and behold, there is no end of the blessedness of your gift. It is given in perishable money; but it is written in books which will outlast the world, and shall be returned an hundred fold in heaven.

But let me not be mistaken. Alms cannot save the soul. A whole fortune bestowed in charity cannot make amends for a single sin. You must first be reconciled to God. You must draw nigh unto Him by faith in the atonement of the blood of Christ. You must be moved by the Holy Spirit of God. You must pray for pardon, and grow in grace. Else is your charity no charity. Else are your alms no alms. Suffer me, then, though a stranger to many of you, to add this word of exhortation, as unto brethren, from a brother in Christ Jesus. Look well to your principles, not only in what you give, but in all that you do, and

say, and think. "Examine yourselves,

whether ye be in the faith." (2 Cor. 13. 5.) Examine yourselves, whether your faith be according to the truth, whether it bring forth the fruits of holiness and

peace. Live up to your profession. Profess up to the full standard of the Gospel of Christ. Be not ashamed of Him and of his word, in the midst of a worldly world. Be not afraid to count the cost of serving and loving Him. For oh consider how eternal is the gain! On the one side is the show of present pleasure; but beneath it is everlasting woe: on the other is self denial and suffering for a time; but at the same time joy in tribulation, and afterwards the crown of glory, that fadeth not away. Yes, such is God's love for us, we may live for ever, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no want, and where above all there is no sin. But nothing which is evil can enter there. They only can be saved, whom God esteems as righteous. that He will count us righteous, if we believe according to his will! To this faith He has called us. To this faith He now calls all you who hear me this day. Repent, and be converted, every one of you. Believe, and obey the Gospel. Obey every word of God, every saying of the

Blessed be his name

Lord Jesus. Faith, remember, without works is dead. And so also are works that come not of faith. But of these things we might discourse for hours. And the infirmities both of preacher and of hearers remind me that it is time to stop. Only this one thing more I add, that though almsgiving cannot save the soul, yet also without alms bestowed in love, without love felt, professed, and practised, the soul cannot be saved.

SERMON VIII.

FOR A DISPENSARY.

THE PLEASURE OF DOING GOOD.

ACTS 10. 38.

"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil."

WHEN the Almighty Maker of the universe was pleased to bring his only begotten Son into this lower world, and when evidence was to be given to mankind that Jesus was indeed the Christ; amongst the various ways by which the mind of man might be convinced that God was of a truth with Him and in Him, miracles, in conjunction with prophecy, were of the most obvious use; and of all mira

G

cles those were the most frequently performed, which made manifest the mercy and goodness, as well as the power and authority, of Him who wrought them. Thus when St. John the Baptist sent to ask of Jesus, whether or no He was "he that should come;" he was told, for a sufficient answer : "the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them." (Matt. 11. 3, 5.) Let it then be observed, that of these works of might and mercy, a large portion ministered chiefly to the relief of bodily infirmities. And hence it will appear plainly, that the compassionate regard of our Saviour extends to what we suffer in the flesh on earth, as well as to those endless torments, to which sin exposes us in the world to come. And does it not evidently follow, that if we would walk in his steps, we must rejoice in alleviating the bodily distress of our fellow creatures, as well as in helping to impart health unto their souls?