ped. The devil held out the pleafing bait, "All "these honors will I give you, if ye will fall down "and worship me." Charmed with the offer, they accepted the propofal; worshipped the devil for a puff of praise; and, for the empty honor of a moment, plunged their fouls into everlasting contempt and fhame.

But again, Self-exaltation difcovers itself in many by pretenfions to learning, fuperior wisdom, underStanding, and knowledge. How many are there who judge themselves intitled to honor, dignity, and rule in the church, through a vain imagination that they are more learned than others; that they poffefs fuperior wisdom, are better acquainted with religion, with the bible, the doctrines and truths of it, and more qualified to instruct, rule, and govern. And if they are not exalted to that eminence their fuppofed abilities merit, they think they are ill-treated, and are highly offended. If they ARE fo exalted, they are proud, haughty, overbearing; the pinnacle they stand upon is much too high for their weak brains-they grow giddy with the elevation-their folly proves the deranged state of their intellects-they fall down from the pinnacle of honor-and the multitude, which just before fhouted their praife, look down upon them with contempt and scorn.

Others there are who poffefs gifts and qualifications which might make them abundantly useful, and highly honorable; and who, nevertheless, from Self-love,

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felf-love, a defire to be exalted, and a proud conceit of their own abilities, totally defeat their own intentions; never rife to that dignified ftate their own talents might have led them; but fink into obfcurity and dishonor, merely by their own pride and imprudence. But fuppose this should not be the cafe, and they should really obtain the exaltation defired; yet we shall find it will last but a day, and be fucceeded by eternal difgrace, if felf-love, or love of dominion, be at the bottom. For our divine Lord fays, "Whofoever shall exalt himself, shall "be abased."

Which leads me to drop a few words upon this part of the subject: the obvious meaning of which words appear to be this, viz. Whofoever lives under the influence of felf-love, and love of dominion, is fond of exaltation and honor as the gratifications of fuch love, and has this only end in view, that is, the aggrandizement of himself-fuch a man will affuredly fink into deferved fhame and contempt.The principle from which he acts being of the meaneft kind, his motives vile, and his affections infernal; he muft, therefore, when stripped of all disguise, appear in his own proper character, and meet the disappointment, reproach, and shame, infeparably connected with fuch a mean and unworthy mind.

He has not confidered that he was born for others, and not for himself alone; he has not fought the good of his neighbour and the glory of God in all

his efforts towards exaltation; but led by the impulfe of felf-love, has neither regarded the glory of God, or the good of mankind; all his aim has been to exalt himself, and could that end be obtained, he (like the unjust judge) neither feared God nor regarded Such a man, and fuch a life, can meet with nothing less than everlasting fhame, contempt, and forrow.

man.

But to relieve the mind from this unpleafing picture of human depravity, we will enter upon the counter-part, viz. the nature of the oppofite virtue, bumility; in what manner it is manifefted, and how fuch a perfon fhall be exalted. "He that fhall

"humble himself, fhall be exalted." By true bumility we are not to understand a mean, daftardly, low mind; but rather a great and noble mind. For true greatnefs confifts in a just knowledge of ourselves, of our dependence upon the Divine Being, our connexions with mankind, and that line of conduct we are to obferve in life: and fuch knowledge is effential to humility, By knowing ourfelves, I mean, to know what we are as men; that we are mere organs receptive of life from the Lord; that in ourselves we are nothing but mere evil; that our whole dependence is upon the love, wisdom, and mercy of our heavenly Father; for whatever we enjoy in this life, or that which is to come. And to know our connexion with mankind is to understand that we are not to live for self only, but for the good of others; that one man cannot live without another;

that

that we are defigned to be of use each to other; and that our own happiness depends upon fo being. And, therefore, that there is a certain line of conduct we are to obferve, first, in respect to God; and next, in respect to our neighbour, or mankind. And then we shall fee it is impoffible to pursue that conduct, or act in our place, without humility.

First, In respect to the Divine Being. As we are in ourselves mere evil, by having averted our minds from the Lord, violated his laws, and become fenfual and vile; and as our God is a Being of perfect holiness, truth, and purity, we must see the neceffity of being humble before him. Pride is the offspring the child of wisdom!

of ignorance, but humility is Men have conceived an idea that they are independent both of God and man: when once arrived to maturity they imagine themselves their own masters, nor dream of dependence upon another. But wifdom teaches a different leffon-reafon and fcripture convince us that we are never independent. Our very and effential life, is continued to us every moment by influx from the Lord; and were that influx fufpended one fingle fecond, we should instantly cease to live, or to be men. The foul of man is not life in itself, but only an organ receptive of life from God, who is the fountain of it. Such being our dependence upon the Divine Being, it becomes ust furely to be humble before him; efpecially when we reflect how much we have perverted this life, by fenfual defires, evil difpofitions, and a disobedient conduct.

conduct. So when the publican returned to his God, he stood afar off from the altar, caft down his eyes to the ground, bent the trembling knee before the Lord, and in the deepest humility and contrition faid, "God be merciful to me a finner!" When the prodigal awoke from his folly, knew his abandoned state, and felt his wretchedness, his language was that of humility" I will arife and go to my father, "and I will fay, Father I have finned against heaven "and before thee, and am no more worthy to be "called thy fon; make me as one of thy hired "fervants."

Now when we confider that we receive our life continually from the Lord, that we are in ourselves mere evil, that whatever is good or true is from the Lord, and that every moment we depend upon him, we shall fee abundant reason to be humble, lowlyminded, and felf-abafed before him. This humility will be manifested in all dutiful obedience to the divine will; in a cheerful acquiefcence with his holy laws, in a conftant dependence upon his goodness and mercy, and a total refignation to his pleasure.

Again, the man of wisdom, the man who is taught of God, will be convinced that he is not to live for felf only, but for the good of others; that one man cannot live without another; that we are defigned to be of use each to other; and that our happiness depends upon fo being. Hence will be fuggefted to the mind, a certain line of conduct