of his power, the fruit of his love, or
as showing forth his praise. We were to dwell so far up the mount, that
earthly objects would appear insignificant; approach continually its
lofty summit, till our views of the world and the glory of it should
harmonize with God's views of them; for not only were our feelings to
accord with Jehovah's; but also our sentiments concerning sublunary
things were to be in unison with his own. So familiar were we to be
with the glories of our spiritual existence; our tastes and moral
sensibilities were designed, by intercourse with Infinite Purity, to
become so elevated and refined, that the glitterings of gold, and the
fascinations of wealth, would fail to charm. Our home was to be so near
the throne, that its light would perpetually shine in upon our souls;
its spirit always bathe our spirits; so that seraph-like, possessing the
benevolence of heaven, we should breathe the love of heaven on all
around.

4. That merely becoming rich is not the great object for which we were
sent into the world. Man's being aims at a higher goal. This is a
point which should be distinctly understood; and to bring out the
thought clearly, I will make two distinctions. 1. The very obvious
difference between benevolence and indifference to property or its
acquisition. Benevolence means "wishing well," and beneficence "doing
well," to others. Benevolence, then, bears no resemblance to
undervaluing money. I know that the gentleman who used to _skip_ his
silver dollars on the fair bosom of the Connecticut for the amusement of
his friends, and he who freely tosses around the social glass to his
boon companions, may be pronounced generous fellows. But such may be as
entirely destitute of all true benevolence as the most determined miser,
and, what is more deplorable, as offensive to Infinite Love. Property
is God's gift, and he does not require us to undervalue his gifts, but
to use them with his own good-will to men. To be willing that our labor
or capital should be unproductive is no indication of a faithful
steward. 2. There is a difference between the design of becoming rich,
and that of acquiring property. The latter, under certain restrictions,
is a duty incumbent on all. One may have a peculiar talent in this
direction;--a turn for business, a sagacity to lay plans, to foresee the
favorable changes in the commercial world, and all that shrewdness so
essential to success in the career of op