are not its limits: it is bounded by human nature alone and wherever he finds a human being, there he sees a brother, whose happiness he rejoices to promote. As the noblest part of man is the soul, its eternal felicity is his great concern.

Di

While he feels thus for others, none can accuse him of neglecting his own concerns. ligence, rectitude, and fidelity, mark his habitual conduct: Humility, purity, contentment, moderation, sanctity, peace of mind, and joy reign in his heart. There is besides a heroism about him which has something divine. He has learnt to be steadfast in goodness; to proceed in the path of integrity and benevolence, unshaken by temptation, contempt, opposition; and to follow what is good, though alone in the way. He is willing to submit to every privation, to undergo the most painful sufferings, and to endure death itself in the most horrid form, rather than swerve from the path of duty, or renounce the principles of truth and goodness.

I feel that I sink beneath the weight of attempting to delineate the character of a christian, and am ashamed to present so poor a sketch: but the excellence of the thing will compensate for the defect of the representation. Examine it; and then ask yourselves: "Where else shall we meet with such a design." Mahomet, in a bungling way, pilfering from the

New Testament, attempted something of a resemblance; but he failed: his dispositions spoiled the whole. The Koran forms enthusiastic warriors for the faith, to shed the blood of infidels, or compel them to come into the butcher's, rather than the shepherd's fold; and the slaves of sensual joys both in this life and that which is to come. The legislators of the pagan world, though some of them pretended to divine revelation, had very different thoughts and views from the apostles of Christ. Lycur gus, seemingly a man of strong nerves, and a daring spirit, aimed by his code to make the Spartans courageous and hardy soldiers, delighting in war. Another wished to inure the people to labor, and to cultivate the earth. A third sought to teach them to excel in comA fourth studied to raise them to superior skill in arts, and sciences, and civilization. But to form men of such a character as has been delineated, never entered into the mind of any but the writers of the New Testament, with the sole exception of Moses and the prophets, who composed the first volume of this book, and who were animated with the same spirit. How high does this raise the scriptures above every other book! Can we conceive it possible that imposture lurks behind such a design?The idea of such a character is not only opposite to the dispositions of bad men, but beyond the capacity even of

merce.

good men, and gives reason to conclude that it. comes from God.

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But the character, it may be said, is merely ideal. No Jesus exemplified all that he required his disciples to be: and they, according to their measure, followed his steps. Such men were Peter, and John, and James, and Paul, and thousands more. Imperfections in them we can discover, and the marks of infirmity amidst the sudden gusts of temptation: but all the divine principles enumerated above, reigned in their hearts, habitually regulated their temper, and shone forth in their conduct. The blemishes we discover in them, are like the clouds flying along the sky in a summer's day, which now and then obscure the sun: but their path was like that of the just, shining more and more unto the perfect day. There have been myriads of the same spirit in every succeeding age. There are myriads still, whose highest and whose constant end in life is to realize and exhibit the character of a christian. But wickedness is noisy, goodness does not strive nor cry. The lightning and the thunder of Heaven attract universal notice by their glare and roaring The sun moves quietly on his course, and diffuses his blessings in silence.

SECTION IX.

The Happiness which results from the Influence of the Gospel, in forming such Characters. THE importance of the truths contained in the former section will appear more clearly, if we consider the influence which the prevalence of such a character will have on human happiness. That in the individual who is moulded into it, it will produce tranquillity, satisfaction, and peace resulting from the hope of the friendship of God, from the banishment of evil passions, and from the exercise of holy affections and the noblest principles, every competent judge of human nature will readily grant. Let all the members of a family be animated by these sentiments and dispositions: it becomes the abode of love and joy. A town full of citizens of this description is a holy brotherhood, where harmony reigns; and a reciprocation of kind offices renders neighborhood and social intercourse unspeakably pleasing. Were a country filled with such inhabitants, it would exhibit such a scene of felicity as the world never yet beheld. All would perform the duties of their station with fidelity, and would exhibit integrity in their dealings, and would. seek the general good, and make private give

way to public benefit. There would be peace, and union, and abundance, and contentment, and the love of order, and veneration for the institutions of society. Tyranny, insubordination, and anarchy, would be unknown.

O that Europe were full of people of this character! There would be a strife who would be the first in proposing an end to war, and have the honor of soliciting reconciliation. Peace would be easily made; for pride, avarice, ambition, revenge, the love of glory, and the lust of domination, would have no vote in the congress. Rectitude, benevolence, and compassion for the mis rable, sitting alone in council, would bring the negociation to a speedy close. They would all embrace as brethren; and it would be easy to live in peace, because the seeds of war in the human heart are destroyed.

But mere abstinence from injury would not satisfy men of such a spirit. No longer possessed with the evil demon, falsely called patriotism, which taught and impelled them to seek the exaltation of their own country on the ruin of others, they would feel it a duty and a pleasure to promote the prosperity and happiness of each other. Instead of proving, as has hitherto been the case, a curse, nations would be a blessing to each other; and, in the spirit of the gospel, love a neighboring country as their own. When any of those causes occurred