on every occasion, and in every instance, be preferred to worldly interest. We are not to imagine, that we may, with impunity, take His law into our own hands, and choose what parts of it we will obey, and what parts we will neglect or transgress; for we are expressly told, that if a man keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. What is the end of religion? The great design and purpose of all religion, natural and revealed, is to restore us to the image of God, that we may finally be qualified for the enjoyment of Him, or as it is expressed by the Apostle, (Col. 1. 12.) "that we may be rendered meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Now, "God is love," saith the Apostle John; "He is good unto all, and His tender mercies are over all His works." If, therefore, we aspire to a conformity to the Divine image in this respect, we will cultivate a benevolent temper, and delight in the exercise of compassion and beneficence; with which, however, it is obvious that nothing can be more inconsistent, than an immoderate attachment to the things of this world.

Fourthly, We may observe, that nothing can be more instructive on this subject, than both the precepts and the example of our blessed Lord; which, if we wish to approve ourselves to be his true disciples, it will be our first care to obey and imitate. "Take no thought," says he, "for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or wherewithal ye shall be clothed; but, seek ye first the kingdom of

God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." And how well he exemplified his own precepts, his own history, from first to last, furnishes a continued and illustrious proof, His life, was indeed, a perfect pattern of all virtue ; but were we to select a particular virtue, as shining in his character, with a brighter lustre than the rest, it would be that complete devotion to the will of his heavenly Father, which rendered him superior to all the temptations and allurements of the world. This was with him the first and great commandment; and next and similar to that, the most ardent and disinterested love to mankind, for whose real interest and welfare, he laboured incessantly, and all the while was so destitute, of even the common accommodations and conveniences of life, that "he had not where to lay his head." Let it, therefore, be deeply impressed upon our minds, how much it concerns us to account the riches and pleasures, and grandeur of this world, as nothing, when compared with the discharge of duty, and the pleasure of doing good; remembering, that hereunto we are called, as the disciples of Jesus, who hath left us an example, that we should follow his steps.

Finally,-Brethren, let us take heed and beware of covetousness, and be content with such things as we have. Let us rather endeavour to contract our desires, than to increase the means of gratifying them; observing, that steady temperance and moderation in all things, in which true virtue consists; not

over-anxious about the perishing things of this vain world, but solicitous to lay up treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal; and ever trusting in the good Providence of that Almighty Being, who hath said, that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

195

SERMON XV.

ON TRUE HONOUR.

LUKE ix. 46.

And there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be the greatest.

THE love of fame has been called, and not without reason the universal passion. All, from the highest to the lowest, are desirous of being considered, and talked of, and treated, as persons of some consequence and respectability: every man puts in his claim for at least some share of honour and respect, and would be miserable if he did not either obtain it, or fancy that he did so. To this source, chiefly, may be traced the labours and exertions of men of all ranks, professions and employments. The desire of honour is not confined to the hero, the statesman, and the man of letters, to those who make a figure on the great theatre of the world; it animates the meanest labourer and mechanic, who toil and sweat, that they may raise themselves above contempt, and live with some degree of credit and estimation among

their neighbours, and so powerful is its influence that there is no other passion which does not, upon occasions, yield to it; nay, it overcomes indolence itself; we see the strongest propensities restrained, and the most beloved gratifications forgone, from a dread of contempt, or a regard to reputation; and thus frequently a deference is paid to the presumed opinion of the world, which is denied to the admonitions of conscience and the obligations of religion.

This desire being so deeply implanted in our nature, so strong, and so universal, it would be absurd to say, that it ought to be eradicated, or, that it ought not to be a principle of action. God himself proposes honour, not only hereafter, but in this world, also, as one of the rewards of virtue: how then can it be sinful to desire it, or make it an object of pursuit? He commands us to honour Him, and declares, that the homage of our praise is acceptable to Him, and can it be wrong to delight in that which is an agreeable offering to our all-perfect Creator?

It is permitted to us, then, to covet honour, and we are sufficiently inclined to avail ourselves of the permission; but we shall not merely fall short of our aim, but bring real disgrace upon ourselves, if we do not, first, carefully discriminate between true and false honour, and then steadily pursue the means by which the former may be obtained, and the latter avoided. Inattention and mistake with regard to what is really honourable and praiseworthy, is, indeed, the source of all the ridiculous, and no small share of the criminal conduct of men.