say, that it was his departure from God--the fountain of his happiness, and the end of his existenceand retiring into himself as the ultimate end of all his actions: and if it were also asked, what is the essence of his sin, the sum of his moral depravity, we might say, to love himself supremely, to seek himself finally and exclusively, to make self, in one shape or another, the centre to which all his busy thoughts, anxious cares, and diligent pursuits constantly tend. Self-love is the most active and reigning principle in fallen nature; self is the great idol which mankind are naturally disposed to worship; and selfishness the grand interest to which they are devotedly attached. But the grace of God, when it renews the heart, so corrects and subdues this disposition, that it is no longer the ascendant of the mind; and plants in the human bosom the principle of benevolence-a principle which, as it leads us to love God supremely, and our neighbor as ourselves, is the direct contrary of selfishness.

important and necessary as to be placed under the guardianship of what is called the law of honor, and to be avenged, for the slightest violation of it, by the punishment of death ;-why should this ever be considered as of little moment in the business of religion and the fellowship of the faithful? If radeness be considered as a blemish upon talents, rank, fame, must it not be viewed also as a blot and deformity upon piety? Most certainly it is regarded as such by charity, whose anxiety to do whatever would give pleasure, and to avoid whatever would occasion distress, is not greater than its delicate perception of every thing that will contribute to this end. We see in this subject the wonderful excellence of Christianity, as a code of morals, a rule of conduct, and a body of principles; for in addition to specific laws, intended to operate in the production of certain virtues, and the prevention of certain vices, it has general and comprehensive precepts, capable of universal application, of so plain a nature as to be understood by the dullest intellect, and Believing that the perfection of virtue lies in dispossessing, at the same time, a kind of beauty, interested love, it follows, that the nearer we apwhich gives them an interest in every heart; so proach to this state of mind, the nearer we come to that if in the specialities of Christian morals, pro-sinless moral excellence. This is the temper of the perly so called, any case should be overlooked, or innumerable company of angels-of the spirits of any situation should not be reached-any distinction just men made perfect. It has been argued, that between virtue and vice should be so minute as to we take delight in the happiness of others, because be imperceptible-any delicacy of character so re- their happiness increases our own: but the circumfined as not to be taken into the account-here is stance of our happiness being increased by prosomething to supply the defect, and render the law moting theirs, is itself a convincing proof of the of God perfect for converting the soul. Love does existence and exercise of an antecedent good will not act unbecomingly; and who is so ignorant, if towards them. Our felicity is raised by theirs. he would but consult his conscience, as not to know Why ?-because we love them. Why am I made what would be thought by others unbecoming in unhappy, by the sight of another's woe?-because I himself? have good will to the subject of distress. It is true I am gratified by relieving him, and my comfort would be disturbed if I did not; but what is the origin of these feelings ?-certainly a previous good will towards them. It is not affirmed, that all pity proceeds from holy love; but that where love does exist, and in the proportion in which it exists, it is disinterested, and is distinguished from selfishness. It may be proper here to distinguish between selflove and selfishness; not that they are essentially different, but only in the use of the terms as they are employed in common discourse.

CHAPTER XI.

THE DISINTERESTEDNESS OF LOVE.

"Charity seeketh not her own."

Ir it were required to give a brief and summary description of man's original apostacy, we might ceive them-many tables spread to entertain them. They meet with no rudeness, no unkindness. But this is for their own sakes. Our regard for Christ is proved by our conduct to the least, not to the great-own things, as is inconsistent with, and destructive est, of his brethren. And are the great ministers free from all blame in reference to their conduct towards their humble brethren? They are glad to entertain the popular favorites of the day-the men of name or talents; but how do they behave to the

By selfishness, we mean such a regard to our of, a right regard to the things of others: whereas by self-love, we mean nothing more than that attentíon to our own affairs which we owe to ourselves as part of universal being. Selfishness means the neglect or injury of others, in order to concentrate our views, and desires, and pursuits in ourselves; while self-love means only that proper and due regard to our own interests which we may pay, without the neglect or injury of our neighbor.

