perfection of every virtue, the uniting band or centre of the whole circle of Christian graces. As all GOD'S moral perfections and acts may be summed up in love, so all the affections and exercises, which we owe to our fellow men, are included in charity. This compre hends, or effectually produces a proper esteem of their persons and stations, a virtuous and friendly complacen cy in their characters, whenever they appear to be holy, or morally excellent, a cordial gratitude for their fa vours, and above all, a benevolent, active zeal for their welfare. Love unites our hearts to the interest of its object, and engages us to desire, to pursue, and to rejoice in it as our own. Love is eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. It springs forward to relieve the children of want and distress; to compose and tranquilize the sons of contention; to enlighten, comfort, or estab. lish the ignorant, the wavering, or the faint-hearted in religion; and, in a word, to diffuse happiness all around, as far as its ability can reach, through the family, through the vicinity, through the country, yea, through the whole brotherhood of man. If we would see this excellent virtue in its full dress, let us contemplate the noble picture of it drawn by the hand of inspiration in the 13th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians. “ Charity," or love to our neighbour, "suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

To throw still further light on this interesting subject let us attend,

Thirdly, To the standard or measure of the affection required. We are commanded to love our neighbour

as ourselves. But what is the import of this remarkable phrase? We answer, it seems capable of a threefold construction. It may intend an equality of degree. This is the sense of some learned expositors. But suppose we possess an equal affection to our neighbour as to ourselves, it will not follow, that we must or can pay the same degree of practical attention to his welfare, as to our own; for besides the one common affection to him and ourselves, we all possess a variety of private appetites and passions; and to provide for and gratify these, must necessarily occupy a peculiar and large portion of our time and pursuits. Besides, we have a far more immediate, and constant, and lively view of our own interests as well, as far more frequent and advantageous opportunities to promote them, than we can have in reference to the interest of others; and we are evidently entrusted by our Creator with the care of ourselves in a special sense, with the care of our own welfare as well, as of our moral behaviour. Admitting therefore the possible existence and obligation of an equal inward benevolence to my neighbour as to myself, yet I neither can nor ought to carry this principle fully into practice. Indeed the principle itself seems contrary to evident fact; for all mankind, the most virtuous and enlarged as well, as the most contracted and vicious, have a natural, inseparable principle of self-love, which inspires a peculiar feeling for their own safety and happiness, as an important personal good; and to cherish and act upon this principle, within certain limits, is both proper and useful; and far from being condemned is plainly warranted by this very command, which presupposes the existence and lawfulness of this private affection, and makes it the rule of social. For in the next place, the phrase before us may import a similar kind of affection with that, which we bear to

ourselves. As every man loves himself with a sincere and fervent, a vigorous and constant affection; an affection, which usually excites the most provident and industrious care to avoid misery and secure happiness, which sweetens all his labours for that end, and which produces either great joy or grief in the attainment or disappointment of his favourite object; so we ought to feel and express the same kind of regard to our neighbour, and thus to make his interest, his joys and sor

rows our own.

Finally, here, the expression, as thyself, imports that our affection and attention to the good of others should bear a reasonable proportion to our love and care of ourselves; that after making particular and competent provision for our own welfare, our affectionate contriv ance and endeavour, our talents and property must be consecrated to the good of mankind. In short, our text obliges us to feel and act towards our neighbours, on all occasions, just as we should reasonably desire, that they should feel and conduct towards us, agreeably to that most impartial and excellent rule, "Whatever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so unto them."

Do any inquire the reasons of this strict and extensive injunction; or why so high a pitch of benevolence is required of us? The answer to this completes the plan of our discourse. And first, we are obliged to it, because it is fit and beautiful in itself. If my neighbour is equally worthy of esteem with myself; if he has equal capacity, need, and desire of happiness; and if his welfare be as valuable, as good in itself, and as precious to him, as mine is to me; then it is in its own nature right, that I should regard his person and interest as my own. Besides, all men are brethren, having the same common parent and origin, nature and condition,

necessities and prospects, the same mutual dependence and social affections; it is therefore congruous and beautiful for them to feel and act towards one another upon the plan of brotherly love, reciprocal kindness, and generosity. We may add, the example of God and his Son enforces this obligation upon us. The whole name or character of God is comprised in love; in wise, pure, comprehensive, almighty benevo lence. This is the grand spring of all the divine operations in creation, providence and redemption. Now imitation of God is the first duty and highest excellence of man. A grateful sense of the rich, disinterested goodness of God and the Saviour to our rebellious world peculiarly becomes those, who are so infinitely indebted to this goodness; and where this gratitude prevails, it will engage us to love and do good to one another, as God has loved us all, and hereby to further the designs and spread the triumphs of divine benevo lence as well, as to approve ourselves his gentle children and favourites. And since God has likewise enjoined this benevolent affection upon us by his own infi, nite authority, we cannot withhold it without trampling under foot the rights both of God and of man, and proving ourselves to be as destitute of piety, as we are of social virtue. Let me add, this love to one another is the foundation and soul both of public and individual happiness. By devoting each member of the community to the interest of all the rest, it secures and advances the common good to the highest degree. This forms the faithful ruler, the obedient subject, the patriotic citizen, the obliging neighbour, the united, vigo. rous, and happy society! This not only gives to the several members of society the sublime pleasure, which arises from conscious goodness, from the reciprocal endearments and offices of love, but it puts each individ

ual in possession of the whole mass of good, enjoyed by all his fellow members, yea, in some sense, of all the good, which he sees diffused through the universe, since his benevolence enables him to rejoice in it as his own. Every argument therefore of intrinsic fitness, equity, and beauty, of divine authority and human interest and happiness, concurs to recommend the duty before us.

In reflecting on the preceding subject, we are led to see in what sense Christian benevolence may be called disinterested. It is not so in such a sense, as excludes a regular and even peculiar love and care of ourselves, nor in such a sense, as would imply, that love to others is not as really our affection, or conducive to our own gratification and interest, as even self-love can possibly be; for there is no temper or course of action, which produces such immediate, such rich and lasting enjoyment to the subject, as the habitual feeling, the conscious and successful exertion of Christian benevolence. The only sense therefore in which it can be called disinterested is, that it is not the offspring of mere natural self-love, but is derived from a source, which regards an object, and pursues an end distinct from those of bare private affection, and is ever ready to sacrifice a lesser selfish interest to the superior good of its object. Yea, to offer up our whole personal happiness in time to the civil and religious interests of mankind.

Further, we learn that piety and social virtue must be united in order to complete a good character; that neither of them can be stable, genuine, or consistent without the other. We also learn what is the most prominent feature, or the leading spirit and excellency of the Christian system, namely, love to God and man. With