to a higher pitch of glory than the empire of the whole world: that patience, humility, and meekness, are the most estimable qualities of the disciple of Jesus; and that the conquest of his passions in the sight of God alone is a more substantial, a more permanent honour, than the conquest of provinces and kingdoms.

This is the new order of things which the mystery of the Incarnation has disclosed to mankind. But, my beloved friends, what effect has it hitherto produced? Is it not true, that the world is as much attached to earthly glory in these days of Christianity, as it was in the days of ignorance? Where is the man, who contemplates with the eyes of faith the empty pageantry of human greatness, and who reserves his admiration for the gifts of grace and the merits of holiness? To whom do you pay the greatest homage? To the ambitious leader, who, at the

head of a numerous host, conquers kingdoms, and makes the world, resound with the fame of his exploits, or to the just man, surrounded by his innocence alone; who suffers injuries and affronts in silence; who endures humiliations with joy; who stifles the swellings of resentment; who fights and conquers for heaven? By what honours do you yourselves seek to be distinguished? Are they the honours which flow from a more lively faith, a more ardent charity, a more pure conscience, a more inviolable fidelity to all your duties? Far from it: in general, you are solicitous only for the distinctions of birth, of riches, and of talents you disregard the greatness and dignity which are derived from innocence and grace you look down with indifference on those actions, which have eternity alone for their object. -But, my beloved, why will you not attend to the instructive les

son, which is enforced by an authority not human, but divine; not of men, but of God himself? Is it in reason, not to act up to the conviction of your own minds? Why, then, since you know it, should you hesitate to act as if you were thoroughly convinced, that to be great or contemptible in the eyes of men is a matter of very little consequence; that you can arrogate to yourselves no more than what you possess in the sight of God; that faith strips you of your borrowed borrowed ornaments, and exposes your true state to view?

Pride, indeed, attends to the exterior alone; and this may be called its second characteristic. According to its maxims, virtue and vice are only then matters of serious consideration when they happen to be publicly known; that they have no inherent qualities of their own; and that there is no other praise or censure to be

courted or dreaded, than that which is excited by the approbation or disapprobation of our fellow mortals.

In order, therefore, to teach us that the judgments of this world are vain ; that neither its censures are to be dreaded, nor its applauses courted; and that the Christian is to be solicitous for the approbation of God alone, our Blessed Saviour voluntarily submits to the greatest humiliations, puts. on the appearance of a slave, aud becomes, as it were, the outcast of all.

Are

Omitting the reasons for this wonderful conduct on the part of God, let us examine whether it has produced its effect on the morals of mankind. we all convinced of the impropriety of being influenced solely by the opinions of others? Are we all convinced that it is impossible to please men, and to be at the same time the servants of Christ? that this is not the day of our manifestation? and that we have no

right whatever to expect that our characters will be fully known and estab-lished, until the day when we shall appear with Christ in glory? Ah! so far from having reason to hope that these are the sentiments of the world at large, it is but too manifest, that the care and attention which are paid to the opinion and applause of men, even by those who profess to follow righteousness, could not be much greater, if the pursuit of them had been recommended and enforced by the example of our Divine Master himself. We do every thing to be seen by men even in the works of humiliation, this is our usual failing. We see it on almost every occasion, and in every occurrence. The general practice is, to speak slightly of our own actions, and to humble ourselves before others. If you think that this is done in general from good and christian motives, you Men frequently stoop,

are wrong.