longing desire to requite it; which is thankfulness.
2. If evil and injury; then it will effect,
1. A bforeign is a Vertue that makes us foreign, Andron. Rhod. lib. foreign.slowness to take provocation, and to be angry at it; which is meekness or lenity.
2. When the wrong is such that we may justly and reasonably be angred at it, an easiness of being entreated, and a readiness to be appeased; which is placableness.
3. And for the requital of the wrong, if it were,
1. Only an affront or light injury, it makes us seek none, but pardon and put it up; which is forgiving injuries. And instead of that, to render in return to it kindness, and such good Offices as are in our power, as praying to God for them, and blessing, or speaking all the good which we can of them as often as we have occasion to mention them, always are, which is doing good to enemies; or, as our Saviour says, blessing them that curse us, and praying for our enemies, Matth. 5.44.
2. Too burthensome or scandalous to be past over, so that 'tis fit to punish it: then in exacting,
1. Punishment, as being an unpleasant work, it makes us bear long before we come to it; which is long-suffering.
2. Satisfaction, it suffers us not to go to the utmost of what might be exacted; but through a care of our enemies, as well as of our selves, to take up with such a competency as is no more than they can bear; which is mercifulness.
These are such particular Laws of Charity, as naturally flow from this effect of love to men, our kindness and desire to benefit and please them. And all these effects of love are parts of Duty, and those several Precepts which God has commanded us to keep and obey.
And as our love of men with this effect of it our desire to benefit and pleasure them, includes in it all the instances of Charity: so doth our hatred of them with a delight to spite and trouble them, which naturally flows from it, comprehend in it all the contrary instances of uncharitableness.
For this ill-will and habitual hatefulness of temper will effect in us, opposite to goodness and a desire to please and delight others, an universal mischievousness, or forwardness to make others work, to put them to cforeign, Suld. foreign meo judicio est vitium animi, quo hamo inclinatur ad nocendum aliis etiam sine causa, sed ex quadam in maium proclivitate; qualis est malitia Daemonis; quem ea de causa foreign appellamus, Tolet. in Cap. 1. Ep. ad Rom. v. 29.pains and trouble, and create them sorrow; which is called wickedness. And this will express it self in creating our Neighbour discontent and vexation, in all those ways wherein we are concerned with him, or conversant about him.
For instance,
1. As for any thing which we see he has,
1. Of Vertue and Goodness; instead of honouring, it will make us wish ill to him, and set him at nought; which is hating and despising him.
2. Of weakness and ignorance; it will make us not to restrain our selves at all in the use of our Christian Liberty, for his sake; but to act to the utmost of what is lawful, though he be scandalized by it, or encouraged, upon the authority of our example, to commit what his own Conscience tells him is a sin; which is scandalizing or making him to offend.
2. As for what we see him do or receive; if it be
1. Good, it expresses it self in grief and trouble at it; which is envy or an evil eye.
2. Evil, instead of raising pity and compassion, it makes us to take a pleasure in it, and to be glad of it; which is rejoycing in evil.
And if the evil be
1. Of want, it will effect a refusal of all supply; which is uncharitableness.
2. Of disgrace; then if it were
1. Vnjust and undeserved, it lets it stick without any endeavours to wipe it off; which is not vindicating him.
2. Just and truly chargeable, or but any way suspicious, instead of concealing it, publishes and proclaims it in disparaging Characters and Representations of him; which sort of detraction is evil speaking.
This in the general, as it is shown in a forwardness to pass Sentence against men, in undervaluing and disparaging judgments upon what they do or say, overlooking all the Vertues, and detecting only the faults and failings of it; is censoriousness.
In the objecting and publishing whereof, from the different manners and ends of the publication, it passes under several names.
For as for the manner, if that Publication be
1. In their absence, in a softer, and, as it often happens, in a more secret way, under a pretence of favour and kindness to them to get a greater regard to what we say against them; 'tis back-biting. Which when it is not published aloud, nor spoke out for any or all of the Company indifferently to hear; but is told in secret to some one or more; 'tis whispering.
2. Either in their absence, or openly and before their face, in a more violent and severer way, being expressed in dMaledictio si petulantius jactatur, convitium est, Cic. Orat. pro M. Caelio.bitter words, and great vehemence; 'tis railing or reviling. And as for the end, if that disparaging publication be
1. To make them infamous, by objecting to them,
1. Our own favours; 'tis upbraiding.
2. Their failings; 'tis reproaching.
2. To make them ridiculous, by exposing their lesser and more innocent infirmities, or such as have in them more of shame than mischief; 'tis called mocking.
3. As for that Place and Quality which they bear in respect of us, this forwardness to vex and distaste them will have these effects.