Self-love, when exercised in connection with, and subordinate to, good will to mankind, as it may be, is not only consistent with virtue, but is a part of it; but when not thus connected, it degenerates into selfishness.

"Multi præterea quos fama obscura recondit?" Do they not order these to be sent away from their door without an audience, or keep them long waiting for an interview, and then dismiss the good man, Borrowfully exclaiming, “Am I not thy brother ?" Whilst we cheerfully accord the sentiments expressed in the above note, we still think there is need for the exercise of Christian Charity on the Selfishness leads men to seek their own interests part of those, who make applications for aid. For- in opposition to the interests of others. Multitudes getting that the benevolent are frequently called care not whom they oppress, so as they can estaupon, and that they have a right to regulate their blish their own power; whom they vilify and desubscriptions; agents are strongly tempted to ques- grade, so as they can increase their own fame; tion the liberality of, and to impute wrong motives whom they impoverish, so as they can accumulate to those, who do not contribute as largely as was their own wealth; whom they distress, so as they anticipated. Whilst there are causes justly claim-can augment their own comforts. This is the ing the aid of the benevolent in our cities; still there is a radical evil in the custom so prevalent in this day, of hastening to the cities to build churches in the country. As a general fact it will be found true, that communities are able BY PROPER EFFORT AND DUE ECONOMY to provide suitable houses of worship for themselves.-AM. ED.

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worst and most cruel operation of selfishness. It is the same propensity, only sharpened, and guided, and rendered the more mischievous, by the aid of reason, as that which exists in the vulture and the tiger, and which gorges itself to repletion, deaf to the piercing cries of the helpless victim which struggles in its talons.

eager to get profit, that they are ever watching to take undue advantage, and so keen-eyed in looking after their own, that they need be closely inspected, to prevent them from taking more than their own: for a man who is prevailingly selfish, can hardly be honest. And what they gain, they keep: neither the cause of humanity, nor of religion, can extort money from them, except now and then, to get rid of an importunate suitor, or to prevent their repu tation from being utterly ruined.

Intent only on gratification, it riots amidst misery, if by this means it can aggrandize itself. Looking on the possessions of those around only with an envious eye, it is solicitous that they may be appropriated in some way to itself. This is a horrible and truly infernal disposition; for it would reign with a kind of universal despotism, would subdue all into vassalage, and suffer nothing to exist, but what was tributary to its own comfort. Selfishness sometimes causes its subjects only to neglect the things of others. They do not oppress, or injure, or despoil; they are neither robbers nor calumniators; but they are so engrossed by self-interest, and so absorbed in self-gratification, as to be utterly regardless of the miseries or comfort of which they cannot but be the spectators. They have no sympathies, no benevolent sensibilities; they have cut themselves off from their species, and care nothing for the happiness of any of their neighbors. Their highest boast and attainment in virtue is, to wrong none: their idea of excellence is purely of a negative kind; to dispel sorrow, to relieve want, to diffuse gladness, especially to make sacrifices; to do this, is an effort which they have never tried, and which they have no inclination to try. The world might perish, if the desolation did not reach them. Miserable and guilty creatures, they forget that they will be punished for not doing good, as well as for doing evil. The unprofitable servant was condemned; and the wicked are represented, at the last day, as doomed to hell, not for in-dividual determined to consult only his own views flicting sorrow, but for not relieving it.

A man is guilty of selfishness, if he seeks his own things out of all proportion to the regard he pays to the things of others.

If, from a regard to our reputation, we cannot live in the total neglect of those around us, and, in deference either to public opinion, or to the remonstrances of our consciences, we are compelled to yield something to the claims of the public; yet, at the same time, our concessions may be so measured in quantity, and made with such reluctance and ill will, that our predominant selfishness may be as clearly manifested by what we give, as by what we withhold. That which we call our liberality, manifests, in this case, our avarice; that which we denominate generosity, demonstrates our sinful selflove.

