1. How pre-eminently God was honoured by it —
[It was so exercised in obedience to an express command of God : so that God's care for the saints was displayed in it. Besides, it bore upon it the very stamp and character of God, who " manifests himself to his saints as he does not unto the world y." Hence it necessarily led the saints to behold God's
t Matt. xxiv. 22. « Heb. i. 14.
X ] John Hi. IG. y John xiv. 21, 22.
hand, and to taste his love, in every mercy they received ; and, consequently, it stirred them up to glorify him, as the true source of all their blessings. This is spoken of by the Apostle as a very distinguished excellence of this love, that " it not only supplies the want of the saints (which is, in comparison, a very trifling consideration), but that it causeth thanksgiving to God ; whilst by the experience of it many are made to glorify God for the grace so exercised, and " for the subjection which persons under its influence manifest to the Gospel of Christ ^"]
2. How greatly the Gospel also was recommended and adorned —
[This love is the fruit of the Gospel, and of the Gospel alone. Not an atom of it is found in the whole world, except as it is produced by the Gospel of Christ. There may be generosity and humanity exercised on natural and carnal prin- ciples : but love to the saints as saints, for Christ's sake, and a special endeavour to relieve Christ himself in them, are feelings to which an unconverted man is an utter stranger. In truth, it is from the Gospel that all the great works of benevolence chiefly flow. Look at Bible-societies, Mission-societies, Bene- volent-societies, and all which have religion for their end, and you will find them all set on foot by persons professing the Gospel of Christ. I say not but that other persons may be brought in to contribute to their support: but I do say, that they almost universally originate with the followers of Christ: and it is a fact, that in one single church where the Gospel is preached in simplicity, more societies of this kind are established and upheld, than in a dozen, I had almost said an hundred, other parishes of equal population, and equal wealth?" In fact, what is the Gospel, but " faith working by love?" When, therefore, its real tendency is thus strongly marked, it cannot but rejoice every soul, that either tastes the sweetness of the Gospel, or desires its advancement in the world.]
3. What extensive benefits accrued to it from the Church —
[Though, as we have said, the benefit of individual saints is a small matter in comparison of the honour that accrues to God ; yet, if viewed in its full extent, it is of no light moment. We have spoken of love as being exercised in a way to refresh the souls of the saints. And let me ask, whether, if at any time we have visited a person in deep affliction, and mingled our tears with his, and laboured with tender and self-denying
^ -2 Cor. ix. 1-2, 13.