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and all his creatures, to make his good their center of attraction. But had this little atom no place in the ma terial system? Certainly it had. Its proper place was that of an atom, and it behoved it to cleave to the surface of the earth, and in connexion with all its kindred atoms, to attract, and be attracted; and statedly and orderly to revolve around the real center of the system. In like manner; every man has a place in the intellectual system. He is one among many millions in this world, and he has a right to count himself one. Therefore the command of the Creator enjoins, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The Creator, by this command, did not surely intend to balance the interests of all the human race, by the interests of one man ;-he did not therefore mean to say, Love thyself as much as all thy fellow men:' but, Love thyself as much as one of them, for one thou art; and, Love one of them as much as thyself, for one he is.' God is no respecter of persons; and the law which he has given us is the transcript of his own heart. The good of one man appears as valuable in his sight, as the good of another; that is, going on the ground of their possessing equal capacity for enjoyment; and the law of love which worketh no ill to its neighbor, requires that we should view things just as he does. And it is certain that nothing short of my loving my neighbor as myself, even so as to value his interest and happiness, as much as my own, will lay a foundation for a perfect oneness between me and my neighbor, so as effectually and forever to prevent all discord, hatred, and envy; and prepare me to rejoice in all his joy.

In this statement I go on the ground, that my neighbor has as great a place in the system of intelligent beings as myself. My happiness, it is true, is placed more under my immediate care, than my neighbor's: I can do things for the health and comfort of my own body, and of my own soul, which I cannot do for my neighbor. I can exercise repentance and faith, so as to become thereby interested in the great atonement; but I cannot do this for him. I am my own keeper, in such a sense as I am not his. But if I make the law of God my rule, I shall not pay this particular attention to

myself, because I place a higher value on my own'nterest than on my neighbor's.

As it belonged to the little atom of which we just now spake, not only to cleave to the surface of the earth, but also, in connexion with its kindred atoms, to revolve around the sun, the center of the material system; so it becomes an individual man, not only to love his neighbor as himself, but to love the Lord his God with all his heart; which would be to revolve around the Sun of righteousness, the center of moral attrac tion. There is no doubt a harmony between the works of the Creator. One use of the material systein, and of the laws which regulate it, is to illustrate the beauty and order, and point out the obligation of the moral system. Attraction to the world of matter, is the same as disinterested, or unselfish love, to the moral world.

From what has now been said, it will be seen, that disinterested love does not imply a hatred of ourselves, unless it be in a comparative sense, that is, the loving of ourselves less than some other object. In this comparative sense, we are most expressly commanded to hate ourselves. "If any man come to me," said our blessed Lord, "and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke xiv. 26. We know that our Lord did not require malicious hatred to be exercised towards any one; but from the passage before us, it is certain, that he required us to love him supremely, so as to weigh down all the love which we have for our nearest and dearest relatives, and also for ourselves. But if we love Christ, only because we think he loves us; is not this, after all, loving ourselves more than Christ?

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HII. It is objected, that the scheme of disinterested and universal benevolence, proposes too great an object for a finite mind. "Who but the infinite God," says my antagonist, can have such a comprehensive view of all things as to know, in every case, what is best for the general and universal good? Certainly no finite mind is adequate to take such a comprehensive survey of universal existence, as to know what line of conduct

will best conduce to the good of all.To seek the good of "being in general," he adds, I must have a knowledge of" being in general."-But to such knowledge I cannot hope to attain; and therefore I must be totally discouraged from ever acting from an acceptable motive." p. 273. To this it may be replied; that it is far from being necessary, for the exercise of disinterested and universal good-will, that we should be able to know the exact number of individual beings which compose the universe. Adam and Eve might be said to be possessed of this enlarged affection of heart, while they did not know that any rational beings, but themselves and their Creator, were in existence, to draw forth this affection. But in the possession of this holy affection, they would be prepared to love angels, as soon as they knew that such beings existed. The same kind of affection would prepare them to embrace new objects of love, as fast as they should be presented to their knowledge. It is not improper to say, that they possessed universal benevolence, when but few of the objects, which the Creator designed should receive this benevolence, were known; or when but few of them had as yet come into existence. A child may be possessed of good-will to mankind in general, when he has not been out of sight of his father's house, and when he has not the least idea about the extent, and population of the globe. If he possesses disinterested love to those whom he does know, he has a heart to love those whom he does not know, and will love them as fast as he becomes acquainted with them. But if his heart be under the dominion of selfishness, even a liberal education, followed by travels through the world, will not enkindle in his breast the least spark of universal benevolence. The child Jesus had this enlarged love when he was in childhood, tho' as to his human nature, his knowledge was much more circumscribed than when he had grown to the stature of a man. He uniformly had a disinterested, and not a selfish object in view, tho' he was continually acquiring more enlarged views of that disinterested object.

