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brute animal which encounters death in

defence of its young. The quality of a deed is ftamped by the motive. On every occafion examine not only what you do, but why you do it. Nothing is fervice to God, but that which is done from love to God. Does either reason or the Gospel authorize you to expect that God should reward a deed which is not intended as fervice to Him? Let me leave before you this practical truth; and may divine grace impress it upon your bofoms: that nothing is Goodness, which does not proceed from love to God; and that no one is a good man, unless the love of God be habitually the ruling principle of his life.

SERMON VII.

On Pride.

PROV. xvi. 5.

Every one that is proud in Heart is an Abomi

nation to the Lord.

IN the maladies which affault the human body, a marked diftinction prevails as to the relative extensiveness of their influence. Of fome the force is nearly exhaufted upon the organ or the limb on which they faften. Others, deeply rooted in the conftitution, pervade the general fyftem and in every different state of the frame, and in every different mode of life, advance their machinations, and prepare their final triumph. Fulnefs of blood ftimulates the internal foe debility meets it with languid refiftance exertion accelerates its progrefs: fedentary habits facilitate its inroads. A

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kindred analogy difcriminates the dif tempers of the mind. Some, as hatred and terror, firmly fixing upon particular objects, are little excited on ordinary occafions. Others, afpiring to general fway, find, under all circumftances and at every period, opportunities of gratification. Of paffions of this character the most eminent is Pride. Juftly does it claim the denomi ́nation of an univerfal paffion. Age or fex or fituation exempts not from its controul Body and mind, virtues and vices, it preffes: into its fervice. The heart may ficken, the understanding may recoil, at the prospect. But on every fide the fcene is the fame. : We behold men proud in health, proud in the chamber of difeafe; proud in public, proud in retirement; proud of their fru gality, proud of their profufion; proud of their fobriety, proud of their intemperance; proud of their pride; proud of their hu mility.

Listen to the character ascribed by diffe rent families to each other. How general: is that of pride! To fome householdsq covetoufnefs is attributed as an hereditarye failing; to fome, irafcibility; to fome, fuf picion. How much larger is the number to which pride is imputed! How few are

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even the individuals among your acquaintance whom, fooner or later, you have not known to be delineated as proud! How frequently has the charge, whether true or falfe, whether urged against families or individuals, been brought forward through the impulfe of pride in the perfon who advances it! Of the bickerings, the jealoufies, the offences, the diflikes, which feparate neighbours from each other, how. large a proportion originates in Pride, manifefted by one party or by both !

In the day ye eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, said the author of evil to our firft parents, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Pride was the paffion to which he addreffed himfelf. Who art thou among the defcendents of the original tranfgreffors, who accurately fcrutinifeft thy bofom, and detecteft not pride at the bottom of thy heart? Who art thou that, after impartial and comprehensive fcrutiny, difcernest not pride to be more powerful in thy bofom than almost any other, if not than every other, rebellious propenfity?

In order that we may the more diftinctly. contemplate pride as to its nature and its confequences; let us, in the first place, conVOL. II. fider

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fider fome of its modes of operation : fecondly, its contrariety to religious principle and to the example of our Lord: and, thirdly, the judgements which by the appointment of God have been annexed to it. We fhall then be prepared to apply fome concluding reflections to ourfelves.

I. Let us begin with the confideration of national pride. Trace in geographical order the several kingdoms and states by which we are furrounded. Inquire the character of each from attentive obfervers, to whom by long familiarity it has been developed. You will perceive different regions respectively feparated and defined by appropriate marks of moral difcrimination and you will perceive one mark

extended to all. This people will be defcribed as courageous; that, as interested; that, as fickle; that, as circumfpect. But, before the defcription be completed, you will hear each characterized as proud. : Liften to the voice of nations converfing with each other in the public language of manifeftoes and memorials. How often is pride the mafter-note by which the whole strain-and cadence is governed! Listen to their most retired intercourfe imparted by the records of fecret negotiation. The

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