haps both together fitting in filent dejection, or agitated with all the violence of grief. At one time we hear the plaintive voice of the friendless folitary mourner-at another, the united cries of a numerous starving family. Turn to the one hand, and feeble tottering old age requests fupport-turn to the other hand, and the deferted infant, or neglected youth, requires a kind interpofition. Thefe, and many fimilar cafes of urgent neceffity, claim the attention and care of the compaffionate and generous. On fuch occafions, how does the man of liberal charity feel and act? Is theatrical reprefentation neceffary to' roufe his fenfibilities? Muft he learn from the fictitious tale of mifery to compaffionate real diftrefs? Muft his heart be taught by the tongue of the pathetic orator to move with fentiments of generous fympathy? No! well-attefted facts are fufficient to call them forth to the most seafonable and effectual exertions; or he repairs to the houfe of the mourners, and seeing, with his own eyes, and hearing, with his own ears, he mingles his tears with theirs-his heart overflows with the tendereft emotions, and his hand readily adminifters according to his abilities. Amidit fuch various fcenes of forrow, that which

overwhelms him most is, that he cannot extend his help to all. This, however, checks not the ardour of his charity, but prompts his wifdom and prudence to contrive how he may most usefully divide his labours of love. He cannot think of devoting them entirely to one, or a very few, becaufe thus they might receive too much, and others too little. But while he cannot be confined within a very finall circle, both prudence and charity forbid his taking too wide a range, left he fhould defeat his own benevolent purposes; by extending thus too far, his means would prove unequal to the end. Much may be given away, and yet lofe its effect, by being divided into fo many small parts that almoft none receive material benefit. He therefore confiders who are the most needy, the most worthy, and what are their different resources, and he adapts his charity to their state and character. He clothes the naked, or feeds the hungry, or comforts the difconfolate, or educates the friendless youth, or adminifters counsel to the ignorant, the perplexed, and the unexperienced. Full of defire to anfwer all demands, when his own funds are infufficient, he thinks it not mean nor troublefome to afk affiftance, and plead the

cause of the deftitute. He does not stop to inquire, who is my neighbour? By the ties of humanity he feels his heart knit to the whole human race. While he looks up with devotion and gratitude to their common parent, he looks around him with kind and tender attachment, and fays, "Are we not all his offspring ?"Thefe amiable and humane difpofitions rife to a ftill more exalted benevolence, under the experienced influence of the divine Saviour's grace and benignity. In one affectionate embrace the Chriftian clafps the whole world. Even to enemies and strangers he wishes to ftretch his relieving beneficent hand. Though no returns in kind should be made, nay, though acts of generofity or friendship fhould meet with infenfibility and ingratitude, the ardour of his liberal charity cannot be damped, or diverted from the honourable purfuits of goodness and mercy.

Lastly, THAT may well be called liberal charity, which is defigned to promote the greateft poffible good. If it be charity to grant a temporary relief to individuals, a permanent provifion made or fupported upon principles of public utility, and put under proper manage

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ment, must be the expreffion of a richer liberality. If the occafional aids of fympathy affording a seasonable service to men racked with pain, or pining under infirmity and want, be charity, how is the charity increafed, when the means of preferving and promoting health are plentifully furnished? If, befides comforting and helping afflicted old age, we also take the helpless young under our care, and form them to habits of fobriety and industry; if we do every thing in our power to render them virtuous, happy, and valuable members of fociety, -ftill more if we extend our concern for their welfare to their fpiritual and eternal interests, fuch benevolent defigns and pursuits must be prompted and animated by the liberal mind that devifeth liberal things. Every inftance of effectual relief to the afflicted, the needy, or the oppreffed, is in itself an act of generosity; but the greater the evil and danger from which we are delivered, and the greater the fafety and good to which we are raised, the more highly we admire the means of our distinguished escape and advantage. When we confider fin in its own nature, and certain eternal confequences, the greateft poffible evil is then before our eyes. But for

it, no other evil could have exifted: By it the name of God hath been dishonoured, human nature degraded, the world subjected to every calamity, and all mankind to eternal punishment. Here is the dreadful fource of all human woe, and this moral evil is univerfal. "All have "finned, and come short of the glory of God;" and we know that "the wages of fin is death," eternal death. "What then fhall we do to be "faved," and to fave our brethren? Does the heart heave, and the tear drop, in the presence of the afflicted and the dying? What rivers of tears should run down our eyes, when we fee the wicked forget God, forfake his laws, and destroy themselves? To convert a finner, is to fave a foul from death. "What fhall it profit a

man, if he fhall gain the whole world, and lose "his own foul? Or what can a man give in ex"change for the foul ?" Is there then no charity in the world to exert itself in this most important fphere? Or is the redemption of the foul fo precious, that it must ceafe for ever, because no man, however opulent and well difpofed, can offer a fufficient ransom for himself, or for his brother? How must we extol the charity which brings relief in a crifis fo awful and important?