do not take the trouble of thinking about them. They are not accustomed to consider the consequences of their actions, but at the best, if the thing be not directly sinful, they will do it when they have a mind to it, whatever censure may be passed upon them. Like all men who act without any settled principles, they will sometimes please their neighbours when they ought not, and sometimes disgust them when they ought not: that is, they are anxious when they think about it, to win the favour of mankind, but when they are not strictly thinking about it, they are only anxious to please themselves, and say that the world may speak of them and their conduct as it chooses.

In speaking of the duty of pleasing others, it will not be necessary to dwell on the ordinary courtesies and lesser kindnesses of our daily living, any further than to observe that none of these things, however trifling, are beneath the notice of a good man; and that they are all to a Christian parts of his Christian duty, according to that well-known and most valuable command of the Apostle, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God." But I mention one thing, because, I think, we are most of us apt to be somewhat deficient in it; and that is, in the

trying to suit ourselves to the tastes and views of persons, whose professions or inclinations or situation in life differ widely from our own. It has been said, and I believe truly, that as a general rule, no man can fall into conversation with another, without being able to learn something valuable from him. But in order to get at this benefit, there must be something of an accommodating spirit on both sides; each must be ready to hear candidly, and to answer fairly; each must try to please the other. We all suffer from a want of acquaintance with the habits, and opinions, and feelings, of different classes of society, which hinders us from contributing as we might to each other's benefit. How little for example do the rich and the poor really know of each other! how little for the most part do men of different pursuits, even though of equal rank, men of the world and retired studious men, and persons of many other classes which might be named, how little can they enter into each other's views of life, or each understand many of the notions and pleasures which are most familiar to the other! This is not the place to enter into an examination of the worldly inconveniences arising from this mutual want of knowledge: but the evil which it concerns us here to attend to is this;

that religious men often lose much of their influence from not understanding the characters of others, and from not being understood themselves. Their language is spoken as if to the air, as all language must be, which is addressed to persons whose dispositions we have not studied, and the nature of whose opinions we have not fully considered. On the other hand, it is received with indifference as the language of a visionary; "nor is justice done to the motives from which it proceeds, because the world in general are unable to estimate the Christian character. In order then to promote a mutual knowledge of each other, nothing is so effectual as a mutual desire to please; for we can hardly please another so much as by seeming to wish to enter into his views, to take an interest in his pursuits, and to listen to any information that he can give us. And this brings us to a point about which there has been much difference of opinion; concerning the degree, namely, to which Christians should interest themselves in worldly knowledge, farther than may be required by their particular profession. There is a danger doubtless in the pursuit of all knowledge, lest it should puff us up, and lead us away from true Christian humility. So also is there a danger, as Cecil has truly observed, in trying

to please others, by taking an interest in their pursuits; we may lose, he says, our own Christian character, while endeavouring to accommodate ourselves to their worldly one. There is indeed danger ever besetting us, but there are many occasions on which it is better to overcome it, than to fly from it. In the case of entering deeply into matters of worldly science and knowledge, there is need of constant prayer and much reading of the Scriptures to keep up in our minds a due sense of the paramount importance of that divine knowledge which must be received with childlike simplicity in the school of Christ. But a mind thus fortified by constant recourse to the fountain of all spiritual strength, comes to the study of human knowledge with a matchless superiority over all other men, and is enabled to derive from it incalculably greater advantages. Why should we leave science, and politics, and literature, only in the possession of unbelievers? In the hands of Christians, they each hold only their proper place, and are made to teach lessons of true wisdom. "I have more understanding than my teachers, for thy testimonies are my study," are the words of the Psalmist : and I am sure that if a Christian and unbeliever, gifted with equal natural powers, were to

apply themselves together to the study of any branch of moral knowledge, the Christian would follow it with a far better understanding of it, and would draw from it conclusions far more just and more profitable.

But there is one way of pleasing our neighbours, which, perhaps, the Apostle had more particularly in his mind when he wrote the words of the text: and on which it concerns us to dwell with especial attention. I mean pleasing them by not shocking their notions of right and wrong, by acting up to the expectations which they form of us, and avoiding to lead them into evil by a careless or sinful example. In all these points there is a duty imposed upon us, which the Scripture teaches us to regard as very important; and which belongs to that high perfection of character to which the Gospel labours to bring us. We are to think of the effect which our words and actions may have upon others; we are to consider the misconstruction and misinterpretation to which they are liable; and that although perfectly innocent perhaps in themselves, they may, by being ill understood, tend to increase sin in others. We do a great deal of harm when we disappoint the expectations entertained concerning us. If we have borne the character of