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proceedings by the rule which it sets before us. Whenever we feel reluctance in our mind unequivocally to acknowledge a particular person as a brother, and cordially to treat him in all respects as a brother; we may be assured that our actual disposition is more or less to do wrong to him. We are under the influence of injuftice toward him; or of unkindness; or, as is most frequently the case, of pride.

Finally, the unity of Christian brotherhood does not destroy those earthly distinctions between man and man, which God has appointed for the good of the whole family of Christ. On the contrary, it supplies a new motive for the conscientious discharge of all the relative duties belonging to our station. Thus St. Paul, speaking of servants says; They that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren; let them not imagine that, because as Christians they are brethren to their masters, and on a level with them in the sight of God, they may on that account be the less attentive to their commands: but rather let them do them service because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit (u). Let the very circumstance of the master being a Christian brother, incline and animate his Christian bro(u) 1 Tim vi. 2.

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ther, the servant, to be the more earnest to consult his master's wishes, and to honour him by prompt and faithful obedience. And is not this a just and a powerful argument? Is it not an argument of universal application? Who would not feel the more desirous to render service, to manifest kindness, to fulfil every act of duty, to another person, in consequence of that person's being his brother?" Protect that man's rights the more

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watchfully, for he is thy brother. Honour him the more cheerfully, for he is thy brother. Consult his comfort and "his welfare the more stedfastly, for he is

thy brother. Love him the more fervently "with a pure heart, for he is thy brother." Whether we are in a higher or in a lower station, whether we rule or serve, can we be insensible to the force of such an argument? Sirs, ye all are brethren. In this consideration let the rich and the poor, the great and the humble, rejoice alike; for on its practical influence the happiness of all equally depends. While it impresses with new energy all those offices and branches of subordination which are essential to the welfare of individuals, to the conduct of domestic life, to the public order of the world; it softens every strong line of distinction between dif

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ferent classes, or between different persons; throws a veil over every smaller discrimination; causes us to feel, and to act as men that feel, that all worldly distinctions are but for a day; and teaches us to lose sight of them all in viewing our comprehensive union of brotherhood in that Redeemer, in whom there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free ; but Christ is all, and in all (w).

(w) Col. iii. 11.

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The Love of Money is the Root of all Evil.

IN applying the moral precepts of Scripture, and especially when we make the application to our own proceedings, we are accustomed not to survey them with a comprehensive eye. We look at generals, with out being aware of the number of particulars which they involve. We vaguely contemplate the outline of the form, when we ought to discriminate the individual features. When we turn our thoughts to the sin of murder, we bring before our imagination the midnight assassin and the bloody corpse, and forget that whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer (a). When we reflect on the guilt of idolatry, we picture to ourselves the blind devotee prostrate before the rising sun,

(a) 1 John, iii. 15.

or kneeling to the image of a saint; and remember not that the glutton practically worships his brutish appetite as a god (b),.

It is thus with the text before us.. When we read this warning against the love of money, we represent to ourselves the miser brooding over his hoard. If roused to extend our views, we think of the rapacious extortioner. There we pause again. It is slowly and with difficulty that we are brought to discern the wide, yet natural and simple, meaning of the apostle.

What is the love of money? A stronger desire of worldly possessions than befits a servant of Christ. Who are the persons guilty of being actuated by the love of money? Not the miser only and the extortioner; but every man, be he rich or poor, who indulges a stronger inclination to acquire or to retain. money than becomes a Christian, a stranger and pilgrim upon earth. Observe, yet without being ensnared into a supposition that the frequency of a sin takes away from its inherent sinfulness, observe how common, in the present state of mankind, that sin of which we speak is likely to be. Money, it has justly been said, is power. So far as worldly objects are concerned, and so far as

(3) Philipp. iii. 19.

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