indulgence, and self-ease! Then he adds this humiliating description of the general character of those by whom he was surrounded. "All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's."

But humiliating as it must have
been to the apostle to have uttered
this sentiment, the Christian, also,
has but too often reason to humble
himself before GOD, and is constrained
to utter the same sentiment: "All
seek their own, not the things which
are Jesus Christ's." The truth is,
that the gospel introduced a new
principle in this respect. "A new
commandment give I unto you, that
ye love one another :" and it is on this
new commandment that the precept
in the text is founded-"Whatsoever
ye would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them." To the pre-
cepts of Christianity we owe that
kindly and sympathetic feeling which
the heart of the heathen never con-
ceived, and which his hands never
executed: they are the source of all
those charitable designs for the relief" All things, whatsoever ye would
of human wretchedness which are that men should do to you, do ye
multiplied around us in every corner
even so to them."
of our land-we are indebted to
them for our houses of mercy and
for our provision for the sick and
indigent for all those unnumbered
societies which are now walking
through the haunts of vice, and
misery, and wretchedness, as angels
of peace, scattering blessings wher-
ever they go.

the principle of heathenism, and the of which I have gladly consented
striking contrast between Christian to advocate again this day. I cannot
love and Pagan superstition, than this but feel a particular interest in di-
astonishing fact,—that there is no man recting your attention to a charity,
who cares for the state of his absent the sphere of which is doubtless of
brother. What a condition of hard- local interest to the greater part of
heartedness and want of feeling! those who hear me. Many are now
what an exhibition of self-love, self-in this house of prayer whose daily
occupations incapacitate them from
being themselves the almoners of
their own charities, and it will doubt-
less cheer their hearts to know, that
while they are employed in their
daily task, and performing their so-
cial duties in the discharge of their
appointed functions, there are others,
whose pleasure and whose duty it is,
to go about to the habitations of the
most wretched of the sons of men,
there to seek that-no, I would recal
the word, for unhappily there is no
need of seeking out, such objects are
but too obvious, they are before our
eyes and around us on every side:
to these, those who are employed in
the service of this Society direct their
steps, to carry with them something
of this world's riches, and to impart
at the same time to them (a point to
which I shall advert presently), some-
thing of the unsearchable riches of
Christ, employed through the work-
ing of divine grace, under the in-
fluence of that Christian spirit which
I have set before you as my text-

Of this description is the humane and benevolent institution, the cause

And, first, I infer from these words, The mutual dependance of man on his fellow man. Our Lord seems to imply, as it were, that each will have a duty which may challenge at the hands of his fellow creatures that he should perform it unto him." Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Doubtless experience proves this to be true: there is not a child of man

who has not his own special burden | eatest thou shalt surely die;" and to bear; every man knoweth his own until the Saviour, in all his grace, sorrow. The weight and the pressure and mercy, and love, condescended of evil may not be the same to all per- to reverse that sentence, and to satisfy sons, or to all persons at all times: but God's justice by his own sacrifice still the universal law prevails-"Man once for all, there was no fountain is born to misery as the sparks fly up- opened for man's salvation. But alward." The body has its diseases, the though it was impossible not to allude mind has its trials: it is sometimes to this important truth, it is not that the outward man, sometimes the inner effect of the entrance of sin into the man that suffers; but in one way or world to which I now particularly other, all are liable to suffering; and wish to direct your attention. Out of for the best and wisest reasons, to the abundance of Christ's love, he feel experimentally in your own souls gave the precept in the text, that man that "By one man sin came into the for Christ's sake should aid his sufferworld, and death by sin." It was not ing brother.-"Thou shalt love thy so in the beginning, when God made neighbour as thyself," is like unto the the world. In the early morning of first and great commandment of the the creation the Lord pronounced the law. And is there a being with hardness universal work to be very good: but of heart sufficient to deny this assereven then, the Almighty Architect of tion? The difficulty of paying literal all the fair and glorious structure of obedience to the precept, should make the world, himself informed the being us doubly cautious how we suffer any into which he had breathed the breath relaxity of it so much as to appear in of life of what should happen to him our conduct. "In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely die."

Brethren, it is well in the things of providence and the things of grace, as well as in the things of nature, to trace effects to their causes. The threatening was given in mercy, but the doom of the sinner, if sin was committed, was not to be reversed "In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely die." "Cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life." Now the consequence of this has been, that in this sense the world required the sympathy and the aid of nature. This, indeed, may be considered as a consequent effect. The first and the most important consequence was— -that man required the aid of GOD. The doom of man threw the creature directly upon the mercy of the Creator for salvation. The sentence which was

given out was, "In the day thou

Observe the strength of our Lord's expression" All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."-" All things whatsoever ye would." And doubtless, brethren, it has been wisely ordained for the exercise of this grace which the Lord has commanded-that on the mutual dependence of man on his fellow man, the foundations of social life are laid. This part of the divine economy, so far from needing an apology, is rather a demonstration of the wonderful goodness of GOD; and man, therefore, who is of "few days, and full of trouble," challenges as a right our Christian sympathy. Wheresoever the Gospel has been preached, the value of human life has risen in the scale, to a height unknown and unconceived before. But be it recollected, brethren, love, in its highest and most extended sense, was unheard of until it formed a part of the

revealed system.

