is personal resemblance to Christ. "Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus." Christ's character is essentially love. This
induced him to die for lost man. Now just so far as we resemble Christ
we shall imitate him, and, therefore, feel for those on whom the wrath
of God is still abiding. And just so far as we feel for them, we shall
be willing to do for them; and just so far as we are willing to do for
them, we shall contribute of our substance in proportion to our means to
relieve their spiritual necessities. So that our beneficence or
sacrifices for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, will be the just
measure of our love to him. This truth we should wear in our hearts.
We should make it a principle to give that amount which we shall be
satisfied to recognize as the exponent of our piety, and be content that
others should thus regard it; such as we shall be willing to pen down
and hang up in our bed-chambers, so that we can contemplate it every
evening and morning as our full estimation of Christ's dying love;--such
that after counting our herds and flocks, examining our barns and
granaries, surveying our merchandise, and reckoning up our dues, we can
enter our closets and pray for the conversion of the world without
blushing before God. Does any one shrink from this criterion of his
piety? I fear he will shrink away from the presence of his final Judge,
and bury himself in the darkness of hell; his works and conscience alike
testifying his unfitness for the world of light.

14. That the true mission of the church in the present age is
beneficence. Though the gospel has been preached nearly 2000 years, yet
a deep night of spiritual darkness is still brooding over the greatest
portion of the world. Millions on millions have no knowledge of the
Saviour, and other millions have no right appreciation of his truth and
grace; while, blinded by sin and fascinated by its treacherous charms,
they are treading their way, rank after rank, to woes everlasting.