SERMON moved him to confer existence.

II.

When he made himself known to his creatures, benevolence in like manner moved him to give them laws for their conduct. Benevolence is the spring of legislation in the Deity, as much as it was the motive of creation. He issued his commands on earth on purpose that, by obedience to them, his creatures might be rendered happy among themselves in this life, and be prepared for greater happiness in another. Charity, especially when joined with purity, good conscience, and faith, is obviously the great instrument for this purpose; and therefore must needs possess the chief and primary place in the laws of God.

Accordingly, throughout the New Testament, it is uniformly presented to us in the same light in which it is placed by the text. This is known to all who have any acquaintance with the sacred books, Charity is termed the fulfilling of the law, and the bond of perfectness. It was assumed by our Blessed Lord as the characteristical distinction of his disciples; and in that magnificent eulogium which the apostle

II.

apostle Paul pronounces upon it, in the SERMON thirteenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, it is expressly preferred by him to faith and hope. This deserves to be seriously considered by those who are apt to undervalue charity as an appendage of what they contemptuously call Morality; while they confine true reli gion to some favourite tenets and observances of their own, which they consider as comprehending the sum of what is acceptable to God. Such persons shew themselves profoundly ignorant of the nature of religion, and may too often be suspected of being strangers to its influence, For, as the apostle John reasons, He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, bow can be love that God whom he bath not seen *?

AT the same time, while I ascribe to charity that high place in the system of religion, which justly belongs to it, I am not to be understood as confining all religion to this disposition alone. With much

* 1 John, iv, 20.

SERMON

11.

wisdom and propriety, the text hath an-
nexed to it certain adjuncts, without
which neither the character of a good
man can be completed, nor charity it-
self exercised to advantage. To the con-
sideration of these I now proceed; and
I enter the more readily on this branch
of the subject, as there is ground to be-
lieve, that many pretend to possess cha-
rity, without properly understanding its
nature and efficacy. There has been al-
ways an unhappy tendency among men
to run to extremes, on one side or other,
in matterse of religion. As one set of
men, who employ all their zeal on right
belief, are prone to
are prone to undervalue good
practice; \so another set, who wish to be
esteemed rational Christians, are inclined
to rest the whole of their duty on chari-
table deeds, while they overlook certain
dispositions and habits which ought always
to accompany tlein. It is therefore of
importance that the mistakes of both these
classes of men should be rectified, in order
that religion may be held forth to the world
in its complete form, and in its full and
undiminished lustre.

THE

THE first qualification of charity point- SERMON ed out in the text is purity; charity out

of a pure heart. Purity includes the

virtues which belong to the individual, considered in himself, and with respect to the

the government of his desires and pleasures. It hath its seat in the heart; but extends its influence over so much of the outward conduct, as to form a great and material part of the character. They are only the pure in heart, we arc told by our Saviour, who can see God *. It is also true, that they are only the pure in heart who can properly discharge their duties towards mankind. Inordinate love of pleasure, intemperance, sensuality, and a course of irregular life, are inconsistent, not only with the general character of a good man, but also with the peculiar exercises of charity and benevolence. For nothing is more certain than that habits of licentious indulgence contribute to stifle all the good affections; to harden the heart; to nourish that selfish attachment to our own vicious pleasures which

*Matth. v. 8.

II.

renders

SERMON renders us insensible to the circumstances

II. and wants of others. A profligate

man is seldom found to be a good hus-
band, a good father, or a beneficent
neighbour. How many young persons
have at first set out in the world with
excellent dispositions of heart; generous,
charitable, and humane; kind to their
friends, and aimable among all with
whom they had intercourse? And yet
how often have we seen all those fair
appearances unhappily blasted in the pro-
gress of life, merely through the influ-
ence of loose and corrupting pleasures;
and those very persons who promised
once to be the blessings to the world, sunk
down in the end, to be the burden and
nuisance of society! The profusion of
expence which their pleasures occasion,
accounts in a great measure for the fatal
reverse that takes place in their charac-
ter.
It not only drains the sources
whence the streams of beneficence should
flow, but often obliges them to become
oppressive and cruel to those whom it was
their duty to have patronised and sup-
ported.