Man knew not the

nature of his charitable obligations, until Christ taught him who was his neighbour: neither was man aware of the dignity to which he might attain in his labours of love, until his Saviour condescended to assure him, that his ministrations to the poor, or to the impotent, or to the sick, were counted as ministrations done unto himself "Inasmuch as ye have visited one of the least of these, my sick brethren, ye have visited me."

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are the feet of him that bringeth good
tidings, that publisheth peace; that
bringeth good tidings of good; that
publisheth salvation." As if the powers
of expression were inadequate to con-
vey the feeling that burnt within him,
he repeats again and again, in varied
terms, the same delightful message.
He calls it, in the same verse-" good
tidings;"- peace"-" good tidings
of good," "salvation." And well
indeed might the prophet exhaust the
treasures, if it were possible, even of
an inspired pen, on such a theme as
this. Men and angels are alike un-
able to fathom its depths; thought
cannot conceive it; speech cannot
utter it; and understanding cannot
apprehend it: but, blessed be GOD,
when thought, and speech, and un-
derstanding fail, love can adore. The
thankful heart of the believer, though
it cannot enter into the stupendous
grace of the Saviour, in all its height,
and length, and breadth, and depth,
yet can he adore; though his tongue
cannot tell half of the good tidings,
there is an inward witness to be given,
which proclaims in intelligible, though
unutterable language, that they are
leading to assured and substantial
realities. Though the veil is upon his

I turn, secondly, to the duty which
devolves on each to assist his neigh-
bours, especially in spiritual things.
And I the more willingly introduce
this topic unto your consideration,
because I perceive, with unfeigned
satisfaction, that this point forms a
prominent object of the labours and
duties of this society. It is stated in
the last Report "It has been the
desire and aim of your visitors, while
relieving temporal suffering and want,
to lead the attention of families or in-
dividuals visited, to those things which
concern their everlasting felicity; and
often have they been encouraged, in
beholding a spirit of patience and re-
signation flowing through adversity,
and affliction, and penury." Brethren,
I am persuaded, there are many Chris-understanding, and he has but feeble
tian hearts here present, who will re-
spond with gladness to the truth here
disclosed. It has been the privilege
of these visitors, to carry not only
temporal relief to their perishing bre-
thren around them, but they have
been the blessed channels of commu-
nicating that blessing without which
all others, be they what they may, are
buts as nothing. How this topic is
dwelt upon in Scripture I need scarcely
stop to point out to you. Wherever
the sacred writers introduce the word
"peace," they seem to dwell upon it,
as it were with especial regard. Listen,
for instance, to the words of Isaiah
"How beautiful upon the mountains

views of the joys of salvation which
shall be revealed hereafter; yet he is
content to walk by faith, where he can-
not attain to the sight of them; and
exclaims already with the Queen of
Sheba, in anticipation of his future
prospect-"The half was not told me."

And to whom, then, is the word of
this salvation sent? The visitors of
the homeless, of the poor and sick,
are commissioned to carry to these
abodes-too often the abodes of sin
and vice-to carry the message of
peace. Perhaps there may be some
here who think, that the message of
peace should be carried, exclusively,
to those who have never yet heard

.

And is there, do you ask, a message of peace from GOD, who is the author of peace, to such miserable sinners as these? Can such captives be liberated? Can eyes so blind recover sight? Can hearts so cold and deaf, be raised again to sense and feeling, to hear the accents of peace? Brethren, who is there can answer such questions, but in the word of the prophet himself "Lord God, thou knowest"-thou knowest, whose province it is to speak the word and to give life; to take out the heart of stone, and to substitute a heart of flesh in the place of the old man, the evil affections and the lusts of the flesh. Yea, and blessed be GoD, they know also who have gone on errands of mercy, not merely laden with the good things of this life, but intent on bringing good tidings, and publishing

