568 PRIVILEGE OF THE LIVISG ABOVE sea DEAD. to God theFather; or to his Son Jesus. See then that ye prac- tise this virtue as often as providence gives a proper occasion, and thus consecrate your substance to the Lord of the whole earth. Lend a little to the Lord in this manner, and it shall be paid with large interest : " He that bath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay him ;" Prov. xix. 17. Perhaps another week, or another day shall divide you from all your earthly riches ; no more of them can be laid out for God : Perhaps death may send you into the invisible world, and ye shall have no more objects of your pity for ever; whatsoever thy hand then finds thee to do, do it with all thy might; Ecc!. ix. 10. You that are rich in thisworld, be rich in goodworks, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store a goodfoundation against the time to come, that ye may lay holdon eternal life ; 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19. And remember that he that sows sparingly, shall reap sparingly; but he that soweth bountifully in his distributions to the poor, for the sake of Christ, shall also reap bountifully of the riches of glory, in the great day of reward ; 2 Cor. ix. 6. IV. Another grace which only the living can exercise, is, charity to our fellow-creatures under their mistakes, or infir- mities, and a charitable and loving frame of spirit to. our fellow- christians who differ front us either in principle or practice. Infirmities and mistakes belong only to thepresent state ; This life is the only time when a fellow -saint can be overtaken in a fault, and when we are capable of restoring such a one in,the spirit of meekness. It is here only that the proposed motive has any room or place ; consider thyself lest thou also be tempted; Gal. vi. 1. And though we are bound to maintain an everlasting aversion to every sin, yet we should imitate ,and honour the for- givingmercy of our God, by speakingpeace and consolation to a returning sinner. Be not top severe in your censures, you who have been kept from temptation, but pity others whoare fallen, and mourn over their fall. Do not think or say the worst thingsyou can of those who have been taken in the snare ofSatan, and been betrayed into some grosser iniquities. When you see them grieved and ashamed of their own follies, and bowed down under much heaviness, take, occasion then to speak a softening and a healing word. Speak for them kindly, and speak to them tenderly. " Have compassion of them, lest,they be swallowed up of over much sorrow ;" 2 Cor. ii. 7. And remember too, Ocensorious christian, that thou art also in the body, it is rich grace that has kept thee hitherto, and the same God, who for wise ends has suffered thy brother to fall, may punish thy severity and re-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=