1. If they are persons below us, it will exert it self in making us stately and hard to be spoken with, contrary to affability; which is difficulty of access. And if this inferiority be, as we apprehend, in Parts or Endowments, it will effect a contemptuous and undervaluing behaviour towards them, expressed either in words or actions, for our sport or interest; which is affront or contumely.
2. If equal to us, or below us, in an averseness to all good offices, and an utter unconcernedness for them, which is opposite to courtesy, and may be called uncourteousness. And as a further effect of this, a scorning to stoop down to any thing below us, whereby we may serve or pleasure them; which is a mixture of pride and ill nature, opposite to condescension, and may be called stiffness. And if this uncourteousness be towards Strangers, and expressed in denying them entertainment when a reasonable occasion calls for it; 'tis unhospitableness.
3. Towards all men with whom we converse, it will beget,
1. A frowardness of temper, and imperious churlishness of intercourse opposite to gentleness; which is surliness.
2. A cross interpretation, and dforeign, Arist. N…t. l. 2. c. 13.perverting to an ill sense all that is done or spoken, opposite to candour; which is malignity.
3. An unquietness of behaviour in picking quarrels and creating difference; which is turbulen…e and unquietness.
4. As for what we receive from them, it will produce,
1. If it were good and beneficial, an utter disregard of it and unconcernedness for him who did it; which is unthankfulness.
2. If evil and injury, then
1. A hasty catching at the smallest provocation, and a sudden violent displeasure upon it; which is passionateness, anger or fierceness. The expressions whereof are,
1. In strife of arguing and debate, variance.
2. In earnestness and violent degree of heat, bitterness.
3. In loudness and noise of words, clamour or brawling.
2. When 'tis once admitted, a retaining a lasting impression of it in our minds, and malicious thoughts and designs against him that did it; which is hatred, wrath, enmity or malice.
3. A great difficulty in laying this conceived grudge aside, and being appeased when they seek for a reconcilement; which is implacableness.
4. An impatient desire of requiting the injury, and returning it upon him that offered it; which is revenge. Some particular expressions whereof are, instead of blessing or good language, and praying for them, a return of cursing or reproachful speech and imprecation.
And in effecting this requital, it will produce in exacting,
1. Punishment, as being a most pleasant and desired work, hastiness and impatience, opposite to long-suffering.
2. Satifaction, a going to the utmost limits of power and extremities of infliction; which is rigour.
And all these Particulars, as they are most natural effects and expressions of ill-will and hatred towards our Neighbour, are transgressions also of the Law of Charity, and so many several instances of disobedience, which under this Head of uncharitableness God has most straitly forbidden.
So that in this general Law of love to men are contained all the following, whether commanding or forbidding Laws.
The Laws commanding are the Law of Justice in all its instances, which will appear by the contrary prohibitions; of Charity, wherein are implied the Law of goodness or kindness, of honour, of pity and succour, of restraining our Christian Liberty for our weak Brothers edification, of friendly reproof, of brotherly kindness, of congratulation, of compassion, of almes and distribution, of covering and concealing their defects, of vindicating their reputation, of affability or graciousness, of courtesy and officiousness, of condescension, of hospitality, of gentleness, of candour, of unity, of thankfulness, of meekness or lenity, of placableness, of forgiving injuries, of doing good to enemies, and, when nothing more is in our power, praying for them, and blessing or speaking what is good of them when we take occasion to mention them, of long-suffering, of mercifulness.
And opposite to these the forbidding Laws are, The Law against injustice with all its Train, which are the Law against murther, against false witness, against slander or calumny, against lying, against unfaithfulness or perfidy, against adultery, against covetousness, against stealing or robbery, against oppression, against extortion and depressing in bargaining, against circumvention and deceit, against craftiness.
And the Law against uncharitableness, with all its Particulars, which are, the Law against maliciousness or hatefulness, against wickedness, against despising and hating them that are good, against giving scandal to weak Brethren, against envy or an evil eye, against rejoicing in evil, against uncharitableness in alms, against not vindicating an innocent mans reputation, against evil-speaking, against censoriousness, against back-biting, against whispering, against railing or reviling, against upbraiding, against reproaching, against mocking, against difficulty of access, against contumely or affront, against uncourteousness, against stiffness or uncondescension, against unhospitableness, against surliness, against malignity, against turbulence and unquietness, against unthankfulness, against anger and passionateness, against debate and variance, against bitterness, against clamour and brawling, against hatred and malice, against implacableness, against revenge, against cursing or reproaching enemies, and imprecation of them, against hastiness to punish, against rigour.
All which Instances and Opposites both of Justice and Charity, are most natural effects of Love and Hatred towards other men, and so many Particulars of Duty and of sin.
