is so, and why it must be so, our faith is, in a measure, aided by sight, and we feel that we are still less excusable if we fail to embody the truth thus seen in our practice. We ask your attention, then, while we endeavour to point out THE VARIOUS CAUSES WHICH COMBINE TO MAKE GIVING MORE BLESSED THAN RECEIVING. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It was for an ungodly, rebellious, and hostile world, that this sacrifice was made-a sacrifice of which our imaginations, unaided by the divine teach. ing, could never have even conceived. In this work we see most strikingly and fully displayed the character of God. The more, then, we do for others, the more we become like Him. As we increase in be. nevolence, we are transformed into the di a creature propose, than to attain the like. ness of God? How better secure his own happiness? Is not the single fact, that by doing good to others we become more like God, sufficient of itself to justify the declaration, "It is more blessed to give than to receive?" The exercise of benevolence secures to us more and more of the beauty of character and blessedness of existence which belong, in their fulness, to Him who ruleth in the heavens. We may remark, however, before proceeding to exhibit these causes, that every man should wish this doctrine to be true. For the enjoyment we derive from receiving is held for us in the hands of others, and they may dole it out to us at long in-vine image. And what higher aim can tervals and in scanty portions; while the enjoyment that accrues from giving we hold in our own power, and we can par. take of it as largely and as frequently as we please. If, then, God has so constituted us, and so arranged his dispensations of providence and grace, as to make giving more prolific in enjoyment than receiving, we should rejoice in an arrangement, which places the larger and better portion of our gratifications within our own reach. He has, as it were, created two great treasu ries from which we may draw enjoyments; the key of the one he has given in charge to our fellow-men for our use, the key of the other, he has placed in our own hands. Would we not wish to discover that the key we hold in our keeping unlocks the richest treasury? 1st. Giving exercises and cultivates in us that spirit of benevolence which makes us like God; and thus it makes us more happy. "God is love," is the remarkable expression of the loving and beloved disciple-an expression equally descriptive of the beauty and glory of God's character and the happiness of his existence. The aspect in which he most frequently presents himself in his revelation, is that of a Being who delights to make others happy-who uses his inexhaustible power and illimitable wisdom in conferring blessings. The arrangements of nature corroborate the de. clarations of revelation, and overwhelm us with proofs that God is good. But how wondrous is that exhibition of benevolence which he made, when "he spared not his own Son," but "freely delivered him up" to suffering and death for our salvation. But, it may be asked, does this accord with experience? If this were true, would not men realize it, and would not all who give and labour for the good of others be conscious of the accessions of blessedness which they thus acquire? We fear not to appeal to the consciousness of men as a test of the truth of this great principle. We are all conscious of increased happiness from our efforts to do good, so far as those efforts spring from the feeling of benevolence. But the soul's likeness to God is not improved by the mere outward acts promotive of his glory and the good of our fellow-men; motives similar to those which animate the Divine mind must influence us, if we wish to become participants of the Divine nature. Here is the cause why many fail in realizing the blessedness of giving. They lose the benefit of their exertions in the cause of be. nevolence, because the principle of benerolence does not prompt their labours. When a man gives from ostentation, shame, ambition, or any other selfish principle, he is developing and strengthening this principle, whatever it may be, but he is not cultivating the spirit of benevolence. Such a man can reasonably expect to reap only what he sows. He may, and often does, gain the object at which he aimed in giving, and thus, like the pharisees of old," he verily has his reward;" but he is growing more unlike God, and rendering himself less capable of enjoying His pleasures. So far is mere outward giving from being the same with benevolence, that it often produces effects the very reverse. The man who gives from an apprehension of losing his character if he withholds, or from any other unworthy motive, experiences only the pain and chagrin occasioned by parting, against his will, with a portion of his wealth; he feels as if it had been wrested from him for an object which he does not regard, and he thus often gradually acquires a dislike to the cause which forced him into his acts of apparent benevolence. His liberality is a base counterfeit of the divine benevolence; is it then strange, that he does not realize the blessedness of giving? In endeavouring to promote the spirit of benevolence, we should then be careful, brethren, to withhold all inferior and unworthy motives, and urge those considerations only, which will purify and elevate the soul. Action produced by these considerations will be permanent and increasing, will mould the soul into the image of God, and enable it to testify, by its own experience, that "it is more blessed to give than to receive." 