is not made perfect. But when he imbibes the spirit and follows the example of Christ, the faint outlines of the image which were drawn upon his heart stand more fully out, until a perfect likeness of the original appears upon the soul. That, however, cannot be fully realized in the present world; but while the desire of it exists in the mind and constantly increases, a character is formed which will be the object of divine complacency. And what object is nobler or more worthy of our most ardent aspirations ?

It is readily admitted, that the object which is pursued, and the influence, in virtue of which the character is formed, are alike the gift of God; but it ought to be recollected that the operations of the Spirit upon the heart are carried on in such a way as to leave the mind entirely free. The soul is not drawn along the path of holiness by means of an extraneous power which it feels inclined to resist, but is unable, neither does it follow holiness simply as a means of obtaining a greater good; it desires it for its own sake as the greatest good which it can possibly enjoy; and, possessing the capacity of obtaining a greater measure of it, the person cannot rest satisfied with what he has already acquired. He presses forward; and the more complete his resemblance is, so much the higher will his enjoyment be. He will be hailed at the end of the course with the animating expression of approbation :—" Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

Fifthly, Their works of charity performed from a regard to the authority of Christ will be publicly acknowledged at the last day; and rewards proportioned to the nature and number of these works will be conferred upon them.

The christian philanthropist who, from proper motives, soothes the sorrows of the distressed, who freely gives of his substance to relieve the wants of the poor, and who succours the fatherless and the widow, will be rewarded when Christ shall come again. The humblest offices of kindness and love performed to the people of Christ, because they are his, will not be forgotten. "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily, I say unto you, He shall in no wise lose his reward.' "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."*

* Matthew x. 41-42; Luke xiv. 12-14.

No language, I should think, could more clearly express the sentiment than this: and the reward or recompense, whatever it may be, must be something which shall constitute a part, at least, of the happiness of heaven; and the measure in which it shall be bestowed will determine the amount of happiness to which it gives rise.

To what other conclusion can the following passage lead?" And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." This exhortation, it will be observed, is founded upon the parable of the unjust steward. Our Saviour did not deliver that parable because he approved of the conduct of the steward, or wished his disciples, in every particular, to imitate his example. He wished them to do so in one particular only, and that is to manifest as much wisdom in making provision for their happiness in another world as he did in providing for his comfort in this. He, by an unrighteous action, made friends of those whose debts he in a great measure cancelled; but the individuals who received the benefit of his procedure could not approve of the principle from which he acted. Their friendship must have been based upon self-interest, and have endured as long only as he possessed the power of conferring favours. Our Saviour, therefore, cannot be understood to convey the sentiment, that riches, however unrighteously acquired, are sanctified when devoted to charitable objects; and that the

extortioner is absolved from his iniquity when he employs his ill-gotten gain to relieve the wants of the poor. The jesuitical maxim, that the end sanctifies the means, is so completely subversive of every principle of true morality, than any interpretation founded upon it must be rejected.

"The mammon of unrighteousness" does not signify riches acquired by unjust means, it is a peculiar mode of expression used respecting riches generally, because they often fail to answer the expectation of those who possess them; and it is evidently opposed here to the true riches-" the treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Some suppose the language is designed to inculcate the sentiment, that those who possess riches should make to themselves friends of the poor by supplying their wants; that, when they themselves leave this world, those who have been the objects of their charity may receive them into everlasting habitations. This sentiment, however plausible it may appear, is alike opposed to the statements of scripture and to facts. It assumes, that all the indigent whose necessities are relieved by the bounty of others go to heaven when they die. This, however, is an assumption which, it is to be feared, the greatest possible exercise of christian charity will not permit us to make. But though they all, or even the greater number of them were received at death into the celestial habitations, what power could they have to open the gates

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of these mansions for the reception of the disembodied spirits of their benefactors? Or, what influence could they possess to procure their admission? Those of them who have been the subjects of saving grace may, in heaven, recognize their benefactors and gratefully reflect on their kindness towards them in this world; but that is a very different thing from their acting as mediators, in any way so as to effect their entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Nor is it more in accordance with the spirit of the language to suppose, that angels are the persons intended. Doubtless it is a part of the employment of angelic spirits who minister to the heirs of salvation, to conduct their disembodied souls to the celestial glory immediately after death; but in performing this last office of kindness they sustain the character of servants only, and act in obedience to the commands of the Great Supreme. If the angels are at all acquainted with the doings of men, they must contemplate, with unmingled satisfaction, the kind and disinterested actions by which the distresses of the indigent are alleviated; but it is questionable whether it can be said these actions secure their friendship; and if they do, it is still more questionable whether it would be available to those whose actions had secured their friendship, in obtaining for them an introduction into that holy place where there is fulness of joy and pleasures for ever more.

Who then are the persons spoken of? I conceive