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upon the miserable, bestow a tear or two upon their miseries." This little is better than nothing.

Would it be amiss for you, always to have lying by you, a list of the poor in your neighbourhood, or of those whose calamities may call for the assistance of the neighbourhood? Such a list would often furnish you with matter for useful conversation, when you are conversing with your friends, whom you may hereby "provoke to love and to good works."

I will go on to say, Be glad of opportunities to do good in your neighbourhood: yea, look out for them; lay hold on them with a rapturous assiduity. Be sorry for all the sad circumstances of your neighbour which render your exertions necessary; yet, be glad, if any one tell you of them. Thank him who gives you the information, as having therein done you a very great kindness. Let him know that he could not, by any means, have obliged you more. Cheerfully embrace every opportunity of shewing civility to your neighbours, whether by lending, by watching, or by any other method in your power. And let the pleasantness of your countenance prove that you do this willingly: "Cum munere vultum." "Let your wisdom cause your face to shine." Look upon your neighbours, not with a cloudy, but with a serene and shining face; and shed the rays of your kindness upon them, with such affability, that they may see they are welcome to all you can do for them. Yea, stay not until you are told of opportunities to do good, but inquire after them, and let the inquiry be solicitous and unwearied. The incomparable pleasure which attends the performance of acts of benevolence is worth a diligent inquiry.

There was a generous Pagan, who counted a day lost, in which he had not obliged some one. "Friends, I have lost a day!"* O Christian, let us try whether we cannot contrive to do something for one or other of our neighbours, every day that passes over our heads. Some do so; and with a better spirit than ever actuated Titus Vespasian. Thrice, in the scriptures, we find

* Amici, diem perdidi.

the good angels rejoicing; it is always at the good of others. To rejoice in the good of others, and especially in doing good to them, is angelical goodness.

In promoting the good of the neighbourhood, I wish above all, that you will consult their spiritual good. Be concerned lest "the deceitfulness of sin” should destroy any of your neighbours. If there be any idle people among them, take pains to cure them of their idleness: do not nourish and harden them in it, but find employment for them; set them to work, and keep them to work; and then be as bountiful to them as you please.

If any poor children in the neighbourhood are totally destitute of education, do not suffer them to remain in that state. Let care be taken that they may be taught to read, to learn their catechism, and the truths and ways of their only Saviour.

Once more. If any persons in the neighbourhood are taking to bad courses, affectionately and faithfully admonish them: if any act as enemies to their own welfare, or that of their families, prudently dispense your admonitions to them: if there be any prayerless families, cease not to entreat and exhort them, till you have persuaded them to commence domestic worship, If there be any service of God or his people, to which any one is backward, tenderly excite him to it. Whats ever snare you perceive a neighbour exposed to, be so kind as to warn him against it. By furnishing your neighbours with good books, or tracts, and obtaining their promise to read them, who can tell how much good may be done! It is possible, that in this way, you may administer with ingenuity and efficacy, such reproofs as your neighbours may need, and without hindering your personal conversation with them on the same subjects, if they need your particular advice.

Finally, if there be any bad houses, which threaten to debauch and poison your neighbours; let your charity induce you to exert yourself as much as possible for their suppression.

That my proposal to do good in the neighbourhood, and as a neighbour," may be more fully formed and followed, I will conclude by reminding you that

much self-denial will be requisite in the execution of it; you must be armed against all selfish intentions in these generous attempts. You must not employ your good actions as persons use water, which they pour into a pump, to draw up something for yourselves. Our Lord's direction is, "Lend, hoping for nothing again,"* and do good to such as you are never likely to be the better for.

