with the most munificent liberality; if it do not rest on the love of God, is not the temper here set forth-is not the grace which has the principle of immortality in its nature, and which will live and flourish in eternity, when faith and hope shall cease. Human excellence, however distinguished, whatever good it may diffuse upon others, or whatever glory it may draw around itself, if it be not sanctified and supported by this holy principle, is corruptible and mortal, and cannot dwell in the presence of God, nor exist amidst the glories of eternity; but is only the flower of the grass which shall wither away in the rebuke of the Almighty. For want of this vital and essential principle of all true religion, how much of amiable compassion, and of tender attention to the woes of humanity-how much of kindly feeling and active benevolence,-is daily expended, which, while it yields its amiable though unrenewed professor much honor and delight, has not the weight of a feather in the scales of his eternal destiny. 5. This disposition is cherished in our heart by a sense of God's love in Christ Jesus to us.

There is this peculiarity in the morality of the New Testament ;-it is not only enforced by the consideration of Divine power, but by a distinct and repeated reference to Divine goodness. Not that any motive is absolutely necessary to make a command binding upon our conscience, beyond God's right to issue it; the obligation to duty is complete, in the absence of every other consideration than the rightful authority of the command: but as man is a creature capable of being moved by appeals to his gratitude, as well as by motives addressed to his fear, it is both wise and condescending, on the part of Jehovah, thus to deal with him, and to "make him willing in the day of his power." He thus not only drives us by the force of his terrors, but draws us by the cords of his love.

The great evangelical inducement to mutual affection between man and man, is God's love in Christ Jesus to us. God has commended and manifested his love to us in a manner that will fill immensity and eter

nity with astonishment: He has "so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever be lieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This stupendous exhibition of divine mercy is presented by the sacred writers, not only as a source of strong consolation, but also as a powerful motive to action; we are not only to contemplate it for the purpose of joy, but also of imitation. Mark the beautiful reasoning of the apostle John-"Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." Similar to this is also the inference of Paul-" And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers (imitators) of God, as dear children, and walk in love as Christ who hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savour." How forcible, yet how tender is such language! there is a charm in such a motive, which no terms can describe. The love of God, then, in its existence and arrangements from eternity; in its manifestation in time by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; in its topless height, its fathomless depth, its measureless length and breadth; -is the grand inducement to universal affection: and is it not enough to soften a heart of stone-to melt a heart of ice? The love spoken of in the chapter under consideration, is that impulse towards our fellow-men which is given us by the cross of Christ: it is not mere natural kindness, but it is love for Christ's sake; it is not the mere operations of a generous temper, but it is the feeling which moved in the Apostle's breast, when he exclaimed, "The love of Christ constraineth us;" it is not natural religion, but Christianity; it is, so to speak, a plant which grows on Calvary, and entwines itself for support around the cross. It is a disposition which argues in this way: "Has God indeed thus loved me, so as to give his Son for my salvation? and is he kind to me daily for the sake of Christ? Has he for

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given all my numberless and aggravated transgressions? Does he still, with infinite patience, bear with all my infirmities and provocations? Then what is there, in the way of most generous affection, I ought not to be willing to do, or to bear, or to sacrifice, for others? Do they offend me, let me bear with them, and forgive them; for how has God forborne with me, and blotted out my sins? Do they want, let me be forward to supply their necessities; for how has God supplied mine!" Here, then, is love-that deep sense of God's love to us, which shows us the necessity, the reasonableness, the duty, of being kind to others; the feeling of a heart, which, labouring under the weight of its obligations to God, and finding itself too poor to extend its goodness to him, looks round, and gives utterance to its exuberant gratitude in acts of kindness to man.

6. It is that goodwill to man which, while its proximate object is the welfare of our fellowcreatures, is ultimately directed to the glory of God.

