In opposition to this unkindness of disposition, and hardness of heart, our Saviour proceeds to give his disciples the following directions: "Give, and it shall be given. "unto you; good measure, pressed down, "and shaken together, and running over, "shall men give unto your bosom. For "with the same measure that ye mete

withal, it shall be measured to you again." It is one great recommendation to the practice of the gospel, (though not the chief one, which is obedience to Gon, and the prospect of a future reward,) that "godliness has "the promise of the life that now is;" that is, that a christian behaviour will always be attended with much advantage even in this world. I do not mean to say, that it will add, to a man's riches, or give him rank or title, or procure him a celebrated name in the world; but it will serve him in a much more essential manner; for, peace and tranquillity, that "joy in which the stranger "intermeddleth not," are the gifts which it imparts to the "inner man ;" while he will enjoy outwardly, whatever be his situation in life, the respect and esteem, the confidence and good opinion, of all who are witnesses of his pious and praise-worthy conduct. The "measure" of his behaviour to others will, for the most part, be the "measure"

of their behaviour to him. Being always ready to "give good gifts," and to shew a kindness to his neighbour, he will, with few exceptions, experience, where he wants it, a return of the same benevolence; and, instead of living among his fellow creatures like a second Cain, with "his hand raised "against every man, and every man's hand "raised against him," he will be continually enjoying, either that holy pleasure which arises from the consciousness of being of service to others; or "that unspeakable joy," which must spring up in his heart, from knowing that he has the love, and respect, and goodwill of others towards himself.

"And JESUS," says the gospel," spake "a parable unto them. Can the blind lead "the blind? shall they not both fall into the " ditch? The disciple is not above his "master; but every one that is perfect shall "be as his master." Our blessed LORD knew full well, that he was delivering commandments to mankind, which, from the perverseness of their corrupt nature, it would be difficult to them to perform. He knew that their understanding was blinded by sin; and that their passions, still more blind, hurried them on to actions and feelings, entirely inconsistent with that mildness, and compassion, and brotherly love, which, in his

estimation, are the highest qualities in the christian character. He, therefore, proposes himself as an example of the manner in which men are to fulfil these duties; and shews us, that if he, our LORD and Master, condescended to fulfil all the mild graces of a christian life; we, who are his disciples, who call ourselves by his name, and profess to regard him as our Lawgiver, as well as our Saviour, can have no possible excuse for the omission or neglect of them.

"And why," says JESUS, proceeding again in his injunctions to the performance of the social duties," and why beholdest thou the "mote that is in thy brother's eye, but per"ceivest not the beam that is in thine own "eye? Either, how canst thou say to thy "brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote "that is in thine eye, when thou thyself be"holdest not the beam that is in thine own

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eye? Thou hypocrite! cast out first the "beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt "thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is "in thy brother's eye." One of the first facts which we find in the Bible is, that man is a sinner. In the very third chapter of it, his fall from innocence meets our eye; and every following page contains either declarations, or proofs, of the same humiliating truth. If we turn from the word of God,

and look attentively and candidly into our own hearts, we see the evidences of our sin sufficiently clear; we see violent passions driving us on to what is wicked or foolish;we see unholy desires longing after what is sinful or improper;-we see unchristian dispositions exciting us to what is unkind or uncharitable; we see evil thoughts, unjustiable motives, false opinions, wrong estimates, or foolish prejudices, continually presenting themselves, and either conquered, or getting the better of us, in proportion as we are blessed with the grace. of GOD, or are destitute of this, our only assistance and support. And what, I pray you, are we taught by this sad view of the condition of our own hearts? What lesson should we learn from this clear evidence, that we are all tainted, more or less, with sin? The lesson which the text teaches us that we should cast out the beam out of our own eye, before we attempted to pull the mote out of our "brother's eye;" that we should endeavour to cleanse our own hearts, and conform our conduct to the laws of the gospel; to repent us of our secret corruption and open offences, instead of censuring the less criminal actions, or slighter failings, of our neighbours, acquaintance, or friends. When the Jews wished CHRIST to give his opinion of the

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woman taken in adultery, our blessed LORD referred the case to their own consciences, "He that is without sin among you, let him "cast the first stone at her ;" and the same rule applies to all christians, as well as to those Jews to whom CHRIST spake; manifesting to them, beyond a doubt, that unless a man be pure from guilt himself, he has no right to accuse, censure, or condemn, his brother in infirmity. The public administration of justice, and the sentence of the laws of the country, do not indeed come under this rule; because they are built upon the authority of GOD, and are intended for the safety and welfare of society: besides which, they have nothing of malice, or want of charity, in them; being designed as warnings and examples to others, and not as marks of vengeance on those whom they punish. But, most assuredly, all private censure, or one man's condemnation of the conduct of another, is contrary to the law of CHRIST; and, though the practice is so general, that it seems to have lost its crimi nality in the sight of man, yet GOD, "whose "thoughts are not as our thoughts, and "whose ways are not as our ways," will not pardon him, who, forgetting or overlooking, or disregarding his own faults, shall busy himself in spying out and condemning the faults