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(( 
 
 Love of God and of our JVeighboitr.** 
 
 
 A SERMON, 
 
 PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF St. JAMES, 
 
 TORONTO, 
 
 ON TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1840, 
 
 BEFORE THE SOCIETIES OP 
 
 St. GEORGE, St. Jlatttcft. & St. ANDREW, 
 
 BY 
 
 RET. JOHW IttcCAlJI., 1. 1.. »., M.R.I, a., 
 
 CHAPLAIN OF THE St. PATRICK'S SOCIETY. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REQUIST. 
 
 TORONTO: 1840. 
 
 HENRY ROWSELL, KINO STREET, BOOKSELLER TO V. C. COLLEGE. 
 (PRINTED AT THE PATRIOT OFFICE.) 
 
] 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
"Thcu shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with 
 all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Thia is the tirst and great 
 comniandaiunt. And tiie sucund is like unto it. — Thou shalt love 
 thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all tho 
 Law and the Prophets." — Matthew xxii. 137. 
 
 When we compare Christianity with any system of 
 morality, which reason has taught, we cannot fail to 
 notice the superiority which it has, arising from the uni- 
 versality of its apphcation, its practical elhcacy, and 
 its pre-eminent adaptation to the nature of man. — 
 Ancient philosophy, addressing the understanding of 
 the educated and contemplative, endeavoured to 
 reason men into obedience to her Ethical code, and, 
 in the pride of science, scorned to consider the wants 
 of the untutored and the unintellectual. Thus her moral 
 systems, being suited for but few, could not produce 
 an effect on the great mass of mankind ; they could 
 influence only those, whose judgment they convinced, 
 and so apparent was this defect, that when one of her 
 most highly gifted sons wished to demonstrate the work- 
 ing of his laws, he did not venture to appeal to real 
 life, but was obliged to imagine their operadon in an 
 ideal city. 
 
 But — blessed be God for his mercy — Christianity is 
 not thus limited in its application. Although its mys- 
 teries give scope for the highest flight, to which the 
 human intellect can soar — although it has depths, whose 
 soundings human reason may toil in vain to fathom, — 
 yet its precepts are so plain, that he who runs, may 
 read. The religion jf the Gospel embraces within its 
 all-encircling arms every age — every rank — every grade 
 of attainment or intellect — and the labourer, whose on- 
 ly learning is to gain a hard-earned subsistence by the 
 
 57 ^6-^ 
 
lii 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 i. 
 
 sweat of his brow, may feel its benign influences even 
 more powerfully than the deep-read and contempla- 
 tive Philosopher. 
 
 Another feature, which marks the superiority of 
 Christianity is, that it is not speculative, but practical — 
 it does not merely model the mind, but fashions the 
 life, — it disciplines not the faculties, but the principles 
 of action, and at once implants the motive and directs 
 the practice. Its object is not to make its disciples 
 subtle arguers, but faithful doers — its design is not to 
 supply materials for abstract reasoning in the closet, 
 or acute discussion in the school, but to give a rule, 
 whereby men may regulate their conduct at all times 
 and in all places. True religion does not consist in a 
 system of speculative opinions — or a set of high-sound- 
 ing phrases, but in holy principles and heavenly pursuits. 
 Its followers are not more zealous about doctrines than 
 duties,— they do not prefer angry disputation with 
 their brethren to devotional communion with their God ; 
 their animating principle is not a flame, which burns 
 only at periodical seasons, but a constant and steady 
 light, which " so shines before men, that they see their 
 good works and glorify their father which is in Heaven," 
 the fire of Divine love, which glows within the heart, 
 and burns through the life. 
 
