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dily attentive to the voice of conscience, who, in obedience to that voice regulates his religious impressions, and forms the conduct of his life. It is a character therefore highly deserving our most serious attention. In the faith of the centurion, you see the natural result of this fairness of mind exerted upon the subject of religion. You see it contemplating, with just appreciation, those appearances which were presented to it; reasoning, indeed, but reasoning with simplicity; not seeking to overpower the evidence on which it commented by injurious sophistry, but rather satisfied with less evidence than it could easily have attained. You see this steady and sound faith, leading its possessor to no wandering or enthusiastic fanaticism; not calling him to desert the unnoticed duties of common life: sending him back, on the contrary, to fill his station in society with new and redoubled vigour, and comforting him with the sublime thought, that in the most private offices of humanity, as well as in the greatest and most conspicuous, he might still be " a fellow worker with God." In the life of the centurion, you see the inseparable connection between faith and works, or the same principle of conscience which guided his understanding to truth, regulating every department of his conduct. You see these things, my brethren, and they are given to you as an example, and they call upon you to go and do likewise."

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I shall only observe, in conclusion, that our advantages are in some respects superior to those possessed by the good centurion. His early years were passed under the darkness of idolatry, and it was only after he was advanced in life that his eyes were opened to that

light which has come into the world." We indeed have been accounted unworthy (as he had the humility to esteem himself) that our Lord should enter under our roofs; but from the period of our infancy we have been in possession of those words which have conveyed the voice of healing to ourselves and our houses. Let us, my brethren, profit as we ought from this advantage, that we may not be numbered among "those children of the kingdom who shall be cast out into outer darkness," but among that innumerable multitude" which shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven!"

SERMON XVII.

ON CHRISTIAN CHARITY, AS IT INFLUENCES OUR JUDGMENTS OF EACH OTHER.

MATTHEW, vii. 1.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged."

THE great law of Christian charity is both too little understood, and too little practised. Men will not so far enlarge their minds, as to acknowledge its beauty and excellence; but, contemplating the vices which prevail in the world, they are apt to believe that charity to the offenders is nothing but weakness. In our practice, it is evident that we are constantly liable to magnify our own good qualities, and to look with too great abhorrence on the imperfections of others. Indeed so vain a creature is man, that there is scarcely any quality, however insignificant, that will not help to raise him in his own conceit; while there are scarcely any virtues so transcendent and estimable, that will secure his neighbour from becoming the object of his hasty censures.

It is my view at present to point out the reasonableness and excellence of charity, and then to enforce the practice of this virtue. Let us then, my brethren, begin

with considering those aspects of human nature which present themselves to us, wherever we throw our eyes over this wonderful world. We everywhere behold a being beginning in helplessness and weakness, smiling on the looks of maternal affection, or crying from the early sense of misery. This creature unfolds its faculties with its years; and before it well knows where it is, the seeds of vice have been scattered in its soul. In some happy minds, the generous shoots of virtue, the early blossoms of wisdom, rise with beautiful regularity over the weeds which entangle their progress; but the human character in general is a disorderly scene, running wild into extravagant passions, or cold, barren, and unfruitful.

Yet, in however sad a condition, into whatever disorder man is thrown, he still retains some vestiges of his high original, and never seems entirely lost to the sense of good. When he is a martyr to vice, he hangs his head, and blushes with the consciousness which oppresses him; and if he should be unable to cast off the yoke, he yet shows that it is grievous to be borne. The most shameless characters will, in general, be found to be those who have had the least opportunity of knowing what is good; who, from the misfortunes of their childhood, have been thrown loose upon society, and accustomed from their earliest years to low and degenerate infamy. Indeed, on whatever forms of vice we fix our attention, something will occur to palliate; no man will appear radically and innately bad; and the race of men in general will seem rather to be labouring under a heavy misfortune, than to be the objects of unrelenting vengeance.

If then, my brethren, we could assume the station of some superior being, qualified to sit as judge on man, himself exempt from human weaknesses, and only the spectator of human conduct, even from such a station we could scarcely look down on this poor mortal creature with any other emotions than those of tenderness and pity. True: we should be astonished with the view of extravagant folly; we should be shocked with the sight of detestable guilt; we should be confounded with seeing a creature formed to be good and happy, immersing itself in depravity, and running headlong to destruction. Yet there would be always something in man which would make pity predominate; and when we gazed in horror at the hardened ruffian, dealing in blood and breathing fury, we should still recollect the innocent playfulness of the same creature, while yet a child in its mother's arms.

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Such seems to be the aspect in which man has appeared to the great Being from whom he originally proceeded, and, who, notwithstanding all his wanderings, has yet not discarded for ever this prodigal son. beings, we are told, of a higher nature than ours, have lost themselves so far, and have been guilty of such flagrant disobedience, that the Almighty has abandoned them to destruction. But to man an extraordinary rescue has been granted, and the most compassionate of all Beings has been sent into the world, to instruct, to comfort, and to die for him. Solicitations and entreaties have been made to call in the greatest sinners; and no human being appears too mean and despicable to receive the offer of heaven and of eternal happiness.

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