stowed the charity. But, in heaven's eye, | days, the diversities of wealth and station the poor man who waived it away from himself to another is the more illustrious philanthropist of the two. The one gave it out of his affluence. The other gave it out of the sweat of his brow. He rose up early, and sat up late, that he might have it to bestow on a poorer than himself; and without once stretching forth a giver's hand to the necessities of his brethren, still is it possible, that by him, and such as him, may the main burden of this world's benevolence be borne.

will at length be equalized. On looking forward to the time when kings shall be the nursing fathers, and queens the nursing mothers of our church, we think that we can behold the perspective of as varied a distribution of place and property as before. In the pilgrimage of life, there will still be the moving procession of the few charioted in splendour on the highway, and the many pacing by their side along the line of the same journey. There will, perhaps, be a somewhat more elevated footpath for the

It need scarcely be remarked, that, with-crowd-there will be an air of greater comout supposing the offer of any sum made to a poor man who is generous in his desires, he, by simply keeping himself back from the distributions of charity, fulfils all the high functions which we have now ascribed to him. He leaves the charitable fund untouched for all that distress which is more clamorous than his own; and we, therefore, look, not to the original givers of the money, but to those who line, as it were, the margin of pauperism, and yet firmly refuse to enter it we look upon them as the preeminent benefactors of society, who narrow, as it were, by a wall of defence, the ground of human dependence, and are, in fact, the guides and the guardians of all that opulence can bestow.

fort and sufficiency amongst them; and the respectability of evident worth and goodness will sit upon the countenance of this general population. But, bating these, we look for no great change in the external aspect of society. It will only be a moral and a spiritual change. Kings will retain their sceptres, and nobles their coronets; but, as they float in magnificence along, will they look with benignant feeling on the humble wayfarers; and the honest salutations of regard and reverence will arise to them back again; and, should any weary passenger be ready to sink unfriended on his career, will he, at one time, be borne onwards by his fellows on the pathway, and, at another, will a shower of beneficence be made to descend from the crested equipage that overtakes him. It is Utopianism to think, that in the ages of our world which are yet to come, the outward distinctions of life will not all be upholden. But it is not Utopianism, it is Prophecy to aver, that the breath of a new spirit will go abroad over the great family of mankind-so, that while, to the end of time, there shall be the high and the low in every passing generation, will the charity of kindred feelings, and of a common understanding, create a fellowship between them on their way, till they reach that heaven where human love shall be perfected, and all human greatness is unknown.

Thus it is, that when Christianity becomes universal, the doings of the one party, and the desires of the other, will meet and overpass. The poor will wish for no more than the rich will be delighted to bestow; and the rule of our text, which every real Christian at present finds so practicable, will, when carried over the face of society, bind all the members of it into one consenting brotherhood. The duty of doing good to others will then coalesce with that counterpart duty which regulates our desires of good from them; and the work of benevolence will, at length, be prosecuted without that alloy of rapacity on the one hand, and distrust on the other, which serves so much In various places in the New Testament, to fester and disturb the whole of this minis-do we see the checks of spirit and delicacy tration. To complete this adjustment, it is in every way as necessary to lay all the incumbent moralities on those who ask, as on those who confer; and never till the whole text, which comprehends the wishes of man as well as his actions, wield its entire authority over the species, will the disgusts and the prejudices, which form such a barrier between the ranks of human life, be effectually done away. It is not by the abolition of rank, but by assigning to each rank its duties, that peace, and friendship, and order, will at length be firmly established in our world. It is by the force of principle, and not by the force of some great political overthrow, that a consummation so delightful is to be attained. We have no conception whatever, that, even in millennial

laid upon all extravagant desires. Our text, while it enjoins the performance of good to others, up to the full measure of your desires of good from them, equally enjoins the keeping down of these desires to the mea sure of your performances. If Christian dispensers had only to do with Christian recipients, the whole work of benevolence would be with ease and harmony carried on. All that was unavoidable-all that came from the hand of Providence-all that was laid upon our suffering brethren by the unlooked-for visitations of accident or disease-all that pain and misfortune, which necessarily attaches to the constitution of the species-all this the text most amply provides for; and all this a Christian society would be delighted to stretch forth

their means for the purpose of alleviating | not of his poverty all the time that he lived or doing away.

