want of that Christian love which "vaunteth not | for its cultivation this in an eminent degree does itself, and is not puffed up."

True zeal is modest and retiring; it is not like the scentless sunflower, which spreads its gaudy petals to the light of heaven, and turns its face to the orb of day through his course, as if determined to be seen; but like the modest violet, it hides itself in the bank, and sends forth its fragrance from its deep retirement. It employs no trumpeter, it unfurls no banner, like the hypocrite; but while conferring the most substantial benefits, it would, if it were possible, be like the angels who, while ministering to the heirs of salvation, are unseen and unknown, by the objects of their benevolent attention. Observe the manner in which love operates to the destruction of this evil. Love, as we have already had frequent occasion to remark, is a desire to promote the happiness of those around us; but proud and vain persons tend materially to impair this happiness. They generally excite disgust, frequently offer insult, and sometimes inflict pain.Their object is to impress you with a degrading sense of inferiority, and thus to wound and mortify your feelings. Caring little for your peace, they pursue a career of contumely and scorn, dreaded by the weak and despised by the wise. It is impossible to be happy in their society; for if you oppose them, you are insulted-if you submit to them, you are degraded.

Love is essentially and unalterably attended with HUMILITY; humility is the garment with which it is clothed, its inseparable and invariable costume. By humility, we do not intend the servility which crouches, or the meanness that creeps, or the sycophancy which fawns; but a disposition to think lowly of our attainments, a tendency to dwell upon our defects, rather than our excellences, an apprehension of our inferiority compared with those around us, with what we ought to be, and what we might be. It is always attended with that modest deportment, which neither boasts of itself, nor seeks to depreciate any one; humility is the inward feeling of lowliness-modesty is the outward expression of it; humility leads man to feel that he deserves little-modesty leads him to demand little.

both. It assigns to it the highest place, and a sort of pre-eminence among the graces of piety; bestows upon it the greatest commendations, enforces it by the most powerful motives, encourages it by the richest promises, draws it into exercise by the most splendid examples, and represents it as the brightest jewel in the Christian's crown. Every thing in the word of God is calculated to humble us; the description which it contains of the divine character, combining an infinitude of greatness, goodness, and glory, compared with which the loftiest being is an insignificant atom, and the purest heart as depravity itself; the view it gives us of innumerable orders of created intelligences, all above man, in the date of their existence, the capacity of their minds, and the elevation of their virtue; the account it preserves of the intellectual and moral perfection of man in his pristine innocence, and the discovery which it thus furnishes of the height from which he has fallen, and the contrast it thus draws between his present and his former nature; the declaration it makes of the purity of the eternal law, and the immeasurable depth at which we are thus seen to lie beneath our obligations; the history it exhibits of the circumstances of man's fall, of the progress of his sin, and of the numberless and awful obliquities of his corruptions; the characteristics it affixes to his situation as a sinner, a rebel, an enemy of God, a child of wrath, an heir of perdition; the method it presents, by which he is redeemed from sin and hell,—a scheme which he neither invented, nor thought of, nor aided, but which is a plan of grace, from first to last, even the grace of God, manifested in and through the propitiation of Christ-a plan, which, in all its parts, and in all its bearings, seems expressly devised to exclude boasting; the means by which it asserts that the renovation and sanctification of the human heart are carried on, and its security to eternal life, established even by the effectual operation of a divine agency; the sovereignty which it proclaims as regulating the dispensation of celestial mercy; the example which it holds forth of the astonishing lowliness and self-abasement of others, so far superior to "The ancient sages, amidst all their panegyrics man in their mental and moral natures, such as the upon virtue, and inquiries into the elements of moral profound abasement of the angelic race, but espeexcellence, not only valued humility at an exceed- cially the unparalleled humiliation of him, who, ingly low estimate, but reckoned it a quality so con- though he was in the form of God, was found in the temptible, as to neutralize the other properties which form of a servant;-these considerations, which are went, in their estimation, to the composition of a all drawn from the Scriptures, supply incentives to truly noble and exalted character. These senti- humility, which demonstrate, upon Christian prinments have been adopted, in modern times, by the ciples, that pride is the most unreasonable, as well as great majority both of the vulgar and of the philo- the most unrighteous thing in the universe. Pride sophers, differing from their predecessors chiefly in is opposed, and humility is supported, by every pos. this circumstance, the more complete absence of sible view that we can take of divine revelation.that humility and modesty which would have adorn- An acquaintance with these great principles of ined them, and in their determined and obstinate re-spired truth, at least an experimental knowledge jection of that true standard of character, after which the ancients so eagerly sought. By the touchstone which Christianity applies to the human character, it is found that pride and independence, which the world falsely dignifies with the epithet honorable, are really base alloy; and that of every character formed upon proper principles, and possessed of genuine worth, humility is at once a distinguishing feature and the richest ornament. And on this subject, as on every other, Christianity accords with the sentiments of right reason-that it is unquestionably the duty of every intelligent (especially every imperfect) creature to be humble; for they have nothing which they have not received, and are indebted, in every movement they make, to an agency infinitely superior to their own."