And from both these general Laws of Justice and Charity to our Neighbour, or our keeping off from all things that may offend and injure, and doing all that may please or any way delight him; will result that state of good agreement and intercourse of friendliness, which is called peace. Which, as it implies an union of minds oposite to Controversies and Disputes, is called unanimity; and, as containing an agreeableness and mutual correspondence of hearts and affections, concord.
In order to the procurement of this peace is required,
1. In the temper, such a mixture of Love and quietness as renders men tame and contented under the present state of things, and averse from contention and controversie; which is peaceableness.
2. In the practice, a doing such things as,
1. Prevent strife, whether that be done,
1. Towards our Equals and Inferiors, by complying and bearing with their weaknesses, and going down from our own liberty where the exercise of it would give offence and cause difference; which is condescension and compliance.
2. Towards our Governours, by keeping within our own sphere, and medling only with those things which are parts of our own Duty, not incroaching upon their Office, or thrusting our selves into their Administration; which is doing our own business.
2. Compose and put an end to it, and this is done by making amends and recompencing that contumely or wrong which occasion'd it; which is satisfaction for injuries.
And a care not only thus to preserve peace our selves, but also to maintain it amongst others; by an industrious endeavour to keep up a right understanding and agreement amongst men, and, when they happen to differ, to reconcile them and make them friends again; is peace-making.
And then from the two general transgressions opposite to these, viz. injustice and uncharitableness to our Neighbour, or an industrious averseness from all things that may please and advantage; and a forwardness in all things to hurt and vex him, will arise that state of difference and intercourse of ill Offices, that is called enmity: which, as it implies a separation and clashing of hearts and affections, is called discord.
To the production of this evil state concur
1. In the temper such a mixture of heat and ill nature as renders men restless under their present state, and pleased and delighted in scuffling and strife; which is unpeaceableness.
2. In the practice, a doing such things as at first raise and engender, and afterwards foment and maintain it; and of this sort, besides all the instances of wrong and injustice which we heard of before, is
1. An envious strife of being better thought of, and out-doing one another; which is emulation or provoking one another.
2. A going beyond our own place or business, and either usurping upon other mens Offices, or sawcily intermedling with their affairs; which is pragmaticalness, or being busie bodies. And this, when it is taken up in reporting between the Parties at odds such things as we have heard or seen, which are fit still more to exasperate their minds, and to widen the breach; is tale-bearing. Which when it is of things, not only seen, but even suspected, and in a secret dissembled manner; is whispering. And if the difference was at first occasioned by injury and wrong, that which goes most directly to continue it, is avowing what was done, and making no amendment; which is not satisfying for injuries.
And for the outward effects and exdressions of this enmity and discord; it shews it self,
1. In a strugling for mastery and victory; which is strife or contention.
2. In separating themselves into Parties and Companies, according to the difference of their love or hatred and their espoused interests; which is Division or Faction. And this in religious affairs, when the obstinate espousal that leads on to it is of damnable opinions, is heresie; when of needlesly separated Parties, it is schism.
3. A rude concourse of Parties in scuffling and blows; which is tumult.
So that besides all the Particulars above mentioned, which are contained under the general Heads, Justice and Charity, there is included moreover in this third Head of Duty, righteousness, all these Laws of peace which results from the combination of them both.
And the effects of love or commanding Laws in this, are the Law of peace and concord with all its Train; as are the Law of peaceableness, of condescension and compliance, of doing our own business, of satisfying for injuries, of peace-making.
And opposite to them the effects of hatred, or forbidding Laws, are the Law against enmity and discord with all its Particulars, as are the Law against unpeaceableness, against emulation or provoking one another, against pragmaticalness or being busie bodies, against tale-bearing, against whispering, against not satisfying for injuries, against strife or contention, against division and faction in the State, against heresie and against schism in the Church, against tumult.
So that in this third Branch of Duty, righteousness, or our Duty towards our Neighbour, are implied all these several, whether commanding or forbidding Laws, which are comprehended under these three general Vertues, viz. Justice, Charity and Peace.
And as for all the things which are commanded or forbidden by all these Laws, they are due to our Neighbour in the greatest latitude and utmost generality of that Name, as it signifies any whom we have to do with of all mankind.
