all the good offices we can render them; but those also, who possess nothing to excite our respect, or engage our affection: and even those whom we expect to receive our kindness, not only without gratitude, but with a heart malevolent enough to repay our good offices with unmerited wrongs.

It was a great and pernicious mistake of the Jews to suppose, that because they were the only people in the world that maintained the worship of the true God, they were free from all obligation to exercise any good offices to persons of another nation. And something of the same narrowness and partiality of mind hath shewn itself in every age and place of the Christian Church. A zealous attachment to a party and a name has too often been supposed a sufficient reason for shutting up the bowels of compassion from those of different religious opinions.

But our Lord himself has expressly reprobated such a temper, and shewn it to be altogether inconsistent with the spirit of Christianity, and all sound sentiments of religion-" Give to him that asketh thee," &c.-Read Mat. v. 42. to the end of the Ch. From which it is evident, that we are to be ready to do good to men, as their necessities may require, and as far as our abilities will enable us, whatever be their character. And though it is natural to be most attentive to those with whom we have the nearest connection--such as our own family, our

particular friends and acquaintances, and those of the religious community with which we commonly associate in the worship of God, as well as the nation in which we enjoy the benefits of civil society-yet, we are to regard men as parts of the human species, with whom we are connected by the same common nature and necessities, and are to exercise a general good will towards them, even when our active beneficence cannot reach them.

The ignorant, the slave, the vicious profligate, Jews, Mahometans, and Pagans, are to be considered as men, and to be the objects of our benevolence, and the partakers of our bounty, whenever we have opportunities of serving them, in any of. the necessary offices of human life.

This is the genuine dictate of reason and Christianity, and it is in our measure an imitation of the common Father of Mankind, who, with undistinguishing beneficence, "causeth his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust." Mat. v. 45.

The word look, or aim at, in the original, signifies the attention with which a marksman fixes his eye on the mark at which he is to shoot. And it emphatically points out the duty of an habitual and vigorous attention. It is not sufficient that we now and then exercise some good wishes for the happiness of others, or are disposed to do them some occasional services that will put us to no expense.

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Our benevolence must be an uniform principle and law of our hearts, prompting us at all times to ardent wishes; and when we can, to actual services, even though we should make some sacrifice in performing them. If we are willing to peform no services to men, but such as we can do without any, or with little inconvenience to ourselves, it is the proof of a cold, languid heart, incapable of any thing great and disinterested.

2. As to the cases in which we are to aim, to serve the interests of others, they are all those which concern the present or future happiness of men. Our bodies during the present state, are subject to a variety of wants, without some of which we cannot liye at all; and without some others, we cannot live with any tolerable comfort to ourselves, or free from dependance on others. On this head, it is our duty to contribute what we can to the assistance of others who may stand in need of our help, in procuring the necessary supports of life, and preventing so far as our abilities will admit, the distresses which arise from want of food, cloathing, and the necessary defences against the inclemencies of the weather.

If providence has favored us with a competen

cy of these, we are to be ready, on all occasions, to assist them who are naked and destitute; and with a cheerful heart to draw from our store what

we can conveniently spare, without injuring those

whom it is our duty first to provide for. And in this kind and compassionate office, the benevolent and sympathetic heart will find a delight infinitely more exquisite than that of the rich man who "fareth sumptuously every day," while the hungry and naked are turned away empty. If our circumstances are such as not to admit of liberal supplies to the needy, yet we are to keep our hearts so open to the impressions of sympathy, as to be ready to do what we can; and in such a case, a cup of cold water given in compassion to the thirsty and wearied, will be thankfully received, and like the widow's mite thrown into the treasury, will in God's account, be as large an offering, as the gold and silver of the rich.

Our benevolence is also to be exercised to men under the pains, sicknesses, and other bodily distresses, to which mortality is subjected. In this case, it is not only to the poor that we must be helpful, but to those also in the most plentiful and affluent circumstances. In this respect "the rich and the poor meet together"-they are alike subject to disease, accident, and death; and though the rich may find alleviations of their distress by the abundance of their worldly goods, yet they stand in need of consolations which can only be had from the pitiful and tender-hearted, and which are often the most effectual medicine. When the heart is sunk in gloomy apprehensions-when the

blood moves languid and spiritless through its channels, and every object seems to wear to the patient the sure forebodings of his dissolution; then, a look of compassion-a soft word of sympathy, or a lively expression of hope, even from the poorest neighbor or friend, may do more to disperse the thick glooms of the mind, than the most exquisite recipe of the physician. Indeed, in all the dejections and sorrows of the heart (and they are numerous enough) the benevolent may always find opportunities of shewing their tenderness, and of doing more substatial services to mankind, than by the most abundant contribution of their property. And while they are thus performing some of the most important services to the distressed, if persons of serious reflection, they will find ample recompense for their good-will, not only in the pleasure of relieving the miserable, but from the lessons of instruction which may be learned in the dwellings of disease and sorrow: for, generally speaking, "it is better to go to the house of morning," &c. Eccl. vii. 2.

We are also to be ready, on all occasions, to assist those who may stand in need of our advice and counsel, in all matters that relate to the ease or prosperity of their worldly affairs. But there is no case wherein we may be more useful to others than in those things which belong to their future peace; nor is there any case where we are under