 If we enquire whence it is that Christianity exerts a 
 practical influence so far transcending that of any hu- 
 man system, we shall find it to arise from its admirable 
 adaptation to the nature of man. Philosophy may have 
 occupied the head, but it never engaged the heart,— it 
 may have filled the intellect, but it never absorbed the 
 affections — a cold sense of duty— and that attained by 
 the slow process of demonstration — was the very utmost 
 
nces even 
 ontempla- 
 
 ;riority of 
 radical — 
 ihions the 
 principles 
 nd directs 
 ; disciples 
 1 is not to 
 the closet, 
 ive a rule, 
 all times 
 onsist in a 
 igh-sound- 
 y pursuits, 
 trines than 
 ition with 
 their God ; 
 lich burns 
 ind steady 
 y see their 
 1 Heaven," 
 1 the heart, 
 
 ty exerts a 
 of any hu- 
 admirable 
 J may have 
 i heart, — it 
 sorbed the 
 ittained by 
 ery utmost 
 
 it could reach ; in its most attractive form it was but 
 little better than a system for men regarded as intellec- 
 tual machines, the regularity of whose movements 
 could only be secured by removing all the disturbing 
 forces of the natural passions and desires. 
 
 How different the religion of the Bible, which sup- 
 plies an object engrossing all the faculties and affections 
 of man ! Not satisfied with the cold verdict of reason 
 in its behalf, it appeals to every inward principle — 
 grasping the affections, it takes captive the whole soul, 
 and binds the heart to glad obedience by the cords of 
 love. If we were required to express the sum aud 
 substance of Christianity in one word, that word would 
 be *• Love," God its author is love— by love all its duties 
 are fulfilled. 
 
 " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
 heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. — 
 This is the first and great commandment. And the 
 second is like unto it. — Thou shalt love thy neighbour 
 as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the 
 Law and the Prophets." 
 
 In the text our duties towards God and towards man 
 are distinguished ; we shall consider them as they are 
 thus presented, and endeavour, with the Divine bless- 
 ing, to point out not merely the reasonableness of these 
 commandments, but the manifestations of obedience to 
 them, which are exhibited in the life. 
 
 The relation between a child and its parent is one 
 of the most endearing ties, which this world knows. — 
 There is no one, whose heart is unacquainted with that 
 strong attachment, which binds us to the authors of our 
 existence. Instinct teaches it in infancy, habit strength- 
 ens it in youth, and the judgment ratifies it in maturity. 
 
6 
 
 ,!■ 
 
 ! 
 
 Is there to be found the individual, who does not love 
 to turn back and dwell with delight on the scenes of 
 by-gone days, when he was with loved and loving 
 parents? How fondly does memory struggle to recal 
 the features lit up by that approving smile, which re- 
 warded our litde efforts to please — how does each 
 instance of indulgent kindness aud gentle forbearance 
 come before our view, — and, oh how bitterly do we re- 
 gret the way wardness and impatience of restraint which 
 we then manifested — how do we mourn that death has 
 robbed us of the opportunity of making some return for 
 ah the love which was shewn to us, some compensation 
 for all our thoughtless neglect and giddy disobedience ; 
 how does the heart swell with grateful love even at the 
 distant recollection of the benefits which we have re- 
 ceived from a Father's or a Mother's tender care ! — 
 If the bond which unites the child to the parent be so 
 strong, that even corroding time cannot wear it away, 
 what shall we say of the close, t of all relations, crea- 
 ture to Creator, the very germ of every other con- 
 nexion ? " God the Lord created the Heavens, and 
 stretched them out, he spread forth the earth, and that 
 which Cometh out of it — he giveth breath unto the peo- 
 ple upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein." 
 
 But God should be the object of our supreme Love, 
 not merely as our Creator, but as our Preserver. To 
 Him we are indebted not merely for life, but for every 
 advantage of every kind which we possess, — that we are 
 in health and in the enjoyment of the blessings which 
 he has conferred upon us, is all the bounty of His pre- 
 -that we are happy in the circumstances 
 
 serving care, 
 
 wherein he has placed us, and in the occupations to 
 which he has called us — that our wants are sup- 
 
s not love 
 scenes of 
 nd loving 
 e to recal 
 which re- 
 loes each 
 rbearance 
 do we re- 
 aint which 
 death has 
 return for 
 ipensatiou 
 bedience ; 
 ven at the 
 3 have re- 
 r care ! — 
 rent be so 
 r it away, 
 ons, crea- 
 )ther con- 
 vens, and 
 , and that 
 the peo- 
 ein." 
 
