scends to the prejudices of the weak, and often forgives the errors of the foolish.

But to give you a more particular view of it, we may place it in three capital lights, as it respects our general behaviour, our conduct to our enemies, and our conduct to our friends.

With respect to his general behaviour, the meek man looks upon all his neighbours with a candid eye. The two great maxims, on which he proceeds, are not to give offence, and not to take offence. He enters not with the keenness of passion into the contentions of violent men : he keeps aloof from the contagion of party-madness, and feels not the little passions which agitate little minds. He wishes, and he studies to allay the angry passions of the contending; to moderate the fierceness of the implacable; to reconcile his neighbours to one another; and, as far as lies in his power, to make all mankind one great family of friends. He will not indeed descend one step from the dignity of his character; nor will he sacrifice the dictates of his own conscience to any consideration whatever. But those points of obstinacy, which the world are apt to call points of honour, he will freely and cheerfully give up for the good of society. He loves to live in peace with all mankind; but this desire too has its limits. He will keep no terms with those who keep no terms with virtue. A villain, of whatever station, of whatever religious profession, he detests as abomination. Thus you see that though softness, and gentleness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, are the chief characteristics of this virtue, yet at the same time it is very consistent with exertions of spirit. When it acts, is acts with vigour aud decision. Moses, who has the testimony of the Divine Spirit, that he was the meekest man upon the face of the earth, yet when occasion presented itself, felt the influence of an elevated temper, and slew the Egyptian who was wounding his countryman. A meeker than Moses, even our Lord himself, though gentle and beneficent to all the sons of men, yet when the wordly-minded Jews profaned the Temple, was moved with just indignation, and drove the impious from the House of God. Nothing is often more calm and serene than the face of the heavens; but when guilt provokes the vengeance of the Most High, forth comes the thunder to blast the devoted head.

Such is the influence of meekness on our general beha

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viour. It ought also to regulate our conduct to our enemies. There is no principle which more strongly operates on human nature than the law of retaliation. appears from the laws of all nations in the early state, which always ordained a punishment similar to the offence; eye for eye, tooth for tooth, and life for life. This appears also from our own feelings; when an injury is done us we naturally long for revenge. Our heart tells us, that the person offending ought to suffer for the offence, and that the hand of him, who was injured, must return the blow. Such are the dictates of the natural temper.— But pursue this principle to its full extent, and you will see where it will end. One man commits an action which is injurious to you; you feel yourself aggrieved, and seek revenge. If you then retaliate upon him, he thinks he has received a new injury, which he also seeks to revenge; and thus a foundation is laid for reciprocal animosities without end. Did this principle and this practice become general, the earth would be a field of battle, life would be a scene of bloodshed, and hostilities would be immortal. Legislative wisdom hath provided a remedy for these disorders, and for this havock which would be made of the human species. The right of private vengeance, which every man is born with, by common consent, and for the public good, is resigned into the hands of the civil magistrate. But there are many things which come not under the jurisdiction of the laws, and the cognizance of the magistrate, which tend to disturb the public peace, and set mankind at variance. Private animosities and little quarrels often arise, which might be productive of great disorder and detriment to society. Here, therefore, where legislative wisdom fails, religion steps in and checks the desire of vengeance, by enjoining that meekness of spirit which disposes not to retaliate, but to forgive. He, therefore, who possesses this spirit, will not answer a fool according to his tolly. He will not depart from his usual maxims of conduct, because another has behaved improperly. Because his neighbour has been guilty of one piece of folly, he will not reckon that an inducement for him to be guilty of another. He will regulate his conduct by that standard of virtue which is within, and not by the behaviour of those around him. Accordingly, instead of harbouring animosities against those who have done him ill offices, he will be disposed to return good for evil: remembering

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that our Lord adds at the conclusion of this chapter, “I say unto you, love your enemies, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven: for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

This meekness ought also to appear in our conduct towards our friends. In the present state of things, where human nature is so frail, where the very best have their weak side, and where so many events happen, which give occasion to the passions of men to shew themselves, there is great scope for the exercise of meekness and moderation. The faults of mankind in general present a most unpleasant spectacle; but the failings of those we love, of those on whom we have conferred obligations, are apt to fill us with disgust and aversion If it had been an enemy who had done this, I could have borne it. I would have expected no better; but thou, O my familiar friend, how shall I forgive thee? Such, at the time, is the language of nature. But better views, and more mature reflection, will teach us to throw a veil over those infirmities which are inseparable from the best natures, and to frame an -excuse for those errors which proceed not from a bad heart.

