into the world with tears in our eyes, weeping, as it were, over the day of our birth. Infirmities prey upon us. Calamities assail us. The constitution of our frame is gradually undermined, and every moment of our life is a step nearer to death. Placed in a small corner of the universe, we are but an almost imperceptible point, an atom that is lost in the immense regions of space, by which we are surrounded. Rapid is our passage from the cradle to the grave, where death tramples us under his feet. As to our souls, our more noble part, what are we? In our minds an assemblage of errors, the sport of a thousand illusions, the dupes of continual prejudices.-In our hearts the victims of a thousand tyrannical passions, which mutiny against our reason, and frequently war with each other, to the utter destruction of our repose and comfort. To the misfortunes in which we were involved by the guilt of our first parent, we have added numberless transgressions, the workings of our own malice. Hardly had we emerged from the darkness of infancy, but we plunged into the horrors of guilt. Our first affections, which should have turned towards our loving and most amiable Creator, were prostituted to his creatures, to the work of his hands, and our reason grew up on the ruin of our innocence. Perhaps we have wept over our past

iniquities; but we do not know for certain, whether our tears have flowed from a proper source; and have always reason to tremble lest our repentance should have been insincere. Even if our conscience reproach us with no crime, still we cannot glory; for in this we are not justified. No man knows, on this side of the grave, whether he be worthy of love or hatred. Moreover, the good which we do, we do not of ourselves, but the grace of God worketh in us both the will and the power to do it.

Having formed of ourselves this just estimate let our hearts bow down before the throne of God, while we say to him with the royal Prophet: Not to us, O Lord, not to us: but to thy name give glory. (Ps. cxiii. 9.) We are entirely his work. The tree was planted, and is watered, and reared by his hand; his therefore are all its fruits. Be you ever deeply impressed with this conviction, and let it pervade and regulate all your conduct towards God, towards your neighbour, and towards yourselves. Then shall you be truly exalted. The humble man shall be honoured above all measure by the Sovereign Dispenser of every dignity and of every blessing. The children of this world will tell you, that pride and ambition are the passions of a great soul. This is a lamentable, a fatal mistake. Pride is a vice, which those

who are the most actuated by it, are ever solicitous to hide from the public eye. The vainest of men dares not declare, that he is an adorer of his own name. The most ambitious affect to decline the honours that are offered to them Ah! if pride be a noble, honourable passion, why does it study to conceal itself under a veil of humility and modesty?

Imbibe therefore the wisdom of Christ Jesus, and follow his guidance, who is the way, the truth and the life. Come to me, saith he, rich and poor, old and young, learned and unlearned, come all without exception, and learn of me: for I am meek and humble of heart. The world cannot teach you this lesson. When it tramples on one sort of pride, it is always stimulated to do so by some greater pride. But come to me -to me, in whom every thing preaches humility. Humility brought me down from the bosom of my Father's glory even to the poor hovel in the city of Bethlehem; and humility fastened me at length to an ignominious cross. Therefore hath God exalted me; and by the same means he hath decreed to exalt all those that follow me. Humility is the whole science of the gospel, and consequently of everlasting salvation.

SERMON XL.

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER

PENTECOST.

ON DETRACTION.

The string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right.-Mark vii. 35.

THE Son of God, whose miraculous powers opened the ears, and loosened the tongue, of him that was deaf and dumb, and gave to him the power of speech, in vain exerted his authority, to impose silence on the surrounding multitude. In spite of his reiterated commands, they raise their voice, and publish all around the marvellous works which he wished them to conceal. In effect, my brethren, to keep the tongue under proper government is a work of great difficulty. It requires humility, modesty, discreet restraints, charity for the weakness of others, and an absolute empire of reason over the turbulence of passion. On a thousand occasions the tongue is set in motion by a natural impetuosity, a malignant disposition and an envious

pride, impatient of superior endowments, and anxious to darken and vilify every appearance of merit. Unhappily this is too frequently observable in almost every society, where it seems the principal object of men, to let loose their tongues for depreciating some neighbour, for exposing and exaggerating the faults of others, to blacken their reputation, and ruin them in the public opinion.

If we were to make ourselves well acquainted with the malignity of certain vices, which are countenanced in the world; and were seriously to study their nature and qualities, we should find even in themselves an infallible antidote against them. But we unfortunately suffer ourselves to be carried away by the tide of human manners, so as implicitly to imitate the conduct of others; without considering either the viciousness of the principle in which it originates, or the mischievous and pernicious effects which it produces. Every man, who is actua ted by a sense of honour, independently of the influence which is exercised by religion, must naturally wish to avoid that, which in its own nature is odious and base: and yet detraction, which is not only most opposite, in every sense, to the spirit of Christianity, but in the eye of reason, is one of the most base and execrable of vices, is suffered to spread itself abroad in