 !rne Love, 
 I'ver. To 
 for every 
 hat we are 
 igs which 
 f His pre- 
 jmstances 
 pations to 
 are sup- 
 
 plied, our desires gratified — that we are surrounded by 
 those in whose society we feel pleasure, — that we are 
 blessed with those round whom the heart has twined 
 its fondest feelings, — all — all are the gifts of that hand, 
 which even neglect and ingratitude cannot close. But 
 strong as are the claims of the Lord our God to love 
 on these grounds,even they sink into utter insignificance, 
 when compared with those which are found in the work 
 of redemption. Oh ! what language can express the 
 burning glow of love and gratitude, which should be 
 kindled in every heart by the thought that our Almighty 
 Creator gave his only begotten Son, that " whosoever 
 believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting 
 life." In contemplating this stupendous mystery, we 
 know not on what topic first to dwell, — so many and so 
 wondrous are the claims, which it urges for all the 
 most intense affection, of which our nature is suscep- 
 tible. The Lord of Hosts — the everlasting God — the 
 Creator of the ends of the Earth — stooping from the 
 Throne of Omnipotence to manifest love towards men ; 
 the overwhelming demonstration of that love, in that 
 it was his only begotten son, the brightness of his 
 Father's glory and the express image of his person, 
 whom he gave up as a propitiation for our sins ; the de- 
 gradation and ignominy, to which he subjected him, 
 when he sent him from Heaven to Earth, from a 
 Throne to a Cross, from Life to Death ; and all this in 
 unmerited mercy to rebellious and ruined creatures ! 
 
 Yes — although every work of creation, every dis- 
 pensation of Providence beams with the love of God, 
 yei so f\ir does the scheme of Salvation surpass every 
 other manifestation in lustre, that they are dimmed and 
 lost in the effulgent brightness of redemption. — 
 
ill 
 
 ■ 
 
 8 
 
 Well may we exclaim in the expressive language of 
 the thanksgiving — 
 
 " Almighty God, Father of all Mercies, we thine un- 
 worthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty 
 thanks for all thy goodness and loving kindness to us 
 and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, pre- 
 servation, and all the blessings of this life, but above 
 all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the 
 world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace 
 and for the hope of glory." 
 
 Let us in the next place consider, what are the ma- 
 nifestations and evidences of being influenced by love 
 to God. These may be determined by observing how 
 affection towards an earthly object is wont to exhibit 
 itself, for there are consequences uniformly following 
 the existence of genuine love. 
 
 We seek after, and take pleasure in the society of 
 those, whom we really love ; if we should be separated 
 from them, we delight to think of them and of whatever 
 recalls them ; our anxious care is to comply with their 
 wishes, and avoid what displeases them ; the objects of 
 their love and regard are dear to us for their sake ; no 
 selfish principle influences our conduct towards them ; 
 our sole study is ,to do whatever gratifies them. 
 
 Let us, my brethren, try by these tests the reality of 
 that love to God, which we all profess that we feel, but 
 which, alas ! is more frequently the expression of the 
 lips than the language of the life. 
 
 Is your delight to hold communion with Him in 
 prayer— to spread out before Him all your griefs, all 
 your desires ? Do you love to approach Him as a fond 
 parent, assured that He will grant whatever is for your 
 good ; and that if your request is refused, the denial 
 
anguage of 
 
 e thine un- 
 and hearty 
 Iness to us 
 ;ation, pre- 
 but above 
 •tion of the 
 ns of grace 
 
 ire thema- 
 ed by love 
 erving how 
 : to exhibit 
 ' following 
 
 society of 
 
 separated 
 
 f whatever 
 
 with their 
 
 objects of 
 
 r sake ; no 
 
 irds them ; 
 
 jm. 
 
