And what is St. Paul's command to
poor as well as rich? Read the epistle for this day and see.
You see at once that this epistle is written in the same spirit as
our Lord's words: by God's Spirit, in short; the Spirit which
brought the Lord Jesus so condescendingly to the wedding feast; the
Spirit which made Him care so heartily for the common pleasures of
those around Him. My friends, these are not commands to one class,
but to all. Poor as well as rich may show mercy with cheerfulness,
and love without dissimulation. Poor as well as rich may minister to
others with earnestness, and condescend to those of low estate. Not
a word in this whole epistle which does not apply equally to every
rank, and sex, and age.
Neither are these commands to each of us by ourselves, but to all of
us together, as members of a family. If you will look through them
they are not things to be done to ourselves, but to our neighbours;
not experiences to be felt about our own souls: but rules of conduct
to our fellow-men. They are all different branches and flowers from
that one root: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Do we live thus, rich or poor? Can we look each other in the face
this afternoon and say, each man to his neighbour: "I have behaved
like a brother to you.
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