advance their own. He who builds with out God doth demolish, and whosoever thinks to make any great increase without him shall find nothing but fterility. ASPIRATIONS. Moft pure fpirit of Jefus, which waft confummate by zeal toward the house of God, wilt thou never burn my heart with those adored flames wherewith thou inspireft chafte hearts: Why do we take fo much care of our houfes (which are built upon quickfilver, and roul up and down upon the inconfiftancies of human fortune) while we have no love nor zeal towards God's church, which is the palace we should chufe here upon earth, to be as the image of heaven above? I will adore thy altars all my life with a profound humility. But I will firft make an altar of my own heart, where I will offer facrifice, to which I doubt not but thou wilt put fire with thine own hand. The Gofpel for Tuesday the fourth week in Lent, St. John vii. The Jews marvel at the learning of Jefus, who was never taught. AND ND when the feftivity was now half done, Jefus went up into the temple and taught. taught. And the Jews marvelled, faying, How doth this man know letters, whereas he hath not learned? Jefus answered them, and faid, My doctrine is not mine, but his that Jent me. If any man will do the will of him, be fhall understand of the doctrine whether it be of God, or I Speak of myself; he that speaketh of himself feeketh his own glory: but he that feeketh the glory of him that fent him, his is true, and injuftice in him there is not. Did not Mofes give you the law? and none of you doth the law. Why feek you to kill me? The multitude anfwered and faid, Thou haft a devil, who feeketh to kill thee? Jefus answered and faid to them, One work I have done and you marvel. Therefore Mofes gave you circumcifion, not that it was of Mofes, but of the Father, and in the fabbath ye circumcife a man. If a man receive circumcifion in the fabbath that the law of Mofes be not broken, are you angry at me because I have healed a man wholly on the fabbath? Judge not according to the face, but judge juft judgment. Certain therefore of Jerufalem said, Is not this he whom they seek to kill and behold he fpeaks openly, and they fay nothing to him? Have the princes known indeed that this is Chrift? But this man we know whence he is. But when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence whence he is. Jefus therefore cried in the temple, teaching and faying, Both me you is know, and whence I am you know, and of my felf I am not come. But he is true that fent me, whom ye know not. I know him, becaufe I am of him, and he fent me. They fought therefore to apprehend him, and no man laid hands upon him, because his hour was not yet come. But of the multitude many believed in him. MORALITIES. 1. IT appears by this gospel that Jefus was judged according to appearances, not according to truth. It is one of the greateft confufions, which is deeply rooted in the life of man, that every thing is full of painting, and instead of taking it off with a fpunge we foment it and make our illufions voluntary. The prophet Ifaiah adviseth us to use our judgment as men do leaven to feafon bread. All the objects prefented to our imaginations, which we efteem, are fading, if we do not add some heavenly vigour to help our judgment. 2. To judge according to appearances a great want both of judgment and courage; the first makes us prefer vanity before truth, the second gives that to filk and golden cloaths cloaths which is properly due to virtue. We adore painted coals, and certain dark fumes covered outwardly with fnow; but if we did know how many great miferies and what beaftly ordure is hidden under cloth of gold, filk and fcarlet we would complain of our eyes for being fo far without reafon. It is a kind of apoftacy and rebellion against God's providence to judge without calling God to be a prefident in our counsel, or to take in hand any human inventions without the affiftance of his fpirit. 3. God is pleased to lodge pearls within cockles; and bestows his treasures of wifdom and virtue many times upon perfons who have the most unfashionable outsides, to counter-check human wisdom. He makes his orators of those who are speechlefs; and numbers of frogs and flies to overthrow mighty armies. He makes kings out of fhepherds, and ferves himself of things which are not as if they were. The most pleafing facrifice which he receives upon earth is from the humble, and when we despise thofe, we divert the honours of God. We offer facrifice to the world's opinion like the fages of Egypt, who did light candles and burn incenfe to crocodiles. The Jews loft their faith to follow appearances, and there is. is no fhorter way to apoftacy than to adore the world and neglect God. 4. An ill opinion makes folk many times pafs a rafh judgment: they mount into God's chair to judge the hearts of men : the chafte doves are ufed like ravens, and ravens like fwans. Opinion puts falfe fpectacles upon our eyes, which make faults feem virtues, and virtues crimes: Yet nevertheless we fhould think that virtuous perfons will not conceive an ill suspicion of their neighbour without a very fure ground. St. John Climachus faith, Fire is no more contrary to water than rafh judgment is to the state of repentance. It is a certain fign that we do not fee our own fins when we feek curiously after the leaft defects of our neighbour. If we would but once enter into ourselves, we fhould be fo bufy to lament our own lives that we fhould not have time to cenfure thofe of others. ASPIRATIONS. Judge moft redoubtable, who doft plant thy throne within the heart of man; who judgeth the greateft monarchs without leaving them power to appeal : thy judgments are fecret and impenetrable: that which fhines to our eyes like a dia mond |