deceive yourself, and repose upon the hope which I have constantly preached to you; a hope with which you, and your neighbours, may very well rest contented." Confounded with a discourse of this kind, a weak and inexperienced Christian might have been drawn aside from the narrow path of truth. But the person here alluded to, by citing Eph. i, 17, 18, was enabled to prove that the very same illumination and power, which were treated so contemptuously by his opponent, were nevertheless absolutely necessary, as the groundwork of a solid hope. Nay, he pushed the matter still farther; and asserted, that the prayer against which the zealous pastor had so angrily exclaimed, was used in exact conformity to those very petitions which he himself was incessantly heard to offer at the feast of pentecost, and at other solemn seasons.

If this little relation faithfully describes the manner of thinking which is too common among the clergy of the day, is it not evident that they are more disposed to ridicule than to preach the Christian hope: and abundantly more earnest to obstruct, than to farther their parishioners in the pursuit of everlasting blessedness?

When the dawn of this glorious hope first began to glimmer; when, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole company of disciples began to praise God with a loud voice, strewing the way by which their Lord was to pass with garments and branches of trees, and crying out before him, "Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: hosanna in the highest!" Some of the Pharisees, who had mixed among the multitude, rudely exclaimed, “Master, rebuke thy disciples." And when he had entered into the temple, "the chief priests and scribes [those models by which the generality of ministers seem anxious to form themselves] seeing the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying Hosanna, were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say?" And Jesus answered them, "Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? I tell you, that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out," Matt. xxi; Luke xix. There still exists the same opposition between those who cordially embrace the Gospel, and those who ungratefully reject it. As often as the former are perceived to give a loose to the transports of their gratitude, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, the worldly minister, displeased to observe any thing that appears to reproach his own lukewarmness, is prepared to stifle the motions of that joyful hope, which he deems no better than the confidence of presumptuous fanatics. While the faithful minister, who imitates St. Paul, on observing such a scene, will cry out with that great apostle, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost," Rom. xv, 13.

If penitents are not pointed to the blessedness of this hope, they will strive, like Cain, to stifle their remorse by passionately abandoning them. selves to the business and enjoyments of the present world: or, like the Israelites, who found not sufficient pleasure in religion to banish the recollection of Egypt's vanities, they will indulge that spirit of trifling which the apostle thus desc.ibes: "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play," 1 Cor. x, 7. On the contrary, when the Christian is directed to the hope of his high calling, he finds it a source

of unutterable consolation, and having discovered the treasure hidden ir the Gospel field, "for joy thereof he selleth his all," in order to purchase that field. He now renounces, without pain, what before had hindered him in running the heavenly race, counting nothing dear to himself, that he may finish his course with joy, and insure the crown of everlasting life. So powerfully were the first Christians supported by this Gospel hope, that they remained immovable amidst the sorest calamities of life, and suffered death itself with a courage that astonished the persecutors. But when they lost their confidence, like Demas, they began to indulge the fond hopes and foolish fears of the present world, becoming altogether weak, as other men. And such are the generality of Christians at this day. The love of many is waxing cold, while the Church of God is evidently falling into ruins. And how shall we assist to rekindle that love, or to repair that Church, but by zealously proclaiming abroad the "hope of the Gospel ?"

The true minister preaches Christian charity.

If the evangelical pastor proclaims repentance, faith, and hope, it is with a view of leading sinners to that Christian charity which is justly esteemed the crown of every grace. In preaching repentance, he lays the axe to the root of every corrupt tree. In publishing evangelical faith, he plants the tree of life. When he proclaims the hope of the Gospel, he causes that tree to put forth a beautiful blossom. But when he preaches Christian charity, he calls forth the rich fruit from every vigorous branch. And while he is engaged in performing the various parts of this important work, he denounces the anathemas of the Gospel against that repentance, faith, and hope, which are superficial, unfruitful, and delusive.

The minister of the day piques himself upon preaching morality, which he is ordinarily accustomed to do in the manner of a heathen philosopher. Unacquainted with the importance and power of the doctrines of Christianity, he is ashamed to walk in the traces of St. Paul. If he is enabled to paint, with any degree of ability, the serpents of envy, the inquietudes of avarice, and the delights of charity, he imagines that he shall readily dispose his neighbours to love as brethren. He knows not that "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" is that alone which can make any man "free from the law of sin and death," by delivering him from that envy, that avarice, that ambition, that indifference, and those worldly fears which are incompatible with evangelical charity. "What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh," i. e. our degenerate nature, which has need of stronger motives and more powerful supports than those which the law proposes, "God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh :" that by the new motives, and the Divine assistance offered in the Gospel, "the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us," who, being regenerate, "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit," Rom. viii, 4.

