minds by the influence of divine grace; are we not apt to regard those who have not yet been made partakers of the same blessing, as unworthy of all notice and converse? Are we not led frequently, both in our deportment towards them, and in our conversation about them, to behave ourselves unseemly? and may it not very often, with justice, be said of us, what was very unjustly said by Korah and his rebellious company to Moses and Aaron, "Ye take too much upon you?"? Do we not take most improper liberties in judging of the state of others, when we know but very little about them, and nothing, perhaps, of consequence enough to pass a sentence of condemnation upon them? Charity says, "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; or, if you judge, judge righteous judgment." Such is the propriety of conduct by which those will be regulated, who love as brethren; they will, moreover, be compassionate and courteous.

Charity seeketh not her own.?

This must be understood under proper limitation: and then as a test nothing can be better. There is a duty a man owes to himself, as well as to his Maker, and the world at large: whatever is consistent with that duty a man is bound to observe; so far he ought to seek his own. If a man have no regard to his cha racter; if he do not use every means in his power to preserve his life; or if he entirely neglect to provide in a suitable manner for himself and his family; he is censurable in the extreme. These duties are consistent with, rather let me say, they are a material part of true religion ;

for what man ever hated his own flesh?" But, when the Apostle says, "Charity seeketh not her own," he means, charity does not lead us to seek our own good exclusively. A person who did this would be termed, and justly, a selfish person. Whoso," as St. John says, "hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth his bowels of compassion from him,

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how dwelleth the love of God in him?"

A man who possesses the grace of charity, indeed, will seek to the utmost of his power, not only the temporal but the spiritual good of all within the sphere of his influence. He will not only relieve the bodily wants of the distressed, so far as his means will allow; but he will be ready also to administer, according to the measure of grace imparted to him, to the necessities of their souls. Nor will he be discouraged, or suffer the course of his benevolent purposes to be arrested, by the instances of ingratitude with which he will occasionally meet; these he will be prepared to expect and encounter.-How do you feel when tried by this test, my brethren?

6. "Charity is not easily provoked." Charity is all forbearance: it can bear to have the worst construction put upon its best motives; it can bear to be laughed at and maligned by the vicious and profane; it can bear to be called a hypocrite, a formalist, an enthusiast. It can bear

the taunts and contumely of a thoughtless and irreligious age. It can bear all this, yea, and a thousand times more, without wishing ill to those who contemn all good, or without being excited to render railing for railing, or evil for evil: on the contrary, it does good to them who hate, and prays for them who despitefully use and entreat. This is a precious mark of true Christian love; and happy are they who, upon a strict examination of their hearts, can stand this test; it is an evidence of a very con siderable growth in this most excellent and perfect gift.

7. "Charity thinketh no evil." It is pure both in its own thoughts, and in its thoughts respecting others. It is neither crabbed, bigoted, nor censorious; it gives due credit for whatever it beholds, when no palpable contradiction opposes itself. How different a spirit is this, from that by which too many professors of Christianity are actuated! who not only think evil of all except

themselves, but give a body to their thoughts by expressing them in the most violent and unjustifiable language. Such consider not that they are giving the adversary an advantage over them, to vilify the noble cause of religion, which it is their duty by all means to further and defend. There is something so exceedingly applicable to this subject in a letter which I have just been read, ing from the Reverend Mr. Newton, to a pious lady of his acquaintance, that I cannot resist the pleasure of quoting from it a sentence or two. "How pleased," says he, "is Satan when he can prevail to set those at variance who are in so many respects united! but such is his subtlety, and such their weakness, which he practises upon, that he has often prevailed:-thus, sometimes he shuts them up so close within the paper walls of a denomination, that they cannot see an inch beyond the bounds of their own party. Sometimes he holds his magical glass before their eyes; and