But then, there is something still higher to be required; that is, "Do good to those neighbours who have done you harm;" so saith our Saviour, "Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you." Yea, if an injury have been done you by any one, consider it as a provocation to confer a benefit on him. This is noble! It will afford much consolation. Some other method might make you even with your froward neighbours ; but this will place you above them all. It were nobly done, if in your evening retirement you have a petition to God for the pardon and prosperity of any person who has injured you in the course of the day: and it would be excellent if, in looking over the catalogue of such as have injured you, you should be able to say, (the only intention that can justify your keeping such a catalogue,) There is not one of these, to whom I have not done, or attempted to do, a kindness. Among the Jews themselves, the Hasideans offered this daily petition to God, "Forgive al who trouble and harass us."t Christians, exceed them:

*To lend a thing, is, properly, to hope that we shall receive it again; and this probably refers to the ERANISMOS, or Collation, usual among the ancients, of which we find frequent mention in history. If any man by a fire, shipwreck, or other disaster, had lost his estate, his friends used to lend him a considerable sum to be repaid, not at a certain day, but when he should find himself able, with convenience to repay it. Now persons would rarely lend on such occasions, unless they had some reason to hope they should again receive their money, and that the person to whom it was lent, should also requite their kindness, if they should ever need it.

+ Remitte et condona omnibus qui vexant nos.

Justin Martyr tells us they did so in primitive times "they prayed for their enemies."

But I must not stop here; something higher still is requisite. Do good to those neighbours who will speak evil of you for doing so: "Thus," saith our Saviour, " ye shall be the children of the Highest, who is kind to the unthankful, and to the evil.” ~~ You will constantly meet with Monsters of Ingratitude; and if you distinguish a person, by doing far more for him than for others, that very person perhaps will do you an injury. O the wisdom of Divine Providence, by which this is permitted, that you may learn to do good on a divine principle-good, merely for the sake of good! "Lord, increase our faith!"

There is a memorable passage in the Jewish records. A certain gentleman was remarkably generous, and many persons were constantly relieved by his bounty. One day he asked the following question: "Well, what do our people say to day ?" The answer was, "Sir, the people partook of your favours, and blessed you very fervently." "Did they so?" said he, "Then I shall have no great reward for this day." At another time, he asked the same questionWell and what say our people now?" They replied, "Alas! good Sir, the people enjoyed your favours today, and after all, they did nothing but rail at you." "Indeed!" said he, "then for this day I am sure that God will give me a good and a great reward." Thus ther though vile constructions and harsh invectives should be the present reward of your best offices for the neighbourhood; yet be not discouraged: "Thy work shall be rewarded," saith the Lord. If your opportunities to do good extend no further, yet I will offer you a consolation, which a certain writer has thus elegantly expressed: "He who praises God only on a ten stringcd instrument; whose authority extends no further than his own family, nor his example beyond his own neighbourhood, may have as thankful a heart here, and as high a place in the celestial choir hereafter, as the greatest menarch, who praises God upon an in

strument of ten thousand strings, and upon the loud sounding organ, having as many millions of pipes as there are subjects in his empire."

PRIVATE MEETINGS FOR RELIGION.

We cannot dismiss this part of the subject, without offering a PROPOSAL to animate and regulate PRIVATE MEETINGS of religious persous, for the exercises of religion. It is very certain that when such private meetings have been maintained, and well conducted, the Christians who have composed them have, like so many "coals of the altar," kept one another alive, and been the means of maintaining a lively Christianity in the neighbourhood. Such societies have been strong and approved instruments, to uphold the power of godliness. The disuse of such societies has been accompanied with a visible decay of religion in proportion as they have been discontinued or disregarded in any place, the less has godliness flourished.

The rules observed by some ASSOCIATED FAMI LIES may be offered with advantage, on this occasion. They will shew us what good may be done in a neighbourhood, by the establishment of such societies.

1. It is proposed, That a select number of families, perhaps about twelve, agree to meet, (the men and their wives) at each other's houses alternately, once in a fortnight or a month, or otherwise, as shall be thought most proper, and spend a suitable time together, in religious exercises.

2. The exercises of religion proper for such a meeting are; for the brethren in rotation to commence and conclude with prayer; for psalms to be sung; and for sermons to be repeated.

3. It were desirable, for the ministers, now and then, to be present at the meeting, and pray with them, instruct and exhort them, as they may see occasion,

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