upon earth. We speak not of those years We should not have dwelt so long upon when, a houseless wanderer in an unthankthis lesson, were it not for the essential ful world, he had not where to lay his head. Christian principle that is involved in it. We speak not of the meek and uncomplainThe morality of the gospel is not more ing sufferance with which he met the many strenuous on the side of the duty of giving ills that oppressed the tenor of his mortal of this world's goods when it is needed, than existence. But we speak of that awful it is against the desire of receiving when it burden which crushed and overwhelmed is not needed. It is more blessed to give its termination. We speak of that season than to receive, and therefore less blessed to of the hour and the power of darkness, when receive than to give. For the enforcement it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and to of this principle among the poorer brethren, make his soul an offering for sin. To estidid Paul give up a vast portion of his apos-mate aright the endurance of him who tolical time and labour; and that he might himself bore our infirmities, would we ask be an ensample to the flock of working with of any individual to recollect some deep his own hands, rather than be burdensome, and awful period of abandonment in his did he set himself down to the occupation own history-when that countenance which of a tent-maker. That lesson is surely wor- at one time beamed and brightened upon thy of engrossing one sermon of an unin-him from above, was mantled in thickest spired teacher, for the sake of which an darkness-when the iron of remorse enterinspired Apostle of the Gentiles engrossed ed into his soul-and, laid on a bed of toras much time as would have admitted the ture, he was made to behold the evil of sin, preparation and the delivery of many ser- and to taste of its bitterness. Let him look mons. But there is no more striking indi- back, if he can, on this conflict of many cation of the whole spirit and character of agitations, and then figure the whole of this the gospel in this matter, than the example mental wretchedness to be borne off by of him who is the author of it—and of whom the ministers of vengeance into hell, and we read these affecting words, that he came stretched out unto eternity. And if, on the into the world not to be ministered unto, great day of expiation, a full atonement was but to minister. It is a righteous thing rendered, and all that should have fallen in him who has of this world's goods, to upon us was placed upon the head of the minister to the necessities of others; but sacrifice-let him hence compute the weight it is a still higher attainment of righteous-and the awfulness of those sorrows which ness in him who has nothing but the daily were carried by him on whom the chastiseearnings of his daily work to depend upon, ment of our peace was laid, and who poured so to manage and to strive that he shall not out his soul unto the death for us. If ever need to be ministered unto. Christianity a sinner, under such a visitation, shall again overlooks no part of human conduct; and emerge into peace and joy in believingby providing for this in particular, does it, if he ever shall again find his way to that in fact, overtake, and that with a precept fountain which is opened in the house of of utmost importance, the habit and condi- Judah-if he shall recover once more that tion of a very extended class in human so- sunshine of the soul, which, on the days ciety. And never does the gospel so exhibit that are past, disclosed to him the beauties its adaptation to our species-and never does of holiness here, and the glories of heaven virtue stand in such characters of strength hereafter-if ever he shall hear with effect, and sacredness before us--as when impreg-in this world, that voice from the mercynated with the evangelical spirit and urged seat, which still proclaims a welcome to the by evangelical motives, it takes its most di-chief of sinners, and beckons him afresh to rect sanction from the life and doings of the Saviour.

And he who feels as he ought, will bear with cheerfulness all that the Saviour prescribes, when he thinks how much it is for him that the Saviour has borne. We speak

reconciliation-O! how gladly then should he bear throughout the remainder of his days, the whole authority of the Lord who bought him; and bind forever to his own person that yoke of the Saviour which is easy, and that burden which is light.

DISCOURSE VI.

On the Dissipation of large Cities.

"Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience."-Ephesians v. 6.