 ) reality of 
 i'e feel, but 
 ion of the 
 
 h Him in 
 
 griefs, all 
 Q as a fond 
 is for your 
 the denial 
 
 9 
 
 must flow from the very tenderness of affection? Do 
 you delight in the language of grateful thanksgiving, 
 and love to pour out the full feelings of a thankful 
 heart'? In solitude, is your meditation on Him and 
 His loving kindness? Is that blessed volume, which 
 tells of all that He has done, all that He will do for 
 you, a loved and familiar study ? Is love to Him the 
 principle which regulates your life — the source from 
 which your actions flow ? Do you perform what He has 
 commanded, and avoid what He has forbidden, for this 
 sole reason — that you may endeavour to please him? — 
 " Whoso keepeth His word, in him, verily, is the love 
 of God perfected." Yes, my brethren, a life of obe- 
 dience to the Divine precepts, is the only unequivocal 
 evidence, the only infallible test of real love to God. 
 
 But the two Commandments in our text are so united, 
 that obedience to one cannot exist without obedi- 
 ence to the other: " If a man say, I love God, and 
 hateth his brother, he is a liar ; for he that loveth not 
 his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, 
 whom he hath not seen? And this commandment 
 have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his 
 brother also." 
 
 The practice of the primitive Church, my brethren, 
 was a living commentary on the precept of their Divine 
 Master, "A new Commandment I give unto you, that 
 ye love one another." The principle was so forcibly 
 illustrated in the lives of the first followers of Christ, 
 that even the Heathens were constrained to exclaim, 
 " See how those Christians love one another." Need 
 I refer to the page of history, which records the im- 
 pression, which their conduct produced on wondering 
 observers ? " Their teachers," says one writer, " have 
 
n 
 
 ■ 
 
 m 
 
 10 
 
 acquired the wonderful power of persuading them that 
 they are all brothers, insomuch that the whole of their 
 possessions are given up for the general welfare." 
 "Nothing," remarks another Heathen writer, "has 
 contributed more to the progress of the Christian su- 
 perstition, than their attention to the poor and friend- 
 less.— It certainly is no small ground of reproach, that 
 we should be so glaringly deficient in these things, 
 whilst those impious Galileans cherish and relieve, not 
 only the wretched of their own communion, but like- 
 wise of ours." 
 
 Such was the religion of the primitive Church, as 
 attested even by their enemies; not a speculative be- 
 lief in doctrines, exhibiting itself rather in high profes- 
 sion than in holy practice — such was their benevo- 
 lence, not displayed in the trim phraseology of idle 
 regrets, or unprofitable sympathy, but manifested in 
 solid and substantial acts of kindness— such was their 
 spirit of Christian love, uniting all the members in 
 in bonds so close, that if " one rejoiced, they all re- 
 joiced together ; and if one suffered, all suffered toge- 
 ther." Theirs was not that spiritual pride, which 
 vaunteth itself of superiority to others ; that unchari- 
 table censoriousness, which thinketh all evil, and re- 
 joiceth in iniquity ; that irritable zeal, which is easily 
 provoked by the slightest difference of opinion, and 
 presumptuously pronounces sentence on every one, 
 whose sentiments are not the reflexion of its own. 
 No — theirs was that charity, which "suffereth long 
 and is kind, which is not puffed up, doth not be- 
 have itself unseemly, beareth all things, believeth all 
 things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." In short, 
 
 (( 
 
ig them that 
 
 lole of their 
 al welfare." 
 Titer, "has 
 christian su- 
 and friend- 
 proach, that 
 lese things, 
 relieve, not 
 n, but like- 
 Church, as 
 culative be- 
 bigh profes- 
 eir benevo- 
 logy of idle 
 anifested in 
 ;h was their 
 members in 
 they all re- 
 ffered toge- 
 ^ide, which 
 lat unchari- 
 vil, and re- 
 ich is easily 
 pinion, and 
 every one, 
 f its own. 
 ffereth long 
 3th not be- 
 •elieveth all 
 " In short, 
 
 11 
 
 the primitive Christians showed, by their lives, that 
 they loved their neighbours as themselves. 
 
