Matt. XXV. S5 — 40. I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I toas a stranger, and ye took me in : naked, and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, ivhen saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee ? or thirsty, and gave thee drink ? When saiv ive thee a stranger, and took thee iii ? or naked, and clothed thee ? or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ? And the King shall answer and say unto them. Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
THE solemnities of the Day of Judgment can never be too attentively considered : and we have reason to be thankful that they are here so plainly set before
us. The coming of the Judge, the summoning of the universe before his tribunal, the separation of the righteous and the wicked, and the sentence that shall be passed on all the human race, are exhibited, as it were, in this passage before our eyes. But there is one thing here specified, which is more peculiarly interesting to us, inasmuch as it either divests that day of all its horrors, or must cause us to look for- ward to it with inexpressible dread ; I mean, tlie ground upon zvJiich the decision will be formed, and the doom of every individual be fixed. That the whole of our principles and conduct will be taken into con- sideration, there can be no doubt ; but there is one point which will be inquired into, and will be regarded as a certain evidence of all the rest, namely, our activity in doing good to our fellow-creatures for Christ's sake : and, according as we shall be found to have abounded, or been defective, in that, will our definitive sentence be passed. This is asserted by the Judge himself : and 'the terms in which he has expressed it lead me to shew, I. The proper exercises of Christian benevolence —
Love is the distinguishing feature of a true
Christian —
[" God is love ;" and every one that is born of God, is '' created anew after his image." The natural selfishness of the human heart is subdued and mortified by the grace of God; and " the new creature " desires to " live no more unto him- self, but unto that Saviour who died for him." " What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits ?" is his daily inquiry. To requite the Saviour he finds impossible: and therefore he looks out for others to be the representatives of his Lord, that through them he may manifest his sense of the mercies vouchsafed unto him. He is not contented with cultivating devout aflfections in his heart, but endeavours to render them substantially operative towards man. In a word, he exercises faith; but it is a "faith that worketh by love."]
The poor and afflicted are the more peculiar
objects of that love —
[Doubtless love, in its most extended sense, comprehends much more than mere benevolence to the poor : but it is shewn in this particularly; and, wherever it exists, will manifest itself
lf399.J IMPORTANCE OF CHARITABLE EXERTIONS. 51,'
in this in a more abundant measure. We have a bright example of this in the person of Job^ So highly did he esteem these duties, that, if he had been remiss in them, he would have accounted himself deserving of the heaviest judgments^. The conduct of the first Christians is not precisely of the kind we are considering ; nor is it of necessity to be imitated by us : but it proves to what an extent the principle of love will carry us, if occasion require it at our hands*'. But the example of the Macedonian Churches comes home fully to the point; and shews us, that not even the deepest poverty, or the severest affliction, will preclude the exercise of self-denying kindness, when love has a just ascendant over our hearts'^. We lay the more stress on this, because it was proposed for the imitation of the whole Corinthian Church ; and because the formation of such a prin- ciple, and the production of such a conduct, is the main scope and intent of the Gospel. The particulars specified in our