seen in its being the divine command; that we should manifest our love to him by loving our fellow-creatures.

Ver. 21. "And this commandment have we from him," i. e. from Christ, remarks our apostle a little lower; "that he who loveth God, love his brother also."

St. John probably had in his thoughts that memorable injunction of his divine Master; (Matth. v. 44, 45.) “ I "I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Here we are taught that no injurious usage, or outrage against us, is to overcome our love and kindness to others; but that we are to do them all the good that we can, and to pray for them, and for their better mind, when there is nothing more that we can do. And of this heavenly, merciful temper our Lord not only gave us the precept, but set us the example; when, in the midst of his torments on the cross, he prayed for the authors

of

of them; (Luke xxiii. 34.) "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

With what face, then, can any one say, that he has a love for God, whilst he grossly violates so plain a command of his as this, in his hatred to a fellow-creature, for his little offences against him, perhaps no offence at all? which has been too often the case among christians, but often a more unavoidable difference in opinion, in which he may be better founded than himself, as in the present instance the apostle surely was, and the brethren for whom he pleads. But if others should be ever so notoriously in the wrong and mistaken, they are not to be hated or ill used, but the more to be pitied for what only hurts themselves; and for which they are accountable to God, and not to man.

III.

Another argument offered by the apostle, that if we love God, we are to show it by our love and kindness to our fellow-mortals, is, because it is the only return and service that he requires of us.

This is intimated in his saying; "He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen,

how

how can he love God whom he hath not seen ?"

A little after, having spoken of the infinite love of God towards us revealed by Christ, he adds, that it is an obligation upon us the more to love one another, and gives this reason for it;

Ver. 12. "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." q. d. We cannot requite God for his mercies to us. No man hath seen him at any time. He himself is infinitely out of the reach of our services and kindness. He cannot be benefited by any returns we can make to him. But our fellowcreatures are always with us, and are his representatives; and to them we may do good. And if we would follow his example towards them, we should thus be kind to them; this he will take as done to himself, and consider it as an evidence of our love to him.

Here is held forth to us a lesson of that sublime morality which is peculiar to the gospel, and worthy of that God from whom it originally came. He requires us to manifest our love to himself, by acts of kindness to others. For, that he himself is not the ob

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ject of our good offices, and incapable for ever of being benefited by any thing we can do.

This idea is beautifully expressed in that fine sacred ode, (Ps. 1.) in which the Almighty is introduced speaking to his people Israel, of the inefficacy and unacceptableness of all external worship, without the proper inward heart and disposition.

"I will take no bullock (says Almighty God to his people Israel) out of thine house, nor he-goat out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountain, and the wild beasts of the field are in my sight. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the whole world is mine, and all that is therein."

Our Maker wants not our sacrifices, our praises and hallelujahs, to add to his felicity; these are continually chaunted forth by ten thousand times ten thousand of his creatures, far more perfect and worthy of him, throughout the wide universe, and are only acceptable to him, as they are a mark of the gratitude and proper dispositions of those who offer them. And then only will our prayers and thanks givings ascend up for a memorial, and be accepted

cepted by him, when they proceed from hearts kindly disposed to our fellow-creatures, and ready to take all opportunities of promoting their happiness.

Our piety, therefore, is vain, unless it be accompanied with benevolence, and thereby discover itself to be genuine, and that which our Maker approves: and we may suppose him always calling out to and exhorting us; "Children of mankind, ye cannot serve or add to my happiness by any thing ye can offer to me; your kind offices cannot extend to me, who made you and all things, and gave all things to all: but you may show your love to me, by doing good to others of my family of mankind, many of whom I have purposely left needy and destitute, dark, and ignorant, and miserable, that ye who are able may relieve, assist them, and enlighten their minds, and thereby give proof of

your regard for me, the Father and equal friend of all.

IV.

Had men attended to this way, in which their Maker required them to manifest their love to him, the world would have been far happier,

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