LUKE xvi, 10.—He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust MATTHEW vii, 12.-Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the ON THE DISSIPATION OF LARGE CITIES. EPHESIANS V, 6.-Let no man deceive you with vain words; for ON THE VITIATING INFLUENCE OF THE HIGHER UPON THE LOWER LUKE xvii, 1, 2.-Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should JOB XXXi, 24-28.—If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence ; If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand; this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for I should have denied the God that THE DOCTRINE OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY APPLIED TO THE CASE MATTHEW vii, 3, 4, 5.—And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?-Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold a beam is in thine own eye?-Thou hypocrite! first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out DISCOURSE I. ON THE MERCANTILE VIRTUES WHICH MAY EXIST WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY. PHILIPPIANS iv, 8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. THE Apostle, in these verses, makes use of certain terms without ever once proposing to advance any definition of their meaning. He presumes on a common understanding of this, between himself and the people whom he is addressing. He presumes that they know what is signified by Truth, and Justice, and Loveliness, and the other moral qualities which are included in the enumeration of our text. They, in fact, had words to express them, for many ages antecedent to the coming of Christianity into the world. Now, the very existence of the words proves, that, before the gospel was taught, the realities which they express must have existed also. These good and respectable attributes of character must have been occasionally exemplified by men, prior to the religion of the New Testament. The virtuous and the praiseworthy must, ere the com mencement of the new dispensation, have been met with in society-for the Apostle does not take them up in this passage, as if they were unknown and unheard of novelties-but such objects of general recognition, as could be understood on the bare mention of them, without warning and without explanation. But more than this. These virtues must not only have been exemplified by men, previous to the entrance of the gospel amongst them-seeing that the terms, expressive of the virtues, were perfectly understood-but men must have known how to love and to admire them. How is it that we apply the epithet lovely to any moral qualification, but only in as far as that qualification does in fact draw towards it a sentiment of love? How is it that another qualification is said to be of good report, but in as far as it has received from men an applauding or an honorable testimony? The Apostle does not bid his readers have respect to such things as are lovely, and then, for the purpose of saving them from error, enumerate what the things are which he conceives to possess this qualification. He commits the matter, with perfect confidence, to their own sense and their own apprehension. He bids them bear a respect to whatsoever things are lovely-nor does he seem at all suspicious, that, by so doing, he leaves them in any darkness or uncertainty about the precise import of the advice which he is delivering. He therefore recognizes the competency of men to estimate the lovely and the honorable of character. He appeals to a tribunal in their own breasts, and evidently supposes, that, antecedently to the light of the Chris |