It is sometimes exercised in reference to opinion. Some will not bear contradiction; they must be listened to as sages; to question what they say is to insult them, and is sure to bring down upon the presumptuous skeptic their contempt or their frown. They will scarcely allow any one to speak but themselves; they must be the oracle of every company and the director of every affair, or they retire in disgust, and refuse to act at all. In the concerns of our churches, this is often seen and felt. What is it but pure selfishness, that leads any one to wish that he should dictate to the rest; that his opinion should be law; and his wishes be consulted and obeyed? This is not love; no, love gives up her own, where conscience does not interfere to forbid it, and meekly and quietly resigns its wishes to increase peace and promote harmony: its object is the public good, and its law is the best means of promoting the general welfare. If in the intercourse of life, or the affairs of a church, every inand wishes, society would be dissolved, and its separate parts embroiled in a state of mutual conflict. In the various discussions which come before a public body, Selfishness says, "I am sure my opinion is correct; and I will, if possible, have my way:" but the language of Love is, "I have stated my opinion and my wishes; if the former does not carry conviction, I by no means wish it to be adopted, nor my desires to be gratified, I am anxious for the comfort of any brethren, and I yield my wishes to theirs."

Some persons have acquired habits in their general conduct, which are exceedingly annoying to others; they have sources of personal gratification, peculiarities of humor, in which it is impossible to indulge, without greatly incommoding those around them but so detestably selfish is their disposition, Selfishness sometimes seeks its own, under the at least with regard to these practices, that let who pretence and profession of promoting the happiness will be disturbed, offended, or put to serious inconof others. Where the ruling passion of the heart venience, they will not forego, in the least degree, is the love of applause, large sacrifices of wealth, their accustomed indulgence. When the unforand time, and ease, and feeling, will be readily tunate sufferers were expiring in the Black Hole at made for fame; and where men have objects to Calcutta, and entreated the sentinels to represent gain, which require kindness, conciliation, and at- their agonizing and fatal condition to the tyrant tention, nothing in this way is too much to be done, who had imprisoned them, the guards answered, to accomplish their purpose. This is a disgusting "No; he is enjoying his repose, and it will be ceroperation of this very disgusting temper, when all tain death to us if we disturb him, even for your its seeming good will is but an efflux of kindness, relief." And what better in principle, though cerwhich is to flow back again, in full tide, into the re-tainly a less degree of its operation, is that regard ceptacle of self. Many are the detestable traders, to their appetite, ease, or humor, which many inwhose generosity is only a barter for something indulge to the annoyance of their neighbors, and return. How much of the seeming goodness of human nature, of the sympathy with human woe, of the pity for want, of the anxiety for the comfort of wretchedness, which passes current for virtue among mankind, is nothing better than a counterfeit imitation of benevolence is known only to that God whose omniscient eye traces the secret workings of our depravity through all the labyrinths of a deceitful heart.

But notice now the subjects, in reference to which selfishness is indulged.

Property is the first. It shows itself in an anxiety to obtain wealth, and an unwillingness to part with it; a disposition greedy as the sea, and barren as the shore. You will see some men so excessively

which they indulge against the remonstrances of those who suffer? In short, that regard to our comfort which leads us to neglect or sacrifice the felicity of another, let the object to which it is directed be what it may, is the selfishness which kindness opposes and destroys.

This hateful disposition has contrived to conceal itself under many false names and disguises, and thus to find protection from much of the obloquy which it deserves, and which would otherwise be more unsparingly heaped upon it.

The plea of frugality, or a just regard to the claims of a family, has often been urged as an excuse for the selfishness of avarice. A man certainly must take care of his own, but not to the in