Now, as divine revelation is the only system which, either in ancient or in modern times, assigns o humility the rank of a virtue, or makes provision

of them, will bring down the loftiness of men's looks, and silence the tongue of arrogant boasting. Surely, surely, he that is conversant with these things, will see little cause for self-valuation, as Mr. Hume calls pride, or for that self-publication, which is the essence of vanity.

While every true-hearted Christian is thankful that the Son of God stooped so low for his salvation, he will rejoice that his state of humiliation is past. 'If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father." The eclipse is over, the sun has resumed its original brightness, and the heavenly world is illuminated with his rays. That man, in whom was no form nor comeliness for which he should be desired, sits upon the throne of the universe, wearing a crown of immortal glory, and is adored by angels and by men. His humility has conducted to honor; his sorrow has terminated in unspeakable joy, "His glory is great in thy sal

vation; honor and majesty hast thou laid upon him; for thou hast made him most blessed for ever; thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance." Similar shall be the result in the case of those who follow his steps, and tread the lowly path in which he has commanded them to walk. The crown of glory is reserved for the humble, but shame shall be the reward of the proud. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

There is no operation of Christian love more beautiful, none more scarce, than this; let professing Christians set themselves to work with their own proud hearts, and their own boasting tongues, remembering that they who sink the lowest in humility in this world, shall assuredly rise the highest in honor in the world to come.

CHAPTER X.

THE DECORUM OF LOVE.

Charity doth not behave itself unseemly."

racter-its very becomingness. And women if mar. ried, should be stayers at home, and not gossips abroad; should look well to the ways of their household, and preside over its affairs in the meekness of wisdom; for domestic indolence and neglect is, in a wife and mother, most unseemly: nor is it less offensive to see the female head of a family usurping the seat of government, and reducing her husband to the rank of mere prime minister to the queen.— Women never act more unseemly than when they become busy meddling partizans, either in politics or church affairs. Nothing can be more offensive than to see a female busy-body running from house to house to raise a party, and to influence an ecclesiastical decision; forgetting that her place is home, and her duty to learn in silence of her husband.Whatever admiration has been bestowed on the heroic females of Sparta, who fought by the side of their husbands, no such eulogy can be offered to ecclesiastical heroines, whose martial ardor leads them into the arena of church contentions. Christian charity would repress all this unmeet, indecorous zeal.

