dealings with them, and confidered themselves as fuperior to all the rest of mankind, as to birth, nation, wisdom, religion, and in the estimate of the Divine Being. Such were the fond notions they entertained of themselves-and fuch their contemptible opinion of others. A principle this, which (in my judgment at leaft) is of a moft infernal nature -directly oppofite to the conduct and word of the bleffed God-and altogether inconfiftent with the character of a good man. God is no refpecter of perfons-he is good to all-his tender mercies are over all his works-he loves the whole world. His word teaches us univerfal benevolence, good-will, and charity; to love all mankind as we do ourselves. And the truly good man, the humble pious christian, entertains no prejudices against his fellow men-he fays not to a Jew, to a Gentile, or a Mahometan, "Stand by, for I am holier than thou!" No, firs, the humble mind cultivates no fuch fentiments, cherishes no fuch principles. If he confiders any one perfon more mean, unworthy, and impure than another, it is himself which he views in that light, and not his neighbour; and would to God, that every one who names the name of the Lord, were in this humble ftate-this charitable difpofition! What is the reafon we are not? Why, we have too much felf-love-we are too blind to our own evils-we are forward enough to inspect our neighbour's conduct-we can, as with an eagle's eye, fee his faults-we can find a thoufand failings in

him, and suspect a thousand more which we cannot find; but in our own beloved felves we can fee but few, if any; those few, we have many ways to apologize for and excufe. And, alas! felf-examination is a difagreeable work, with much reluctance we fet about it, and generally leave it before it is half done. This is the true reafon why chriftians, too frequently, think fo highly of themselves, and fo meanly of others. Their own evils they care not to notice; their own hearts and lives they like not to examine; but the faults of their neighbours are readily feen; the eye is not much pained at the fight-and we generally see them through a magnifying mirror; they appear exceedingly large-and it is but feldom we wish to diminish their dimenfions. But if we deign to take a glance at our own evils, it is through an inverted telescope, which throws them at the utmoft diftance, and they appear fmall as the duft of the balance-diminutive as the leaft particle of fand.

Will it be thought a digreffion, if I call upon you, my fellow-chriftians, to give this fubject its due weight? to confider its prevalence and influence? and examine how far it may apply to your own conduct? I am fully convinced this leaven of the Jews, found its way into the hearts of christians, at a very early period; and we have too great reafon to believe there is fome of it left at this day. Self-love is a very dangerous enemy to humility, true wisdom, and charity-while under the influence

of felf-love, we are proud, haughty, high-minded; we fee not our own imperfections, and if we do, we call them virtues. TRUE WISDOM cannot dwell with felf-love, and what is true wisdom, but to know ourfelves aright? Where this prevails felf-love must die. This fhews us our true character; that we are in ourselves mere evil; that we have nothing in us good or true, but what is from the Lord alone; and when we have obtained this wisdom, we shall be humble-our opinion of others will be founded in charity; their faults will be leffened, their virtues magnified-we shall efteem others better than ourselves-and the most exceptionable character we shall find among chriftians, will be QUR OWN.

My worthy friends, let me entreat you to cultivate Self-knowledge-make yourselves acquainted with yourselves-you have an infallible rule to judge by-that rule is the truth of God. There we learn what man was, what man ought to be, and what man is. If we examine our hearts, thoughts, affections, difpofitions, and life, by that unerring word, we fhall foon, very foon, know fo much of ourselves, of our true character, our real ftate, as to cover ourselves in duft and afhes, blufh at our own. picture, and ftand felf condemned for thinking meanly of, and judging others.

Moreover, this true wisdom, when obtained, will convince us that we comparatively know nothing; and therefore it will totally eradicate that narrow

Sentiment,

fentiment, that contracted idea, which the difciples of our divine Lord difcovered in the verfes connected with our text-" Mafter, we faw one cafting out "devils IN THY NAME, and he followeth not us; " and we forbad him, because he followeth not "us." Here was a man doing good, great good, even cafting out devils, and this he did in the name of Jefus Chrift too. But he followed not thefe difciples-he did not go exactly with them-he did not obferve every punctilio which they thought right -in fome circumftantials he did not altogether agree with them. And behold they took upon them to forbid him. You must not caft out devils-you 'must not do good-you must not befriend thefe poor miferable wretches, who are poffeffed with < demons. We command you to forbear.' But why, firs? What is the reafon I am not to do good? And why may I not honor my Lord and < Saviour by doing good in his name? How is it that you forbid me?' They anfwer, Because

you follow not us. If you do good you must do it in our way-you must take us for your 'guide-we will lead, and you must follow.' What a bigotted spirit! What a mistaken zeal, manifested in this inftance! And is it not too much the cafe in our day, in this enlightened age? Every diftinct fociety of profeffing chriftians think themfelves right-let them think fo, till convinced to the contrary; but let them not pretend to infallibility, condemn others, and deem them no chriftians, because

because they differ from them in judgment. This is going too far-and Jefus will reprove them. Hear his mild and gracious answer to his mistaken difciples-" Forbid them not; for there is no man "which fhall do a miracle in my name, that can

For he that is not

"lightly fpeak evil of me. "against us is on our part." As much as though our Lord had faid, Let thefe men alone; give them leave to judge for themselves; permit them ' to use their own freedom-it is not your province to judge of their interiors-their motives. If

they are doing good in my name, they cannot fpeak lightly of me-they are on the fide of goodness, charity, and usefulness. Let them go 'on-he that is not against us, is on our part.'

THIS, my chriftian friends, THIS is the divine principle which ought to prevail in every good man's breaft. If this prevailed, what would become of perfecution for confcience fake? It would be confined to hell, its proper place. What would become of fiery oppofition, hatred, variance, and enmities? Why they would be banished for ever. Where would be all that shyness, diflike, jealousy, and coolness, which we cannot help lamenting in this day? Why they would disappear, and be known no more. O! how do I long to fee chriftians united-good men and women in friendship, harmony,

and peace.

peace. United in SENTIMENT, if possible; but, however, IN AFFECTION, IN CHARITY, IN LOVE.

Surely