In all these instances of meekness, Jesus of Nazareth left us an example, that we should follow his steps. In his general behaviour, he was meek, and lowly, and condescending. He went about doing good, and received testimony from his enemies that "he did all things well." To the errors of his friends he was mild and gentle. When, moved by false zeal, in which they are still followed by many, who have the assurance to call themselves his disciples, they besought him to cause fire to descend from heaven and consume a city, which believed not in his doctrine;-all the rebuke he administered was, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of; the Son of man came not to destroy mens' lives, but to save them." When he suffered his agony in the garden, in the hour and in the power of darkness, when he besought his disciples to watch with him in this dreadful scene, and when, instead of giving him comfort, they sunk unconcerned into sleep; instead of reproving them with severity, as their conduct deserved, he himself sought for an excuse for them: "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Though he was the friend of all mankind, yet

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he had enemies who sought his life. "I have done,' said he, "many good deeds among you, for which of these do you stone me?" And when, after persecuting him in his life, they brought him to the accursed death of the cross, his last words were, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Go thou! and do likewise.

II. I am to shew the happiness annexed to this character, expressed here," by inheriting the earth."

The meek are not indeed always to be great and opulent. Happiness, God be praised, is not annexed, and is not confined to the superior stations of life. There is a great difference between possessing the good things of life, and enjoying them. Whatever be his rank in life, the meek man bids the fairest chance for enjoying its advantages. A proud and passionate man puts his happiness in the power of every fool he meets with. A failure in duty or affection from a friend, want of respect from a dependant, and a thousand little circumstances, which a candid man would overlook, disturb his repose. He is perpetually on the fret, and his life is one scene of anxiiety after another. On the other hand, the meek is not disturbed by the transactions of this scene of vanity. He is disposed to be pleased at all events. Instead of repining at the success of those around him, he rejoices in their prosperity, and is thus happy in the happiness of all his neighbours. Such are the blessed effects of meekness in the character. This beam from heaven kindles joy within the mind: it spreads a serenity over the countenance, and diffuses a kind of sunshine over the whole life. It puts us out of the power of accidents. It keeps the world at a due distance. It is armour to the mind, and keeps off the arrows of wrath. It preserves a sanctuary within, calm and holy, which nothing can disturb. Safe and happy in this asylum, you smile at the madness of the multitude. You hear the tempest raging around, and spreading its strength in vain. As this virtue contributes to our happiness here, so it is also the best preparation for the happiness which is above. It is the very temper of the heavens. It is the disposition of the saints in light, and angels in glory; of that blessed society of friends who rejoice in the presence of God, and who, in mutual love, and joint hosannahs of praise, enjoy the ages of eternity.

To conclude: There is hardly a duty enjoined in the whole book of God, on which more stress seems often to be laid, than this virtue of meekness. "The Lord loveth the meek. The meek will he beautify with his salvation -He arises to save the meek of the earth." Christ was sent to preach "glad tidings to the meek." Upon this. our Lord rests his own character. "Learn of me, for I am meek." In the epistles of Paul there is a remarkable expression: "I beseech you by the meekness and the gen-. tleness of Christ." The Holy Ghost, too, is called, "the Spirit of Meekness." Implore, then, O Christian! the assistance of the Divine Spirit, that he may endow you with this virtue, and that you may shew in your life the meekness of wisdom.

SERMON XI.

ISAIAH lviii. 7.

-Deal thy bread to the hungry :-hide not thyself from thine own flesh.

WHY there are so many evils in the world is a question that has been agitated ever since men felt them. As God is possessed of all perfections, he could have created the universe without evil. To him, revolving the plan of his creation, every benevolent system presented itself. How came it then to pass, that a Being, neither controlled in power, nor limited in wisdom, nor deficient in goodness, should create a world in which many evils are to be found, and much suffering to be endured? It becomes not us, with too presumptuous a curiosity, to assign the causes of the Divine conduct, or with too daring a hand, to draw aside the veil which covers the councils of the Almighty. But from this state of things we see many good effects arise. That industry which keeps the world in motion; that society which, by mutual wants, cement mankind together; and that charity, which is the bond of per