The judicious pastor, observing the same connection between the morals and doctrines of Christianity, as between the root and fruit of a

vigorous tree, is constrained incessantly to preach those important truths, which naturally give rise to the three first-mentioned graces: and he is perfectly assured, that wherever these truths are permitted to take root, he shall shortly rejoice over the inestimable fruits of Christian charity. This mode of acting is equally conformable to reason and revelation. By publishing those doctrines upon which the necessity of repentance is founded, he exterminates pride and inordinate self love, which are the greatest obstacles to charity. By preaching the doctrines of faith, he gives rise to that universal love which extends to God and man. Thus when a sinner sincerely believes that "God is love," 1 John iv, 16; when, penetrated with admiration and gratitude, he can say with the apostle, "I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me," Gal. ii, 20: at that moment he necessarily feels a degree of affection toward the creating Father, and the redeeming Son, whom he longs to imitate, and whom he rejoices to obey. This love is as boundless as it is ardent, and reaches to the most unworthy of his fellow creatures, enabling him, after the example of Christ, to sacrifice for his very enemies, not only outward comforts, but even life itself. Hence the Christian faith is said to work by love. Now if this lively persuasion of the unspeakable blessings which God hath already given us in Christ Jesus, is sufficient to produce in the soul a high degree of Scriptural charity, it is evident that a well-grounded hope of greater blessings still to come, must necessarily serve to quicken and increase this charity. And if we are fully persuaded that our labours of love shall never be forgotten; that even a cup of cold water, imparted for the love of Christ, shall not go unrewarded; how vast an influence may such a hope be expected to exert in opening the heart to universa' benevolence, and in producing all the fruits of evangelical love!

Convinced that to plead for charity, without insisting upon the doc. trines by which it must be supported, would be building a house without laying a solid foundation, the true minister industriously labours to explain the nature, to exhibit the motives, and represent the effects of this wondrous grace, in the clearest manner. To some, indeed, such discourses are vain; but others among his hearers are found, who, ravished with the loveliness of this virtue, and constrained by those motives which the Gospel proposes, betake themselves to the exercise of it, with as much ardour as the voluptuous run to their sensual entertainments.

Darkness differs not more from light, than the charity of the faithful minister differs from that of a scribe ill instructed in the mysteries of the kingdom. The love of the good pastor "rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth," 1 Cor. xiii, 6, which frequently comes to humble human pride. On the contrary, the charity which every false apostle preaches is no more than the phantom of a virtue, consoling the heart in the midst of sin, rejoicing in a lie, and resting upon assurance altogether contrary to the word of God. To be charitable is, according to the notions of these men, to indulge a persuasion that there is much to be abated of the threatenings contained in the Gospel, and that St. Paul is far beside the truth when he declares, that "no unclean or covetous person hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ," Eph. v, 5. It is to believe that the Holy Spirit was too severe, when it dictated to St. James, that "he who is a friend of the world is the enemy of God," and

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violates his baptismal vow in as full a sense as adulterers violate the sacred vow of conjugal fidelity, James iv, 4. It is to insinuate that Christ himself overpassed the bounds of reason when he publicly cried out, "Whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire," Matt. v, 22. Judge not," saith the Redeemer, "that ye be not judged," Matt. vii, 1. But, according to the sentiments of those erring guides, to be Divinely charitable, is to conclude from this precept that a man may even revoke the judgments of Christ himself; thus, under pretext of not judging those who are evidently walking in the road to perdition, they indirectly give judgment against the Redeemer, as bearing a false testimony. In errors like these it is that the world will needs have the greatest part of charity to consist.

The true minister attacks this false grace as an enemy to the truth of the Gospel, while he pleads for that Christlike charity which may properly be called the sister of truth. He asserts the dignity and power of truth; holding it up to the veneration and love of those who would not wilfully offend the God of truth. Let us, continues he, "speaking the truth in love, grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ," Eph. iv, 15; and having first "purified our souls in obeying the truth," let us "love one another with a pure heart fervently," 1 Pet. i, 22. Between these Scriptural companions he will suffer no separation to take place; and when they are treated by the injudicious as enthusiastic and heretical, he will dare to stand forth in defence of these two confederate virtues.

