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proof of knowing the love of God, and loving

him.

Men, deftitute of this principle, and who do not pretend to act under its influence, may exhibit remarkable inftances of charity. Thefe, it is not my business at prefent, to trace to their various fources, far lefs, to reprobate the beneficial actions to which they give rise. In as far as they are useful to fociety, they merit public. praise. I cheerfully offer my tribute of grateful acknowledgment, while I regret their want of that noblest and most operative principle, which would render them completely amiable and praife-worthy. If, while ftrangers to its influence, they do fo much good, what would they not do, how much more extensively useful would they not be, were love to God, and his Son, the ruling paffion in their minds? Without derogating from their liberality, permit me to fay, that in their state of alienation from the life and love of God, we can have little dependence on their continuing or abounding in that fort of goodnefs. Nay, their circumstances, and views, in this condition, rather tend to blunt their fenfibilities, to put reftraints upon their generous exertions, and to give them a confined, partial,

or capricious direction. Ignorant of, or inattentive to the divine character, they can have no perfect standard of excellence. Self, or the creature in fome form or other, is fubftituted in the place of the Creator and Redeemer of mankind. With fuch inferior objects in their eye, virtuous emulation can rife to no high pitch. They are actuated merely by selfish and worldly motives, and the best impreffions which thefe can make on their minds must be temporary and fluctuating; their operation is exceedingly limited, or eafily interrupted. Nay, when there exift no higher principles of human conduct, must we not rather fufpect that, inftead of beneficence, very different and oppofite effects will more frequently follow, even malevolent affections and injurious practices. The fcriptures therefore, in defcribing the character of apoftate men, represent them, as not only enemies to God in their minds, and by wicked works, but as naturally" living in "malice and envy, hateful and hating one ano"ther." Whatever more favourable construction we may attempt to put upon these declarations of fcripture, I am confident that it will be admitted by all, that they, whofe character is formed and maintained under the influence of fupreme love

to God, and the Saviour, muft excel in all good. nefs, and particularly in the moft liberal chari ty. Muft not the lover, the admirer of the Divine character, wish above all things to imitate it in every imitable perfection? If the enmity of the carnal mind difcover itself in refufing fubjec tion to the law of God, when that enmity is flain, and friendship reftored, muft not the will of God become the will of the man? Can he hear the divine command without echoing back, that to love God" with all the heart, and with all the "understanding, and with all the foul, and with "all the strength, and to love his neighbour as "himself, is more than all burnt-offerings." If "his eyes are turned away from beholding va"nity," to the contemplation of divine excellence, greatnefs, and grace, muft not his foul expand with the enlarged profpect before him, and in a manner partake of the divine nature? If he is made wife, fpiritually to understand, and faithfully to trace the ways of providence; if he thus perceives, that " God is good to all, and "that his tender mercies are over all his other "works, that he makes his fun to fhine and his "rain to defcend on the juft, and the unjuft,"that his eyes go to and fro to show himself

"mighty, in behalf of those whose hearts are "perfect towards him;" must not love to fo bountiful a Benefactor, effectually prompt him "to do good to all, efpecially to thofe of the "household of faith, yea to be merciful as his "father in heaven is merciful?" When his divinely illuminated mind takes all thefe views of God, as arifing from, and connected with the grand fcheme of man's falvation, how is his heart enlarged and moved with generous fentiments? Can he think of" God fo loving the world, as "to give his only begotten Son," and with-hold any poffible return of affection and duty? Can he contemplate, and experience "the grace of "our Lord Jefus, in becoming poor to make ma

* ny rich," without feeling and exerting at once all the warmth of gratitude and of a fimilar benevolence? Having the Divine character strongly reprefented to his mind by the spirit of truth, "the defire of his foul is henceforth towards

him, and the remembrance of his name:" he feels and confeffes indeed that his goodness cannot extend to an object infinitely glorious, but, in the highest admiration and love, of this fupreme, divine perfection and grace, he is ambi tious to imitate thefe in the exercife of all good

nefs" to the faints, as the excellent ones of the "earth," yea, and to all his fellow-men: His own enemies, and the irreligious and profane are not excluded from his benevolent regards.

IN the fecond place, the man of liberal charity is one who gives cheerfully according to his ability. The facred oracles teach us that charity is not fo much to be measured by what we give, as by the proportion which it bears to our circumstances in life, and the manner in which we bestow it. We find a most inftructive piece of history to this purpose in Mark xii. 41. where our Lord takes notice of the contributions made to the public treasury. None are cenfured for neglect, nay, it is granted that "the rich gave much." But notwithstanding this fhow of liberality, a poor widow who only gave in two mites, receives his diftinguished approbation. Her offering was in itself infignifi- cant. But what faith the unerring Judge? ver. 43. 44. "He called unto him his difciples, and "faith unto them, verily I fay unto you, that "this poor widow hath caft more in than all "they which have caft into the treasury. For "all they did caft in of their abundance, but she

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