Parents and guardians will be guarded by love, A STATION for every person, and every person in his if they yield to its influence, from all unbecoming station; a time for every thing, and every thing in conduct. Fathers will neither be tyrannical nor too its time; a manner for every thing, and every thing indulgent; will neither govern their children as in its manner;-is a compendious and admirable slaves, with a rod of iron, nor, relaxing all discipline, rule for human conduct, and seems to approach throw the reins into their hands: for how incongruvery nearly to the property of charity, which we ous is tyranny with a relation that implies the tenare now to consider. There is some difficulty in derest affection; and how unseemly is a cessation ascertaining the precise idea which the apostle in- of rule in one who is invested by heaven with a satended by the original term. Perhaps the most cor- cred authority. Becomingness on the part of chilrect rendering is "indecorously,' unbecomingly," dren, requires the most prompt and willing obedii. e. unsuitably to our sex, rank, age, or circumstan- ence, the most genuine and manifest affection, the ces. Love leads a man to know his place and to most respectful and humble demeanor, towards pakeep it; and prevents all those deviations which by rents, with the most anxious, and ingenuous endeadisarranging the order, disturb the comfort, of soci- vors to promote their happiness. Every thing apety. This is so general and comprehensive a rule, proaching to improper familiarity, much more to that it would admit of application to all the various pertness, most of all to refractoriness of manner, in distinctions which exist in life. It is absolutely a child towards a parent, is unbecoming in the last universal, and binds with equal force the monarch degree. In those cases where the high moral and and the peasant, and all the numerous intermediate intellectual qualities of parents are such as almost ranks. It imposes a consistency between a man's to command the exercise of filial piety from chilstation and his conduct viewed in the light of Chris- dren, there is no difficulty in rendering it; but where Lanity. It says to every man, "Consider your cir- these qualities are not possessed, there is greater cumstances, and fulfil every just expectation to danger of young persons forgetting what is due to which they give rise." By the common consent of the parental relation, and acting very improperly tomankind, there is a certain line of conduct which wards those who, whatever may be their faults are belongs to every relation in life, and which cannot still their parents. It is excessively unbecoming to perhaps, be better expressed than by the word "be- hear children of any age, however matured or adcomingness;" and which may be called the sym-vanced, exposing, perhaps ridiculing, their parents' metry of the body politic. We may select a few of the more prominent distinctions of society, and see how love preserves them without giving offence. The distinction of male and female is to be sup-character of a parent, ported by all propriety of conduct. On the part of the man, if he be single, all trifling with the affections, all familiarity with the person, all taking advantage of the weakness of the other sex, is explicitly forbidden; as is all neglect, oppression, and un- In the distinction of superiors and inferiors, it is kindness towards his wife, if he be married.- very easy to see what kind of conduct is seemly, and What a horrid unseemliness is it on the part of a what is unsuitable. To the former it will prohibit husband, to become either the slave or the tyrant of all improper familiarity; for this generates conhis wife; either in pitiful weakness to abdicate the tempt, and at the same time, all pride and hauteur, throne of domestic government, or to make her a together with all insulting condescension. Inferiors crouching vassal, trembling in its shadow; and how are most tenderly alive, most keenly susceptible, to disgusting a spectacle is it to see a husband aban- all real or supposed slights from those above them; doning the society of his wife for the company of and the feelings excited by such treatment are of other females, and flirting, though, perhaps, with no the most painful kind. Pride is the most cruel of criminal intention, with either single or married the passions, being utterly reckless of the wounds women. On the other hand, how unseemly in mar- which it inflicts, the groans which it extorts, or the ried women, is a bold obtrusiveness of manner, an tears which it causes to flow. Even in its mildest impudent forwardness of address, a clamorous and exercise, by a look of scorn, by a word of insult, it monopolizing train of conversation, an evident at often transfixes a barbed arrow in the breast of an tempt to attract the attention of the other sex. Mo- inferior; while, by its deliberate and persevering desty is the brightest ornament of the female cha-scheme of mortification, it remorselessly crucifies

infirmities, treating their opinions with scorn, and reproving or upbraiding them to their face. Let all young people recollect, that whatever may be the

"A mother is a mother still,
The holiest thing alive."

