entire character. We may term it the costliest robe which the disciple of the Redeemer can wear, and the brightest gem studding his crown. How superior is it to the love of the world!—that love which is complimentary, selfish, uncertain, capricious, baseless, on which we can place no reliance whatever. How superior is it to that love which is dissociated from Christianity! in which we cannot confide, in which, though it may be interesting in its character, and ardent in its | expressions, we cannot unequivocally rejoice, for little things may arise, a little contrariety of circumstances may occur, and love may not only cool down, but be most seriously affected. How often does it evaporate! it is not only extinguished, but turned into fixed and malignant hatred. can only live and grow in the sunshine of truth. The beauty of Christian love is apparent from this circumstance, II. It is generous love. It is not that cold and calculating emotion which weighs and nicely balances everything to answer its own sinister ends. It is very different from that selfish feeling so commonly cherished, and which only seeks its own aggrandisement and the accomplishment of its own purposes. It is not unwilling to make sacrifices, even those which are costly and important. It is not an attachment which only asks the question, "How may my love be rendered the least troublesome or inexpensive?" There is a fine expansiveness about it which rivets the attention, and excites the deepest interest. There is a largeness of heart, of pur The beauty of Christian love consists pose, of endeavour, marking Christian in this : I. It is enlightened love. It is not, under any circumstances, an ignorant, a blind attachment, without light to illumine and direct; without knowledge of principles, character, or worth. It is, in all cases, where properly unfolded, the result of knowledge, the knowledge of Christ Jesus, and it is maintained and fed by that knowledge. It springs, on the one hand, from the illuminating influences of the Holy Spirit, pouring light into the mind, and teaching it to think and discriminate aright; and, on the other, from a clear and correct acquaintance with the character and excellences of those to whom it is attached and devoted. Christian love, therefore, is no ignorant emotion-no blind impulse or affection. It can always "give a reason" why it is developed, and why it is directed towards some particular object or objects. It lives in the light-it is ever surrounded by a luminous atmosphere the light of knowledge, of truth, and of heaven always guides it, chastens it, impels it, and hence its true beauty is seen, and vividly unfolded. Christian love, as has been finely observed, love, which is beautiful to observe, and most beneficial to contemplate. There is often a disinterestedness exhibited by it which prompts and enables it to make great sacrifices, to realise painful privations, to encounter formidable difficulties, to weather the fiercest storms, to contend against the most vigorous adversaries, if it can only benefit those who are the objects of its regard. This is how true Christian love is knownthis is the way in which it is exemplified-and this is the manner in which its beauty and power are unfolded. And, we ask, can anything be more engaging than the development of so generous an affection, one prepared to discharge any duty, to bear any burden, to make any sacrifice, to endure any loss, to secure the happiness and prosperity of those in whom it takes the liveliest interest, and to whom it clings with the utmost tenacity, viewing them as the friends of the Redeemer, as yalued and honoured brethren in Christ Jesus? The beauty of Christian love consists in this : III. It is love which springs from the love of Christ, and which, indeed, is accordant with it. The love of Christ Jesus, the sinner's Friend, and the sinner's Redeemer, has induced, has begotten, this love. With out the Saviour's love to the soul, the love to which we are referring would never have been displayed, never enkindled. The love of Christ at Bethlehem has inspired this love. The love of Christ at Gethsemane has increased this love. The love of Christ at Calvary has fanned this love. The love of Christ on Mount Olivet, when he ascended to glory, has augmented this love. The love of Christ in the Celes tial Temple, continually pitying, remembering, and warmly interceding on behalf of his people, is continually deepening this love. And, while the love of Christ has induced this love, it is, also, correspondent with that love not, of course, in its degree, but in its nature and properties. There is a beautiful similarity between the love of Christ to his people, and the attachment of his people towards each other; and this must be the case, if the principles and spirit of his Word are carried out, because He has enjoined it on them. "This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you." John xv. 12. It IV. It is akin to the love of heaven. The air of that country is that of love. The anthems celebrated in that land are those of love. The society to be met with in that happy region is the society of love-love unbroken and eternal. The enjoyments realised in the paradise above are those springing from love, pure and perfected love. The engagements which occupy the mind, awaken and concentrate its powers in their beatified condition, are all identified with love-love prompting every employment, mingling with, and hallowing the performance of every duty. The beauty, the crown, the glory, of the land of immortality, the abode of the righteous-"the sunny kingdom" of "the saints in light," is love-love, nothing but love. And what love? How pure in its character! How benign