The Jews indeed were of a narrower Spirit, and of a more contracted kindness. They thought themselves bound to exercise all that Justice and Charity which their Law required, towards the men of their own Nation, or such of the Gentiles, who leaving their heathen Idolatries would become Proselytes, and turn to their Religion. But as for all the world besides, they accounted themselves disobliged from all expressions of kindness and good affection towards them; nay even from all intercourse of common civility, and conversation with them. They would not so much as come under their Roof, or eat with them at the same Table, or either give or receive any civilities or friendly expressions from them. St Peter, when he entred into the house of Cornelius, a Gentile Centurion, told them that they all knew very well how it is not LAWFVL for any man that is a JEW to KEEP COMPANY, or COME IN unto one of ANOTHER NATION: for which cause he himself had not come to them, had not God taught him to correct his Country-custom, and to call no man, of what Nation soever, common or unclean, Acts 10.28. And upon the account of this freedom which he then took, the Christian Jews who were of the Circumcision contended with him when he came up to Jerusalem, reproving him for this, That he went in to men uncircumcised, and did eat with them, Acts 11.2, 3. The Woman of Samaria wondred, that Jesus, being a Jew, should vouchsafe to ask so much as a Cup of cold water from her who was a Samaritan; this being the stiffness of the Jewish Principle, To have no dealings with the Samaritans, John 4.9. Nay, to that height of unkindness had they arrived, as to deny even the most common Offices of humanity and Charity, to show the way, or give directions for a journey to any Gentile man: Which several of the learned cNon monstrare vias eadem nisi sacra colenti: Quaesitum ad fontem solos deducere verpos, Juv. Sat. 14. Apud ipsos sides obstinata, misericordia in promptu: sed adversus omnes alios hostile odium, Tacit. Hist. l. 5.Heathens have smartly reproved, and most justly complained of. All which they did upon a supposition that the Neighbour, to whom love and kindness was required by their Law, was only a Fellow-Jew, a Brother-Israelite, and a man of their own Nation. Which narrow and contracted sense they thought they had good reason to fix upon it from an expression in their own Law, Lev. 19. where, in the repetition of this great and general Duty of Love to our Neighbour, the Word Neighbour is set in conjunction with and explained by one of the Children of their own People. For thus 'tis said, Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the Children of thy People, but thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self, verse 18.
Thus limited and confined was the Jewish Love; God had chosen them out of all the Nations of the World for a peculiar people, and had hedged them in from the rest of mankind by peculiar Laws and a peculiar Government. And upon this they concluded, that whatsover God required of them, he did it as their political King, and as the particular Head of the Jewish Nation; and that he intended those Laws which he gave them as Rules for their behaviour towards their own Brethren, and Fellow-Subjects, not towards Strangers of Foreign Nations.
But as for our Lord and Sovereign Jesus Christ, he is a Governour, and has enacted all his Laws, not for the guidance of any one Nation or People, but of all the world. He told his Disciples when he sent them out to preach the Gospel, That all power was given to him both in Heaven and in Earth; and thereupon commissioned them to go out, and proclaim his Laws, not to the Jews alone, but to all Nations, Matth. 28.18, 19. And by this universality of his Empire he has taken away the partition-wall which was between Jews and Gentiles, having made them both one, Ephes. 2.14. So that now there can be no further colour or pretence for a limited and restrained affection; all the World by this means being now again made one People, Fellow-subjects, and Brethren, and Neighbours unto one another.
Whatever the Jews conceived of their Laws therefore, 'tis plain that all the Laws of Christ, which command all manner of Justice, Charity and Peaceableness, and forbid all expressions of uncharitableness, injury and unpeaceableness towards our Neighbours, make these things due to all mankind. It is not either distance of Country, nor contrariety of interest, no nor, what is most of all presumed to exempt us from the obligation of these Duties, diversity of opinion or perswasion in matters of Religion, which takes away from any man his right to all that kindness and advantage from us, which all these forementioned Laws give him. But of whatsoever Country, Calling, or Religion he be, he is the Neighbour here meant, to whom all these instances of Love, which are the particular Laws of Duty, must be performed.
And this our Saviour has determined once for all in his Answer to the Lawyer, Luke 10. For when he put the Question to him, Who is my Neighbour, to whom the Law commands all these things to be done? ver. 29. Jesus answers him by a Parable, that it is every man in the World whom he may at any time have to do with, although he be never so much a Stranger, nay of a party and opinion in Religion never so contrary unto his. For what Religion was ever more odious unto any one, than the Samaritan was to the Jews? So great a detestation had they of it, that when they would give a Name of the vilest ignominy and greatest hatred to Christ himself, they told him he was a Samaritan, and joined with it such a farther Character as they thought would best suit with it, his being possessed with a Devil. Say we not well, answer'd they, that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a Devil? John 8.48. But yet for all this height of enmity between the Jews and Samaritans, he tells the Jewish Lawyer, who demanded of him who was his Neighbour, that a Jewish man fell among Thieves, who wounded him, and left him half dead; and that a Samaritan coming by had compassion on him, and bound up his wounds, and took care of him. Hereby insinuating, That any man, though so contrary to him in Religion as these two were to one another, is the Neighbour whom the Law intends; and therefore in full answer to his Question, he bids him, Go, and do so likewise, Luke 10.30 to 38.