evidence and the measure of the other. If he made the first and greatest commandment to be the loving God with all the heart, the next he faid was like unto it, and this was to love our neighbour as ourfelves.

Though Jefus never faid any thing to encourage idlenefs, and recommended labour and industry, and in his parable condemned the flothful fervant, he always represented the helpless poor as proper objects of kindness and charity. When he reproved the Pharifees for their fuperftitious obfervance of ceremonies, and traditions, as that of always washing before they ate, he said, (Luke xi. 41) "Give alms of that which ye have, and all things will be clean unto you." When the rich young man asked him what he should do to be perfect, he anfwered, (Matt. xix. 21) Sell all that thou haft, and give to the poor, and come and follow me.

He commended gencrofity on public as well as on private occasions, when he praised the poor widow for giving her two mites towards the repairs of the temple. For feeing, (Mark xii. 41) how the people

caft

caft money into the treasury, and that ma→ ny who were rich caft in much, he faid to his difciples, Verily I fay unto you, this poor widow has caft more in than they all. For all they did caft in of their abundance, but she, of her want, did caft in all that she had."

Jefus more than once cautioned his hearers against covetousness, and, in preference to our concern for the things of this life, recommended an attention to those of another, to the kingdom of God, and his righteoufnefs. He advised to lay up treasure in heaven, and not upon earth. Not that he meant that we should lay up nothing here. For abfolutely to affert one thing, and to deny another, is only a Jewish mode of making a comparison between them, and declaring a preference of one to the other. Thus when God is faid to have loved Jacob and to have hated Efau, the meaning only is, that he gave the preference to Jacob, and that only with respect to the things of this world.

When Jefus was applied to for the purpofe of directing a divifion to be made of an eftate between two brothers, which he with

great

great prudence declined, he said for the ge neral instruction of his audience, (Luke xii. 15)" Take heed, and beware of covetoufnefs, for a man's life," that is the enjoyment of it, "confifteth not in the abundance of the things that he poffeffes:" and to fhew them the abfurdity of heaping up riches, he added the parable of a man whose grounds having yielded a great abundance, proposed to pull down his barns and build larger, and to say to himself, that having goods laid up for many years, he would take his ease, eat, drink, and be merry; when God had determined that he should not outlive that night. (verfe 20) "God faid to him, Thou fool, this night fhall thy life be required of thee; then whose shall thofe things be which thou haft provided? So, " added Jefus, "is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God."

The great care that it behoves men to take to prevent quarrels and animofity, which contribute fo much to embitter the cup of human life, Jefus taught in a manner peculiarly emphatical, when, in his firft discourse, after fpeaking of the guilt of being angry

with our brother without a cause, he faid, (Matt. v. 23) "If thou bring thy gift to the altar; and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, firft be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift," fignifying that even the duty we owe to God is to be poftponed when the peace of fociety requires it.

ye

Candour with refpect to the faults of others Jefus taught by a very fignificant and ftriking figure, when, in the fame difcourfe, he faid, (Matt. vii. 1) " Judge not, that be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, ye fhall be judged; and with what meafure ye mete, it fhall be measured to you again. And why beholdeft thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and confidereft not the beam that is in thine own eye; or how canft thou fay to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, and behold a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, firft caft out the beam that is in thine own eye, and then fhalt thou fee clearly to pull out the mote that

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that is in thy brother's eye." How pertinent and forcible is this illuftration of an important duty, refpecting both ourselves and others. With the fame view, to promote harmony, and uninterrupted good will, among men, Jefus, in this difcourse, pronounced a bleffing on those who should interpofe to prevent or remove differences, (Matt. v. 9)" Blessed are the peace makers, for they fhall be called the children of God." And when he foretold (Matt. xviii. 7) that offences would come, he added, "but wo unto them by whom they come.'

In order to preferve peace and mutual good will we must not be inexorable, when we have been offended, but forgive, and overlook the faults of others, whenever they fhew a penitent difpofition. And Jefus was peculiarly copious and earnest in his injunctions on this head. In his firft discourse he faid, (Matt. v.7)" Bleffed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." He even directs us, though the offended party, to take pains to promote the defirable purpose of reconciliation, and to use great prudence and address in doing it; faying, (Matt. xviii. 15)