genuine fruits of a strength and a virtue derived from higher sources. And thus, the sound conviction of our own frailty, though purchased at the expense of a great error, may prove, if we might venture to say it, of more real benefit to our own mind, than the performance of a splendid action, if of that action all the use we had made had been to repose added confidence in our own strength, or to entertain higher notions of our own goodness.

some others, yet, as he must know more of himself than he can know of them, his humility will teach him to bear patiently even the censure he does not deserve, conscious how much he does deserve for faults which the censurer cannot know.

There is, however, no humility in an excessive depreciation of ourselves. We are not commanded to take a false estimate of our own character, though a low would be too frequently a just one. While the great Yet, while we ought to be deeply humbled Apostle St. Peter was contented to call himat every fresh detection of evil in our hearts, self the servant of Jesus Christ, his self-conto be discouraged at the discovery from pro- stituted successors, by an hyperbole of selfceeding in our Christian course is so far from abasement, have denominated themselves being an effect of humility, that it is rather servants of the servants of God. And yet the result of pride. The traveller who they have not, it is to be feared, always surmeets with a fall, does not recover his ground passed the disciple they profess to follow, in by lying still and lamenting, but by rising the display of this apostolic grace. and pursuing his journey. Joined with this Nor is the appearance of this quality any faulty despondency, or still more frequently infallible proof of its existence. Nothing is preceding it, is to be traced the operation of more common than to hear affability to the a blind and morbid pride. Particularly, if poor produced as an undoubted evidence of the intimation of the fault we have commit- the humility of the affluent. The act, inted comes from others, the heart is found to deed, is always amiable, whatever be the rise at the bare suggestion that we are not motive; but still the expression is equivocal. perfect. We had perhaps been guilty of a Does it not sometimes too much resemble hundred faults before, of which, as others that septennial exhibition of humility which took no notice, they made little impression calls forth so much smiling condescension on ourselves. We commit a smaller error, from the powerful, while it conveys an which draws the eyes of the world upon us, hour's importance to the poor man's heart?' and we are not only dejected but almost The one enjoys the brief, but keen delight, hopeless. The eye of God was equally wit- of reviling his superiors with impunity, with ness to our preceding faults, yet from their the better gratification of conferring favours being secret, they produced little compunc- instead of receiving them; the other, like tion, while that which is obvious to human Dryden's Achitophel, bowing popularly inspection produces sorrow on the mere low,' wins by his courtesy, that favour, ground of producing shame. Perhaps we which he would not perhaps have obtained were permitted to fall into this more notori- by his merit. But the curtain soon closes on ous error that we might be brought to advert the personated scene :-the next day, both to those of which we had been so little sensi- fall back into their natural character and ble; and though the depression consequent upon this fault is rather the consciousness of mortified pride, than of pious contrition, yet God may make use of it to awaken us to a feeling of our general corruptions, to warn us not to depend on ourselves, and to put us on our guard against 'secret faults,' as well as against open and 'presumptuous sins.'

condition. The periodical condscension at once reinstates itself into seven years' dignity, while the independent elector cheerfully resumes his place in his dependent class, till the next Saturnalia again invite to the reciprocal exchange of character.

Where the difference of condition is obviously great, nothing is lost, and something Even a good man is not entirely exempt may be gained by familiarity; the condefrom the danger of occasional elation of scension is so apparent, that though it prospirit; even a good man does not always perly excites both admiration and gratitude judge himself so rigorously as he ought; in the indigent, it does not infallibly prove yet, though he makes too many partial al- the lowliness of the superior. The impaslowances, is too much disposed to softenings sable gulf which separates the two condiand abatements, to apologies and deductions, tions, the immoveable fences which estabstill he is, on the whole, suspicious of him-lish that distance, preserve the poor from self, distrustful of his own rectitude, on his encroachment, and the rich from derogaguard against habitual abberrations from hu- tion: no swellings of heart arise against the mility. Though tremblingly alive to kind- acknowledged dependant, no dread of emuness, his sincerity makes him almost ready lation against the avowed inferior. Even to regret commendation, because his en- arrogance itself is gratified at seeing its lightened conscience tells him, that if the train augmented by so amiable a thing as panegyrist knew him as he knows himself, its own kindness. Notice is richly repaid it would have been bestowed with much by panegyric, and condscension finds it has abatement; and he is little elated with the only stooped to rise.-If we give pleasure praise which is produced by ignorance and in order to be paid with praise, we had betmistake.-Though he has fewer faults than ter be less liberal that we might be less ex