THERE is one obvious respect in which Here, then, is a point, in which the general the standard of morality amongst men, dif- morality of the world is at utter and irrefers from that pure and universal standard concilable variance with the law of God. which God hath set up for the obedience Here is a case, in which the voice that cometh of his subjects. Men will not demand very forth from the tribunal of public opinion urgently of each other, that, which does pronounces one thing, and the voice that not very nearly, or very immediately, af cometh forth from the sanctuary of God fect their own personal and particular in- pronounces another. When there is an terest. To the violations of justice, or agreement between these two voices, the truth, or humanity, they will be abundant- principle on which obedience is rendered to ly sensitive, because these offer a most vi- their joint and concurring authority, may sible and quickly felt encroachment on be altogether equivocal; and, with relithis interest. And thus it is, that the social gious and irreligious men, you may obvirtues, even without any direct sanction serve an equal exhibition of all the equifrom God at all, will ever draw a certain ties, and all the civilities of life. But when portion of respect and reverence around there is a discrepancy between these two them; and that a loud testimony of abhor-voices-or when the one attaches a crimirence may often be heard from the mouths nality to certain habits of conduct, and is of ungodly men, against all such vices as may be classed under the general designation of vices of dishonesty.

not at all seconded by the testimony of the other-then do we escape the confusion of mingled motives, and mingled authorities. The character of the two parties emerges out of the ambiguity which involved it. The law of God points, it must be allowed, as forcible an anathema against the man of dishonesty, as against the man of dissipation. But the chief burden of the world's anathema is laid on the head of the former; and therefore it is, that, on the latter ground, we meet with more discriminative tests of principle, and gather more satisfying materials for the question of who is on the side of the Lord of hosts, and who is against him?

Now, the same thing does not hold true of another class of vices, which may be termed the vices of dissipation. These do not touch, in so visible or direct a manner, on the security of what man possesses, and of what man has the greatest value for. But man is a selfish being, and therefore it is, that the ingredient of selfishness gives a keenness to his estimation of the evil and of the enormity of the former vices, which is scarcely felt at all in any estimation he may form of the latter vices. It is very true, at the same time, that if one were to compute the whole amount of the mischief The passage we have now submitted to they bring upon society, it would be found you, looks hard on the votaries of dissithat the profligacies of mere dissipation go pation. It is like eternal truth, lifting up very far to break up the peace, and enjoy- its own proclamation, and causing it to be ment, and even the relative virtues of the heard amid the errors and the delusions world; and that, if these profligacies were of a thoughtless world. It is like the Deity reformed, it would work a mighty aug- himself, looking forth, as he did, from a mentation on the temporal good both of cloud, on the Egyptians of old, and trouindividuals and families. But the con-bling the souls of those who are lovers of nexion between sobriety of character, and pleasure, more than lovers of God. It is the happiness of the community, is not so like the voice of heaven, crying down the apparent, because it is more remote than voice of human society, and sending forth the connexion which obtains between in- a note of alarm amongst its giddy generategrity of character, and the happiness of tions. It is like the unrolling of a portion the community; and man being not only of that book of higher jurisprudence, out a selfish, but a shortsighted being, it fol- of which we shall be judged on the day of lows, that while the voice of execration may our coming account, and setting before our be distinctly heard against every instance of eyes an enactment, which, if we disregard it, fraud or of injustice, instances of licentious-will turn that day into the day of our comness may occur on every side of us, and be reported on the one hand with the utmost levity, and be listened to, on the other, with the most entire and complacent toleration.