jury, or even to the neglect, of all besides. "I have transgression, by which Adam fell from innocence, no more," it is often said, "than I want for my and by which his posterity fell with him, was an style of living; and that style I think necessary for effort to raise himself into a state of independence; my rank in life. I spend all I get upon my family, by selfishness, he laid the world under the burden of and hoard nothing; how, then, can I be selfish?" the divine condemnation. It is a rejection of all Mistaken mortal! do you forget that a man's fa- the claims, and an opposition to all the ends and inmily, is himself multiplied-himself reflected.terests, of society; for if all persons were under the Selfish! yes, you are detestably so, if you spend all influence of predominant selfishness, society could upon yourself and family, however lavish and un- scarcely exist: let each one covet and grasp his sparing you may be to them. own, to the injury or neglect of the rest, and the world becomes a den of wild beasts, where each ravins for his prey, and all worry one another. This disposition defeats its own end. God has endowed us with social affections, in the indulgence of which there is real pleasure; the exercise of kindness and the enjoyment of delight are inseparable. "If there be any comfort of love," says the apostle: by which he implied, in the strongest manner, that there is great comfort in it; and, of course, in proportion as we extend the range and multiply the objects of our love, we extend the range and multiply the sources of our happiness. He that loves only himself, has only one joy; he that loves his neighbors, has many. To rejoice in the happiness of others, is to make it our own: to produce it, is to make it more than our own. Lord Bacon has justly remarked, that our sorrows are lessened, and our felicities multiplied, by communication. Mankind had been laboring for ages under the grossest mistake as to happiness, imagining that it arose from receiving; an error which our Lord corrects, by saying, "That it is more blessed to give than to receive." A selfish man who accumulates property, but diffuses not, resembles not the perennial fountain, sending forth fertilizing streams; but the stagnant pool, into which whatever flows remains there, and whatever remains, corrupts: miser is his name, and miserable he is in disposition. Selfishness often brings a terrible retribution in this world: the tears of its wretched subject fall unpitied; and he finds, in the gloomy hour of his want or his woe, that he who determines to be alone in his fulness, will generally be left to himself in his sorrows: and that he who, in the days of his prosperity, drives every one from him by the unkindness of his disposition, will find, in the season of his adversity, that they are too far off to hear his cries for assistance.

No expression, no sentiment, has ever been more abused than that of the apostle--" Do all to the glory of God." It has been employed to disguise the most improper motives, and never more frequently, nor more profanely employed, than when it has been used to give a character of religious zeal to actions which every eye could discern originated in an unmixed selfishness. It is to be feared, that when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, it will be found that, while much has been professedly done for the glory of God in the affairs of religion, pure zeal for God's glory is a very rare thing. Certain it is, that much of what has been carried on under the authority of this truly sublime phrase, has emanated from a far less hallowed principle. The gospel has been preached by ministers; places of worship have been built by hearers; distant lands have been visited by missionaries; yea, imprisonment and death may have been sought by martyrs, in some cases, not from pure zeal for God's glory, but under the influence of selfishness. All sorts of artful practices have been supported, all kinds of stormy passions have been indulged, all kinds of injuries have been inflicted, under the pretence of glorifying God; but which, in fact, are to be ascribed to this disposition. When a man is identified with a party, that party is himself, and what he does for the one, he does for the other.

The same remarks will apply to many of those actions which are performed on the professed ground of regard for the public good. Pure patriotism is a scarce virtue, and is found but rarely in the breasts of those who are loudest in their praises and professions of it. Many a noisy and self-eulogized patriot-many a zealous supporter of public institutions-many an active reformer of popular errors many a liberal contributor to humane or religious societies could their motives be exposed, would be found to act from no higher aims than to get a name for themselves, and to be praised by their fellow

creatures.

Some indulge this disposition under the pretext of regard for the truth. Attaching an overweening importance to their own opinions, as if they possessed the attribute of infallibility, overbearing in debate, impatient of contradiction, determined to crush the opinions and resist the influence of those who are opposed to theirs-they quiet their conscience, and silence the voice of remonstrance, with the plea that their vehemence is pure zeal for the interests of truth. They should be less anxious, they say, if it were their personal interest at stake; but they have a right to be earnest, yea, even contentious, in defence of the faith. But they know not themselves, or they would discern that their conduct springs from a proud, imperious, and selfish spirit.