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acting. The discreetly proud are aware, magnifies his weight of obligation, increases that arrogant manners bar up men's hearts his feeling of accountableness. His humiliagainst them; their very pride, therefore, ty has a double excitement: he receives preserves them from insolence; the deter- every blessing as the gift of God through the mined object being to gain hearts, and their merits of his Son; it is increased by the regood sense telling them that a haughty de- flection, that such is his unworthiness, he meanor is not the way to gain them, they dares not even supplicate the mercy of his know how to make the exterior affable in Creator but through the intercession of a proportion as the mind is high; for the in- Mediator: where is boasting then? it is genuity of pride has taught it, that populari- excluded.'-Not only on account of any ty is only to be obtained by concealing the good he may have, but also on account of Thus it can evils from which he has been preserved, he most offensive part of itself. retain its nature and gratify its spirit, with- acknowledges himself indebted to divine asout the arrogant display by which vulgar sistance; so that his escapes and deliverpride disgusts, and, by disgusting, loses its ances, as well as his virtues and successes, are subjects of gratitude rather than of selfexultation.

aim.

The true test is, how the same person It will not be departing from the present feels, and how he conducts himself, towards While huhim whose claims come in competition with object, if we contrast the quality under conhis own-who treads on his heels in his pre-sideration with its opposite. tensions, or surpasses him in his success-mility is never at variance with itself, pride who is held up as his rival in genius, in re- is a very inconsistent principle. It knows putation, in fortune, in display-who runs not only how to assume the garb of the attrithe race with him and outstrips him. More bute to which it is opposed, but even desevere will be the test, when the competitor scends to be abject, which humility never is his own familiar friend,' who was his is. Consider it on one side, nothing is so equal, perhaps his inferior, in the contest for self-supported; survey it on the other, you academical honours, but is now a more for- will perceive that nothing is so dependent, tunate candidate for the prizes which the so full of claims, so exacting, so incapable world distributes, or his decided conqueror on the professional Arena.

of subsisting on itself. It is made up of extrinsic appendages; it leads a life of mendiHis humility is put to the trial, when he city; it stoops to beg the alms of other hears another extolled for the very quality men's good opinion for its daily bread. It is on which he most values himself-com- true, the happiness of a proud man, if he mended for something in which he would, have rank, arises from an idea of his own if he dared, monopolize commendation-it importance; but still, to feed and maintain is tried when he sees that a man of merit this greedy self-importance, he must look has prospered in an enterprise in which he around him. His pleasures are derived, not has failed, or when he is called upon for the so much from his personal enjoyments as magnanimity to acknowledge one who, from his superiority to others; not so much though below him in general character, is from what he possesses, as from the respect still his superior in this particular respect- his possessions inspire. As he cannot enit is, when, in some individual instance, this competitor has promoted the public good by a means which he had declared to be totally inapplicable to the end.

tirely support his feelings of greatness by what he finds in himself; he supplies the deficiency by looking backward to his ancestors, and downward upon his train.The true Christian will be humble in pro- With all his self-consequence, he is reduced portion to the splendor of his endowments. to borrow his dignity from the merits of the Humility does not require him to stupify or one, and the numbers of the other. By disavow his understanding, and thus dis-thus multiplying himself, he feels not only qualify or indispose him for great active du- individually, but numerically, great. These ties. If he possesses talents, he is not un- foreign aids and adjuncts help him to enlarge conscious of them, but, instead of exulting the space he fills in his own imagination, in the possession, he is abased that he has and he is meanly contented to be admired not turned them to better account, he is for what is, in effect, no part of himself.habitually thinking how he can most essen- This sentiment is, however, by no means tially serve God with his own gift. Sensi-limited to rank or riches. If the penury of pride drives it to seek its ble that he owes every thing to his divine Benefactor, he feels that he has not made aliment in the praise of others, it is chiefly him the return to which he was bound, and because we want their good opinion to conthat his gratitude bears little proportion to firm us in that which we have of ourselves. his mercies; so that the very review of his When we secretly indulge in reckoning up abilities and possessions, which inflates the the testimonies we have collected to our hearts of others, only deepens his humility, worth, it is because we like to bring as many only fills his mind with a fuller sense of his witnesses as we can muster, that we may own defect of love and thankfulness. Eve- have their approving verdict in additional ry distinction, instead of intoxicating him, proof that our judgment was right. In fact, only augments his sense of dependence, we think better of ourselves in proportion