ing condemnation. The words of man are adverted to in this solemn proclamation of God, against all unlawful and all unhallowed enjoyments, and they are called

words of vanity. He sets aside the au- his keeping all the rest. It may be the only thority of human opinion altogether; and, point on which the character of his loyalty on an irrevocable record, has he stamped is really brought to the trial. All his consuch an assertion of the authority that be-formities to the law of God might have been longeth to himself only, as serves to the rendered, because they thwarted not his end of time for an enduring memorial of own inclination; and, therefore, would have his will; and as commits the truth of the been rendered though there had been no Lawgiver to the execution of a sentence law at all. The single infraction may have of wrath against all whose souls are taken place in the only case where there hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. There was a real competition between the will of is, in fact, a peculiar deceitfulness in the the creature, and the will of the Creator; matter before us; and, in this verse, are and the event proves to which of the two we warned against it-"Let no man de- the right of superiority is awarded. Alleceive you with vain words; for, because giance to God in truth is but one principle, of these things, the wrath of God cometh and may be described by one short and on the children of disobedience." summary expression: and one act of disIn the preceding verse, there is such an obedience may involve in it such a total surenumeration as serves to explain what the render of the principle, as goes to dethrone things are which are alluded to in the text; God altogether from the supremacy which and it is such an enumeration, you should belongs to him. So that the account beremark, as goes to fasten the whole terror, tween a creature and the Creator is not like and the whole threat, of the coming ven- an account made up of many items, where geance-not on the man who combines in the expunging of one item would only make his own person all the characters of ini- one small and fractional deduction from the quity which are specified, but on the man whole sum of obedience. If you reserve who realizes any one of these characters. but a single item from this account, and anIt is not, you will observe, the conjunction other makes a principle of completing and and, but the conjunction or, which is in- rendering up the whole of it, then your chaterposed between them. It is not as if we racter varies from his not by a slight shade said, that the man who is dishonest, and of difference, but stands contrasted with it licentious, and covetous, and unfeeling, in direct and diametric opposition. We shall not inherit the kingdom of God-but perceive, that, while with him the will of the man who is either dishonest, or licen- God has the mastery over all his inclinatious, or covetous, or unfeeling. On the tions, with you there is, at least, one inclisingle and exclusive possession of any one nation which has the mastery over God; of these attributes, will God deal with you that while in his bosom there exists a single as with an enemy. The plea, that we are and subordinating principle of allegiance to a little thoughtless, but we have a good the law, in yours there exists another prinheart, is conclusively cut asunder by this ciple, which, on the coming round of a fit portion of the law and of the testimony. opportunity, developes itself in an act of And in a corresponding passage, in the transgression; that, while with him God ninth verse of the sixth chapter of Paul's may be said to walk and to dwell in him, first epistle to the Corinthians, the same with you there is an evil visitant, who has peculiarity is observed in the enumeration taken up his abode in your heart, and lodges of those who shall be excluded from God's there either in a state of dormancy or of favour, and have the burden of God's action, according to circumstances; that, wrath laid on them through eternity. It is while with him the purpose is honestly not the man who combines all the deformi- proceeded on, of doing nothing which God ties of character which are there specified, disapproves, with you there is a purpose but the man who realizes any one of the not only different, but opposite, of doing separate deformities. Some of them are something which he disapproves. On this the vices of dishonesty, others of them are single difference is suspended not a question the vices of dissipation; and, as if aware of degree, but a question of kind. There of a deceitfulness from this cause, he, after are presented to us not two hues of the telling us that the unrighteous shall not in- same colour, but two colours, just as broadly herit the kingdom of God, bids us not be contrasted with each other as light and deceived-for that neither the licentious, darkness. And such is the state of the alnor the abominable, nor thieves, nor covet-ternative between a partial and an unreous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor ex-served obedience, that while God imperatortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of tively claims the one as his due, he looks God. on the other as an expression of defiance against him, and against his sovereignty.