the object of its contempt. O how unbecoming to employ superiority only as an eminence from whence, as, with a sort of vulture ferocity, we might pounce with greater force on a victim below. Dignified affability is the becomingness of superiority, which, while it does not remove the line of distinction, does not render it painfully visible. Love will make us cautious not to wound the feelings of others by talking to them of our superiority, or by making them in any way feel it. On the part of inferiors, it will prevent all encroaching familiarity, all presum-good; holy in all manner of conversation and goding upon manifested kindness, all attempt, or even wish, to level the distinctions of society, all rude, uncourteous, uncivil demeanor. Some persons seem to act as if religion removed the obligations to civility, declared war with courtesy, and involved a man in hostility with whatever things are lovely.Incivility or rudeness, manifested by the poor to the rich, by servants to masters, or by the illiterate to the well-informed, is unfriendly to the peace and good order of society, and, therefore, contrary to Christian charity.

authority upon them; but it shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

The world deals unfairly with us we admit, not only in making us thus answerable for the conduct of each other, but also in imputing only our failings; for however splendid and remarkable may be the Christian excellences that any of our number possess, however brilliant the example of a rare and eminent believer may be, they do not let his bright-A love of power seems almost inherent in the huness fall upon the rest-he is alone in his glory, but sins are generally made imputable, and the shadow of one transgression is made to stretch, perhaps, over a whole community. What an argument is this with us all for consistency; for what cruelty is it to our brethren to involve them by our inconsistencies in unmerited reproach!

man bosom, and is an operation of that selfishness which enters so deeply into the essence of original sin. Nothing can be more opposed to love than this. Ambition, in its progress through its bustling and violent career, is the most unsocial and uncharitable passion that can exist. The furies are its allies, and it tramples down in its course all the charities Besides, what a grief of mind is the unworthiness and courtesies of life. When this disposition has of one member, to all who are associated with him in taken full possession of the heart, there is no cruelty the fellowship of the gospel. When a member of a which it will hesitate to inflict, no desolation of church has acted unbecomingly, and caused the which it will scruple to be the cause. The lesser ways of godliness to be spoken ill of, what a wound exhibitions of this vice, and its more moderated enhas been inflicted on the body; for if one member ergies, will still be attended with some proofs of its suffer in his reputation, all the rest must, so far as unsocial nature. Let a man once desire to be pretheir peace is concerned, suffer with him. This is eminent and predominant, as it respects influence one of the finest displays of Christian sympathy- or power, and he will not be very regardless of the one of the purest exhibitions of love, of love to feelings of those whom he desires to subjugate. It God, to Christ, to man, to holiness. The miscon- is much to be deplored, that the Christian church duct of their erring brother has occasioned no loss should ever be the field where rival candidates for to them of worldly substance, or bodily ease, or so- power, struggle for superiority; yet how often has cial comfort; but it has dishonored Christ, has in- this been seen to be the case, not merely in the conjured, in public estimation, the cause of religion, clave where aspiring cardinals have put in motion and this has touched the tenderest chord of the re- all their artifice, and finesse, and duplicity, to gain newed heart. What affliction has sometimes been the tiara; not merely amongst mitred prelates for circulated through a whole society by the unbecom- a higher seat on the episcopal bench;-no;_ but ing behavior of a single member: the apostle has amongst the lay brethren of the church. given a very striking proof of this, in his represent-anxious and restless have they sometimes appeared, ation of the feelings of the Corinthian Church, after they had taken a right view of the delinquency of the incestuous person. "For behold this self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what fervent indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!" This is only a counterpart of what often happens now, and shows that unbecomingness is a most flagrant offence against the

rule of Christian love.

Unbecomingness may be considered also not only in a general point of view, but as having a reference to our conduct towards our BRETHREN, and may mean any thing unsuitable to, or out of character with, our profession as church members.

How

to be leading men, influential members, the oracle of the minister, and the ruling elders of the church. They must not only be consulted in every thing, but consulted first. Every plan must emanate from them, or else be approved by them before it is submitted to the rest. The apostle has drawn their picture to the life, where he saith-"I wrote unto the church; but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not.Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words; and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church."*Such an individual must be a source of discomfort to his brethren in communion. There may be no competitor with him for the sceptre who regards him with envy, but the whole community are griev ed and offended with his unlovely and encroaching disposition.

