duct upon the principles which worldly education has taught them, or upon the habits of the society to which they belong. When "the spirit of Christ," so opposite to their's, is described and enforced; they are "offended at it." They do not say, 66 we are the descendants of Abraham, and have no need to learn this humbling doctrine;" but they say," we are Christians; we believe the truths of the Bible; we frequent the house of God; we even kneel at the altar, and partake of the holy communion; and we see no need of this unnatural humility, this degrading submission, this unmanly meekness." But, is not the general tenor of the Gospel calculated to humble the pride of the human heart? Are not many of its particular injunctions levelled against this disposition? Can any doubt the temper, which is acceptable to Jesus Christ, when he hears him declare, in the words of my text; "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth ?"

The first thing we are led to consider, in

this declaration of our Saviour, is the principle upon which it is founded. I have already hinted, that he, who is destitute of Christian meekness and forbearance, seems almost ignorant of the first principles of the doctrine of salvation. Let us consider, for a moment, the foundation, upon which must rest the hopes, of the most decent, the most respectable, the most religious among us; as well as the most erring, as well as the polluted and the fallen. If we have escaped from the terrors of mount Sinai, and the violated law has ceased to appal us with its thunder: if we no longer view in the Almighty, a God whom our iniquities have wearied, who "hideth his face from us, and shutteth up his loving-kindness in displeasure" but a God, who " pitieth us, even as a father pitieth his own children;" and who smiles on our feeble and imperfect efforts to serve and honour him: what has arrested the stroke of vengeance? what has introduced us to the arms of infinite compassion, and unbounded love? "Not the works of VOL. II. righteousness.

E

righteousness that we have done;" not the

"works," of which any man

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may boast;" but the free grace and unmerited favour, of the Being we had so grievously offended. The Parable, in which "the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants," completely illustrates this momentous truth. When the servant," which owed ten thousand talents, fell down and worshipped him ; the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt." Here was nothing to flatter the debtor's pride; nothing to lead him to suppose, that, even in part, he could satisfy the demand of his lord. He feels his poverty, he mourns the penalty incurred, he is anxious to be freed from it. He firmly purposes and ardently desires, not to incur it again by wilful disobedience. His lord does not wait till years of service entitle him to reward, which he then may claim as a merit, instead of hailing as a mercy. The servant owns his wretchedness, implores the patience

which he needs, and is already forgiven. It was no doubt expected, that the grateful obedience of his future life should testify his sense of the benefit. In his conduct to his lord, and to his fellow-servants also, the remembrance of the kindness he had experienced, would be naturally conspicuous. He could not treat the one with careless neglect, be indifferent to his service, unconcerned for his interests, and regardless of his glory. He could not treat the other with unkindness; he could not be rigorous in exacting his right, cruelly inattentive to the necessities of his brethren, relentless to their errors, and impatient under their provocations. Alas! bitter experience proves to us, that he who is forgiven, does not necessarily forgive; and that he, who acknowledges himself a sinner, does not always compassionate, those who like him have fallen. The servant, whom his lord had " loosed," when the first temptation to violence was offered, forgot the lesson he had so recently been taught. His "fellow-servant, which owed him" but "an hun

dred

dred pence," and who came with the same feelings of humility, and addressed him in the same language of submission, which he had used to his lord, was "cast into prison until he should pay the debt." Well might "his lord, after that he had called him, say, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity upon thee?"

This then is the principle, upon which the meekness and forbearance, recommended in the text, are founded. As we are the objects of such unmerited mercy; the kindness we have received, we should be ready to communicate. As we have been freely forgiven those manifold transgressions, for which nothing but the blood of Christ could atone; we should contemplate the errors of our brethren, in pity rather than in anger, nor be extreme to mark what is done amiss, even when against ourselves. What are we, that we should look down with proud disdain, on

those