our friends, not only from the obligation we are under to do good to them as our fellowcreatures, and those that are made in the image of God, but from the obligations of friendship, and gratitude, and the affection we bear them. And we are also obliged to do good to our enemies; for our Saviour says (Matthew v. 44): "But I say unto you, love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you." To do good to those that do ill to us, is the only retaliation that becomes us as Christians; for we are taught (Romans xii. 17, 21) to " recompense to no man evil for evil," but on the contrary to "overcome evil with good ;" and again it is written (1 Thessalonians v. 15): "See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men; and still again (1 Peter iii. 9): "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." And,

Third, We should do good both to the thankful and the unthankful. This we are

obliged to do by the example of our heavenly Father, for he (Luke vi. 35) "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil;" and the command is, that we "be merciful as he also is merciful." Many make an objection against doing good to others, saying, "If I do, they will never thank me for it; and for my kindness, they will return abuse and injury:" and thus they are ready to excuse themselves from the exercise of kindness, especially to those who may have shown themselves ungrateful. But such persons do not sufficiently look at Christ; and they either show their want of acquaintance with the rules of Christianity, or their unwillingness to cherish its spirit. Having thus spoken of the duty of doing good, and the persons to whom we are to do it, I pass, as proposed, to speak,

3. Of the manner in which we should do good to others. This is expressed in the single word "freely." This seems implied in the words of the text; for to be kind, is to have a disposition freely to do good. Whatever good is done, there is no proper kindness in the doer of it, unless it be done freely. And this doing good freely, implies three things:

First, That our doing good be not in a mer

cenary spirit. We are not to do it for the sake of any reward received or expected from the one to whom we do the good. The command is (Luke vi. 35): "Do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again." Oftentimes men will do good to others, expecting to receive as much again; but we should do good to the poor and needy from whom we can expect nothing in return. The command of Christ, is (Luke xiv. 12, 13, 14.): "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." That our doing good be free, and not mercenary, it is necessary that what we do, be done, not for the sake of any temporal good, or to promote our temporal interest, or honor, or profit, but from the spirit

of love.

Second, That our doing good be free, it is requisite that we do it cheerfully or heartily, and with real good-will to the one we would

every good work” (2 Corinthians ix. 8, 11), "being enriched in everything, to all bountifulness." Thus God requires that when we give to the poor, we should "open our hand wide unto him" (Deuteronomy xv. 8); and we are told (Proverbs xi. 25), that "the liberal soul shall be made fat;" and the Apostle would have the Corinthians be bountiful in their contributions for the poor saints in Judea, assuring them (2 Corinthians ix. 6) that "he that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully.” Having thus explained the nature of this duty of freely doing good to others, I now proceed, to show,

II. That a Christian spirit will dispose us thus to do good to others. And this appears

from two considerations:

1. The main thing in that love which is the sum of the Christian spirit, is benevolence or good-will to others.-We have already seen what Christian love is, and how it is variously denominated according to its various objects and exercises; and particularly how as it respects the good enjoyed, or to be enjoyed by the beloved object, it is called the love of benevo lence, and as it respects the good to be enjoyed