the name of Jesus-to some heathen
land, to some nations sitting in dark-
ness and in the shadow of death. The
truth is, brethren, that the servants
of Christ must be commissioned to
those around them who know not the
plague of their own hearts, as well as
to them who are afar off. He must
preach peace to his brethren near
home, who know not peace, as ear-
nestly, as intently, and as faithfully,
as he would do it amongst the be-
nighted heathen, who have never
heard of the name of Jesus, or bowed
at the sound of his holy title. Will
the visitors of the poor, or indeed of
any class of society, find none who will
need peace among those who have
from their cradles, and from their
youth up, been nourished in all the
privileges of religious ordinances?
Will he find none who will need peace,
even in families professedly Chris-salvation-they have witnessed the
tian? Will he find none who will need
peace, even among those who have
assembled here, in the Lord's house,
whose hands have been lifted up in
seeming prayer, whose faces have
bowed in the posture of adoration,
whose lips have been eloquent in the
language of supplication and praise?
Will he find no valley of dry bones
about him, like that seen by the pro-
phet in vision, on which the Sun of
Righteousness has not risen, and whi-
ther no breath of the Spirit has yet gone
forth, to quicken into life that which
is lying dead in trespasses and sins?
To questions such as these the Scrip-
tures give an explicit answer: all are
concluded under the same necessity
of reconciliation; it is not here a
sinner, and there a sinner-a mote,
as it were, in a sun-beam-a depar-
ture from the common course of things,
and the general nature of man: no,
the Bible involves all in the confes-
sion, that, "There are none righteous,
no not one."-" All have sinned, and
come short of the glory of GoD."

truth of GOD's declaration. They have
gone in the very strength of GOD,
not to wield their own arm of flesh,
but the sword of the Spirit: in the
very depths of ignorance, in which
❘ they are called to hold up the torch of
truth, they have witnessed the spe-
cial fitness of the salvation that is in
Jesus to the case of man. However
low the condition, to which he is
subject, it is not so low but that he
may be raised from it by the grace of
Christ; however desperate the disease
under which he labours, there is a
balm in Gilead which is suitable for
him even when the whole head is
sick, and the whole heart faint. Is a
man ignorant? A single verse in the
Bible will make him wise unto salva-
tion-" Being justified by faith, we
have peace with GOD, through our
Lord Jesus Christ." Are his iniquities
more in number than the hairs of his
head, a burden which he cannot shake
off-yet a burden too heavy for him
to bear? Remember those gracious
words-" Come unto me all ye that

4

are heavy laden, and I will give you put it to your consciences, whether rest." this has been the measure of your liberality? Have your hearts been enlarged according to the Christian measure? Have you responded to your Lord's command as dear children-obedient children-glad to hear their Father's their Lord's voice-earthat what-nestly engaged in fulfilling the injunction? You know who are the objects of this charity-the sickliest and the most necessitous amongst those of whom possibly your own neighbourhood may furnish many examples. Remember, that if you differ from them in the measure of your temporal comforts, it is God who maketh you to differ. Leave a thank-offering to GOD, on GOD's altar.

I cannot see before me so many of my poor brethren, without thinking that those words were spoken with special reference to them in particu- | lar, whose lot is in this world full of privation and misery, in order that it might lead them to feel ever their lot here, there is one that careth for them, even GOD; and that they may come to him, and derive from him rest to their souls, and that peace which passeth not away, and which man, as he cannot give, so he cannot take away from them. O, that they would think of these things, that they might see the merciful provision which GOD in Christ has made for their souls that proof of his love for them, that token of his inexhaustible long-suffering towards them, which shews that he desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his ways and live.

The last year, in particular, has been a year of many sorrows to those who have been visited by that pestilence which walketh in darkness; and a year, doubtless, of many mercies to those who are here before me and yet those evils, from which, in mercy, GOD has exempted you, have doubtless fallen with increased power upon those who are the objects of this charity. Gladden, then, their hearts out of your superfluity: or rather (for I would not appeal to the superfluity, lest it should be thought too low and too worldly a consideration, as in truth it would be)—rather remembering the poor widow, contribute something to your poor brother by acts of selfdenial: that is the true way of obeying Christ's precept. Join alms-giving to your prayers. Surely there is a cause. I am informed, that up to the

I must hasten, in conclusion, to say one word to you, more particularly with reference to that charity, which is this day brought under your notice. Remember who it is, that gives the precept in the text. We may often have room to doubt respecting the justness of our conclusions; and we may mistake our duty, we may mistake some command; but here there can be no error, there can be no misconception. The language of the text is explicit; and the words are the words of Christ himself—“ All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Observe how large, how comprehen- present time, the expenses of the insive is this duty-“ All things what-stitution, for reasons which must be soever ye would that men should do obvious to you all, have been greater unto you." As if he was not satisfied during the last year than usual. Four with putting it in the strongest way hundred and fifty-three cases have the words can press the duty upon been relieved—not during the year, the people, he adds, again, in the last but during the past month only: and clause of the verse-"Even so do since November last one thousand and unto them." Now, brethren, let me ninety-two families have been visited,