It is time to contemplate the evil of selfishness.It is a direct opposition to the divine benevolence, and is contrary to the habitual temper of our Lord Jesus Christ," who pleased not himself." It is the cause of all sin, the opposite of all holiness and virtue: it is the source of innumerable other sins, and is placed by the apostle as the head and leader of the eighteen vices which he enumerates as the marks of perilous times, "Men shall be lovers of themselves." This was the sin which introduced all guilt and misery into the world; for the first

This is not an incurable temper: but is a disease that requires immediate and diligent attention. Where it not only exists but predominates, the spring of human action must be renewed by regeneration, and we must have that new heart, which is brought to love God supremely, and our neighbor as ourselves. We must meditate often upon the deep criminality of this disposition, and look upon it in all its deformity, till we hate it: being careful in order to this, to strip it of all the disguises which the deceitfulness of the heart has thrown over it.We must abound in contemplation of the character of God, as infinite in love, and of Jesus Christ, as an incarnation of pure disinterested affection. We must exercise great mortification, laboring to the uttermost to subdue, and if possible to eradicate, this vile disposition; and repeating this again and again, till we begin to taste the pleasure, and to feel the habit of, kindness: at the same time praying earnestly for the help of the Holy Spirit, to assist us in the mighty work of vanquishing a selfish temper.

CHAPTER XII.

THE UNSUSPICIOUSNESS OF LOVE.
"Charity thinketh no evil.”

THERE are two senses which may be attached to
this beautiful description of love.

I. It does not devise evil. What a horrible demon- but employs all its counsels and its cares for his beike disposition has the Psalmist ascribed to the in-nefit. Like a good spirit it is ever opposing the addividual who has no fear of God before his eyes!-- vice, and counteracting the influence of envy, re"He hath left off to be wise and to do good; he de- venge, or avarice. It would make the miserable viseth mischief upon his bed." Such is the delinea- happy, and the happy still happier. It retires into tion given by the inspired writer of the character the closet, to project schemes for blessing manof some wretched men; and the original is often to kind, and then goes out into the crowded regions of be found. They are perpetually scheming to do in- want and wretchedness, to execute them: it devijury; even their hours of rest are devoted to the im- seth good on its bed, and riseth in the morning to pulses of a wicked heart, and they sleep not except fulfil the plans of mercy with which it had sunk to they have done mischief. Instead of communing rest. "Love thinketh no evil." with God upon their bed, this is to commune with the devil, and to hold nightly conference with him who goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. But without going to the extent of those who live by plunder, extortion, or oppression, and who, as the wolves and tigers of society, are ever prowling about for their prey, there are many who maintain a tolerably respectable character, but are still far too busy in devising evil; this may arise from various motives, to all of which Christian love stands firmly opposed.

views, I may observe that we should make great allowance for the force of education, for peculiar habits acquired in circumstances different from our own, and for a phraseology learnt among those whose views are but imperfect. To impute to a professor of religion the sin of hypocrisy, or mere formality, and to deny the reality of his religion altogether, is too serious a thing for such short-sighted creatures as we are, except in cases which are absolutely indisputable.

But "love thinketh no evil:" this divine virtue delights to speak well and think well of others: she talks of their good actions, and says little or nothing, except when necessity compels her, of their bad ones. She holds her judgment in abeyance as to motives, till they are perfectly apparent. She does not look round for evidence to prove an evil design, but hopes that what is doubtful will, by far. ther light, appear to be correct; she imputes not evil, so long as good is propable; she leans to the side of candor rather than to that of severity; she makes every allowance that truth will permit; looks at all the circumstances which can be pleaded in mitigation; suffers not her opinions to be formed till she has had opportunity to escape from the mist of passion, and to cool from the wrath of contention. Love desires the happiness of others; and how can she be in haste to think evil of them?

