1. The expression of my text is peculiar. We hear in common speech of a liberal or open hand as the characteristic of a benevolent man; but the phrase, a bountiful eye, belongs alone to the sacred scriptures. There also the opposite character of avarice and cruelty is represented by a figure drawn from the same source. In the book from which my text is selected, we are warned not to partake of the offered banquet of him who spreads his table by constraint, and with ostentatious or mercenary views, and not from the impulse of an hospitable spirit. _Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart so is he: Eat and drink saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee._[1] And again the character and punishment of the man who is so anxious to acquire wealth as to disregard the principles of honesty and the claims of charity is thus described. _He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him._[2] In the book of Deuteronomy too where the law of conduct towards the poor is laid down, and the rich are commanded not to take advantage of their necessities we read--_If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand, from thy poor brother. But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, the seventh year, the year of release is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him._[3] As the evil eye was descriptive of a selfish, hard hearted, avaricious temper, so the bountiful eye was meant to represent the virtues of a humane and generous man. A phrase more expressive, could not be selected to describe an ardent and enlightened beneficence. A liberal hand, signifies merely generosity in giving, but _a bountiful eye_ implies not simply this, but also industry in looking about for objects of distress, and discrimination in the mode of relieving them, and tenderness and kind expressions accompanying our charities. All these are essential features of true christian beneficence.