dued one proud thought, than to have numbered the host of heaven.

There is another more dangerous species of pride, arising from a consciousness of virtue; so watchful is the enemy of our souls, and so deceitful are our own hearts, that too often a victory over one sinful inclination exposes us to be conquered by another. Spiritual pride represents a man to himself beloved by his Creator in a particular degree, and, of consequence, inclines him to think others not so high in his favour as himself. This is an error, into which weak minds are sometimes apt to fall, not so much from the assurance that they have been steady in the practice of justice, righteousness, and mercy, as that they have been punctually observant of some external acts of devotion. This kind of pride is generally accompanied with great uncharitableness and severe censures of others, and may obstruct the great duty of repentance. But it may be hoped that a sufficient remedy against this sin may be easily found, by reminding those who are infected with it, that the blood of Christ was poured out upon the cross to make their best endeavours acceptable to God; and that they, whose sins require such an expiation, have little reason to boast of their virtue.

Having thus proved the unreasonableness, folly, and odious nature of pride, I am, in the last place, to show the amiableness and excellence of humility.

Upon this head I need not be long, since every argument against any vice is equally an argument in favour of the contrary virtue; and whoever proves

the folly of being proud, shows, at the same time, "that with the lowly there is wisdom." But to evince beyond opposition the excellence of this virtue, we may, in few words, observe, that the life of our Lord was one continued exercise of humility. The Son of God condescended to take our nature upon him, to become subject to pain, to bear, from his birth, the inconveniences of poverty, and to wander from city to city, amidst opposition, reproach, and calumny. He disdained not to converse with publicans and sinners, to minister to his own disciples, and to weep at the miseries of his own creatures; he submitted to insults and revilings; and, being led like a lamb to the slaughter, opened not his mouth. At length, having borne all the cruel treatment that malice could suggest, or power inflict, he suffered the most lingering and ignominious death.-God of his infinite mercy grant, that, by imitating his humility, we may be made partakers of his merits! To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, adoration, and praise, now and ever! Amen.

86

SERMON VII.

JEREMIAH, CHAP. VI. VERSE 16.

Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

THAT almost every age, from the beginning of the world, has been eminently marked out, and distinguished from the rest, by some peculiar character, by particular modes of thinking or methods of acting, then almost universally prevalent, is evident from the histories of all nations. At one time, the whole world has bowed, without repining, to despotic power and absolute dominion; at another, not only the licentious and oppressive tyranny of governors has been restrained, but just and lawful authority trampled upon and insulted; at one time, all regard for private interest has been absorbed and lost in the concern for the welfare of the public, to which virtue itself has been made a sacrifice; at another, every heart has been engrossed by low views, and every sentiment of the mind has been contracted into the narrow compass of self-love. Thus have vice and virtue, wisdom and folly, or perhaps only different follies and opposite vices, alternately prevailed: thus have mankind rushed from one error to another, and suffered equally by both extremes.

These changes of conduct or opinion may be considered as the revolutions of human nature, often necessary, but always dangerous: necessary, when some favourite vice has generally infected the world, or some error, long established, begins to tyrannize, to demand implicit faith, and refuse examination : but dangerous, lest the mind, incensed by oppression, heated by contest, and elated by victory, should be too far transported to attend to truth; and, out of zeal to secure her conquest, set up one error to depress another.

That no change in religion has been made with that calmness, caution, and moderation, which religion itself requires, and which common prudence shows to be necessary in the transaction of any important affair, every nation of the earth can sufficiently attest. Rage has been called in to the assistance of zeal, and destruction joined with reformation. Resolved not to stop short, men have generally gone too far; and, in lopping superfluities, have wounded essentials.

This conduct, when we consider the weakness of human nature, and the circumstances of most of those by whom such changes have been effected, is entitled at least to compassion, if not to excuse ; nor can it be doubted that our great Creator looks down with tenderness and compassion upon the irregular starts and tempestuous agitations of a mind, moved by a zeal for his honour, and a love of truth. Had all error and misconduct such a plea as this, they might indeed be lamented and prayed against as weaknesses, but could hardly be censured or condemned as crimes.

extreme to another are very frequent. Men, not impelled by the vehemence of opposition, but seduced by inclinations less violent, too often deviate from the paths of truth, and persuade others to follow them. The pride of singularity influences the teacher, and a love of novelty corrupts the follower; till the delusion, extending itself by degrees, becomes at length general, and overspreads a people.

The prevailing spirit of the present age seems to be the spirit of scepticism and captiousness, of suspicion and distrust; a contempt of all authority, and a presumptuous confidence in private judgment; a dislike of all established forms, merely because they are established, and of old paths, because they are old.

Into this temper have men been insensibly led by a warm assertion of the right of judging for themselves ; a right not to be called in question, since God himself gave us a claim to it, in making us reasonable beings; and the apostle doubtless admits it, when he directs us to give the reason of our faith to any that shall demand it.

But this privilege, ill understood, has been, and always may be, the occasion of very dangerous and pernicious mistakes; it may be exercised without knowledge or discretion, till error be entangled with error, till divisions be multiplied by endless subdivisions, till the bond of peace be entirely broken, and the church become a scene of confusion, a chaos of discordant forms of worship and inconsistent systems of faith.

There are some men, we now find, to whom separation and disagreement appear not such formi