in its aspect! How delightful in its expressions! How happy and uniform in its development! How sublime and holy in its issues! Now, we affirm, with the Word of God before us, and the spirit and employment of the heavenly country there so vividly pourtrayed, that the love of the real disciples of the Lord Jesus towards each other is consonant with the love of heaven. There is a resemblance; and, unquestionably, there must be; for how true it is, that "The saints below, and those above, And of His grace partake." There is to be a likeness between the Saviour's regards to his people, and his people's regards to one another. must be marked, in some degree, however faint the imitation, by similar purity, freeness, strength, elevation, generosity. It must emanate from the same principles-be distinguished by the same characteristics-regard the accomplishment of the same great ends. Is not this, in the highest sense, beautiful? Is there not the most fascinat-degree-fitful, defective, and broken in ing charm connected with the development of such a temper? Is there not a halo of mild and celestial glory thrown around it? Christian love is pre-eminently beautiful, because, We are painfully aware that the love of believers towards each other now, but faintly corresponds with the love of the glorified towards one another, and their Lord; still, there is a correspondence. It is imperfect in its character and its manifestations. In the best of men, under the most favoured and happy circumstances, there is, frequently, by no means a pleasing development; it is marked by many variations, infirmities, and impediments; it is often clouded, narrowed, distorted, deformed; | this ground, must be constant in its it frequently wants fulness, expansive- exercise. ness, and elevation-still, after making every concession, and recurring to every drawback, there is a resemblance between the love of believers in Christ Jesus towards each other now, to that which they will mutually cherish in heaven, and cultivate to all eternity. In the character exemplified-in the spirit breathed-in the aims regarded, by this love, it must be the same unfolded by the church on earth, as will be for ever exhibited by the church triumphant in heaven. Hence, the peculiar beauty of Christian love where it is possessed, devoutly and habitually cultivated. Who would not have the spirit of "Heaven glowing within him?" It will regard a Christian brother at all times, in all places, under all circumstances. It will aid him in poverty, rejoice with him in prosperity, visit him in health, not neglect him in sickness, succour him in weakness, comfort him in sorrow, accompany him through life, beam upon him in old age, cheer him in the dark valley, and assure him that he will have a larger, a richer blessing throughout eternity. Now, we inquire, is not this exquisitely beautiful? Does it not unfold the Divinity of the gospel? Does it not stamp a marked impress, as well as peculiar loveliness on the Christian character? Does it not recommend the religion of the New Testament? Does it not show that the opposition of infidels to Christianity is most ignorant, unjust, absurd? Does it not glorify V. It is permanent in its exercise. It the Author of our religion, and when varies, necessarily, in its degree, and developed, consistently and uniformly, manifestation; still, when it is genuine, by the friends of Christ, must be instruit is always developed. It is not fitful mental in extending His kingdom, and or capricious, like a wayward child-multiplying the number of his subsoon pleased, and soon offended. It is not evanescent, like the flash of summer's lightning, illuminating the whole of the surrounding scenery, by its strong, yet momentary radiance. True love-that which Christianity inducesendures. It is an abiding principle. Indeed, it cannot die. It is immortal. It is love which "many waters cannot quench"-which the fiercest fires cannot extinguish, which the greatest sufferings cannot diminish, which the most brutal persecutions cannot annihilate. The beauty of Christian love is associated with this circumstance Christian love springs from principle, and principle of the noblest order; therefore, it must be permanent. It regards character, moral excellence, the truly beautiful of character, and, consequently, must endure. It is in unison with the love of Christ, therefore, must abide. It pays supreme deference to the commands of the Son of God in the New Testament, and, on jects? Dear readers, admire the spirit of Christian love. There is no temper which will bear comparison with it. No disposition is so attractive-so benign, in every sense, so deserving of your high esteem; and, indeed, of the strongest feelings of admiration. Appreciate the Divine excellence of Christianity in recommending and inducing this temper. No religion, but that of Christ, has done this. It is not characteristic of man, nor of man's philosophy, to inculcate the spirit to which we have been referring. Indeed, the temper, the maxims, the morals, of men, without Christianity-without its light, its principles, its spirit-is directly the reverse. Are not those rules golden, incomparable, divine?" Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." "Be ye followers," imitators, "of God, as dear children, loved us." 66 ther." and walk in love, as Christ also hath | ple, beautifying and regulating all his By love serve one ano- arrangements and actions. His biographer remarks of him: "It is not enough to say, of this affectionate spirit, that it formed a prominent feature in his character; it was rather the life-blood that animated the whole system. He seemed, as one of his friends observed, to be baptized in it. It was holy love, that gave the tone to his general deportment; as a son, a subject, a neighbour, a Christian, a minister, a pastor, a friend, a husband, and a father, he was manifestly governed by this principle; and this it was that produced in him that lovely uniformity of character, which constitutes the true beauty of holiness." Let us cherish the deepest regret that we have so little of the temper of Christian love displayed -so little of it unfolded by avowed disciples in the family-so little exemplified in the church-so little exhibited before the world. Nothing is more deeply, more bitterly to be lamented, than the partial, the comparatively trifling development, by numbers of professing Christians, at the present period, of the true spirit of holy love. Such love, for example, as Paul manifested, when he exclaimed: "For God is my record "-witness "how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ." Phil. i. 8. Or that temper which Peter recommends, when he exhorts: "Finally, be ye all of one mind-having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous; not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." 1 Peter iii. 8, 9. Or that fine spirit to which John persuades, when he writes: "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love." 1 John iii. 18; iv. 7, 8. The perpetual exhibition of such a temper as this, by all the avowed friends of the Redeemer, would renovate the Church, and regenerate the world. In perusing, with increased pleasure, again and again, the charming biography of the estimable Samuel Pearce, by Andrew Fuller, who does not perceive that holy, ardent, seraphic love, glowed brightly in his heart-and that it was the governing, the master-princi This is the Christian love we want everywhere; this is the spirit we earnestly desire to see everywhere cherished. It would chasten all-hallow allsweeten all-regulate all-ennoble all. It would be our fairest, our richest robe-infinitely more costly than the imperial purple. It would be the brightest gem in our crown, sparkling with celestial beauty-with divine lustre. Where is the avowed disciple of the Lord Jesus, who ought not to wish to be arrayed in this robe-and to wear this crown? Where is his true beauty without them? In a word, where is his religion without them? All religion, without this love, be it ever remembered, though decked as a living body, is but a corpse. Christians, Christians! - Ministers, ministers! - Teachers of the young everywhere!-breathe more of the spirit of holy love; that will ever be your greatest recommendation, and most fascinating charm. "Love is the golden chain that binds And he's an heir of heaven who finds July 2. T. W. DEAD FLIES. ECCL. X. 1. Selected from Dr. James Hamilton's Royal Preacher. And so, says the Royal Moralist, a character may be carefully confected. You may attend to all the rules of wisdom and self-government which I have now laid down; but if you retain a single infirmity it will ruin the whole. Like the decomposing influence of that dead fly, it will injure all the rest and destroy the reputation which you otherwise merit. THE people of Palestine dealt largely | ness, and Knox in his erect and iron in aromatic oils, and it was the chief severity, and Lnther in the magnificent business of their apothecaries to pre-explosions of his far-sounding indignapare them. A little thing was enough tion, may have been nobler natures, to spoil them. Although the vase were and fuller of the grace of God, than the alabaster, and although the most ex- supple courtiers whose sensibilities they quisite perfumes were dissolved in the so rudely shattered. But it does not limpid olive, a dead fly could change follow that men who have not got their the whole into a pestilent odour. warfare to wage are entitled to use their weapons. Nor does it even follow that their warfare would have been less successful had they wielded no such weapons. The question, however, is not between two rival graces,-between integrity on the one side, and affability on the other; but the question is, Are these two compatible? Can they coexist? Is it possible for a man to be explicit, and open, and honest, and, withal, courteous and considerate of the feelings of others? Is it possible to add to fervour and fidelity, suavity, and urbanity, and brotherly kindness? The question has already been answered, for the actual union of these things has already been exhibited. Without referring to Nathan's interview with David, where truth and tenderness triumph together; on Paul's remonstrances to his brethren, in which a melting heart is the vehicle of each needful reproof, we need only revert to the great Exam The principle is especially applicable to a Christian profession; and the best use we can make of it is to exemplify it in some of those flaws and failings which destroy the attraction and impressiveness of men truly devout and God-fearing. Our instances must be taken almost at random; for, like their Egyptian prototypes, these flies are too many to be counted. Rudeness. Some good men are blunt in their feelings, and rough in their manners; and they apologise for their coarseness by calling it honesty, down-ple itself. In the Epistles to the Asiatic They rightness, plainness of speech. Churches, each begins with commendation, wherever there was anything that could be commended. With the magnanimity which remembers past services in the midst of present injury, and which would rather notice good than complain of evil, each message, so far as there was material for it, is ushered in by a word of eulogy, and weight is added to the subsequent admonition by the preface of kindness.* And it was the same while the Lord *Fuller on the Apocalypse, p. 16. |