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It is a beautiful incident in the life of Cyrus the great, whether it be truth or fiction, that being on an excursion, he met with a poor peasant, who having nothing better to offer him, ran to a neighboring stream, and brought him his hands full of water, which the prince acknowledged with great satisfaction.

Jesus Christ, while on earth, chiefly associated with the poor-familiarly conversed with them, healed their diseases, and taught them the words of eternal life. They were principally his disciples on earth, and no doubt of such will the kingdom of Heaven be chiefly composed. If, by sending the Gospel to the poor, we console them in the sorrows of indigence by the comforts of hope and peace of mind, render them more respectable and more useful members of society, and put them under a discipline which will finally qualify them for eternal happiness, we fulfil the most benevolent intentions of Jesus Christ who taught them, died for them, and procured for them the aids of the Holy Spirit to qualify them for Heaven. When they hear the voice of Christ, they come forth from their graves and go into the holy cities, and from thence become members of the heavenly Jerusalem. The rich have their origin on earththe pious poor, being born of God, have theirs in Heaven-Their names are there recorded, and shall never be erased from the register of the liv

ing. If there be remembrance in Heaven of benefits received on earth, the pious poor who have entered there by the aids of Christian charity here, will remember with all the ardor of gratitude, which possession of perfect happiness can inspire, that pious charity which taught them the way of life.

The effects of the South-Carolina Missionary Society have been already followed with desirable success, and it is reasonably to be expected, that it will still be more beneficial. A foreign Mission has a name, but has never fulfilled any great expectation. The British Nation is sending Missionaries to the East-Indies to convert the natives, while they are desolating their country, and reducing the inhabitants to the lowest grade of human wretchedness. Let us send the Gospel to the pagans of our own country, where we may reasonably hope, God will render the charity beneficial both to individuals and the community. There are many places where the people are in extreme ignorance There are churches without ministers, and cases where they are supplied, the bread of life is not broken to the people. It is better in such a case, to be altogether destitute, because the souls of men are more endangered by false doctrines, which hold out a way to Heaven which the Gospel does not authorise, than if they were left in entire ignorance. The harvest truly is great,

but the laborers are few, in comparison with the wants of the people. Let us therefore pray that the Lord of the harvest, may send forth laborers into his vineyard, and give them that success which may both save their own and the souls of those who hear them.

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Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

« Do not every one (of you) aim at his own interests; but each of you also at the interests of others?" DODDRIDGE. "Be not so selfish and contracted in your sentiments, as to be concerned only for your own advantages and happiness, but generously enlarge your views, and be attentive to the good of others also."

M.

AMONG the many calamities introduced

into the world by sin, it is not the least, that selflove hath generally so far gotten possession of the breasts of men, as either to confine their attention wholly to themselves as individuals, or to the few

whom nature hath connected with them by the ties of blood; or, if their feelings extend at all beyond these, to admit only of such occasional and languid exertions for the good of others, as produce no important effects.

To rectify this error of the human heart, and recover men to that diffusive and active benevolence towards one another, which God originally designed to be an established law of our natures, is one grand and immediate object of the Gospel. And wherever it is admitted to exercise its genuine influence on the temper, it will certainly produce these effects.

To pursue the subject, I propose to considerI. The objects and extent of the precept-" Aim not at your own things, but at the things, or interests of others."

II. The obligations we are under, particularly as Christians, to aim at the interests of others.

III. The advantages that would arise from such a temper and practice, both to individuals and the community.

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I. Let us consider the objects and extent of the precept in the text.

1. It cannot be the sense of the precept before us, that we are so far to regard the advantages of other men, as to be quite unconcerned for ourselves; or are in general, to be more attentive to their welfare, than our own; because this, if it

were even practicable, would be contrary to the constitution of God, who undoubtedly intended that our own happiness as individuals, should be the main object of our concern, in subordination to his glory, which in the reason of things, is the first and highest good. To secure the goods of this world, so far as is necessary to our own private happiness, or to enable us to fill up our places in society with ease and dignity-to secure peace of mind, and to aim constantly at obtaining the favor of God; and the final happiness that our nature is capable of, can never cease to be obligatory on every individual of the species. Next to himself, it is also his indispensible duty, to pay the greatest attention to those who are nearest to him by the connections of nature, or committed to his care by the particular disposal of providence. But his affections and conduct in all these circumstances, are to be managed in such a manner, as not to exclude an active and generous concern for others of mankind. Not only to avoid with a studious carefulness all occasions of doing them an injury, but to make it his study, in consistency with the more immediate obligations already mentioned, to promote their welfare. And in exercising this benevolent disposition, the characters of men are not to be regarded, but their necessities. Not those only whose good qualities entitle them to our particular esteem; or whose friendship for us claims

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