the largeness of heart belonging to charity. The accomplishment of good she hails, from whatever quarter it may come.

"Charity seeketh not her own." The poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, are called to the feast. They cannot recompense her.

Disinterested love is her predominant feeling, and her continual prompter. Her habitual language is, "I seek not yours, but you."

With these feelings of universal kindness and compassion, charity does not admit any compromise in favour of evil. Her supreme love towards God forbids it; and her love to man forbids it also, because sin is man's enemy, and “sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." "Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth."

Injustice, fraud, oppression,-every grade and distinction of moral evil, is dishonour done to God, is injury done to God's creatures, and makes "the whole creation to groan and travail together in pain until now."

In this evil, charity "rejoiceth not."

Truth and fidelity, kindness and considera

tion, liberality and disinterestedness, — these are the exhibitions in which "charity rejoiceth." To secure the exercise of these, charity will always inculcate the ruling motive of supreme love to God. And where this motive rules, she will be assured of obedience to the second summary command of the moral law: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

There are two remaining qualities, hitherto unnoticed, which throw a grace over all the endeavours of charity. "She vaunteth not herself, is not puffed up." Her works are not done" to be seen of men." "Her left hand knoweth not what her right hand doeth." When she has done all, she feels she is an "unprofitable servant," and that the acceptance of her works is of grace, and not of claim.

Charity doth not behave itself unseemly." First impressions often have a long and lasting influence upon others. Charity is prepared for the interview. She is "courteous to all.” Man is a sensitive being. Charity would not knowingly wound his feelings.

Ceremoniousness is a prevalent feature in certain ranks of society. Charity will not infringe upon customary rules, nor discredit religion by undue familiarity. "There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh."

Charity will be an observer of times and seasons. The principle within her will harmonize her feelings, and bring all into order, lest misapprehension should be conceived, and offence taken, and beneficial intercourse interrupted.

The man is to be won, and won by love. And love, by refraining from anything which can needlessly hurt, "worketh no ill to his neighbour."

And now, in bringing this part of our subject to a close, how shall we, in a word, represent the picture of charity?

She bears and forbears; she reasons calmly, and with respect; listens to the rejoinder; she conciliates and attracts; she forgives and blesses; she sympathizes and relieves : taught by her Divine Master, she goes about "doing good; and when the ear hears her, then it

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blesses her; when the eye sees her, it bears witness to her; because she delivers the poor that cry, and the fatherless, and him that hath none to help him, the blessing of him that was ready to perish comes upon her; and she causes the widow's heart to sing for joy."

CHAPTER III.

CHARITY'S LASTING DURATION.

CHARITY ENFORCED BY THE EXAMPLE AND SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST.

He who carefully considers the inherent qualities of charity, which formed the subject of the preceding chapter, will, we think, be led to the conclusion that they are qualities fitted for respective application to man in every revealed and accessible state in which he can be placed. He will be assured that there will always be an opening for the exercise of the principle of love. The vicissitudes of earth require it, and the happiness of heaven is not conceivable without it. To this conclusion the apostle comes in the closing verses of the