and gentleness, and humility, which eclipse the tinsel brilliancy of this world's heroes, and bring to light the intrinsic meanness and viciousness of its principles and its virtues. Is there any thing lovely or of good report? Faith discovers it all in the patience of Christ. Is it wisdom? "With the lowly," saith God, "is wisdom." Is it charity? St. Paul will tell us that "charity suffereth long," and "is not easily provoked2."

How, then, is the proud revengeful heart of man to be wrought into resemblance to Him, "who, when he was reviled, reviled not again." Without the grace of the Holy Spirit, such a change is impossible. Without His inspiration, no man would desire to be so changed, and to be made so unlike all that is natural to human pride. But we speak of those who have the Spirit of Christ. We speak of those who see the unutterable loveliness and majesty of His humility, and long to be conformed to His image. How is it that the sincere Christian is to be brought to this consummation? Recollect what we have already said of 1 Prov. xi. 2. 21 Cor. xiii. 4, 5. 31 Pet. ii. 23.

the habitual character of true religion, and the answer will be evident:-by the same exercise and discipline by which all other religious principles are formed into a habit. Here, then, is another result from the course of temptation and trial to which we are exposed. By continual trials of our patience, our natural pride and self-will are brought down and mortified. We learn at last that we cannot have things as we please, but that we are passing through a state of suffering and disappointment, in which, if we can save our souls and fulfil the will of God, we may well be thankful and content.

The first lesson of patience is to have patience with ourselves. When first our minds are fully awakened to the seriousness of all questions which affect our eternal happiness, when death and judgment are first presented to our souls in their awful truth and nearness, we feel as if our character was totally transformed, and nothing now remained but pure and heavenly enjoyments. But a very short time, and our expectations are cruelly disappointed: we

find that it is not by one nor by a thousand efforts that the force of indulged habits is to be overcome: in a word, we find that we are slow to unlearn evil and to learn good, We find that the enemy of our souls is not disposed to lose his prey, and that, if he cannot destroy us, he is determined to harass and distress us. It is by such trials we are taught how much of human pride, and vanity, and self-love, may be mixed up with those pure desires which the Holy Spirit has infused into our hearts. We would be Christians: but we must be eminent and distinguished Christians; Christians who may stand well with themselves and with the world. We would be transformed into all that is excellent in a moment without difficulty and without pain. We must comprehend every thing at once, and feel the certainty of victory, not before we have taken off our armour, but before we have put it on. But in the school of Christ we soon begin to have these illusions cleared up, and to discern, that, after all, we are but common-place characters, who must pass through the

same difficulties as our brethren.

The

teaching of the Holy Ghost is mainly directed to humble and chastise the lofty

wayward spirit, and to make it capable of being assimilated and united to the meekness and gentleness of Christ. It is by many trials, by many temptations, calculated to bring the truth before the mind, that this is effected,-temptations, which, while they prove the power of Christ to assist our weakness, prove also the necessity of patience with ourselves. We are taught that we are not to conclude, that because we are slow, we are learning nothing; and because we are far indeed from perfection, the distance will not in due time be overcome by persevering diligence. Now he who has thus learned this interior lesson of patience and resignation, he who has learned to have patience with himself, is the only man who can really feel patience with other men, or look with meekness on the disappointments and vexations of the world. The peace which dwells in his own breast enables him to live peaceably with all men. The con

sciousness of his own imperfections disposes him to feel charitably to the failures of others, and to wait for their improvement, as he knows he is compelled to wait for his own.

The formation of this passive character is so mainly the work of our sanctification, that it seems to be the chief effect produced by the discipline of temptation on the mind which is really governed by the fear of God. The trial, in most cases, becomes, not the resistance of temptation, but the endurance of it with meekness, with temper, and without self-congratulation. The danger is not lest the soldier forsake his standard or his post, but lest he may be unable to tolerate the suggestion or the imputation with patience or humility. Surely this must have been in a great measure the trial of our blessed Redeemer; not whether He would violate the principles of truth and integrity, but with what spirit He would tolerate the daring wickedness that could suggest the violation; with what temper He would bear to be contradicted and thwarted in