tude of efficient helpers; and above all, to send down his Holy Spirit, without whose regenerating influence, all human exertions to save the perishing will utterly fail. Now, can anything tend more directly to improve one's christian character, than habitual and fervent prayer?

Fifthly. A systematic course of benevolent action, greatly elevates and strengthens the intellectual powers. What if I should not be able, fully to explain how it is, that doing good produces this happy reflex influence upon the mind? How many other truths are admitted, without a question, where the nature of the connection, between cause and effect, is entirely unknown. Facts are all that we can find out, and they are all that we ever need to know. In the case before us, there is a striking analogy between the mind and the eye.

Let a man always look at objects almost in contact with the organ of vision, and he will inevitably be nearsighted. It is only when the eye is permitted to range freely over the widely extended prospect, to rest upon the blue mountains, and to look away into the deep heavens, that its wonderful powers are fully developed. So the mind must have scope for exercise, or it will not grow. The larger the objects and interests which it takes in, and the wider its range of thought and emotion, the more rapid will be the developement of its powers, and the more vigorous its maturity. When a man acts supremely for himself, he cruelly hampers and belittles all the noble faculties of his intellectual being. But let him act for the world, and his mind instantly expands, and scorns these ignoble fetters. Let him act for his fellow creatures as immortal beings, hastening to heaven or hell, and his thoughts will be away in the depths of eternity. You can no more confine them to earth, than

you can chain down the light. They will wing their way to the general assembly and church of the first born; and in these vast excursions they will gain that strength and alacrity, which nothing but the mighty impulse of benevolent action could ever impart.

Yes, my friends, our mental powers were given us for the noblest purposes, and nothing makes them expand, like watering them with the dews of charity and warming them with the fervency of christian philanthropy. In hundreds and thousands of instances, it has been observed, how surprisingly persons have grown in intellect, as well as grace, by devoting themselves to the great spiritual interests of mankind. Take any two men, of equal talents, at twenty years of age-let one of them live for himself, and bury all his thoughts and affections upon the paternal estate; let the other live for a dying world, and at three score, mark the difference between them. Which think you, will have the largest, the richest, the noblest mind? I do not believe it is possible for a selfish man, ever to reach that intellectual stature, to which, with a good and benevolent heart, he might have attained.

I shall mention but one more reflex influence of habitual benevolence upon the good man himself, as it is exhibited in his rapid growth in holiness and meetness for the kingdom of Heaven. God abundantly blesses those, by the sanctifying influences of the Spirit, whose constant and supreme aim it is, to obey and glorify Him. Nothing contributes so directly and mightily, to prepare the christian for the fulness of joy, and the noble employments of the upper world, as doing good to the utmost of his power in this world. Who can doubt, that a person

will make greater progress in holiness, in a single year,

by throwing wide open all the doors of christian sympathy and charity, and pouring out his whole heart and soul to bless mankind, than he would make in half a century of dronish inaction. Personal efforts and sacrifices, to build up the kingdom of Christ, and promote the salvation of men, are no less essential to healthful and vigorous piety in the soul, than showers and sunshine are, to the growth of the cedar and palm-tree.

even

The subject which we have been considering suggests many more profitable reflections, than we can glance at, in the short space that remains. A few only will be very briefly noticed. And,

1. The foregoing exhibition of goodness, as consisting in christian benevolence, may help us to understand the meaning of the Apostle Paul, where he says, in the 5th chap. of Romans, that, 'Scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die!' It is evident that righteousness and goodness, here, are not synonymous terms, and that the latter is regarded by mankind, as a nobler trait of character than the former. A righteous man is a just man, or in other words, a man of unbending moral rectitude. A good man is more than this. He is not only upright, he is not merely a man of high moral principle and stainless character, but he is liberal-he is benevolent -his hand and his heart are always open. He is a father to the poor. It is his meat and his drink to do good. You may trace him by the blessings which he scatters, wherever he goes. To the extent of his means he is a public benefactor. If he had it in his power he would make every human creature happy. For such a manso full of love-so eminently disinterested and useful, some might even dare to die.

2. In the light of this subject, what must we think of those professors of religion, who do almost nothing to promote, either the temporal or spiritual good of their fellow-men? Are they christians? Do they love God? Do they love their poor and perishing fellow beings? Where is the proof of either? Good men, they certainly cannot be, in the sense which has just been explained. For they are not benevolent. They do not disperse abroad. Selfishness has so shrivelled up their hearts, that they seem incapable of expansion.

Now, I freely confess, that I do not see how such men can be the friends of God, and of his cause. It strikes me, as little, if anything, short of a contradiction in terms, to say that a man can be a christian, in any sense of the word, who does little, or no good with his property. It is much like saying, that a person may be all the while alive, for years together, though he never breathes; or that the sun might exist as a sun, from age to age, without ever blessing the earth with his radiance.

3. Our subject suggests one grand reason, why some professing christians who may possibly be saved, at last, have so little religious enjoyment. All their life-time they walk in darkness and fear, and how can it be otherwise? How can they be happy without serving God? and how, when a world is perishing for want of the bread of life, can they serve him acceptably, while they withhold from him all but a mere pittance of their substance? Their hearts are so nearly closed up by worldly rubbish, that the love of God finds little space for entrance, and as little room is there for benevolent affections to flow out. It would be next to a miracle, if in this age of light and holy enterprise, a christian might go on his way rejoicing, without contributing liberally as he goes, to aid

in evangelizing the world.

It would be reversing one of

the fixed laws of God's moral kingdom. It would be rewarding a professed disciple of Christ, for disobedience to one of the plainest commands in the Bible.

If piety can exist at all, then, in the mere gleanings of benevolence, while all the rest is hoarded up, it must be an extremely feeble and sickly existence. It must be clouded with doubts, tormented with fears, and always lie gasping at the very point of death. It is only when the rose opens its bosom, and gives out its fragrance, that it can drink in the morning dew, and banquet upon vernal nectars.

4. How changed and happy will this world be, when every habitable corner of it comes to be filled with goodness-with active and disinterested benevolence! That time will come, for it is noted down in the sure word of prophecy; and God is able to accomplish all that he has promised. And O, what a glorious time will it be, when a heaven-born charity comes to pervade every continent and island! Suppose it were now to be poured out everywhere, like the fertilizing waters of an affluent cloud -suppose it to circulate like the vital air, through a whole village, a city, a state, a kingdom, a world-what more would be necessary to constitute a new earth?' What remote and desolate shore would be unvisited by the heralds of salvation? What tribe, or family would remain unblessed? Goodness could no more cover the earth without carrying joy and peace to every human habitation, than the waters can fill the sea, without washng all its shores.

5. The general bearing of this discourse, points us to that bright example of christian beneficence, which so long adorned yonder dwelling, as unerringly, as our steps