without it, our external sacrifices will be no better than " the cutting off a clog's neck, or the offering of swine's bloocK"]
2. He extends to us the same encouragements —
[There is in the minds of many religious people a very undue jealousy on the subject of charity, as entailing on those who abound in it a rich reward. But the Scriptures are full of declarations to this effect ; and God even declares that he would esteem himself " unrighteous d," if he omitted to recom- pense to us the benefits which for his sake we confer on others. True, our works of charity shall not go before us, to obtain the favour of God for the remission of our sins. Nothing but the blood of Christ can avail for that; nor can any thing but his perfect righteousness imputed to us, form a justifying right- eousness for us, even though we gave all our goods to feed the poor, or our bodies to be burned. But our deeds of charity, if springing from faith in Christ, and love to his name, " will folloiv use," as evidences of the divine principle within us, and as memorials of our desire to serve and honour God in his appointed way.
But we need go no further than to the passage before us, to see what testimonies of his approbation God will vouchsafe to all who live in the exercise of love. Our acts may have been so private, that " our right hand has not known what our left hand has done : " but God himself will bear witness to us, and bring forth our works, not only as objects of his approbation, but as grounds on which he will proceed in apportioning the glory that shall be awarded to us1. At this present time also he will bestow such blessings as can scarcely be conceived. Take the different expressions in my text : analyse them : apply them to the soul in all their extent and amplitude : view them as suited to all the necessities that can possibly arise : and see God himself as pledged to carry them all into effect : and then regard them all but as a prelude to the glory that shall be accorded to us at the instant of our departure hence : in a word, only enter fully into the promises here made to God's ancient people, and you will need nothing more to evince the excellence of love, and the blessedness of those who lay themselves out for God in the discharge of its high duties.]
See now,
1. How to turn to a good account the services of this dayg —
c Isai. i. 10 — 17. and lxvi. 3. d Heb. vi. 10.
e Rev. xiv. 13. f Matt. xxv. 34 — 36.
s By a slight alteration of these words the subject maybe adapted to a fast approaching, or present, or past.