Lord. Secondly, the example of the saints. Thirdly, the loss which is sustained by not exercising hospitality. Fourthly, the manifold advantage in its exercise.
I. On the first head it is to be noted that the Lord enjoined hospitality by a threefold law - the law of nature, the old and the new law. (1) He commanded, by the law of nature, that as we desire to receive hospitality from others, so we should shew it to others - S. Matt. vii. 12 , "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." (2) By the old law Isa. lviii. 7 , " Is it not to deal My bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?" Deut. xxvi. 12 , " The stranger, the fatherless, the widow, that they may eat within thy gates and be filled." (3) By the new law - Heb. xiii. 2 , " Be not forgetful to entertain strangers."
II. On the second head it is to be noted that the example of the saints teach us three things about hospitality - (1) That we should constrain strangers to " come in unto us." S. Luke xxiv. 29 , " They constrained them, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." (2) That we should protect our guests from harm Gen. xix. 7 , 8, "I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly; with these men do nothing, for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof;" whence we may learn that it was a patriarchal custom to protect guests from violence (3) That with joy and gladness we should minister abundantly to their necessities - Gen. xviii. 3 , 6, 7, " Pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant. And Abraham said, Make ready quickly these measures of fine meal; and Abraham ran unto the herd:" this history teaches us how with joy and gladness we ought abundantly to minister unto strangers.
III. On the third head it is to be noted that three evils are incurred by those who are unwilling to exercise hospitality. (1) They are here punished by the Lord - Wisd. xix. 13 -16, "Others, indeed, received not strangers unknown to them, but these brought their guests into bondage that had deserved well of them. And not only so, but in another respect also they were wise; for the others against their will received strangers, but these grievously afflicted them whom they had received with joy. But they were struck with blindness." (2) They shall be confounded in the judgment - S. Matt. xxv.