 But, perhaps, even now, the question may be asked, 
 "Who is my neighbour?" 
 
 Let us, then, briefly consider to whom this term is 
 applicable. Our families and relatives are those who 
 may be called our neighbours, in the highest sense of 
 the word. No one will question the reasonableness of 
 the command in their case ; for he who denies to them 
 that affection, which even instinct acknowledges to be 
 their due, not merely off'ends against the spirit of Chris- 
 tianity, but outrages the feelings of human nature. 
 
 Those, to whom we are united in the bonds of friend- 
 ship, also demand our love. Nor will their claim be 
 refused by any one who knows that endearing sympa- 
 thy which exists between those that are bound together 
 by this tie-that identity of feeling and almost commu- 
 nity of thought, which produces a sweet participation 
 in each others' pursuits or pleasures— a warm and 
 tender interest in each others' joy or sorrow. In 
 truth, the love of our friend, who is but a second self, 
 is almost as natural as the love of ourselves. 
 
 Again, there are those, whose conduct to us claims 
 our gratitude in return ; and to such we should accord 
 the love which flows from that pure and sweet spring, 
 the cherished memory of kindness. 
 
 But there is yet another class, who may, with pecu- 
 liar propriety, be designated by the word whose signi- 
 fications we are considering. They need not theUes 
 of relationship, the attachment of familiar intercourse, 
 or the sense of gratitude to enforce their claims on our 
 affections. That they have breathed the same air^that 
 they have trod the same soil-that they are our coun- 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 12 
 
 trymen — is sufficient title to the warmest feelings of the 
 heart, and interests in their favour, our kindliest affec- 
 tions. They are loved as we love the land of our 
 birth. The strength of this feeling may not be perceiv- 
 ed, whilst we are in our native country ; for we know 
 not what it is to be parted from it or our countrymen ; 
 and yet even there, let hostile invasion be but threaten- 
 ed, and the mere whisper of danger to our father-land 
 will fan into a blaze the latent fire of filial attachment. 
 But when placed on a foreign shore, as we are now, 
 this affection soon manifests its force. It is this, which 
 turns our thoughts so often to the green valleys and 
 hills which we have left ; it is this, which brings so of- 
 ten before the mind's eye the smiling landscape, 
 " where once our careless childhood stray'd," decks 
 it in all the bright tints with which fond recollection 
 can array it — and loves to crowd the picture which me- 
 mory has sketched, with each minute object, still link- 
 ed to the heart by those sweet associations, which fling 
 around every tree or brook, the halo of home — it is this, 
 which makes us " in our dreams revisit the seabeaten 
 shore," — it is this, which has formed, in a far distant 
 land, the Society whose anniversary we now comme- 
 morate — it is this, which, uniting in the bonds of bro- 
 therhood those whose religious opinions differ, has 
 collected us this day within these sacred walls, to offer, 
 in common, our prayers and thanksgivings to that 
 Being, whom we in common worship. 
 
 But — to proceed — hitherto, we have considered the 
 word "neighbour" only in those significations which 
 denote persons, to whom all men should acknowledge 
 that their love is due, even if there had not been a law 
 commanding it. Rut Christian duty does not end here. 
 
13 
 
 lings of the 
 liest aflfec- 
 md of our 
 )e perceiv- 
 r we know 
 luntrymen ; 
 It threaten- 
 father-land 
 ittachment. 
 e are now, 
 this, which 
 alleys and 
 ings so of- 
 landscape, 
 'd," decks 
 ecollection 
 which me- 
 :, still link- 
 which fling 
 — it is this, 
 ! seabeaten 
 far distant 
 w comme- 
 ids of bro- 
 diff'er, has 
 lis, to offer, 
 gs to that 
 
 sidered the 
 ons which 
 knowledge 
 been a law 
 t end here. 
 