as we contrive to make more people think limited to the narrow stage of this world; well of us. But, however large the circle and even on this vanishing scene, how far which high imaginations' draw round the are the generality from being considerable individual self in the centre, we can really actors! Pride, therefore, is something Occupy no more than our allotted space; worse than fatuity, for whether the stake be we may indeed change our position, but, in high or low, it is sure to play a losing game. shifting it, we fill no more than we filled al- It is difficult to say which lot will be most terready, for by the removal we lose as much rible; his, who, having performed an obas we gain. scure and painful part in this short drama, It is an humbling truth, that the most pow-and having neglected to seek that kingdom erful talents are not seldom accompanied promised to the poor in spirit, closes his with vehement passions, that a brilliant im-life and hopes together; or his, who, haagination is too frequently associated with ving had a conspicuous part assigned him ungoverned appetites. Neither human rea- here, submits, when the curtain drops, not son, nor motives merely moral, are common-merely to be nothing but oh! how much ly found to keep these impetuous usurpers worse than nothing! Absorbed in the illuin order; the strength of men's passions sions and decorations of this shifting spectatempting them to violate the rules which the cle, or intoxicated with the plaudits of the strength of their judgment has laid down.- spectators, the interminable scenes which Nature cannot operate without its own lie beyond the grave, though, perhaps, not sphere. What is natural in the intellect, will not, of itself, govern what is natural in the appetite. If the lower part of our nature is subdued, it is not without the holy Spirit assisting the higher. Wit, especially, has such a tendency to lead astray the mind which it embellishes, that it is a striking evidence of the efficacy of grace, when men, whose shining talents make virtue lovely in the eyes of others, reject themselves high thoughts engendering pride;' when they, on whose lips the attention of others hangs with delight, can, themselves, by this divinely infused principle, bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

absolutely disbelieved, have been totally neglected to be taken into his brief reckoning.

Now, if pride were really a generous principle, if its tumour were indeed greatness, surely the soul which entertains it would exert its energies on a grand scale! If ambition were indeed a noble sentiment, would it not be pointed to the noblest objects; would it not be directed to the sublimest end? Would not the mind which is filled with it, achieve a loftier flight? Would it stoop to be cooped up within the scanty precincts of a perishing world? True ambition would raise its votary above the petty projects which every accident may overturn, There is no quality so ready to suspect, and every breath destroy; which a few and so prompt to accuse, as that which we months may, and a few years must, termiare considering; there is no fault which a nate. It would set him upon reflecting, that proud man so readily charges upon others as all the elevation of intellect, all the depth of pride; especially if the person accused pos- erudition, all the superiority of rank, all the sess those distinctions and accomplishments, distinction of riches, is only held by the the possession of which would make the ac-attenuated thread that attaches him to this cuser proud. Men full of themselves, are world-a world which is itself hung upon disposed to fancy others deficient in atten- nothing.' True ambition would instruct tion to them; and as it never occurs to them him, that he is not really great who is not why those attentions are withheld, they have great for eternity-that to know the height no other way of accounting for the neglect, and depth, the length and breadth, of the but to charge the neglecter with being en- knowledge of God, and of his eternal love vious of their qualities, or vain of his own. in Christ Jesus, is the consummation of all With that deep humility, which is the knowledge, the top of all greatness, the subground-work of his profession, the Christian stance of all riches, the sum of all wisdom alone attains to real dignity of character. If that the only object sufficiently capacious to we reckon those men great who rise high, satisfy the grasping desires, to fill the hun and make a distinguished figure in the gering soul of man, is that immortality world, how much higher is his claim to which is brought to light by the Gospel. greatness who looks down on what the others That state which has God for its portion, glory in; who views with indifference the and eternity for its duration, is alone comthings to which the world accounts it great-mensurate to the grandeur of a soul redeemness to aspire, and the consummation of ed by the blood of Christ. This holy amgreatness to attain. bition would show him, that there is a littleThe proud man, by not cordially falling ness in whatever has boundaries a penury in with the Christian scheme-which, if he in every thing of which we can count the thoroughly adopted, would shrink to nothing value-an insignificance in all of which we these bloated fancies-contracts, in effect, perceive the end.

the duration of his existence, and reduces to Let it, then, ever be considered as a desalmost nothing the sphere in which his titution of true greatness, practically to blot boasted dignity is to be exercised. The out eternity from its plan. As a conse theatre on which he is satisfied to act, is quence, let that be truly designated the VOL. II.

