host bow down, and in whose sight the heaven of heavens is not pure, thou, O man, in every other respect so mean and miserable, art commanded to love. Poor and lowly among men!-who are lost in the crowd, and gain with difficulty the daily morsel which feeds you, but whose souls are exalted and whose hearts expand with a sense of natural nobility, were you to attempt to approach with demonstrations of love the great ones and kings of the earth, and to display your rags beside the purple and the splendour of those who preside over the nations, how would they smile with pity at your presumption, and contemptuously reject the offer of your hearts! Hardly would it be permitted you to bow down yourselves before them, and tell them of the greatness of your respect; and should their eyes glance upon you for a moment, quickly would they be turned aside, to rest upon some more pleasing object. You see here what the world is, My Brethren-but now mark what, on the other hand, is provided for the Christian: to him, though the most obscure and despised of men, is this commandment given: "Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.―This do, and thou shalt live." When I reflect, that it is Jesus Christ who gives this commandment, and that he addresses it to every one of us,-when I reflect, that he thus raises us from nothing even to the Almighty, then it is, that I perceive the gran - deur of human nature; and while I feel deeply the need of humbling myself before so merciful a God, I presently rise, exulting that I am a Christian. In proportion as you ascend the highest mountains, inferior summits sink down and disappear: in proportion as I reflect upon this privilege, of which all Christians are partakers, the differences of rank, of fortune, and of worldly consideration, vanish; I cease to regard mankind in any other light than that of CHRISTIANS,-man, the offspring of the dust, appears to me to touch the ground with his feet, but to lift his head to heaven. Be satisfied, then, followers of the Saviour, to occupy the rank which God assigns you! THIS DO, AND YE SHALL LIVE:" those sublime laws and perfect commandments which the Gospel enjoins, contain the elements of virtue and honour; and from them, as from a living fountain, they naturally flow. As, in human sciences, when the law which regulates and explains a series of phenomena, has been discovered, the whole series immediately takes a clear and orderly arrangement,— every fact is accounted for, and every objection is answered; so it is in religion and moralityin the science of a good life-when once an infallible rule is obtained. Now, such is the rule given by our Lord, in the text: being supplied with this, every other moral guide becomes comparatively useless, and unworthy of trust. Were it the desire of pleasing your fellowcreatures, which regulated your conduct, every step would be uncertain: the very same actions which would gratify one, would be sure to offend another. The world is led away by illusion and deceit : in seeking to please it, you would be made the dupes of its vanities; and while you believed you were embracing virtue, you would only be pursuing its shadow. Should you take fear and self-interest for your guides, you would still be liable to delusion and disappointment. The calculations and views of the understanding being frequently erroneous, directors of another kind are required,-monitors which address, and can influence the heart,-prompt inspirations and immediate impulses, which govern every man, in all circumstances and situations;—and these can be no other than the affections. Guided however by these, when, amid the whirl of life, and on the point of engaging in any design, the passions, waiting under a specious guise to `lead you astray, press to offer their aid, you will be enabled without difficulty to resist or to avoid them. If, when a brother has wounded your feelings by unkindness or injustice, revenge come and proffer aid and assistance, or the love of lucre suggest the means of augmenting your fortune at his expense, or a rival's jealousy propose the use of falsehood and calumny to undermine his happiness, or ambition point out to you an elevation, raised upon the ruins of his prosperity, the attainment of which would put you in a situation, secretly and safely, whenever you pleased, to oppose his wishes and profit by his misfortunes,-other motives and principles of action might, it is to be feared, give way to such solicitations; but if you love your brother, your heart, as is constantly happening with regard to the particular objects of your affections, without reasoning or calculation, will at once indicate the course you ought to pursue. Can I harm him whom I love? Even if he has offended me, I am uneasy till I have forgiven him-my happiness cannot spring from his misery. Far from rejoicing in his humiliation or his disappointments, the thought of his distress would disturb my enjoyments; I should be miserable, had I been the occasion of his tears. Similar in its effect is the love of God. If, when engaged in the busiest round of the pursuits of life, the pride of your hearts, the love of the world, and the force of violent passions, combine to lay your conscience asleep, and, in |