All holy beings in the universe possess one character. They all seek one and the same object. This is true of God, holy angels, and holy men; whether in heaven,

or on the earth. But this does not suppose, that they all have an equally comprehensive view of this great object which they seek. They all unite in loving the same great and holy God. But "who by searching can find out God? who can find out the Almighty unto perfection?" According to the argument of my antagonist, it will follow, that we cannot love God, because our finite minds are inadequate to take a comprehensive survey of his unlimited existence. It is true, there is none but the Infinite Mind which can comprehend itself, and know how great an object here is, towards which love is to be exercised; but the least babe in Christ loves the same great and glorious God, who is loved by the most exalted spirit in glory; and the same, who is loved by the Infinite Mind it self.

The objection which we are considering supposes; that in order to be governed by that disinterested love, which seeks the general and universal good, we must be able to know in every case what is best for the universe, It is very true, that no being is fit to preside over the universe, and be its God, unless he can know in every case what is best for the general and universal good: But surely a creature may love the universe, without usurping the throne of the Almighty, or attempting to become his counsellor. A subject may love and seek the good of the kingdom, as well as his prince; and yet never attempt to make any laws, or recommend any political arrangements for its benefit. And the meanest subject of the kingdom of Christ may, and does, prefer Jerusalem above his chief joy. He seeks the peace and prosperity of this extensive and everlasting kingdom, without thinking himself, in any measure, adequate to take the place of the King. He desires and seeks the good of this great kingdom; but he does it upon a small scale; he does not pretend to have the whole kingdom pass under his eye. Does not the christian in private life, who is not known out of the pale of his own church, seek the general good of the kingdom of Christ, as really as the missionary who crosses half the globe, to make known the great salyation ? The latter moves in a larger sphere than the former, and probably takes in a more enlarged view of

that kingdom which he is seeking to build up; but they both have the same noble and glorious object in view.

That we are required to seek the general good of the universe, is manifest from the two comprehensive commands given us by the Saviour. In these we are required to love God and our neighbor. And by the explanation which he himself gave us of the word neighbor, in the 10th chapter of Luke, it is natural to understand by it any fellow creature, whether of our own, or of a foreign nation; whether belonging to our own, or to another world. We know that angels love men, for they rejoice when we repent; and why should not men love angels? And if we should love angels, why not other rational creatures, if such creatures exist? We are commanded not only to love God, but to glorify him, and to make the glorifying of him our constant object, whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do. We are also required to manifest our universal love to mankind, by doing good to all men as we have opportunity. Now if it be asked, what methods we shall take to promote the glory of God, and the good of mankind? the answer is; We must be directed by the written word. We must worship God, and in every respect treat him according as he has required us We must perform all those duties to ourselves, and to our families, which are enjoined. We must treat all, with whom we have any thing to do, as we would haye them treat us. We must let our light shine, that men may thereby be led to glorify our Father who is in heaven. We must seek to benefit those by our prayers, whom we cannot reach, or cannot allure by our example.And if it be not our province to visit the remote corners of the earth, to be the instruments of enlightening them with the knowledge of the gospel, our silver and gold may enable others to do this benevolent and nécessary work.

If it should now be asked, whether all who do these things are possessed of universal benevolence; it may be answered,This will be determined by the motive which excites them to do these things. If their own honor and happiness, either temporal or eternal, be their ultimate end, they are not benevolent but selfish;