Ambition has effaced all natural consanguinity, by calling nation to war against nation, and making the destruction of one half of mankind the glory of the other. Christian piety, as it revived and enforced all the original and primæval duties of humanity, so it restored, in some degree, that brotherhood, or foundation of kindness, which naturally arises from some common relation. We are brothers as we are men; we are again brothers as we are Christians; as men, we are brothers by natural necessity; but as Christians, we are brothers by voluntary choice, and are, therefore, under an apparent obligation to fulfil the relation; first, as it is established by our Creator, and, afterwards, as it is chosen by ourselves. To have the same opinions naturally produces kindness, even when these opinions have no consequence; because we rejoice to find our sentiments approved by the judgment of another. But those who concur in Christianity have, by that agreement in principles, an opportunity of more than speculative kindness; they may help forward the salvation of each other, by counsel or by reproof, by exhortation, by example; they may recall each other from deviations, they may excite each other to good works.
Charity, or universal love, is named by Saint Paul, as the greatest and most illustrious of Christian virtues; and our Saviour himself has told us, that by this it shall be known that we are his disciples, if we love one another. Every affection of the soul exerts itself more strongly at the approach of its proper object. Christians particularly love one another, because they can confer and receive spiritual benefits. They are indeed to love all men; and how much the primitive preachers of the gospel loved those that differed from them, they sufficiently showed, when they incurred death by their endeavours to make them Christians. This is the extent of evangelical love, to bring into the light of truth those who are in darkness, and to keep those from falling back into darkness to whom the light has been shown.
