fume. Our wealth becomes the bank from which the weeping widow, the indigent young tradesman, and the help less orphan, draw the fupply of their Our wit is employed to expose the deformities of vice, and to paint virtue in her lovelieft colours. Our

wants.

knowledge is applied to inftruct the ignorant, to admonish the guilty, and to comfort the wretched. Thus love enables us to lay out our talents in fo excellent a manner as to fecure thofe ineftimable bleffings-the love of God, the friendship of mankind, and all the exquifite pleasures of doing good. How great then is the worth of love, fince without it the goods even of the wealthieft are but temporal and transient, fuch as too often prove dangerous fnares" and baneful poisons, and are at best but impertinent baubles.

LOVE gives worth to all our apparent virtues, infomuch, that without it no quality

quality of the heart, no action of life is valuable in itself or pleafing to God. Without love, what is courage, but the boldness of a lion or the fiercenefs of a tyger? What is meeknefs but the softnefs of a woman, or the weakness of a child? What is politenefs, but the grimace of a monkey, or the fooleries of a fop? What is justice, but paffion or policy? What is wifdom but craft and fubtilty? Without love, and what is faith but dry opinion? What is hope but blind presumption? What is almsgiving but oftentation? What is martyrdom but ftubbornefs? What is devotion but a mockery of God? What is any practice, how fpecious foever in itself, or beneficial to others, but the effect of selfishness and pride? "Though I have faith fo that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. Though I give all my goods to feed the

poor,

poor, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing."

BUT love fanctifies every action, and converts all that we do into virtue. It is true bravery indeed, when a man, out of love to his neighbour, and a hearty defire to promote his good, encounters dangers and difficulties. It is genuine meeknefs, when a man out of love, and an unwillingness to hurt his neighbour, patiently puts up with injuries. It is politenefs indeed, when cordial affection expreffes itfelf in civil language, refpectful manners, and obliging actions. It is excellent justice, when a man regarding his neighbour's cafe as his own, does to him as he would have it done to himself. It is admirable wisdom, which studies to promote our neighbour's welfare. It is a noble faith, which, working by love, produces the rich fruits of obedience. It is a folid hope, which is grounded on that everlafting

lafting bafis of love which never fails. It is a fincere alms, which not only the hand but the heart reaches out. It is an acceptable facrifice, which is kindled by the holy fire of love. It is an hallowed devotion which is offered up from a heart pure and benevolent like the being whom it adores.

LOVE is a grand inftrument of our happiness, because it alone renders sweet and pleasant all the duties which we owe to our neighbour. All agree, that the second great business of men in this life is to learn to love one another. And fince the conftant performance of kind and generous fervices to each other, tends most effectually to fan the flame of love, our heavenly Father is perpetually calling on us to perform those. good offices to our brethren. He commands the strong to bear the burdens of the weak, the rich to abound in good works.

to

to the poor, the poor to be cheerfully obliging to the rich, and all of us to exercise meekness, gentleness, hospitality, juftice', honor, truth, &c. Such fentiments and works of beneficence and love, make a confiderable part of our duties, duties that occur every day and hour of our lives. To perform thefe with alacrity and pleasure muft add greatly to our happiness, becaufe, fince they occur fo frequently, if we have but the art to turn them into pleasures, our whole life must be one continued round of pleasure. Whereas, on the contrary, if we take no delight in them, we stand a fair chance to lead very uneafy lives; as we shall be continually called on by duties which we cannot perform without reluctance, nor yet neglect without much vexation and regret.

WOULD we have this, our field of trial, to become a garden of pleasantnefs? Let us love. Love is the great

wonder