You own that there is no salvation but in the performance of these good works. Who is it, therefore, that may be said to have performed these good works? Is it he that has _sometime_ assisted a _prisoner_, or relieved the poor or sick? This would be as absurd as to say, that he had performed the duties of _devotion_, who had sometime said his prayers. Is it, therefore, he that has _several times_ done these works of charity? This can no more be said, than he can be said to be the truly _just_ man, who had done acts of justice _several times_. What is the rule therefore, or measure, of performing these good works? Now the rule is very _plain_ and _easy_, and such as is _common_ to every other _virtue_, as well as to charity. Who is the humble, or meek, or just, or faithful man? Is it he that has _several times_ done acts of humility, meekness, justice, or fidelity? No; but it is he that lives in the _habitual exercise_ of these virtues. In like manner, he only can be said to have performed those works of charity, who lives in the _habitual exercise_ of them to the utmost of his power. He only has performed the duty of divine love, who loves God with all his heart, and _mind_, and _strength_. And he only has performed the duty of these good works, who has done them with all his heart, and mind, and strength. For there is no other measure of our doing good, than our power of doing it. 17. The apostle _Peter_ puts this question to our blessed Saviour, _Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him, till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven._ Not as if after this number of offences, a man might then cease to forgive; but the expression is to shew us, that we are not to bound our forgiveness by _any number_ of offences, but are to _continue_ forgiving the most repeated offences against us. If therefore a man ceases to forgive his brother, because he has forgiven him _often_ already: if he excuses himself from forgiving this man, because he has forgiven _several others_, such a one breaks this law of Christ, concerning the forgiving one’s brother. Now the rule of _forgiving_ is also the rule of _giving_. You are not to _give_, or do good to _seven_, but to _seventy times seven_. You are not to cease from giving, because you have given often to the same person, or to other persons; but must account yourself as much obliged to continue relieving those that continue in want, as you was obliged to relieve them once or twice. Had it not been in your power, you had been excused from relieving any person _once_; but if it is in your power to relieve people _often_, it is as much your duty to do it often as it is the duty of others to do it but seldom, because they are but seldom able.