heights of knowledge and of God-like purity. Were this charity prevalent in the world, the wants of the indigent would be liberally supplied. Kind hands would ever be ready to minister to the subject of affliction, and they would find in the sympathy of those around them, a balm for these wounds of woe. Ignorance would be dispelled by the spreading light of knowledge. Christianity would extend her peaceful conquests with a rapidity unknown before. She would go on winning souls until the whole family of man was gathered into the happy household of faith. Works of benevolence yield also a pleasure to those who are engaged in them, to which the selfish heart is a stranger. Truly has the poet sung of mercy

"It is twice blessed

It blesses him that gives, and him that takes."

IV. We proceed lastly to consider the great duty, or rather the great principle which leads to the performance of all duties, namely love. This great parent duty stands prominently forth in the Word of God; like a golden chain it runs through the entire system of revelation. Is has been observed that the law of love is to the intelligent universe, what the law of attraction is to the material. The latter binds together the countless particles of matter which compose our world, and keeps it with all the other planets in their appointed orbits around the sun, preventing them from running lawlessly though the voids of space. The former binds men in a sympathetic union, and causes them

with all other rational beings, to revolve in harmony and beauty around God the great centre of the intelligent system.

The diffusion of love is the grand object of the Christian religion. The angels at the nativity of Christ sang not only glory to God, but of goodwill towards men. As already intimated, this sublime affection embodies all duties, and its existence in the hearts of men secures their fulfilment. Upon the two commandments, requiring love to God, and love to man, hang all the law and the prophets. Upon the one hang all the duties we owe to God, upon the other all that we owe to our fellow-men. In accordance with this, St. Paul affirms that all the commandments are briefly comprehended in this saying, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," and that love is the fulfilling of the law. It excludes all malevolence, for love worketh no ill to his neighbour. Hence it banishes deceit and injustice of every kind; it involves a desire to promote the welfare of all men. Hence it leads to the performance of all those acts of charity numerated in the preceding chapter.

This principle upon which the right fulfilment of all duty depends, can only be implanted and matured in the heart by God. There is an innate selfishness in human nature which leads man to look upon his own things and not upon the things of others, which places his own gain before him as the only object to be sought after. To correct this feeling Divine grace is requisite. Love is mentioned in Scripture as "the fruit of the Spirit," the result of

the new birth. Love to God our heavenly Father is the first feeling that takes possession of the renewed heart, leading as a natural consequence to the love of all his offspring. All genuine philanthropy must be the fruit of Christian principles; this is attested not only by the teachings of the Bible, but also by the history of mankind. The successful efforts of John Howard and Elizabeth Fry to reform the prison discipline of Europe, were the results of deep and fervent piety. What system but Christianity could have incited John Wesley to his arduous labours to promote the spread of truth among the degraded masses of our countrymen? What but this could have induced multitudes of men to give up the comforts of home, to visit barbaric lands for the good of their benighted inhabitants ?

We have thus enumerated the duties we are called upon to perform to all men, and have shown that the grace necessary to their performance is attainable at the hand of God.

The desolations of sin shall disappear, and the beauties of holiness be seen. The harsh sounds of discord shall give place to the music of heaven. Those sinless beings who have so long regarded man with the love of pity, shall look upon him with the love of approbation. In their visits to our race they will have the pleasure of mingling with kindred spirits. God, viewing from his throne of glory a renovated world, shall pronounce it, as in the beginning, to be very good.

W. M. K.

ESSAY XI.

"It is not good that man should live alone," is the reason assigned, for the creation of an helpmeet, for the progenitor of the human race. All earthly beings were too far beneath him; and the heavenly were too exalted, for the fellowship that his medium nature required. His Creator, although a loving parent, was also a ruler and a judge. Communion with the Almighty, consisted then, as it does now, of praise, and prayer, and humble adoration. There was something else needed, for the full exercise of all the powers of man. The social side of his nature had as yet no sphere of exercise; it had no "helpmeet," and he had no companion.

Felicitous companionship can only exist among equals. But man had no equals. He was lord of all the earth, or the dependent of heaven. His purest emotions found no resting place between earth and heaven. His nature could only be partially developed; his happiness only in part secured; until he experienced those mutual affections which make life-even beyond the gates of Eden-so sweet, and pure, and holy. Eden itself would not have been a paradise without an Eve; and, therefore, the benevolent Creator gave her as the consummation of man's felicity, and the crowning glory of His own creative work. She came; and her

influence like the breath of zephyrs on Æolian lyre, swept over the chords of man's nature, that had hitherto been silent, until they vibrated with purest harmony. Henceforth the service of God, comprehended within it the service of humanity. New relations had sprung up, involving new duties, and man found closely allied to his primal duty to God, a second, rendered sacred, and more binding, from its association with the first-it was his duty to his fellow man.

From that time, there was a sequel to the command, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might;" and it became, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself." But some one 'willing to justify himself," or for other more commendable reasons, asks, "Who is my neighbour?"

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This is a sensible question, though the motive which prompted the lawyer to put it to our Saviour, may not deserve our approbation. It is a proper question, because the terms of preceptive teaching should be distinctly defined, so that they may be properly applied in practice. The answer that Christ gave to the enquiry was as plain as it was beautiful, and we accept it for our guidance, through the following pages.

The generally received meaning of the word "neighbour," is not so comprehensive as that which the story of the good Samaritan involves. We, therefore, add to that general acceptation, that he is our neighbour whom we perceive to be