beauty of a tender, kind, compassionate temper; truth in all a Christian's words, honesty in all his dealings, constant readiness to bear another's burdens, to rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep, to return good for evil and blessing for cursing-all this impresses the beholders with a sense of heavenly beauty.

And what is it that weakens such an impression? What is it that alone prevents us from fully obeying the precept of our Lord? If any of us are conscious that our light does not shine, why does it not? We cannot plead any natural inability, for Christ never gives us a command which we are unable to perform, nor lays upon us more than we can bear. He has, moreover, promised us the assistance of his Holy Spirit, through whom we may do all things, and attain even to the perfection of the sons of God. Perhaps we are not trusting to be strengthened by that good Spirit. If so, it is no wonder that we fail, no wonder that our light is dim. What obscures the

light, is our folly, and our sin; and these will prevail unless the Divine Spirit enable us to overcome them; without his blessing, a cloud of evil will arise which will veil our light, nay, may even extinguish it. May God of his mercy forbid that our souls should sink into such darkness!

But our Saviour adds a reason to his precept; he tells us why our light must thus shine before men. It is that when men thus see our good works, they may glorify our Father which is in heaven. Obscure this is, that we may beware of glorifying ourselves. This was the object of the Pharisees, and it is the object of all false professors of religion. Ambition, reputation, pleasure, power, these are the idols of the natural heart of man; but when that heart is renewed by the grace of God, then it seeks to glorify God. This is the true test of all our actions; if they are performed for the sake of our own aggrandizement or fame, then they are worthless, and worse than worthless; but they are

acceptable in his sight, and the fruits of his Spirit, if they aim at his glory, and if they lead others to glorify him.

And now I would ask you, brethren, whether you are thus glorifying God? Look back upon the last few months,—say, of the last year. I will not suppose that you have fallen into gross sin, but I would have your consciences fairly and honestly reply, as to how far you may justly hope that your light has thus shone before men. What have they been able to discern in you which has been to the honour of your religion, and which has been likely to attract them to the service of your heavenly Master? What difference have they seen between you and those who were confessedly but the children of this world? Have your tempers been more holy, your patience more exemplary, your love more universal? How far have they seen in you the mind that was in Christ Jesus? If nothing of all this has taken place, may you not fear that the light which is

within you is but darkness? But if you have some reason to thank God who hath made you to differ, still go on to strive and pray, that he would bless your feeble endeavours, so that at last your light may shine as the perfect day.

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SERMON III.

St. MATT. v. 5.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

THERE are few subjects more calculated than that now before us to show the opposition between the maxims of the world and those of Christ. In so strong a light, indeed, does this here appear, that at first sight, we are almost ready to say that experience contradicts our Lord's assertion. The most celebrated characters in history, the great men and conquerors of the world, were certainly of a very different temper; and these are the men to whom the world bows and whom it teaches us to admire.

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