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wisdom from above,' which makes eternity | rid of this ambition, to fly to retirement as a the grand feature in the aspect of our ex-scene of pleasure or improvement, till the istence. And this ambition, be it remem- love of the world is eradicated from the bered, is the exclusive property of the hum- heart, or at least till this eradication is its ble Christian. His desires are illimitable-predominant desire, will only conduct the he disdains the scanty bounds of time-he discontented mind to a long train of fresh leaps the narrow confines of space. He it disappointments, in addition to that series of is who monopolizes ambition. His aims vexations of which it has so constantly comsoar a bolder flight-his aspirations are sus-plained in the world. tained on a stronger pinion-his views extend to an immeasurable distance-his hopes rest in an interminable duration.

The amiable writer already referred to, who has as much unaffected elegance and good sense in his prose works, as false taste Yet if his felicity does not, like that of and unnatural wit in his poetry, seems not to secular ambition, depend on popular breath, be quite accurate when he insists in favour still it subsists on dependence. It subsists of his beloved solitude, that a minister of upon a trust which never disappoints-upon state has not so much business in public as a a mercy which is never exhausted-upon a wise man has in private; the one,' says he, promise which never deceives-upon the has but part of the affairs of one nation, the strength of an arm which scattereth the other has all the works of God and nature proud in the imagination of their hearts'-on under his consideration. But surely there a benignity which 'exalteth the meek and is a manifest difference between our having humble'on a liberality, which, in opposi- great works under our consideration, and tion to worldly generosity, fills the hungry having them under our control. He assigns, alone with good things,' and which, contrary indeed, high motives for the purposes of reto human vanity, sends only the rich emp-treat, but he does not seem to assign the ty away.' highest. Should he not have added in conHumility is an attribute of such antipathy junction with the objects he enumerates, to the original constitution of our nature, what should be the leading object of the rethat no principle can possibly produce it in tirement of the good man, the study of his its full extent, and bring it to its complete own heart, as well as of inanimate nature; maturity, but that of the Gospel of Jesus of the world, as well as of the works of Christ. No spirit short of this can enable God?

us to submit our understanding, to subdue He who has spent his life in the study of our will, to resign our independence, to re-mankind, till he is weary both of the study nounce ourselves. and of its object, will, with a justly framed

This principle not only teaches us to bow mind, be well prepared for retirement. He to the authority and yield to the providence will delight in it as an occasion for cultivating of God, but inculcates the still harder lesson a more intimate acquaintance with his Maof submitting to be saved in the only way ker and with himself. He will seek it not He has appointed—a way which lays pride merely as the well-earned reward of a life of in the dust. If even, in the true servants of labour, but as a scene, which, while it adGod, this submission is sometimes interrup-vances his present comfort, furnishes him ted-if we too naturally recede from it-if with better means of preparing for a better we too reluctantly return to it, it is still owing life. We often hear of the necessity of beto the remains of pride, the master sin; a ing qualified for the world; and this is the sin too slowly discarded even from the re-grand object in the education of our chilnewed nature. This partial conquest of the dren, overlooking the difficult duty of qualistubborn will, this imperfect resignation,fying them for retirement. But if part of this impeded obedience, even in the real the immense pains which are taken to fit Christian, is an abiding proof that we want them for the company of others, were emfarther humbling, a mortifying evidence ployed in fitting them for their own compathat our hearts are not yet completely ny, in teaching them the duties of solitude brought under the dominion of our princi-as well as of society, this earth would be a ples.

CHAP. XIV,

On Retirement.

happier place than it is; a training suitable to a world of such brief duration, would be a better preparatory study for a world which will have no end.

Leisure with dignity is a classic phrase which carries to the taste and to the heart An old French wit says, that ambition it- the mingled ideas of repose, elegance, and self might teach us to love retirement, as literature. It is, indeed, an honourable state there is nothing which so much hates to have of enjoyment. It has been sung by the poet, companions. Cowley corrects this senti- and extolled by the philosopher. Its delights ment with one equally lively and more sound, have been echoed by those who seek it, and that ambition, indeed, detests to have com-by those that shun it; by those who desire pany on either side, but delights above all its possession, and by those who are satis things in a train behind, and ushers before.' fied with its praise; by those who found To seek therefore a retreat till we have got their fondness on a happy experience,

and by those who had rather admire than enjoy it.

lead to its removal; he may be drawn to religion to get rid of himself, as he was driven to retirement to get rid of his cares.