2. Another cause of the superior blessedness of giving is, that benevolence is that principle in man, which, from its very nature, is capable of affording him in its exercise his greatest amount of happiness. Our enjoyments are derived from a variety of sources-from the senses, the appetites, the intellect, and the emotions. All of these various kinds of enjoyment are good in their proper places; but they are of very different relative values; and had we time for the examination, it could be easily shown, that those which spring from the emotions are the most copious, most delightful, and most permanent. One fact, observable by all, shows a general consciousness of their superior value; it is the fact, that every man, whose condition raises him above the necessity of drudg We may look, it is true, at our neighing for a bare existence, devotes the ener bour's liberality, and be stimulated to a kingieз of his life to securing the gratifications dred zeal. The example of others may open which spring from one or other of the emoour eyes to a perception of our own obliga. tions. Thus, one man aims at the pleasures tions, may furnish us with a means of judging which flow from gratifying the love of of our own ability, and may awake in us a power; the enjoyments derived from the conviction of our own criminal sluggishness indulged love of applause engross the heart in the cause of God; but if we permit it to of another; while the soul of a third is rouse in us a spirit of vain and ostentatious absorbed in the delight of accumulating rivalry, we sin against God, injure our own wealth. The ambitious man enjoys, indeed, souls, and deprive ourselves of the chief other pleasures in some degree, but his blessedness of giving. chief gratifications are derived from advancing his own fancied greatness; for these he schemes and toils, and denies himself; to these he ofton sacrifices not only the enjoy. ments of case and domestic felicity, but even the luxury of conscious integrity. Now the emotion of benevolence is as capable of indulgence and consequent predominancy, as revenge, avarice, ambition, vanity, or any other less noble feeling; and various reasons concur to show, that the pleasures which it yields are not merely more pure, but also Let us, then, hold up to our minds the noble motive of imitating God, the great doer of good. If we look at the munificence with which he scatters his blessings through all creation, at the blessedness he enjoys in ministering to the happiness of all his crea. tures, and if we humbly, in our own little spheres, endeavour to imitate him, we will become happier as well as holier, by every gift and by every effort. Think of the wide range of His benevolence, with its glorious more satisfying and abiding, than those || cause he had let it pass without partaking which we receive from any of these other of that highest pleasure which even his emotions. God has kindly constituted our imperial power could command—the plea. bodily appetite such, that food which is sure of doing good. But if there ever lived healthful to the body yields a larger amount a being on the earth capable of telling us of gratification than articles of diet which truly the worth of this enjoyment, it was are noxious. It would then seem not unrea. the blessed Jesus; for his life was a continusonable to conclude that, on the same prin- ed series of philanthropic labours and sacriciple, our mental system would be so con- fices-"he went about doing good;" and structed, that the susceptibility or emotion he it is who said, "it is more blessed to give which is most useful, would yield to us the than to receive; "he it is of whom inspir largest share of delight. Further, the pleas. ation has told us, that "for the joy that ures of benevolence leave no regrets to was set before him, he endured the cross, diminish their worth; on the contrary, the despising the shame." The joy or blessedness pleasant recollections which they supply, of delivering our souls from eternal wo, was greatly enhance their value. But we all so great as to induce the Son of God to have a witness within ourselves, testifying leave the mansions of glory, clothe himself to the superiority of benevolence, as a with the infirmities of flesh, endure for source of enjoyment; let us remember years unceasing toil and humiliating priva. some act of kindness done simply and pure- tion, submit to the indignities and perseculy for another's good-let us recal the emo- tions of men, as well as the opposition and tion which we felt as we recognised pain assaults of devils, and crown a life of conalleviated, or joy diffused, by our efforts. tempt and suffering by an ignominious and Was it not more delightful than the pleasure cruel death. What a wondrous testimony to of flattered vanity, gratified avarice, or even the intensity of the joys of benevolence triumphant ambiton? The sacrifice it may does the life of the Saviour present! His have cost us, was not regarded-or, the complicated and superhuman sufferings "he thought of it only enhanced our enjoyment. endured, for the joy set before him." Look Still your experience may furnish you with at the anguish of his spirit, when he, who a very imperfect specimen of the delight had been ever a "man of sorrows," yet had