him, that it was not impossible to do otherwise; and the crimson blush upon his cheek is eloquent to acknowledge his responsibility for offences.

Our Lord himself teaches, that the man who heareth his sayings, and doeth them, is like one who built his house upon a rock; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. But every one that heareth and doeth them not, is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and it fell, and great was the fall of it. There are some men, whose Christianity seems to consist entirely of outward profession: who know little more of the Gospel, than the form of faith and worship in which they have been brought up, and an external decency of manner, which they observe without sense of the duty they owe to God, without self-denial, or selfconstraint, as and because they see it observed by others. They themselves would kindle into anger, if they perceived the tokens of respect offered them to be but dissimulation and mockery; yet little

better are the external signs of reverence, with which they venture to approach the Almighty. There are others, who seem to think and discourse more seriously on religious topics, but mistake means for ends, the less for the more important part of religion. They speak of the grace bestowed by God, to the omission of the duties he enjoins, as if Christian character consisted wholly in contemplation; or they employ themselves in curious speculations, mysteries, and subtle questions, while they neglect matter of vital import, and which calls for the exercise of all their energies, the divine morality of Jesus Christ. Contending eagerly about doctrines, or ceremonies, sometimes of little import, or none at all, they presently forget, that religion was brought down from heaven, not to amuse the understanding, but to purify the hearts, and regulate the lives of men. Their zeal enters into conflict with those opposed to them, malignant passions are roused, or a persecuting spirit stirred, and so

what faith they have becomes dead, and until they attach importance where they ought, upon a faithful discharge of duty, and obedience to the law of God, their Christianity must remain a barren profession, and ineffectual to convert the soul. Thus it is men are nominally of Christ, but derive no fruit from his mercies. Thus it is they cry, Lord, Lord, and do not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Thus it is they see their brother have need, and shut up their compassion from him; and how dwelleth the love of God in them? Thus it is, like the Pharisees, they devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers. Thus it is they "bind heavy burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." "Little children, let no man deceive you, he that doeth righteousness is righteous."

There are many others, who set aside the law of Christ respecting righteousness, and establish a law of their own, or a sort

of conventional practice. They sincerely believe themselves to be discharging the duties of a Christian: but, compare their manner of life with that proposed in the Gospel, and the one will be found utterly inconsistent with the other. In offices of Christian charity, and consideration for the wants, weaknesses, and sentiments of their fellow-men; in the renouncement of pride, selfishness, worldly vanities, and worldly ambitions, which they profess at baptism; in the subjugation of malignant passions, and discarding enmities, which the Gospel makes a condition of acceptance with God; in all or some of these essentials to Christian character, men are found palpably deficient, who, nevertheless, sustain a reputation for Christian principle, and believe themselves faithful disciples of Christ. In this country,

different classes of the religious community are estranged from each other by different habits of thought, different pursuits of life, different interests, manners, attachments, affections, passions, and,

above all, by the vast distance at which wealth separates itself from poverty, and luxury from destitution. Christianity proposes to mankind to become, as it were, one vast brotherhood, united in holiness and purity, as in love towards each other -united in fellow-feeling, and the spirit of their Lord: but to call our Christian community a brotherhood is a mere mockery of words; and to say that the man of low estate may deem his fellowworshipper of high degree to be his brother, would only announce, that we have forgotten those kindly relations, that might exist without derangement of the social system, but now seem generally extinct among us. And by how few, at least of the great ones of the earth, is the extinction felt, or is any attempt made to supply what is wanting in Christian practice? Others, again, are taught to call their vices by the names of virtue, and so mistake disease for strength and vigour. Haughtiness is mis-named self-respect, and to be overbearing is but to maintain