Another opinion that generally prevails among the professors of Christianity, is, that charity consists in giving alms to the poor. And this opinion is earnestly contended for by many, although the Pharisees, who were regarded by our Lord as "serpents and vipers," Matt. xxii, 33, through their want of unfeigned charity, were yet remarkable for their generosity in almsgiving. St. Paul manifestly opposes this erroneous notion, where he declares that it is possible for a man to "give all his goods to feed the poor," and yet be destitute of charity, 1 Cor. xiii, 3. The faithful pastor, it is true, maintains that every charitable person is constrained to assist the poor, according to his ability: but he adds, that almsgiving is as uncertain a mark of charity, as a constant attendance upon the sacramental table is an equivocal evidence of faith, since it is as possible to relieve the poor from weakness or vanity, as to receive the holy communion through timidity or custom.

If the charity of worldly men is ever found to exceed this description, yet it will always be limited to the necessities of the body. As they know not how far the immortal spirit is superior to the perishing body, which must soon be blended in the dust of a thousand carcasses, it is no wonder that their chief concern is engrossed by the latter. The welfare of their own souls is attended to with a very small degree of solicitude and while this is the case, it cannot be imagined that they should manifest any extraordinary degree of affection toward the souls of their neighbours. They behold without sorrow those deluded partisans, who make war upon each other for the sake of their particular errors. They can even gaze, without pity, upon those obdurate souls who are desperately plunging from one abyss of sin to another. How different were the feelings of David, when, like a true penitent, he not only wept for

nis own offences, but shed torrents of tears for those who transgressed the law of God," Psalm cxix, 136. And how contrary was the character of St. Paul, who went through a kind of spiritual travail till the degenerate were born again," Gal. iv, 19. In like manner the primitive Christians exposed themselves to imminent dangers, that they might give proofs of the most exalted charity, by snatching souls from sin and death. And when they were not able to effect this by their external labours, they then wrestled in their closets, with secret prayers and tears, for the conversion of the ungodly. Where there is no desire after the salvation of others, there Christian charity is unknown. For while a man disregards the soul of his neighbour, all the interest he takes in his temporal affairs can manifest no more than the charity of a disciple of Epicurus, which is as far below the charity of Christ's disciples, as materialism is inferior to Christianity.

In opposition to all the erroneous notions, which too generally prevail upon this important subject, the ministry of the New Testament teaches, that evangelical charity is the image of God. And that eternal and infinite charity is nothing less than God himself. One apostle declares that "God is love;" and another assures us, that we are called to be made" partakers of the Divine nature," 2 Pet. i, 4; whence the sacred preacher infers, that "the new creature," of which St. Paul makes mention, 2 Cor. v, 17, must necessarily consist in charity. When a Christian is filled with charity, he is then regenerate and born of God. Christ is then formed in his heart, the Holy Spirit rests upon him, and he is "filled with all the fulness of God," Eph. iii, 16, 19. He keeps the first commandment of the law, by making a full surrender of his heart to God, from a consciousness that he is in himself the sovereign Good; but he chiefly loves him in the person of Christ, through whom the Father is pleased peculiarly to shine forth as a God of love. In a secondary sense, he loves the works of God in all their wonderful variety, as they shadow forth his matchless perfections, and place them within the reach of man's understanding. And his esteem for these admirable productions is in proportion to the nearer or more distant relation in which they stand to that eternal Wisdom which formed them all. Guided by this principle, he loves all mankind with an extraordinary degree of affection. The soul of man is peculiarly dear to him, because created in the image of God, and redeemed with the blood of his beloved Son: while, as the organized vehicle of the soul, he admires and loves the perishable body. As the souls of the poor and the rich are equally immortal, he is never meanly prejudiced in favour of the latter; but, on the contrary, is ever ready to prefer a poor and pious beggar, before a sensual and supercilious noble. Thus the true Christian cherishes the faithful, not only for love of the Creator and Redeemer, but also for love of the sanctifying Spirit, unto whom their souls are consecrated as living altars, and their bodies as hallowed temples, 1 Cor. vi, 19, 20. From this Divine charity good works of every kind proceed, as from an inexhaustible fountain; a fountain which is making, as it were, continual efforts to enrich the barren soil around it. But, where this is wanting, all external appearances are without any real value. The lavish giver loses his worth before pious men, and the zeal>us martyr his reward before a righteous God.