nothing less than practical atheism, or a " banishing of God from all our thoughts"."]
2. When it operates to the injury of our neigh- bour—
[Our neighbour, in his place, has claims upon us, no less than God himself. Whoever we be, whether of high or low degree, what are we but members of one great family ; yea, and members too of one body"? Now, in a body, no member is to consult its own separate interest at the expense of others, but every one to seek its own happiness in the welfare of the wholeP. But self-love banishes all these considerations, and sets aside every obligation arising from them. Now, we are told, from authority, that whatever a man may possess, or whatever he may either do or suffer in the service of the Lord, " if he have not charity" towards his neighbour, so as to render unto him his dues, " he is no better than sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal^." Whatever he may pretend, " his faith is dead;" his love is hypocritical"^; his " religion is vain^"]
Lamentable are those times, and pitiable that society, where this disposition reigns. Consider, I pray you,
n. The danger attendant on it —
Consider the danger,
\. To those who are under its influence — [There is no evil which will not find a ready access to their minds ; nor is there any situation in which they will not betray their selfish propensities. Whether in civil or social life, they will render themselves hated and despised. Towards the state, they will be always full of murmurs and complaints. And, in their intercourse with their families and neighbours, they will be occasions of pain to all around them. They will be displeased with every person that stands in any respect in competition with them ; and will quarrel with every thing that mihtates in the least degree against their favourite propensity. In all their transactions in business they will be straining to gain some undue advantage, and will make the minutest differ- ences subjects for dispute. See what the Apostle connects with this character : " Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers,
" Ps. X. 4. andxiv. 1. « 1 Cor. xii. 20. p 1 Cor. xii. 25, 26. 1 1 Cor. xiii. 1. r Jam. ii. 15—17. ^ Jam. i. 2G.