After this distinct survey of the excellent properties and happy effects of charity, what further needs be added to engage every one, who is defirous of rendering himself amiable and ufeful to his fellow-creatures, or of obtaining the favour of that great and good Being, "who is love," to cultivate this virtue by every means in his power?-Knowledge and learning may excite admiration; power may command homage and fubjection; wealth may procure you external tokens of respect, and give you rank and diftinction in fociety; but it is charity or benevolence alone, which will afford you the pleasing consciousness of merit in your own bofoms, and obtain the cordial ef A teteem and affection of mankind. nacious adherence to certain articles of religious belief, and a fcrupulous obfervance of certain religious forms and ceremonies, may rank you among the members of this or that religious fect; but it is only an uniform obedience to that new commandment

commandment which Christ hath given us, which can entitle you to the character of Chriftians. In the Chriftian church, which is founded in love, though we have all knowledge, and all gifts, if we have not charity we are nothing. Above all things, then, follow after charity, which is the bond of perfection; the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift make you to increase and abound in love one towards another, and towards all men, to the end that your hearts may be established unblameable in holinefs, and that ye may be prepared for an everlasting abode in the regions of perfect love and peace! Amen.

and may

The good Man fecure from Shame.

PSALM CXix. 6.

Then I shall not be afhamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

THAT even virtuous and good men are wholly exempted from the painful feeling of fhame, is more than can with truth be afferted. In the present state of fociety, we not only fee fhame incurred by fuch violations of decorum as imply no infringement of morality, but may not unfrequently observe men afhamed even of their virtues. Many perfons, whofe confciences will not fuffer them to follow a multitude to do evil, nevertheless want courage fufficient to avow their good principles in the fociety of the li

centious,

centious, and are afraid to be thought by their companions as virtuous and religious as they really are. This kind of timidity is at best a false modefty, which implies a culpable weakness of mind, and inconfiftency of character: for it is impoffible that virtue, which is in its nature the highest ornament and excellence of a rational being, and which is esteemed, by all who are capable of forming a judgment, the first object of admiration and love, fhould ever be difhonourable to thofe who practise it. Whatever ridicule men of corrupt principles and abandoned manners may affect to caft upon the confcientious and religious part of mankind, "wisdom will," in the iffue, “be justified of all her children:" and though good men themselves may fometimes fo far yield to the torrent of falfe opinion as to be ashamed of their goodness, they will at length lift up their heads with confidence in the fight of the wicked; for the memorial of virtue is immortal, and its triumph

O 4

"Then

triumph remaineth for ever. fhall I not be ashamed," faith the Pfalmift, "when I have refpect unto all thy commandments."

The doctrine which is implied in these words, and which will be the fubject of the prefent difcourfe, is, that the man who faithfully obeys the will of God is free from all just occafion of fhame. To illuftrate this point, let us diftin&tly confider the light in which fuch a man's character appears to his own mind, to his FELLOW-CREATURES, and to his MAKER.

The man who religiously respects and diligently obeys the commands of God, has no fecret consciousness of guilt to harass his mind, and render reflection a painful task. He is under no neceffity of flying to fcenes of diffipation and folly, as a fhelter from the darts of an accusing confcience. He can endure and even en- joy folitude; and, without any foreign aid, can make himself happy in muning with his own heart."

com

If he re

flect