Improper treatment of the Pastor, is obviously a want of the decorum of love. If his office be disesteemed, and his Scriptural authority resisted; if attempts be made to lower him in the opinion of the church, and to deprive him of the rule with which There are cases, it is admitted, in which age, exhe is invested by the Lord Jesus Christ; if his opi-perience, wisdom, benevolence, and activity, are so nion is treated with disrespect, and his just infiu- beautifully combined in an individual, as to place ence over the feelings of his flock be undermined; him, more by general consent, than by his own if he be rudely and impertinently addressed; if he efforts, above all his brethren in influence. When be unnecessarily opposed in his schemes for public he openeth his mouth in wisdom, all are silent; and or private usefulness; if his sermons be despised or the pastor hearkens with the rest in respectful deneglected, and his ecclesiastical administration ference to his opinion. No one would think of protreated with suspicion or contempt; if his temporal posing any scheme till he had been consulted, and support be scantily or grudgingly afforded; if his his disapproval, mildly expressed, would be thought comfort be not carefully consulted and assiduously a sufficient reason for laying it aside. He has built up: there is a flagrant unbecomingness on the power, but it has come to him without his seeking part of church members who are enjoined “to obey it, and it is employed not to exalt himself, but to them that have the rule over them," "to esteem benefit the church. His sway is the influence of them very highly in love for their works' sake," love; and all that influence is employed by him, and to hold such in reputation." not to raise himself into a rival with his pastor for

Lust of power, and an ambitious desire of preponderating influence, is manifestly unbecoming in one who acknowledges himself the member of a society where all are equals, and all are the servants of a master who has thus addressed his disciples-" Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise

* 3 John 9, 10.-It is pretty evident to me that Diotrephes was a minister; but the features of his pic ture apply with equal force to an ambitious and aspiring layman, whose lust of power is still more censurable, as it has not even the basis of office to rest upon.

the upper seat in the church, but to support the au- | maine, that he was one day called upon by a poor thority and dignity of the pastoral office. Such men we have sometimes seen in our communities, and they have been a blessing to the people, and a comfort to the minister. If any individuals could have been found in the circle where they moved, so flippant and so forward as to treat them with the least degree of disrespect, every one besides would have been loud in the expression of their disapprobation of such an act of censurable indecorum.

Unbecoming rudeness should be most sedulously avoided in our public intercourse with the church, and in our social circles, when meeting as brethren. Every thing of flat contradiction, of unwarrantable suspicion concerning the truth of a statement; all seeming contempt for the opinion of others; all attempts to interrupt or bear down, by clamor and vehemence, those with whom we may be engaged from. It is truly painful to observe what an utter disregard for the feelings of their brethren is often manifested by some ardent sticklers for their own opinions and plans. But is not civility a Christian grace? Did not the apostle say, Be courteous ?— Why should that which is considered by the world as a rich decoration of character, as softening and embellishing the intercourse of society, and as so