 for *' if ye love them which love you, what thank have 
 ye? for sinners, alsojlove those that love them." The love 
 of our neighbour, which is taught by Christianity, knows 
 no other limit than that of mankind. Its application 
 even to our bitterest enemies, is forcibly illustrated in 
 that beautiful parable of the good Samaritan, by which 
 our Lord answered the question, " Who is my nei«yh- 
 bour?" and the same Divine Master has, not merely 
 given the express precept, " Love your enemies, bless 
 them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, 
 and pray for them who despitefully use you, and per- 
 secute you," but has also exhibited, by His own prac- 
 tice, an example of the spirit which He inculcates: 
 " Father, " exclaimed the Redeemer on Calvary, 
 "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." 
 It would be no difFicult task to adduce many proofs of 
 the reasonableness of this command : but it must suf- 
 fice, at present, to glance at the results which would 
 follow, if the opposite practice were directed, and, in- 
 stead of love, hatred of our enemies were commanded. 
 Need I tell you that the practice of such a principle 
 would tear down, with violent hands, the whole fabric 
 of society— stain our very hearths with the blood shed 
 by revenge; kindle the fires and prepare the rack of 
 persecution; tenfold aggravate the horrors of war; 
 and make this world afield of blood, or a vast charnel- 
 house for the victims of licenced murder? Pursue 
 this subject a step further, and consider what would 
 have been the effect, haJ the Almighty adopted this 
 rule in his conduct towards us. Does not the mind 
 shudder at the bare supposition ? The day-spring 
 from on high would never have visited us~the voice 
 of mercy would npv-v H^v^ been heard— the sun would 
 
14 
 
 not rise upon the unjust, nor rain descend upon the 
 evil and unthankful-utter spiritual and temporal ruin 
 would be our portion both here and hereafter. 
 
 Permit me now to direct your attention, for a few 
 minutes, to the important enquiry which remains-how 
 this love to our neighbour should be manifested'? There 
 are two ways in which love may be shown-in doing 
 good, and in abstaining to do evil. Under the first 
 benevolence is classed ; that sympathetic commisera' 
 tion, which prompts us to relieve the widow ana the or- 
 phan-the poor-the sick-and those who are desolate 
 and oppressed. Here the proper manifestation of our 
 love ,s to go and bind up their wounds, pouring in oil 
 and win . Nor let it be supposed that we have discharg- 
 €d this duty, if we are even liberal in alms-givino-. We 
 should visit the widow and fatherless in affliction-we 
 should repair to the house of mourning-we should not 
 merely supply with this world's goods the bodily want, 
 of the needy and destitute, but soothe the troubled 
 mind, and refresh the wounded spirit; we should " weep 
 with those that weep--have compassion one of another 
 —and be merciful even as our Father which is in Hea- 
 ven IS merciful." The same spirit of christian philanthro- 
 py should breathe through our words and deportment 
 towards every one. We should study to speak of our 
 neighbour in the language of kindness, and mark our 
 mannner by gentleness and meekness. If we should 
 suffer provocations, we must exercise " long suffering 
 and forbearance," and '• not be overcome of evil, but 
 overcome evil with good." Have we been injured ^ 
 We should forgive and forget. Our constant prayer 
 to (,od IS « forgive us our trespasses as we for-ive 
 *hem that trespass against us ;" let us remember/that 
 
md upon the 
 temporal ruin 
 after. 
 
 on, for a {ew 
 emains — how 
 ?sted? There 
 vn— in doing 
 Jer the first, 
 2 commisera- 
 w ana the or- 
 ) are desolate 
 tation of our 
 )ouring in oil 
 ive discharg- 
 -giving. We 
 ffliction — we 
 ^e should not 
 bodily wants 
 he troubled 
 ould " weep 
 e of another 
 h is in Hea- 
 i philanthro- 
 deportment 
 peak of our 
 id mark our 
 we should 
 ig suffering 
 of evil, but 
 n injured ? 
 tant prayer 
 we forgive 
 ember, that 
 