It is the sublime characteristic of every truly Christian virtue, that whatever inferior ends it may seek, and through whatever intervening medium it may pass, it is directed ultimately to the praise of Jehovah: it may put forth its excellencies before the admiring eyes of mortals, and exert its energies for their happiness; but neither to attract their applause, nor to build up their interests, must be its highest aim. The rule of our conduct, as to its chief end, is thus explicitly and comprehensively laid down: "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." This is not mere advice, but a command-and it is a command extending to all our conduct. To glorify God is to act so as that his authority shall be recognized and upheld by us in the world; it is to be seen submitting to his will, and behaving so as that his word and ways shall be better thought of by mankind. Our actions must appear to have a reference to God; and without this, they cannot partake of the character of religion, however excellent and beneficial they may

seem.

But perhaps this disposition of mind will be best illustrated by exhibiting an example of it; and where shall we find one suited to our purpose? Every mind will perhaps immediately revert to HIM who was love incarnate; and we might indeed point to every action of his benevolent career as a display of the purest philanthropy but as his example will hereafter be considered, we shall now select one from men of like passions with ourselves; but we must go for it to "the chamber where the good man meets his fate," rather than to the resorts of the healthy and the active; for it seems as if the brightest beauties of this love were reserved, like those of the setting sun, for the eve of its departure to another hemisphere. How often have we beheld the dying Christian, who, during long and mortal sickness, has exhibited, as he stood on the verge of heaven, something of the spirit of a glorified immortal. The natural infirmities of temper, which attended him through life, and which sometimes dimmed the lustre of his piety, disquieted his own peace, and lessened the pleasure of his friends, had all departed, or had sunk into the shade of those holy graces which then stood out in bold and commanding relief upon his soul. The beams of heaven now falling upon his spirit were reflected, not only in the faith that is the confidence of things not seen-not only in the hope which entereth within the veil,-but in the love which is the greatest in the trinity of Christian virtues. How lowly in heart did he seem-how entirely clothed with humility! Instead of being puffed up with anything of his own, or uttering a single boasting expression, it was like a wound in his heart to hear any one remind him either of his good deeds or dispositions; and he appeared in his own eyes less than ever, while, like his emblem, the setting sun, he expanded every moment into greater magnitude in the view of every spectator. Instead of envying the possessions or the excellencies of other men, it was a cordial to his departing spirit that he was leaving them thus distinguished: how kind was he to his friends!-and as for his enemies, he had

none; enmity had died in his heart, he forgave all that was manifestly evil, and kindly interpreted all that was only equivocally so. Nothing lived in his recollection, as to the conduct of others, but their acts of kindness. When intelligence reached his ear of the misconduct of those who had been his adversaries, he grieved in spirit, even as he rejoiced when told of their coming back to public esteem by deeds of excellence. His very opinions seemed under the influence of his love; and, as he wished well, he believed well, or hoped well, of many of whom he had formerly thought evil. His meekness and patience were touching, his kindness indescribable; the trouble he gave, and the favours he received, drew tears from his own eyes, and were acknowledged in expressions that drew tears from all around. There was an ineffable tenderness in his looks, and his words were the very accents of benignity. He lay a pattern of all the passive virtues; and having thus thrown off much that was of the earth, earthly, and put on charity as a garment, and dressed himself for heaven, in his ante-chamber, his sick room, he departed to be with Christ, and to be forever perfect in Love.

There was a man in whom this was realized, and some extracts from his invaluable Memoir, will prove it; I mean Mr. SCOTT, the author of the Commentary.

"His mind," says his biographer "dwelt much upon love God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Faith worketh by love. He seemed full of tenderness and affection to all around him. One evidence,' he said, 'I have of meetness for heaven: I feel much love to all mankind-to every man upon earth--to those who have most opposed and slandered me.' To his servant he said, 'I thank you for all your kindness to me. If at any time I have been hasty and short, forgive me, and pray to God to forgive me; but lay the blame upon me, not upon religion.'"

"His tender affection for us all is astonishing in such a state of extreme suffering, and cuts us to the heart.