you something. magnificence and mercy; to-day he offers to owe He would become your debtor. He makes himself poor, that you may be enriched by enriching him. He would have you address that prayer which a prophet formerly addressed to him, "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now, therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding," 1 Chron. xxix. 11, &c. May these forcible reasons, and these noble motives convey light into the darkest minds, and soften the most obdurate hearts; and may each apply them to himself in particular! It happens, not unfrequently, that on these occasions each trusts to the public, and, imagining that the charity of an individual will be nothing to the total sum, for this reason omits to give. No, my brethren, there is no person here who does not make one. There is no person here who ought not to consider himself the public, and, if I may venture to say so, representing in some sort the whole congregation. Every person here ought to consider his own contribution as deciding the abundance or the insignificance of our collection. Let each therefore tax himself. Let no one continue in arrears. Let a noble emulation be seen amongst us. Let the man in power give a part of the salary of his office. Let military men give a part of their pay. Let the merchant give a part of the profits of his trade. Let the mechanic give a part of the labour of his hands. Let the minister consecrate a part of what his ministry produces. Let the young man give a part of his pleasures. Let the lady bestow a part of her ornaments. Let the dissipated give the poor that box of ointment, which was intended for profane uses. Let the native of these provinces give a part of his patrimony: and let the refugee give a part of what he has saved from the fury of the ocean when his vessel was dashed to pieces ; and with a part of these remnants let him kindle a fire to offer sacrifices to that God who saved him from perishing by shipwreck. My brethren, I know not what emotions of joy penetrate and transport me. I know not what emotions of my heart promise me, that this discourse will be attended with more success than all we have ever addressed to you. Ye stewards of our charity, ask boldly. Come into our houses ye blessed of the Lord, and receive alms of a people who will contribute with joy, yea even with gratitude and thanks. But, my brethren, we are not yet content with you. Should you exceed all our expectations; should you give all your fortune; should you leave no poor hereafter among you; all this would not satisfy me. I speak not only for the interest of the poor, but for your own interest; we wish you to give your charities with the same view. In giving your alms, give your minds, give your hearts. Commit to Jesus Christ not only a little portion of your property but your bodies, your souls, your salvation, that so you may be able to say in the agonies of death, "I know whom I have trusted, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day," 2 Tim. i. 12. God grant us this grace. To him be honour and glory for ever. SERMON X. Christian Heroism. PROVERBS Xvi. 32. He that ruleth his spirit, is better than he that taketh a city. WERE we to judge of these words by the first impressions they make on the mind, we should place them among such hyperbolical propositions as imagination forms to colour and exceed truth. The mind on some occasions is so struck as to magnify the ob ject in contemplation. The more susceptible people are of lively impressions, the more subject they are to declamation and hyperbole. We find these maxims sometimes necessary in explaining the sacred authors. Were we to adhere scrupulously to their words, we should often mistake their meaning, and extend their thoughts beyond due bounds. The people of the east seldom express themselves with precision. A cloud intercepting a few rays of light is the "sun darkened." A meteor in the air, is "the powers of the heavens shaken." Jonah in the belly of the fish, is a man "down at the bottom of the mountains." Thunder is the "voice of Jehovah, powerful and full of majesty, dividing flames of fire, breaking cedars of Lebanon, making Syrians skip, |