7259. Since their teachings about charity were so extensive the ancients, among whom teachings about charity were the teachings of the Church, distinguished charity towards the neighbour into a large number of separate classes. They also subdivided these, giving a name to each individual class, and teaching the ways in which charity should be exercised towards those belonging to one class or towards those belonging to another. By doing this they brought order to their teachings about charity and the ways in which it should be exercised, so that these matters would be clearly understood.