He must do this with right motives. man, Love to God and and nothing else, must enlist him in the war, and prompt to every effort. Unless he have this he is deficient, whatever else he may have. Thus did Paul rightly divide the word of truth. Hence he could say, "Seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." Also 2 Cor. i, 12; 2 Tim. iv, 6-8. Hence his success. God will crown with similar success every one that studieth to show himself approved unto him, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. How carefully and perseveringly should we then labour! God help me to make full proof of my ministry! And "not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory." XXXIV. OWE NO MAN ANY THING, BUT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.-Rom. xiii, 8. . THE gospel is not only a revelation of God's love toward us, but also of his will concerning us. Hence it prescribes the duties which we owe to him and to each other. It lays down rules for the regulation of our conduct in all our various relations. As a code of morals, it far excels all other codes which the world has seen. It is comprehensive, minute, just, and holy. If men would obey it, they would be happy. The morals of the gospel are inseparably connected with its doctrines; the duty of ministers is to explain the latter, and enforce the former. I propose, therefore, to enforce this divine moral precept, "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another." I. Owe no man property or money. Such is our dependance on each other, and such the nature and condition of society, that an exchange of commodities is absolutely requisite to our subsistence and happiness. This exchange is effected either by barter or sale. In both cases we receive one article in return for its equivalent. Our text requires that we should render the stipulated equivalent when, according to the condition of the contract, it becomes due. Refusing so to do is a breach of morality. It is the creditor's right of which we deprive him; it is his property which, contrary to our implied, if not expressed promise, and contrary to his wishes, we keep in our possession. What is it then, in fact, but lying and stealing, provided we are able to pay? So with outlawed debts. The law of limitation was made to lead men to settle their accounts and to prevent litigation; not to release the debtor. Is it not enough to keep me from my property for years, without using this law as a pretext to wrong me out of it for ever? You are discharged in a civil, but not in a moral view. Having my property for six years does not prove that you never had it, or do not owe me. So in cases of insolvency, where you have paid perhaps twenty-five or fifty per cent., and have afterward become rich. Your creditors took that proportion from necessity, not from choice-not as an equivalent, but as all they could get. You will not be clear of debt in Heaven's sight until you shall have tendered full payment, if at any time able to do so. So with subscriptions for periodicals, and for the support of public institutions, whether benevolent or religious. You make the promise, and receive the equivalent; you are consequently as much bound to fulfil your promise as you are to pay the bills of your grocer. "But what if I am unable?" Did you become so by extravagance or affliction? Tell your story simply, and do all you can.* II. Owe no man ill-will. If a man injures us, we retaliate at the time, or lay it up against him; it is very natural to seek and improve occasions to pay him. We are not required to give him an opportunity to injure us again, nor to think as well of him as before; for we cannot shut our eyes to what we have seen. We are not to put a viper to our bosoms after he has bitten us. Yet we must not avenge ourselves on any man who has injured us, nor harbour ill-will against him; but we must forgive and love him. This we can do. Matt. vi, 12; Luke xi, 4; Matt. xviii, 21, 22; Matt. v, 44; Rom. xii, 20, 21. III. We owe any man confession and reparation, if we have injured his feelings or character. Duty requires us to warn and reprove men, but we must do it kindly, and they ought not to feel injured; but if we wantonly or carelessly, by deed or word, trifle with their feelings, the least we can do is to make confession. This is the only noble part; the golden rule requires it. Duty may call on us to expose a man's sins; but if we wantonly slander him by insinuations, exaggerations, false or partial statements, we must make all possible reparation immediately. This rule holds in regard to property; (even Judas made restitution;) why not in regard to character? "As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." * The practice of contracting debt, without a reasonable prospect of being able to make payment, might have appropriately been introduced in this connection. It is, unhappily, too common a practice, even among those who profess to be governed by the precepts of the gospel, one of which is," Owe no man any thing, but to love one another."-ED. "Who steals my purse, steals trash;— But he that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which not enriches him, IV. You owe every man a debt of love. How much? As much as you have for yourself. This you owe every day, and daily must you make payment. How? By benevolence and acts of charity according to your means; by exhortation, good example, and prayer. Do you try to pay your relatives, friends, and neighbours? your enemies, strangers, and the world? Perhaps you may think I delight in preaching what are called "plain sermons ;" that of late I dwell only upon the severer parts of the gospel. I do it because I am interested for you. I speak it not boastingly, for I am bound to be so; and after all that I have done all that I can yet do I shall still be as I now am, in the sight of my Master, only an unprofitable servant. That I am interested for you, I appeal to my closet, my study, this pulpit, and my private and public life. I appeal to my waking hours and to my sleeping moments. But yesternight in troubled dreams was I walking your aisles, entering your pews, and begging you to repent! But O, the sequel!-with a careless, heartless smile you repulsed me! I beseech you, try to obey the precept of the text, for your own sakes, for the sake of your friends, for the sake of the church. Do not be a reproach and a curse! But you cannot obey it without divine assistance. You can have this, if you will accept it. May God help you! XXXV. WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP.-Gal. vi, 7. THE law of cause and effect is universal. By this law I mean the necessary connection and order which exist between events as antecedents and consequents. This connection and order are of divine appointment, and will continue till the world shall be destroyed. Were there no connection between cause and effect, we should have no incentive to exertion; through ignorance we should be unable to take care of ourselves. I. This law exists in morals. Men are slow to admit this position, because in morals the connection between cause and effect is not always clearly seen; as in cases of concealed murder. The effect also is long delayed; and "because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." But there are plain reasons for this delay; this is a dispensation of mercy, not of justice; a probationary state, and hence there is a necessary, though partial and temporary, suspension of the effect; it is the seed-time, not the harvest. Be not deceived, however, these things will be adjusted soon. The connection is plain enough to be seen now to some extent, and its apparent imperfection should awaken fear, rather than lull to repose. It is as the fighting-chariot in the clouds before the destruction of Jerusalem. I cannot here enter into an argument to prove that we are subjects of moral government. I refer you to the Bible, your own consciences, the experience of man, and the history of the world. There is a necessary connection between virtue and happiness, between vice and misery. This is admitted, and the Bible sustains the doctrine. It follows, therefore, |