and experience are quite sufficient, if we would be guided by them, to correct. How often, how very often, have we found ourselves mistaken in this matter! How frequently has subsequent evidence shown us our error in imputing a bad motive to an action, which, at the time, to say the worst of it, was only of a doubtful character! We have discovered that, to have originated in accident, which we once thought to have been the result of design; and have found that, to have proceeded from ignorance, 2. We are too prone to impute bad motives in re- which we had hastily set down to malice. How ference to particular actions. Sometimes, where the many times, have we blushed and grieved over our action is good, we ascribe it to some sinister or self-precipitancy, and yet in opposition to our experiish inducement operating in the mind of him by ence and to our resolutions, we still go on to think whom it is performed. This is not unfrequently evil. done where we have no contention with the individual, and the imputation is merely the effect of envy; but it is more frequently done in cases where we have personal dislike. When the action is of a doubtful nature, how apt are we to lose sight of all the evidence which may be advanced in favor of its being done from a good motive, and with far less probability decide that the motive is bad. If we are the object of the action, we too commonly conclade instantly, and almost against evidence, that a bad motive dictated it. Although the circumstance is at worst equivocal, and admits of a two-fold interpretation, we promptly determine that an insult or an injury was intended, when every one but ourselves clearly discerns that no such design can be fairly imputed. A person passes us in the street without speaking, and we immediately believe that it was an act of intentional insult-forgetting that it is probable he did not see us, or was so immersed in thought as not to recognize us. A general remark is made in conversation, which we suppose with no other evidence than its applicability to us, was intended to expose us before the company, when, perhaps the individual who made it had no more reference to us than to a man on the other side of the globe. A thousand cases might be mentioned, and in which, of two motives that may be imputed, we choose the evil one. If a person has previously injured us, we are peculiarly propense to this unchristian practice of thinking evil of him.—much disturbed! We can scarcely allow ourselves to believe that he can do any thing relating to us, but from an improper inducement; we suspect all his words and all his actions; nor is the propensity less strong in those cases where we have been the aggressors; we then set down every thing done by the injured person to the influence of revenge.

The evil of such a disposition is manifest. It is explicitly and frequently prohibited in God's word. This is the censoriousness forbidden by our Lord, where he says, "Judge not, that ye be not judged;" and which is condemned by Paul, where he says, "Judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." James commands us "Not to speak evil one of another; for he that speaketh evil of his brother, judgeth his brother." Evil surmisings" are placed by the apostle among the sins which oppose the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If it be asked, Do all good men act thus? I again reply, They act thus just in proportion as they are under the influence of Christian charity. The apostle does not say that every man who is possessed of charity does so, but that charity itself thinketh no evil: and therefore implies that every good man will act thus in the same degree in which he submits to the influence of this virtue. Divine grace! hasten thy universal reign on earth, and put an end to those evil surmisings by which the comfort of mankind and the fellowship of the saints are so

CHAPTER XIIL

THE JOY OF LOVE.

"Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth."

KEEPING up the personification of love as presented by the apostle, we may observe that it has its joys and its sorrows; and its smiles and its tears are the expressions of good will-the tokens of benevolence. We are first told in what it does not take complacency-" It rejoiceth not in iniquity."

Sin is, in itself, an evil of enormous magnitude. As committed against a Being whom we are under infinite obligation to love, and serve, and glorify, it must partake of infinite degrees of demerit. It is a violation of that law which, as an emanation from the perfection of the Deity, is itself perfect and well deserves the eulogium pronounced upon it by the It is an invasion of the prerogative of Deity, who apostle, when he declares it to be "holy, and just, alone can search the heart, and read the motives of the and good." As this is the rule of government to the breast. It is injurious to the character of our bre- moral universe, and intended to preserve its order, thren, and disturbs the peace of society. Half of the dependence and harmony; sin, by opposing its aubroils which arise in the world, and of the schisms thority, disturbs this order, breaks this dependence, which spring up in the church, may be traced to and seeks to introduce the reign of confusion and this wicked propensity of "thinking evil;" for if misery. None, but the infinite mind, is competent men think evil, it is an easy step to speak evil, and to calculate the mischief which is likely to be prothen to do evil: so that the origin of many quarrels duced by a single act of sin, if left to itself without will be found in the false impressions of a suspicious a remedy, or without a punishment. We have only mind-the misapprehension of a censorious judg-to see what sin has done, to judge of its most e ment. It is a disposition which our own observation and hateful nature. All the misery which eith