in his mercy, hath revealed; reflect, that you then will testify your gratitude in a manner, the most pleafing to your heavenly father, when your lives are diftinguished by acts of disinterested affection unto thofe, who are created in your father's likeness.

I remain, gentlemen, with great esteem,

your affectionate and obliged fervant,

THE PREACHER.

ACTS

I.

ACTS XX. 35.

REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE LORD

JESUS, HOW HE SAID, IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE."

THE religion of the gospel, though supported by fuch evidence as might justly command obedience to its laws, chiefly aims at our conversion, by the milder powers of perfuafion, and a generous appeal to the genuine feelings of the uncorrupted heart.

Next to the worship of our creator in fpirit and in truth, it injoins an obedience to the most pleasing affections of our nature, as our most effential duty and recommends the principle of unlimited benevolence; that principle, from which true happiness must always flow, as the proper motive and incentive to every action it approves.

In conformity with its general language, it delivers the doctrine of my text; "it is more blessed to give, than to receive.”

But

But may it not be urged, that the fentiment, on which this doctrine is established, is, in fact, at variance with the common practice, as well as the prevailing difpofition of mankind?

Self is the idol we adore in every stage and period of our existence.

If it be more bleffed to give, than to receive; whence is it, that in early life the appetite for sensual pleasure reigns in our breafts without control? Whence is it, that we facrifice the ease of thofe around us to every lawless paffion? Our powers of being useful in our generation, to the gratification of defires, which at length render us useless to ourselves?

Avarice furely difclaims the doctrine of my text. Nay, even that moderate degree of attention to our welfare, which is dignified with the name of prudence, confifts not in providing for the neceffities of others; its object is, a decent provision for the supply of those personal wants, which the laws of nature and of cuftom have impofed upon our race.

Ambition, nay, even emulation, and the

defire of an honeft fame, are altogether of a felfish nature. We envy the pomp, the power, and even the virtue, which we are unable to poffefs. Our own fuperiority depends as much upon the depreffion of our rival, as on the elevation of ourselves; the joy of fuccefs, in this inftance, is therefore utterly unsocial: it too often is founded on the miseries of our kind.

Yet the love of pleasure, the love of power, and the love of praise, are in a manner congenial with the human mind: they appear to be neceflary movements in our frame: they call aloud for conftant gratification. With respect to thefe, therefore, it is furely not more bleffed to give, than to receive.

Religion itself feems to countenance, and even to applaud, this ardent defire of happiness in our fpecies: fhe appears to conspire with this general pulse of nature, with this univerfal with of all her offspring.

She calls upon us to leave the paths of vice, to pursue the paths of virtue, by the fear of punishment,-by the animating profpect of reward.

Let

Let us, however, attend to what the voice of calm philofophy, aided by experience, can urge as a folution of this difficulty.

And first, it must be confidered, that the queftion is not concerning the instinctive defire of happiness; but the mode of conducting ourselves, with refpect to the ordinary means of its attainment.

And it is contended, that a more rational pleasure, a fublimer fatisfaction, will be found in difpenfing them to others, than in receiving them ourselves.

The pleasures of rational creatures are of a twofold kind.

The gratification of every natural appetite is pleasing but the pleasure ceases in the inftant of enjoyment. No power of our will can recall it to our remembrance: it remains funk in deep oblivion; until the appetite returns at its appointed period.

Other gratifications there are, delightful in the moment of enjoyment, and which reflection please.

alfo upon

Oppreffed with hunger and with thirst, the foul of man grows faint; the calls of nature are vehemently loud, they plead with

irresistible