which benevolence is capable of yielding. never uttered a complaint, was forced to We all relish, to some extent, the pleasures breathe forth the mournful exclamation, of music; but many of us would form a my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto most inadequate conception of its power to death;" when he poured out the thricesoothe, to elevate, and to transport, if we repeated prayer, "Father, if it be possible, let measured that power by our experience of this cup pass from me;" when his failing its influence. Those who only occasionally limbs sunk beneath him in the garden of listen to the harmony of sweet sounds, can- Gethsemane, and the cold dews of midnight not appreciate the thrilling pleasures which mingled with the sweat that burst from him melody imparts to those who have long cul- in the intensity of his mortal conflict; when tivated a taste for music; nor can those angels were seen ministering to his exhaustwho rarely indulge themselves in the luxury ed body to reinvigorate it and make it of doing good, tell what pleasures benevo. capable of undergoing the sufferings that lence is capable of affording to those who yet awaited him: look at him when he have long cultivated its spirit by habitual hung upon the cross, and the agonizing cry acts. In accordance with a general law of was wrung from him, "My God, my God, our nature, the pleasure of doing good is why hast thou forsaken me?"—look at increased by every successive act of benefi- these scenes of wo, and reflect that the cence. If, then, we would ascertain what anticipated joy of bestowing glory, and might be the blessedness of giving, we honour, and immortality, on the redeemed must gather the experience of the most in heaven, induced the Saviour voluntarily practised philanthropists. The language of to enter and pass through them all. Can even the heathen Titus, gives us some in. you now, for a moment, doubt that the sight into their feelings, when he felt and joys of benevolence are above all other exclaimed that he had "lost a day," be. "joys? Surely, then, we should cultivate the apostle, " is not unrighteous to forget your spirit which makes us susceptible of those work and labour of love, which ye have pleasures of which the blessed Jesus most showed towards his name, in that ye have largely partook, and which he pronounced, ministered to the saints and do minister. by deeds as well as words, to be the greatest And we desire that every one of you do show and the best which man is capable of enjoy. the same diligence to the full assurance ing. As the Saviour looked at the degrada. of hope unto the end." Hebrews, vi. 10, tion of men, and the eternal woes that await- 11. How clearly does the apostle here ed them, if there should be no deliverer, declare the fact, that labours of love or and then looked at the glories and bliss of benevolence, services to our fellow.men those heavenly mansions, which he could in aid of the Redeemer's kingdom, will, purchase for them, after having "washed if diligently persevered in, enable each them and made them white in his blood;" so let us look, until the spirit of Christ glows within us, and prompts us to sacrifice and self-denial for the same glorious object. Look at the poor Indian as he roams mournful and wild over the distant prairies of the west, with none to point him the path to heaven. Shall we not help him? Look at the degraded Hindu-he is our brother, though he washes in the waters of the far-off Ganges; God made him like us, though he bows his debased spirit before idols of brass and of stone. Shall we not stretch out a hand to lift him from his de. Love for the Saviour is another of those gradation? Shall we not chase away the delightful emotions, which are strengthened mists that have gathered around his soul, by every act of sacrifice and self-denial, of and open to his view the glories of heaven? | whatever kind it may be, undertaken for Shall not the joy set before us, the joy of his holy cause. Thus when the early dis aiding in his salvation, induce us to give, ciples were stripped of their property for even at great expense of sacrifice and self-testifying in behalf of their Redeemer, they denial, that he too may become an heir of " took joyfully the spoiling of their goods;" redemption? are one of us to attain the full assurance of hope. And what amount of wealth received could furnish to a human being an enjoyment equal to that imparted by a calm, abiding, and well-founded hope of heaven? What joy accruing from luxurious ease, hoarded riches, or accumulated honours, can be compared with the joy of looking up, amid all the vicissitudes, and toils, and trials of life, and feeling that heaven is our home, that very soon we shall dwell in the presence of God, and that in that presence we shall dwell for evermore ? and when they were scourged by the Coun. cil for speaking in the name of Jesus, they 3. Giving imparts increase and vigour came back to their companions, not weepto all the graces of the Spirit within us,ing, but "rejoicing that they were counted and this makes it more blessed than receiv-worthy to suffer shame for his name." The ing. It needs no proof to show us that, pain of their lacerated bodies, and the igas the love, peace, hope, gentleness, good-nominy of a public punishment, only served ness, faith, patience, and meekness, which to make them feel more sensibly the love "the fruits of the Spirit," become