 15 
 
 in this oft-repeated petition we make our forgiveness of 
 others the condition of being ourselves forgiven by God. 
 1 hus our duties to our neighbour begin in sympathy 
 for the miserable, and end in forgiveness for the guilty. 
 But love ,s manifested in another way~in abstaining 
 rom evd. The propriety of this is obvious, when we 
 imit Its exercise to our relatives, friends, or benefac- 
 tors, but there are few who recognise its justice, when 
 we w,sh to extend the principle to those who injure 
 and wrong us and yet Christianity requires that even they 
 should not be recompensed with evil. "Dearly be- 
 loved, writes the Apostle, "avenge not yourselves 
 but rather give place to wrath, for it is written * Ven- 
 geance is mine-I will repay, saith the Lord.' " But 
 we should abstain, not merely from injurious actions 
 towards our neighbour, but from unkind words or un- 
 generous suspicions. Oh ! if this rule were observed 
 amongst men, how much of human sorrow would be 
 removed I What feuds, what divisions, what quarrels 
 arise from evil speaking and slander ! How do men 
 pervert to their own misery that noble faculty of 
 speech, which a gracious God has given them for the 
 increase of human happiness, and the alleviation of 
 human woe ! Will you say, my brethren, that that man 
 loves his neighbour, as he is commanded, who is ever 
 on the watch to make sarcastic reflections on something 
 that appears inconsistent orunamiable in his character"" 
 ^to circulate every slander, and give publicity to every 
 injurious insinuation? No, my brethren, such waters of 
 bitterness flow not from the spring of Christian love. 
 Another manifestation of love for our neighbour is 
 abstaining trom giving unnecessary off-ence by word or 
 fteed. One of the most genuine characteristics of 
 
16 
 
 I 
 
 Christian charity is a sensitive regard to the feelings of 
 others— not such as to sacrifice right for wrong— but 
 which makes allowance for prejudice and gives indul- 
 gence to infirmity. In nothing .'•hould this be more 
 apparent than where difference of religious opinions 
 would separate neighbours, where it is a difficult task 
 to preserve peace without compromising principle.— 
 True christian love teaches us to avoid all vain and 
 unprofitable queslions,which gender strife, not charity- 
 all disputatious discussions about trifies, which are 
 more likely to irritate the temper than convince the 
 judgment or affjct the heart-all bitter censoriousness 
 and uncharitable condemnation. Such conduct will be 
 met with reciprocal forbearance on the part of our 
 neighbour, and thus conscientious difi'erences will not 
 snap the bond of Christian charity. 
 
 Mistake me not, my friends, as inculcating that spu- 
 rious liberality, which owns no difference in religion, 
 and which manifests no preference for any form, be- 
 cause it is equally indifferent to all. Whilst 1 press 
 upon you the sacred duties of charity, let me ear- 
 nesdy caution you against that ruinous mdiffer- 
 ence about religion, ^vhich is the dark spot amidst 
 the blaze of intellectual light, illuminating the age 
 in which we live. Truly it is a sad characteristic 
 of our times, that infidelity which was formerly pro- 
 fessed only by affected philosophers, is now avowed 
 by those who cannot pretend to have been subtilised 
 into sceptics by any process of reading or reasonmg, 
 but whose only motives for rejecting what they have 
 not investigated, are often no more than a sordid desire 
 of turning to account the prevailing taste for novelty, 
 the low ambition, which is unable to obtain honourable 
 
feelings of 
 ^rong — but 
 jives indul- 
 s be more 
 IS opinions 
 fficult task 
 irinciple. — 
 lH vain and 
 )t charity — 
 which are 
 invince the 
 soriousness 
 luct will be 
 part of our 
 ces will not 
 
 ng that spu- 
 in religion* 
 y form, be- 
 lilst 1 press 
 let me ear- 
 us indiffer- 
 spot amidst 
 ng the age 
 haracteristic 
 3rmerly pro- 
 [low avowed 
 ;n subtilised 
 Dr reasoning, 
 lat they have 
 sordid desire 
 for novelty, 
 n honourable 
 
 17 
 
 distinction, but covets notoriety, or that wild impa- 
 tience of control, which is the fatal offspring of habitual 
 disregard of authority. . 
 
