Father's mandate? did he fly on the wings of love to execute his divine commission ? did he administer consolation to Jesus with unutterable tenderness; and return with ardent gratitude to express his sense of the high honour conferred upon him ? In him then we behold the true image of a saint, performing towards the afflicted the kind offices of love.]
2. It more assimilates us to the Deity —
[We do not at first sight behold any likeness to the Deity in him who receives an alms : yet, methinks, we may, without dishonouring our God, trace some resemblance: for Jehovah himself is receiving daily from his creatures a tribute of prayer and praise, which comes up before him as incense, and is the offering by which he considers himself as glorified. Moreover, our blessed Lord identifies himself with his distressed followers, and acknowledges himself as fed and clothed, when food and raiment are administered to themd: yea, in the days of his flesh, he condescended to subsist through the benevolence of others e. But in the donor there is a very striking likeness to the Deity, who is daily " opening his hand, and filling all things living with plenteousness." More particularly, if the donor be overlooking the trifling distinctions of neighbourhood or of party, and be extending his alms to all, whether friends or enemies, he approves himself in the highest degree conform- able to the image of his God, who is " the comforter of all them that are cast downf," and who makes " his sun to rise upon the evil and upon the good, and sends his rain upon the just, and upon the unjust g."]
3. It is a source of more extensive benefits —
[He who receives an alms, benefits himself and those who depend upon him. The world around him too derive some good from his example, in that he teaches them a quiet sub- mission to the will of God in circumstances of affliction and necessity. But the good which is done by the donor is almost incalculable. In the first place, he relieves the wants of others, who but for his timely aid, perhaps, must have languished, or even perished, for want. But the joys of penury relieved, form but a small portion of the benefits which a benevolent Christian imparts. He exceedingly improves his own soul, confirming in himself the most benevolent affections, and establishing habits which greatly conduce to his own happiness. Nor are the advantages which accrue to himself confined to this world: for even in heaven will he have a recompenceh, and that too proportioned to the zeal with which he had cul-
A Matt. xxv. 35, 30. * Luke viii. 3. f 2 Cor. vii. 6.
* Matt. v. 44, 45, 4S. '' Luke xiv. 14. and xvi. 9.