thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest" Supposing our motives and principles be such as the Gospel requires, and our alms be really the fruits of faith and love, the Scriptures assure us that they shall be followed with blessings temporal n — spiritual ° — eternal p. Yea, God, speaking after the manner of men, condescends to say, that we make him our debtor; and to promise, that He will repay us the full amount of whatever we give to others for his sakeq. What greater encouragement can we have than such assurances as these ?]
Application —
[The occasion on which we now solicit your alms, is ur- gent ; the objects of distress are many — the season inclement — work scarce — wants numerous — provisions high — and few to administer relief.
Consider then the urgency of the call — the danger of non- compliance— the blessings promised — and especially, the great account. Guard against a grudgiiig spirit: and act towards the poor at this time, as you, in a change of circumstances, would think it right for them to act towards you.]
n Luke vi, 35, last part, and Prov. hi. 9, 10. 0 Isai. lviii. 7, 10, 11.
p Luke xvi. 9. and xiv. 14. and 1 Tim. vi. 19. and Matt. xxv.
34, 35. "For" i Prov. xix.17. and 2 Cor. ix. 6.
Deut. xv. 1 2 — 1 5. If thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty : thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy wine-press: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou toast a bond-man in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God re- deemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to-day.
BENEVOLENCE characterized the whole of the Jewish law ; as well of that law which regulated the state, as of that which was to govern the souls of individuals. Some things indeed were tolerated under that dispensation which do not accord with the more sublime morality of the Gospel. Polygamy