Tumult, indeed, is to be avoided as a great impediment to that interior peace, without No second causes act but by the direction which outward stillness is of little value. of the first. The visible works of God, though But let us bear in mind that it is more easy so admirably calculated to stir up devotion to escape from the tumult of the world than in the heart, have not commonly, especially of the passions. Before, therefore, we ex- when habit makes them familiar, been found pect immunity from care in our projected re- to produce this effect. Some of the school treat, let us inquire what is our object in re- divines made a just distinction, when they tiring. We may deceive ourselves in this compared inanimate and intelligent beings, pursuit as we have done in others. We may in reference to the supreme Creator, by sayfancy we are retiring from motives of reli- ing that the one only exhibit the footsteps of gion, when we are only seeking a more God while the other represent his face. agreeable mode of life. Or we may be fly- It was worthy of the munificence of oming from duty, when we fancy we are flying nipotent Bounty, not only to spread the earth from temptation. We may flatter ourselves with a rich profusion of whatever is necessawe are seeking the means of piety, when we ry and pleasant to animate life, but with are only running away from the perplexities whatever might invite to contemplative and of our situation; from trials which make, intellectual life; not only to sustain but to perhaps a part of our duty. To dislike gratify; not only to nourish but to improve: these is natural; to desire to escape from by endless variety, awakening curiosity, and them is innocent, generally laudable. Only by curiosity exciting research. The country let us not persuade ourselves that we are in- is favourable to the study of natural history; fluenced by one motive when we are acting furnishing both the leisure and the materi from another. The design may be even als. It sets the mind upon thinking, that if good, but let us not deceive ourselves with the objects of God's creation are so wonderthe idea of its being better than it is. Let ful, Himself how wondrous then! us not boast that we are making a sacrifice The mind, indeed, which is looking out for to duty, when we are consulting, however good, finds sermons in stones, and good in innocently, our own ease or convenience. In every thing.' To minds of an opposite make, retreating into the country for peace of mind, use destroys the effect, even if novelty had the temper you would find you must carry produced it. Little habituated to reflection, thither. Those who retire on no other prin- they soon learn to behold a grove of oaks ciple but to escape trouble without turning with no higher feeling than a street of shops, their leisure to the benefits it is calculated to and are as little soothed with the murmurs impart, are happy only on the low condition of a rivulet, as with the clatter of hackney of being useless. If we retire upon the mo- coaches. Where sloth predominates in the tive of Soul take thine ease,' though nei- character, we are disposed to consider the ther covetousness nor sensuality be the retreat from which we had promised ourprompting principle, if our object be a sloth- selves so much advantage, as furnishing a ful indulgence, a retirement which does not refuge for idleness rather than a place for involve benefit to others, as well as improve- reflection. If vanity and vivacity predomiment to ourselves, we fail of the great pur-nate, we shall value the loveliest scenery we pose for which we came into the world, for have been embellishing, rather as means to which we withdraw from it. attract company and commendation, than as a help to assist our better thoughts, and lift our hearts to holy aspirations,

Though piety is no local thing, yet it has locality. That being is but a bad authority whom Milton makes proudly to exclaim, The mind is its own place,' and the Stoics carried their haughty mental independence too far, in asserting that local circumstances made no difference in the condition of man. Retirement is assuredly favourable to the advancement of the best ends of our being. There the soul has freer means of examining into its own state, and its dependence upon God. It has more unobstructed leisure for enjoying with its Maker,

But while we advert to the highest object as the best, we are far from insinuating that the taste, especially so right a taste, may not be indulged from motives of an inferior nature; far from thinking that we are not justified in preferring a tranquil to a bustling scene, and adopting a more rational, even if it be not a more religious plan of life, There is something almost like virtue in the good taste which prefers it; only, that as in intellectuals, good taste must have its substratum in good sense, so in morals it should have its substratum in principle. But if any one thinks that merely by retiring from the world, he shall get rid of his own evil tempers, solitude is the worst choice he could make. It may indeed, through the grace of God, be made eventually benefi- It has ampler means for reiterating the concial; for though his interior burthen, so far secration of its powers and faculties to him from being lightened, will be more oppres- who gave them, than it could easily find in sively felt, yet its very oppressiveness, by those broken snatches and uncertain interleading him to look into the cause, may vals which busier scenes afforded. But then

Communion sweet, communion large and high.