Let it not be forgotten, then, that this condemnation lies upon those who, to forward the prosperity and raise the reputation of any one to whom they are attached, scruple not to trample on the rights, or to injure the good name of such as stand in the way; and upon those who, that they may be largely beneficent to the needy or the ignorant, withhold payment of the debts which they have contracted, and subject the family of the industrious tradesman to suffering or to want; and upon those who, that strangers and foreigners may enjoy a liberal share of their bounty, neglect to make that provision for their neighbours, their kindred, and their own children, which nature and religion demand of them; and upon those who, in consulting the safety or the advancement of others, boldly utter the language of falsehood, or cunningly practise the arts of deceit; and upon those who, to decoy the uninstructed and the prejudiced into a perusal of the Bible, would put into their hands, as the word of God, that which they know to be contrary to the word of God; and upon those who, for the purpose of giving a wider dissemination to sacred truth, hesitate not to circulate along with it, errors the most opposite to their own views, and the most dangerous to the souls of men. all these instances, and in every instance of a similar kind, there is either a portion of disregard for the holiness of God, as if he could be pleased with sin, or indifferent to it, because it had been made an instrument of charity; or there is a portion of distrust in the providence of God, as if one class of his creatures could not prosper and be happy, without another class of them involving themselves in guilt.

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And while the divine excellence is in this manner impeached by the error against which we are contending, a door is opened for the perpetration of every crime which may be made the occasion of good: and benevolence, thus associated, and thus manifested, not only ceases to be a virtue, but partakes of the iniquity for which it is made a pretext, and excludes those who practise it from the kingdom of heaven, as certainly, at least, as it guides to the kingdom of heaven those who are made to partake of its benefits.

4. We come now to make a few remarks on what may be called the economy of benevolence,—a subject which is greatly neglected and greatly misunderstood, but which is of much importance, and deserving of a far minuter and more detailed consideration than we can here afford to give it.

As there are some who do good without regarding the motives by which they are actuated, so there are others who do good without paying any adequate attention to the efficiency of the measures which they employ. In the former we observe a want of principle—in the latter we discover a want of wisdom. And though the want of principle renders such as are distinguished by it more obnoxious to censure and reproach, it is not to be concealed, that the want of wisdom mars, in almost an equal degree, the benevolence of those to whom unfortunately it attaches. Evident as it is, that if we are sincere in our desires and our endeavours to do good, this sincerity will make us desire and endeavour to do as much good as possible, it is no less evident, that the greatest possible good is not to be attained by vague wishes,

by undigested plans, by random efforts. Every one who is at all acquainted with the nature of charity. -the variety of character and circumstances which it has to deal with the multiplicity of forms which, in correspondence with these, it is called to assume -the different kinds of machinery with which it has to operate upon its objects—and the disappointments, provocations, and discouragements it has to encounter in its exercise-must be sensible that much thought, much consideration, much inquiry, much discretion, and much patience, are necessary in order to its "having its perfect work." In all other cases we are careful to accommodate our means to our end; not merely by applying the kind of means that we know to be best adapted to the end at which we aim, but by using the means in such a skilful and energetic way as to gain the end most effectually, in a manner consistent with the security of other objects not less precious, and without the admixture of any counteracting or counterbalancing evils. And unquestionably in the case of "doing good," this rule is to be observed with fully as much strictness and care as in any other department of human activity. The mischievous effects of disregarding it must have frequently occurred to our notice. How often have we seen the man of benevolence wasting his resources on an object which a little examination would have shown to be impracticable, and thus disqualifying himself from gaining one that was within his reach! How often have we seen him employing methods for promoting his philanthropic purposes, which his own reflection, had he given it, or the good counsel of others, had

he asked it, would have speedily satisfied him were utterly unsuitable and unavailing; and thus losing at once the benefit he proposed to confer, and the time and the exertions, which, if better directed, would have enabled him to secure it! How often have we seen him frittering away his attention, and his talents, and his activities, on such a multitude of different schemes, as nothing but thoughtlessness could hinder him from seeing to be quite beyond the grasp of an individual, and in this way casting from him advantages which would have made him a distinguished blessing in any one channel by which he might have chosen to communicate his kindness! And how often have we seen him, even though competent to a great diversity of charitable doings, yet so heedless with regard to what he had undertaken, so rash in one thing and so remiss in another, so little mindful of suiting his efforts to his exigencies, so ignorant of the influence of circumstances, so unprepared for difficulties and crosses and trials, and so lost amidst the conflicting demands of those multitudinous and ill-assorted engagements in which he had involved himself, that many things were but imperfectly done, and many things altogether neglected, that fruitless bustle was frequently all that he could show for real usefulness, and that, on the whole, little perceptible good was effected, in comparison of what his dispositions induced him to attempt, and his capabilities and enterprizes would have led us to anticipate!

Now, to provide against such distressing failures, it is quite necessary that we bring our reason more into play-that we study our subject with greater

accuracy and solicitude-that we acquire all the information respecting it that can be obtained-and that we prepare ourselves for the work of charity, as we would prepare for any other work, requiring exact knowledge, sound views, mature deliberation, and prudent management. We should take a cor

rect survey of the field of benevolence on which we are called to labour; we should consider well the various and contending claims that may be made upon us for assistance; we should try to estimate the extent of our outward means, and the peculiar fitness of our personal talents and capacities; we should endeavour to draw the line within which we need not confine ourselves, and the line beyond which it would be wrong or foolish to venture; we should be aware of the facilities which are afforded by our professional employments, our local situation, our general influence; we should ascertain the cases in which individual must give place to associated labour; we should settle in our minds certain fixed maxims by which we are to be guided in our plans and movements; we should determine what it will be best for us to do, how much in any given circumstances we can probably achieve, where, and in what way, and on what occasions, we can be truly and can be most useful;-and thus furnished, we may go forth to our "labours of love," with the hope of doing as much good as the opportunities that present themselves will admit of, and as is consistent with that imperfection which adheres to the best of our schemes, and the most vigorous of our performances. We shall be seldomer disappointed by failure; we shall have less cause to regret the misapplication of