middle ranks of life, both sympathy and benevolence are frequently found to lighten the load of woe. These, it is true, may be all mere nature; but they are however not the least precious remains of original beauty among its ruins.

To glut the stomach, is to starve the mind; vainly to dress up the body, is to strip the soul; to appear great before men, is really to be little in the eyes of God; to be anxious for this world alone, is to lose the true enjoyment both of it and a better.

66

Yet

all these compose the prime wisdom of worldly men. But should such be the object, the pursuit, the practice of a Christian? Can the pilgrim, or traveller, the stranger and sojourner upon earth, who talks of seeking a better country and a heavenly," make it his business to delight or indulge his flesh and carnal affections in modes like these? It seems, indeed, a sort of burlesque upon godliness, that a creature, proud, pampered, glutted, adorned, and wallowing in lazy and luxurious life, should solemnly profess meekness and lowliness of mind, abstraction from a sinful world, deadness to earthly vanity, humble expectations of heaven, and a life of faith and communion with God till heaven be attained.I am not a monk, nor monkishly inclined; but surely the modern luxury among many professors is neither the characteristic nor ornament of Christian life, and cannot, from its own nature, be the means appointed either to win or to wean men from mammon to God. It is indeed with pain and reluctance, that this subject of pride, laziness, and luxury, which usually go together, is here mentioned, and especially that there

is so much occasion for mentioning it, in our day and in our land. To use, and liberally to use, God's temporal mercies with cheerful thankfulness, is one thing; but to "nourish our carnal hearts as in a day of slaughter," to live only for ourselves, and to be filled with a fulness of earth instead of God, is quite another. The Apostle speaks of " using the world and not abusing it," plainly intimating the distinction and the difficulty. For this reason most probably it is, that the Lord keeps the bulk of his people out of worldly snares by poverty and trouble, for which they will see more cause to thank him hereafter, than the wealthy and the great for all their riches. When the world lies heavy and close upon the heart, O with what a sluggish slowness doth it rise up towards heaven!

Lord, above all thy gifts, give me thyself! I may be happy without the creatures, but I must be wretched for ever without thee. Against all my carnal affections and desires, above all my apprehensions and views, beyond all my hopes and expectations, O do thou lead me through time to eternity, and be my life, my love, my light, my Lord, and my all in all!

CHAPTER XXXV.

There are many first that shall be last.

OUR opinion of persons and things is usually taken from outward forms and appearances; but God look

eth on the heart and spirit, which are the true and only substantial essence or being.

What a wonderful revolution shall the day of God make upon the earth! Many high and towering professors, extolled by others and prized by themselves, shall be glad to take even the meanest and the lowest rooms, deeply thankful not to be quite thrust out of the kingdom; while some poor dejected and despised souls, who passed their days almost unknowing and unknown with respect to the world, shall shine forth as the stars in the firmament of heaven, to the surprise and astonishment of every

eye.

We greatly mistake, in general, with respect to spiritual glory. It doth not consist in the splendour of gifts and talents, or any bodily exercise (as the Apostle calls it) of the animal frame, but in the less glaring, though far more solid, ornament of a meek and quiet spirit; not in the attraction or admiration of men, but in the love and enjoyment of God; not in the subtle and lofty aspirings even of the inward man, but in self-abasement, simplicity, humbleness, and sincerity of mind, resignation of soul to God, victory over self, and every thing else that belongs to true lowliness and profound humiliation. This is "real and living" glory; but not the glory of the world or of the flesh, for these neither understand nor desire it. Alas! how little is it considered, that an outward religious act and religion itself are Two things very distinct and very separable! Scribes, pharisees, and hypocrites, have performed the one with the greatest care and exactness; but all the

while were further from the kingdom of God than even publicans and harlots: the other, consisting in divine life and inward union of the soul with Christ, is the portion and experience of none but the children of God.

We may be proud of pretended virtues; and, perhaps, it is possible to be proud even of grace itself, opposite as it is to that fallen principle of corrupted nature; but it is not so possible to think nothing of ourselves, and to be contented with the slight and contempt of others; to prefer all God's children to ourselves, and to place our seat far below theirs; to love our meekest and our humblest thoughts, and to hate bitterly the emotions of pride, and the urgings of anger and arrogance. Yet all this is the true and solid dignity of a Christian soul, and brings it nearest to the likeness of Christ, if not nearest to his throne.

O Lord, help me to understand myself. May I wish to see, not how great and good, (as flesh would have it,) but how mean and vile I am. Preserve me from high thoughts of myself; for these become not a sinful dying worm, who lives every moment upon a breath of air; nor yet do they become a redeemed sinner, whose only plea must be mercy, who hath nothing of his own but sin, and who by grace alone can be saved, according to thy gift, O Lord, my God!

CHAPTER XXXVI.

On Talents.

It is the sentence of an Apostle, uttering the mind of the Holy Ghost, that though he himself "should speak with the tongues of men, and of angels," that is, with the highest degree of the most energetic or zealous eloquence, "and had not CHARITY," or the LOVE of God in his heart, he "should become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." He goes farther: "Though I," says he, " have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." He doth not stop here: "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." Awful words! The possibility of such a case (and surely the Apostle had not been led to state it, if it were not possible) should alarm the mind of every one who professeth to believe and follow the gospel of Christ.

It is obvious, at first view, that GRACE and GIFTS are two things, and that their separate effects or consequences, to the possessors of either, may be different also.

Grace, or charity, or love, which have nearly the same sense when applied to the life of God in the soul of man, is the special influence of the Holy Spirit