Godliness : being reports of a series of addresses delivered at James's Hall, London, W. during 1881

y, these three; but the greatest of

vil has been trying to counterfeit God's most precious things from the beginning, and to produce something so like them that mankind at large should not see the difference, and, perhaps, in no direction has he been so successful as in producing a Spurious Charity.-I almost think he has got it to perfection in these days. I don't think he can very well improve on the present copy. This Charity-this love-is God's most precious treasure; it is dearer to His heart than all the vast domains of His universe-dearer than all the glorious

all the dire progeny of this first r

a few minutes at th

ry, first, to def

ust be shed abroad in the

to God, but like God, from God, and fixed on the same objects and ends which He loves. It is a Divine implantation by the Holy Ghost. Perhaps some of you are saying, "Then it is useless for me to try to cultivate it, because I have not got it,-exactly!" You may cut and prune and water forever, but you can never cultivate that which is not planted. Your first work is to get this love shed

e same?" Wicked men love one another from mere natural affinity, as the tiger loves its cubs. There is great confusion amongst professors of religion on this subject. They feel sentiments of pity and generosity towards their fellow-men, and they may even give their goods to feed the poor, and yet not h

a spurious and Divine Charity utterly

usands of motives inspire it-too many to enumerate; but we will glance at two or three. We read in the context t

t and carry out a favorite system of intellectual belief of which he has become enamored, just as men become absorbed, in

teousness. He tells us afterwards that self was the mainspring of all his zeal. It was all his own exaltation; ther

like giving better than other people do receiving. Look out that you do not lose your reward through not taking the trouble to see what you give to; don't give your money to every scheme that comes across you. Remember that you are answerable to God for your wealth, and that God will demand of you HOW you have bestowed your goods." Tha

rity always contemplates the earthy part of man in a superior degree to the spiritual part; and here it exactly crosses and contradic

ld one ever imagine this were a Christian paper, in a Christian country? There is not the slightest recognition of a soul, no reference to the man's spiritual condition or his future state. Here are one or two of the mos

e." Satan does not care how much of this one-sided Charity there is; the more the better for his purpose;

th up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" But, on the other side, if he sees him spiritually famishing-dying for want of the bread of life-how dwelleth the love of Christ in him, if he does not minister to this spiritual destitution? I know that real Christianity cares for body and soul. Bless God, it doe

as compassion on them. Try your Charity by this mark: Do you contemplate the dying, famishing, half-damned souls of your fellow-men? Do you look abroad on the state of the world, and the state of the church? Do you think about it? Do you go

if a man dies in the work-house-if he dies on a door-step, covered with wounds, like Lazarus-what does it matter, if his soul is saved? It is your creed as much as mine, that the soul is immortal, and that the death of the body is only its introduction, if it be saved, to a glorious future of everlasting felicity, progress, and holin

gain to be fed, He said, "Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled." You would have said, "Quite right; the people want to be fed; they are hungry." But do you hear the Divine lament that comes o

ase him, and is willing to sacrifice herself for him-in fact, merges her interests altogether in his. Do you love God best? Are you willing to forego your interests, and to seek His? Have you this Divine Charity, born of Heaven, tending to Heaven? If not, my friend, resolve you will have it now. Begin to cry mightily to God, for the Holy