woman in distress of soul, for the purpose of gaining instruction and consolation. The good man was busy in his study; and on being informed that a poor woman wanted to converse with him below, exclaimed, with great incivility of manner, “Tell her I cannot attend to her." The humble applicant, who was within hearing of the reception her case had met with, said, "Ah, Sir! your master would not have treated thus a burdened penitent who came Unseemliness in the conduct of a church member to him for mercy." "No, no," replied the good towards his brethren, applies to all that is rude, un-man, softened by an appeal which his heart could mannerly, or uncivil. "No ill-bred man," says Dr. not resist, "he would not; come in, come in!"Adam Clarke, in his comments on this word, "or Toc, too often has the same petulant indecorum what is commonly termed rude or unmannerly, is a been manifested by others, without being accomChristian" certainly not a consistent one. "Apanied by the same reparation: they have pierced man may have a natural bluntness, or be a clown, the heart and left the wound to fester: the petitionand yet there may be nothing boorish, or hoggish in ers have carried away from their door their misery, his manner. I must apologize for using such words, not only unrelieved but greatly aggravated. But but they best express the evil against which I wish there is a peculiar sensitiveness on the subject of both powerfully and successfully to declaim. I pecuniary contributions in some persons; to ask for never wish to meet with those who affect to be called them is an offence, which they pay back in insult.* 'blunt honest men ;' who feel themselves above all They are the Nabals of the church-i£, indeed, the the forms of civility and respect, and care not how church could have a Nabal. What can be more many they put to pain-how many they displease. unseemly than words which would disgrace a man, But let me not be misunderstood: I do not contend dropping,-dropping! no flowing in a stream,for ridiculous ceremonies, and hollow compliments: from the lips of a professing Christian. there is surely a medium; and a sensible Christian man will not be long at a loss to find it out. Even that people who profess to be above all worldly forms, and are generally stiff enough, yet are rarely found to be rude, uncivil, or ill-bred." There is much good sense in these remarks, that deserves the attention of all professing Christians who have the credit of religion and the comfort of their brethren at heart. It is inconceivable what a great de-in discussion, should be very anxiously abstained gree of unnecessary distress is occasioned by a disregard of this rule; and how many hearts are continually bleeding, from the wounds inflicted by incivility and rudeness. We should be careful to avoid this; for religion gives no man a release from the courtesies of life. In our private intercourse with our brethren, we should be anxious to give no offence. If we feel it our duty at any time, as we may, and ought to expostulate with a brother on the impropriety of his conduct, we should be most *I must here specify the applications which are studiously cautious to abstain from all appearance so frequent in the present day for the support of of what is impertinently officious, or offensively churches and public institutions. I am aware that blunt. Reproof, or even expostulation, is rarely the bells and knockers of some persons' doors are palatable, even when administered with the honied rarely silent long together, or their parlors and sweetness of Christian kindness; but it is worm-counting-houses rarely free from "beggars" a sinwood and gall when mingled up with uncourteous-gle hour of any day: I am also aware how trying ness, and will generally be rejected with disdain and it is to be called away from occupations of importdisgust. We must never think of acting the part ance to attend to such cases; but even this does not of a reprover, till we have put on humility as a gar-justify a man for going into a passion at the sight ment, and taken up the law of kindness in our lips. of a red book and a black coat, and almost ordering Nothing is more likely to lead to incivility, than the bearer off the premises as an impostor or varepeated and vexatious interruptions, when engaged grant. Let such persons ask, whether it is not in some interesting or important business, or requir- misery enough to pace the streets of a city or large ed to comply with unreasonable requests. I have town, and at the end of a long day's weary pilgrimknown cases in which, when application has been age, have to count up far more "negatives" than made for what the applicant thought to be a very pounds? I have never known by experience, but I reasonable matter, his request has been treated with have heard by reports, the sorrows of beggars; and such scorn, and denied with such abruptness and from regard to common humanity, as well as from coarseness of manner, as to send him home with an a wish to save the ministerial character from degraarrow in his heart; when a few moments spent in dation, I do most ardently desire some scheme, in explanation, or a denial given in kind and respect-place of the present mode of raising money from ful language, would have completely satisfied him. rich Christians, to help the necessities of their poorIt is admitted that it is somewhat trying, and it is a er brethren. But till that scheme shall be devisedtrial of very common occurrence in the present and I am afraid the time is far distant which shall day, to be called from important occupations to lis-produce it, let me plead for civility towards those ten to tales of woe, or read the statement of want, or answer the inquiries of ignorance: but still we must not be, ought not to be, rude. Sudden interruptions are apt to throw a man off his guard: he has scarcely time to call into exercise his principles, before his passions are up and busy. It is said of Mr. Ro

who are still doomed to bear the yoke of bondage, "Forasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren ve did it unto me." So says Christ of his brethren, and says it in reference both to benefits and neglects. When popular men travel from place to place, many houses are open to re