He who keepeth the whole law, but of fendeth in one point, says the Apostle James, is guilty of all. The truth is, that his disobedience on this one point may be more decisive of the state of his loyalty to God, than

It is the very same in civil government, A man renders himself an outcast by one act of disobedience. He does not need to accumulate upon himself the guilt of all the

higher atrocities in crime, ere he forfeits his life to the injured laws of his country. By the perpetration of any of them is the whole vengeance of the state brought to bear upon his person, and sentence of death is pronounced on a single murder, or forgery, or act of violent depredation..

ration, but would destroy it altogether. The man who has entered on a course of Christian discipleship, carries on an unsparing and universal war with all iniquity. He has chosen Christ for his alone master, and he struggles against the ascendency of every other. It is his sustained and habitual exertion in following after him to forsake all; so that if his performances were as complete as his endeavour, you would not merely see a conformity to some of the precepts, but a conformity to the whole law of God. At all events, the endeavour is an honest one, and so far successful, that sin has not the dominion; and sure we are, that, in such a state of things, the vices of dissipation can have no existence. These vices can be more effectually shunned, and more effectually surmounted, for example, than the infirmities of an unhappy temper. So that, if dissipation still attaches to the character, and appears in the conduct of any individual, we know not a more decisive evidence of the state of that individual as being one of the many who crowd the broad way that leadeth to destruction. We look no further to make out our estimate of his present condition as being that of a rebel,. and of his future prospect as being that of spending an eternity in hell. There is no halting between two opinions in this matter. The man who enters a career of dissipation throws down the gauntlet of defiance to his God. The man who persists in this career keeps on the ground of hostility against him.

And let us ask you just to reflect on the tone and spirit of that man towards his God, who would palliate, for example, the vices of dissipation to which he is addicted, by alleging his utter exemption from the vices of dishonesty, to which he is not addicted. Just think of the real disposition and character of his soul, who can say, "I will please God, but only when, in so doing, I also please myself; or I will do homage to his law, but just in those instances by which I honour the rights, and fulfil the expectations, of society; or I will be decided by his opinion of the right and the wrong, but just when the opinion of my neighbourhood lends its powerful and effective confirmation. But in other cases, when the matter is reduced to a bare question between man and God, when he is the single party I have to do with, when his will and his wrath are the only elements which enter into the deliberation, when judgment, and eternity, and the voice of him who speaketh from heaven are the only considerations at issuethen do I feel myself at greater liberty, and I shall take my own way, and walk in the counsel of mine own heart, and after the sight of my own eyes." O! be assured, that when all this is laid bare on the day of reckoning, and the discerner of the heart pronounces upon it, and such a sentence is to be given, as will make it manifest to the consciences of all assembled, that true and First, then, it may be said of a very great righteous are the judgments of God-there number of young men, on their entrance is many a creditable man who has passed into the business of the world, that they have through the world with the plaudits and not been enough fortified against its sethe testimonies of all his fellows, and with-ducing influences by their previous educaout one other flaw upon his reputation but tion at home. Generally speaking, they the very slender one of certain harmless come out from the habitation of their pafoibles, and certain good-humoured pecu- rents unarmed and unprepared for the conliarities, who when brought to the bar of test which awaits them. If the spirit of account, will stand convicted there of having this world's morality reign in their own famade a divinity of his own will, and spent mily, then it cannot be, that their introduchis days in practical and habitual atheism. tion into a more public scene of life will be And this argument is not at all affected very strictly guarded against those vices on by the actual state of sinfulness and infirmity which the world placidly smiles, or at least into which we have fallen. It is true, even regards with silent toleration. They may of saints on earth, that they commit sin. have been told, in early boyhood, of the inBut to be overtaken in a fault is one thing; famy of a lie. They may have had the virto commit that fault with the deliberate con- tues of punctuality, and of economy, and sent of the mind is another. There is in the of regular attention to business, pressed upon bosom of every true Christian a strenuous their observation. They may have heard a principle of resistance to sin, and it belongs uniform testimony on the side of good beto the very essence of the principle that it haviour, up to the standard of such current is resistance to all sin. It admits of no vo- moralities as obtain in their neighbourhood; luntary indulgence to one sin more than and this, we are ready to admit, may into another. Such an indulgence would not clude in it a testimony against all such exonly change the character of what may be cesses of dissipation as would unfit them called the elementary principle of regene-for the prosecution of this world's interests.

Let us now endeavour to trace the origin, the progress, and the effects of a life of dissipation.