of the Redeemer; their natural sense of. stronger within us, we become more happy. shame and of suffering was deadened, they These feelings constitute the very life and could not feel it, so strongly did they realjoy of the soul. Their perfect enjoyment ize the joy that flows from the love of would be perfect bliss; and all earthly ob- Christ, the "joy unspeakable and full of jects of desire are valuable, only as they glory." Thus every sacrifice for the Saare capable of imparting to men feelings viour makes us more vividly appreciate his that somewhat resemble these. Now these goodness and his glory. feelings, these graces of the Spirit, are all Our efforts and contributions increase, cultivated and increased by benevolent ac- too, another gracious and delightful emotion. Thus we are told that the hope of tion,-our interest in the Saviour's cause. heaven," the full assurance of hope," is In proportion as we labour for it, it becomes to be attained by diligent efforts to do good our cause, we are interested in its success, in our Master's service. "God," says the" we share in its glory, we participate in had. not by the destroying sword, but by the life-giving gospel; accompanied not by the sack of burning cities, but by the overthrow of impure temples; and followed not by the wail of perishing widows and orphans, but by the joyful song of millions redeemed from death and from hell. How purifying, how ennobling, how delightful is it to feel, that we too have a part in the establishment of that glorious kingdom which is to absorb all other kingdoms; that we are aiding in the advancement of that blessed empire which is soon to revo lutionize the whole earth, covering it with abundance of peace, and changing every human heart into a habitation of the Most High! We might thus proceed from one holy emotion to another, and show how each of these fruits of the Spirit is invigorated and enlarged, and our happiness necessarily increased, by habits of benevolence. its triumphs. Nor does he debar even the poorest of his followers from the honour and pleasure of assisting in his great de signs. Ile has taught us this fact in the record of the widow and her mites. If ever there was a case in which a person would have been justifiable in doing nothing, it was that of the poor widow; if ever there was a case in which it was duty to abstain from giving, hers was that case. She was a widow, and dependent on her own exertions; she was poor, too, and in a country where the poor could pick up, at best, but a scanty and precarious subsist. ence; and two mites were all that she "What," we might feel, "what had she to do with giving? She was herself an object for charity; no priest or levite who ministered in that temple of God could have been more needy; she ought to have left the support of God's service to the rich." Had we been present, we would probably have been disposed to check her hand. But it was not so with Jesus: he 4. The fact that God rewards us even in did not blame her-nay, he even com- this present life for all our sacrifices in his mended her liberality. And why did he¦ ¦ service, is another cause which makes giving act thus ? Did that God, who claims the cattle on a thousand hills as his, stand in need of the pittance she could give? What then could have been the object of the Saviour in eulogizing the humble act of this obscure woman? His approval of her con-heart shall not be grieved when thou givest duct was meant to attest the universal unto him: because that for this thing the validity of the principle, that "it is more Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy blessed to give than to receive," and to works, and in all that thou puttest thine authorize any future disciple, however poor," hand unto." Deut. xv. 19, 20. Of the rightto act upon it. Even to this forlorn and eous man He says, "He hath dispersed, he destitute widow he would not deny the hath given to the poor; his righteousness privilege of sacrifice in the service of her endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted God. She loved the temple of Jehovah, with honour." Ps. cxii. 9. "He that hath and to contribute to its support was to her pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord; a luxury. She could thus feel that she too and that which he hath given, will He pay had a part in the house of the Lord; that him again." "There is that scattereth, and her little means helped to support its holy yet increaseth; and there is that withholdand delightful worship. And even thus eth more than is meet, and it tendeth to may every follower of the Lamb be a sharer poverty." "The liberal soul shall be made in the glory of His kingdom-that king. fat: and he that watereth shall be watered dom which shall be established over all the also himself." Prov. xix. 17; xi. 24, 25. kingdoms of the earth, and shall last "as Nor are the assurances of the present relong as the sun and moon endure." Just wards of liberality confined to the Old Tes tament. The apostle Paul, speaking on this subject, says, "He that soweth spa. ringly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountiful more blessed than receiving. The declara. tions of God, in attestation of the fact that he remunerates us in this life, are numer. ous, varied, and decisive. "Thou shalt surely give to thy poor brother, and thine so far as we labour and pray for the spread And he quotes the declarations of |