tivated the principle of love1. Moreover, the benefits extend to all around him. Who can estimate the good which he does to the souls of others, while he adorns and recommends the Gospel of Christ ? for, he not only makes himself an example to other professors of religion, and provokes them to emula- tion, but he removes the prejudices of the ungodly, and con- strains them to confess the excellence of those principles which in their hearts they abhork. With humble reverence we may say, that the benefit reaches even to Christ himself: for, as " in all the afflictions of his people he is afflicted1," so in all their consolations also he is comforted"1. Further, if further we can go, even God the Father also is made a partaker of the benefit. For that which above all things he regards, is, his own glory : and our alms-deeds are often the occasion of most heartfelt praises and thanksgivings to him. This St. Paul specifies as one of the most blessed effects of liberality; an effect, in comparison of which, the relief of a fellow-creature is almost unworthy of notice11.]
Having pointed out the grounds of this extraordinary
declaration, we proceed to shew, II. The improvement that should be made of it —
St. Paul, in exhorting the Ephesian Elders to " remember this saying of the Lord Jesus," designed to stimulate them to a suitable improvement of it. Now it will be found of use to us,
1. To form our principles — [There is a benevolence which is extremely profitable to the world in a temporal view, while it is altogether unpro- fitable, and even ruinous, to their spiritual interests. When this principle is considered as the whole of religion, when it is made the foundation of a sinner's hope, and substituted in the place of Christ, it is then worthless, and odious, in the sight of God. But when it is cultivated from a regard to Christ, and exercised with a view to his glory, it is " an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice well-pleasing to God0." When viewed with all its attendant exercises of mind, it is the sum and substance of all practical religion p. Without this, all pretences to reli- gion are vain : for if we do not love our brother, whom we have seen, it is impossible that we should love God, whom we have not seen "J. As for wealth, we should consider it as of no value, any further than it enables us to exercise ourselves in offices of love. To amass wealth, or to spend it on ourselves,
1 2 Cor. ix. 6. * Matt. v. 16. • Isai. lxiii. 9.
m Matt. xxv. 40. n 2 Cor. ix. 12. ° Phil. iv. 18.
p Gal. vi. 2. <i 1 John iv. 20. VOL. XIV. M M