offender was unfit to live, and that he should "surely die." And does not the same sort of conduct shew itself, in some degree or other, to our observation continually ? Fix our attention upon other men's faults instead of our own, and then we judge more impartially.

We should always abstain, with the utmost caution, from censuring our brethren and particularly, unless we are sure that we are innocent ourselves. But the real state of our own minds cannot be known without closely inspecting our passions, and examining the motives of our actions. Self-love is natural to every man; but if it makes us blind to our own imperfections, and partial to our faults, we are treacherous to ourselves, and liable to be hurried into excessive dangers. It is, unquestionably, our duty to study the safety of our souls. How then can we, without pain or anxiety, encourage ourselves in habits which we know to be pernicious? Why will we nourish in our hearts a destructive disease, while we have a certain remedy against it in our own hands? The soul is as much more important than the body, as immortality is, when compared to the short duration of seventy or eighty years. Yet if a limb, or a joint, or even the smallest part, of the body is affected with disease, we think it our duty to apply a remedy; whereas, if the mind is, all the while, overrun with disorders, we take no care, we seek no methods of restoring it to health and soundTo others, indeed, we are always ready to

ness.

give advice, and can act the part of moral physicians to them, though we will not to ourselves. But before we thus venture abroad, it will be our wisdom to ascertain the state of things at home ;-and when we have skilfully and succesfully healed ourselves, that skill and that success will give strength to our advice, and will recommend it to others. They will hear us with attention, when they know that we really are such persons as we would persuade them to be. Our own example will adorn and confirm our precepts. It will ensure us respect and deference, and sometimes will serve, even when we are silent, to admonish and correct others, as well as raise their admiration :-for men's actions speak more forcibly than their words; and what is observed by the eye makes a deeper and more lasting impression than what is admitted only by the ears.

If we have done wrong, and are admonished for it in a friendly manner; we should receive the admonition patiently, and give it the effect for which it was intended. In this respect, we may take David for our example:-for when Nathan had convinced him of his fault, he became immediately calm, thoughtful, and penitent.

So gross an offence could not pass unpunished, and, accordingly, the Prophet boldly denounced it. David expressed his sorrow and his submission. He reflected, with regret, upon the grievousness of his crime; and, no doubt, formed the strongest resolution to act more cautiously for the future. And this is the

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true method of hearing our faults; but to be angry, and to persist in them, is downright insanity, and plunges us still deeper in guilt. Sorrow and repentance should attend the discovery, and should lead us to actual reformation.

God, who is all-just and all-powerful, will vindicate the honour of his own laws, and will punish us for transgressing them; though, in the midst of justice he remembers mercy. He will so dispose the workings of his providence, that the punishment of our crimes will reach us in some shape or other; and the events of things in which our welfare or our happiness is concerned, even in the affairs of the present life, will lead us to the discovery of our own offences, and shew us the clearest marks of the Divine displeasure. David, as an immediate and visible punishment of his crimes in the affair of Uriah, was deprived of the child on whom he had placed his fondest affection. And if men could be brought to reflect seriously, they would discover, more frequently than they now do, the reasons of the losses, disappointments, and adversities, that befal them in life. They would find, when they think themselves unfortunate, that they might not have been so, if they had not been wicked. When, therefore, they feel the stroke of adversity, they should seriously recollect whether they have not deserved it. This would prevent them from impiously charging their misfortunes upon Divine Providence,-and would convince them that their woes are the consequences of their own

proceedings, as a just punishment of the crimes they have wickedly committed, or of their having neglected to do good, when they had the power. It would be rashness in those who are not immediately concerned, to pronounce, in any case, what is a judgment from God, and what is not. But if disasters overtake us, we ourselves may soon discover whether we have or have not deserved them; and, I believe, we shall, in most instances, be conscious that we have deserved them. If, however, there are any calamities befalling us, which we cannot account for as punishments, we should consider them as so many trials and tests of our stedfastness to God, for which we shall be rewarded hereafter, when the seeming inequalities of the present life shall all be rectified.

For us men, and for our salvation Jesus Christ came down from heaven. "He is the Propitiation for our sins;" but he requires from us obedience to all the divine laws. Our happiness, both present and eternal must, therefore, necessarily depend, in a great measure, upon ourselves;-so that we must be continually upon our guard against the intrusions of sin. We should search carefully into our bosoms, to calm our unruly passions, and to give a spring to our generous and benevolent feelings. If we wilfully indulge our sins and prejudices, we expose ourselves to the danger of eternal destruction. To be partial to our faults, and to soothe our consciences in the midst of such perverseness, is worse than nourishing a bodily disease which we know to be fatal. But if

we endeavour to purify ourselves from all sin, and are careful to resist every temptation that assails us, then our light will shine forth, as a guide and encouragement to other men. Then, if we find it necessary to admonish or advise our brethren, we can do it with good effect;-for it is much better to persuade and invite them to goodness, by the beauty of our conduct, than to frighten them into it by the deformity of our sins. We should imitate our blessed Lord and Saviour, who has taught us what we should ourselves endeavour to be, and by what methods we should promote the welfare of others. A sincere and steady attention to this will ensure us his favour, and will, through his merits and intercession, recommend us to the love of our Father who is in heaven.