and the truth of this maxim is verified by univerfal experience. If we fhow hearty goodwill and affection to those with whom we converfe, or with whom we have any intercourfe, we can scarce fail to receive the proper returns of good-will and kind difpofitions on their part. Love without diffimulation conquers every heart. Its empire is in a manner univerfal. Where it is known to be the ru ling principle of any character, it will gain the hearts and applaufes of thoufands, nay of millions of mankind, who never faw the perfon, nor were ever within the reach of his beneficence. But the mighty power of love appears, not only in winning the hearts of all men, when there is no refiftance to be overcome arifing from envy, refentment, or any of the malevolent paffions; but it appears more confpicuously in triumphing over illwill, refentment, and malice of the most confirmed and inveterate kind : "For if we real"ly, and from the bottom of our hearts, "love our enemies, (as our Saviour di"rects); if we blefs them that curfe us; if "" we do good to them that hate us; and if "we pray for them that defpitefully ufe us " and perfecute us; we will gradually foften

and melt their hearts." If we uniformly perfevere in returning good for evil, the beft offices for the worst, there is fcarce any human creature fo hardened and obftinate as not to be mollified, and even reconciled, at laft. There is only one exception to this: When

When the good man's meafures of conduct and courfe of action continue to oppose and thwart the worldly interefts, and ambitious views, of his adverfaries; in that cafe, the moft fteady exercife of the pureft and most perfect goodness will have no effect. This was the ftate of things betwixt our bleffed Saviour and the rulers of the Jewish nation, and was the caufe that his inimitable and unconquerable goodnefs had no influence upon them. But when this is not the cafe, an uniform courfe of kindness and good offices, which carry demonftration along with them, that there are no remains of refentment at bottom, or no other wrong principle operating within, will fooner or later produce their effect, and beget love and esteem.

We may further add, as another proof of the mighty power of love, that when any one is called to the delicate and difficult office of admonishing and reproving others for their follies and vices, nothing but the workings of real affection appearing to the full conviction of the guilty perfon himself, can reconcile his mind to the reprover, and give real energy and efficacy to what he fays. The power of love, in fuch cafes, far furpaffes the power of the finest eloquence. When love manifeftly dictates the reproof, it will draw tears from the eyes of the profligate and abandoned, and even of the hardened in vice and profligacy, and make him conceive a higher degree of affection and esteem

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for the friendly adviser than ever he had before; and fometimes the fuccefsful execution of an office of this kind, proves the com. mencement of a friendship that lafts through life.

We may ftill add upon this head, that it is love which infpires the foul with generous and noble designs, and with that refolution and fortitude which is neceffary to execute them. Thofe heroic actions which are recorded in hiftory, and which we read with admiration, have, for the most part, been the effects of the love of one's country, of particular friendship, or of an ardent zeal for fome important interefts of mankind. Thus heroifm, the truest heroism, derives its chief excellence and ftrength from the fpirit of love.

Laftly, The mighty power of love displays itself in uniting and binding mankind together. A renowned leader in fcience or in arts, a fuperior of diftinguifhed virtues and talents in any important department in fociety, produces a wonderful union and harmony among his admirers and adherents. The warm attachment, for inftance, of all foldiers to a favourite general, or of all the fubjects to a beloved prince, what good-will, what unanimity of views, does it produce among the foldiers or fubjects? How does it make them forget their little animofities, and interfering interefts, and join heart and hand in the fervice of him who is the common object of their affection? In a word, love is that invisible,

invifible, but mighty chain, which links mankind together in a thoufand ways. And it is by these affociations that their personal interefts, and the intereft of the public, are frequently promoted in the most effectual way.

To all which we may add, that this principle of love fhall at last demonstrate the whole extent of its power, by uniting the whole virtuous and holy part of mankind into one happy and glorious fociety, under the one great Mediator and Head Jefus Chrift the righteous. And as he is the perfect image of the invifible God, it fhall, through him, unite them all to the great Parent of the universe.

And

thus love fhall be the eternal and indiffolvable bond of union to the whole immortal empire of Jehovah.

The third and last proof of the excellency of the fpirit of love, is its being the fource of joy and happinefs. This is a point that needs no laboured illuftration or proof. We need only appeal to every one's feeling, that love is the temper, nay the very effence of happinefs. Every fentiment of the human breaft, in fo far as it partakes of benignity, it is happinefs; and in fo far as it partakes of malignity, it is mifery. If we had our choice in the manner of making ourselves happy, we could not fix upon any thing more effectual, than to have our hearts overflowing with the warmest affection to every human creature, without the leaft tincture of any malevolent or difquieting paffions. The only thing fur

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ther wanting to complete our happiness, would be the affurance of the favour of God, to fecure and perpetuate it. Let us fuppofe this attained, and then try, if we can even imagine a more happy ftate than that of a man "who dwells in love," who is fatisfied with his lot in life, and who rejoices in the divine administration. In fuch a state, surely, the mind must be open to relifh, with the fulleft pleasure, all the enjoyments of life; and it must also be in the beft difpofition to do good, and to relieve the neceffities, to fympathife with the forrows, and to fhare in the joys, of all mankind.

Thefe are the natural and noble effects of the spirit of love: where-ever it prevails, it renders the poffeffors amiable, powerful, and happy.

To conclude: Let us not fatisfy ourselves with admiring and praifing the excellency of this fpirit; but let us be folicitous to tranf plant it into our hearts, and to exhibit the bleffed effects of it in our lives. Let it ever be our affiduous care, to check the firft rifings of all the malevolent paffions, and to cherish the first motions of the benign affections. Let us habitually lift up our fouls in earnest prayers to Almighty God, that he may kindle in our hearts the facred flame of love to himfelf and to mankind, and that he may heighten and increase it by the continual influences of his Holy Spirit. In all the intercourses of fociety, let us embrace every opportunity

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