 IL former days, infidelity had at least the merit of 
 supporting some code of morality, but the free-thmkmg 
 spirit of our day does not propose to erect any thing 
 on the ruins of Christianity. Its object is not to sub- 
 stitute new laws in place of those, whose authority it 
 denies, but to give licence to unbridled passion to 
 range amidst a moral desert. 
 
 Let not, my brethren, let not your faith in the Reve- 
 lation of God be shaken by subtle sophistry or reck- 
 less assertion. The evidences of Christianity are not 
 to be overcome by quibbling cavils ; they are not to be 
 set aside by pert sneers. " Round it," to borrow the 
 words of an eloquent writer, « history and philosophy 
 and science have combined to gird the iron and the 
 rock of a ponderous and colossal demonstration."-- 
 Secure within that impregnable rampart, with which 
 the labour of successive generations has encircled it, 
 the faith is seated on an unassailable fortress. 
 
 From it, she has looked down upon the disastrous 
 discomfiture and defeat of every enemy, that has ven- 
 ture J to attack her. Its bulwarks have resisted the on- 
 set of the heathen and the apostate-atheism and blas- 
 phemy have launched their missiles against its walls 
 without effect-scrutinising philosophy has failed to 
 discover a breach-it is not now to be undermined by 
 the dark working of rationalism— it is not to be carried 
 by the shouts, however fierce, of assailants, who are 
 neither armed by study nor disciplined by education. 
 
 " God is in the midst of her : she shall not be mov- 
 ed." "She will not be afraid of ten thousands of peo- 
 
i 
 
 I 
 
 #i 
 
 18 
 
 pie, that have set themselves against her round about." 
 Let no man deceive you, my brethren, on a subject 
 of such tremendous importance. Heaven and hell are 
 awful realities— they are not the dreams of a disorder- 
 ed imagination— they are not the fictions of priestcraft. 
 Whether men believe or disbelieve, they shall all stand 
 before the Judgment Seat of Christ. 
 
 Hold fast then, hold fast, I conjure you, as you value 
 the safety of your immortal souls, hold fast to Christiani- 
 ty ; and, whilst you contend for the faith once delivered 
 to the Saints, let your lives show that you are not more 
 solicitous about its letter than its spirit — let your con- 
 duct be the unequivocal answer to those who oppose 
 the faith, and prove to them that the religion which 
 they affect to despise, has given you that peace which 
 the world can neither give nor take away — the peace 
 which flows from exercising yourselves to have a con- 
 science void of off*ence towards God and towards 
 man. Let those amongst you, who have the intellect, 
 the attainments and the time to enquire into the evi- 
 dences of your belief, be ready to give an account 
 of the hope which is in you — let those from whom the 
 Almighty in his wisdom has withheld the advantage^; 
 of talent, education and leisure, buc yet has given 
 them " the witness in themselves," irace wi.iiin their 
 breasts the irrefragable demonstration, which the spirit 
 of God has written there in celestial characters — let all, 
 who are called by the name of Christ, manifest not only 
 by profession but by practice, that they are the faith- 
 ful followers of him, whose advent was ushered by the 
 Heavenly Host, singing — 
 " Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men." 
 
1 about." 
 1 subject 
 1 hell are 
 iisorder- 
 iestcraft, 
 all stand 
 
 ou value 
 hristiani- 
 lelivered 
 lot more 
 Dur con- 
 oppose 
 1 which 
 e which 
 e peace 
 e a con- 
 to wards 
 ntellect, 
 the evi- 
 account 
 liom the 
 -'antages 
 s given 
 lin their 
 le spirit 
 -let all, 
 not only 
 le faith- 
 1 by the 
 
 « 
 
 rds men."