Christian charity would repress all this unmeet, indecorous zeal.

Parents and guardians will be guarded by love, if they yield to its influence, from all unbecoming conduct. Fathers will neither be tyrannical nor too indulgent; will neither govern their children as slaves, with a rod of iron, nor, relaxing all discipline, throw the reins into their hands: for how incongruous is tyranny with a relation that implies the tenderest affection; and how unseemly is a cessation of rule in one who is invested by heaven with a sacred authority. Becomingness on the part of children, requires the most prompt and willing obedience, the most genuine and manifest affection, the most respectful and humble demeanour, towards parents, with the most anxious, and ingenious endeavours to promote their happiness. Everything approaching to improper familiarity, much more to pertness, most of all to refractoriness of manner, in a child towards a parent, is unbecoming in the last degree. In those cases where the high moral and intellectual qualities of parents are such as almost to command the exercise of filial piety from children, there is no difficulty in rendering it; but where these qualities are not possessed, there is greater danger of young persons forgetting what is due to the parental relation, and acting very improperly towards those who, whatever may be their faults, are still their parents. It is excessively unbecoming to hear children of any age, however matured or advanced, exposing, perhaps ridiculing, their parents' infirmities, treating their opinions with scorn, and reproving or upbraiding them to

their face.

Let all young people recollect, that

whatever may be the character of a parent,

"A mother is a mother still,

The holiest thing alive.”

In the distinction of superiors and inferiors, it is very easy to see what kind of conduct is seemly, and what is unsuitable. To the former, it will prohibit all improper familiarity-for this generates contempt; and at the same time, all pride and hauteur, together with all insulting condescension. Inferiors are most tenderly alive, most keenly susceptible, to all real or supposed slights from those above them; and the feelings excited by such treatment are of the most painful kind. Pride is the most cruel of the passions, being utterly reckless of the wounds which it inflicts, the groans which it extorts, or the tears which it causes to flow. Even in its mildest exercise, by a look of scorn, by a word of insult, it often transfixes a barbed arrow in the breast of an inferior; while, by its deliberate and persevering scheme of mortification, it remorselessly crucifies 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 presuming upon manifested kindness-all attempt, or even wish, to level the distinctions of society-all rude, uncourteous, uncivil demeanour. Some persons seem to act as if religion removed the obligation 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.

Age and youth are also distinctions requiring a suitable or becoming line of conduct. Levity, puerility, and folly, are among the qualities which would be indecorous in the former; while obtrusiveness, forwardness, loquaciousness, and pertinacity, would be unseemly in the latter: age, to be lovely, should treat youth with kindness and forbearance; while youth should treat age with reverence, respect, and deference.

These distinctions, when carried into the Church, where they exist as well as in the world, should be maintained under the most powerful influence of the holy disposition which we are now illustrating. This will teach us with all candour and impartiality to judge of our station, and to adorn it with actions that are suitable to it. Anything unbecoming is sure to give offence, and to produce discomfort. Whether our rank be high or low, we cannot violate the rule which prescribes its duties, without occasioning pain.

Men are united in society like the organs and limbs in the human body; and no one, in either case, can be put out of its place without producing

uneasiness in the rest. The object of love is to keep all in their proper places, and thus to promote the well-being of the whole.

There is another sense which this expression will bear, and that is, love does not allow its possessor to act unworthy of his profession as a disciple of Christ. Consistency is beauty; and the want of which, whatever excellences may exist, is deformity. The brightest displays of moral worth in some things, if associated with obvious and great improprieties in others, lose all their attraction and power to edify or delight, and are the occasion of pain instead of pleasure to the spectator. The rule which the Apostle has laid down is particularly worthy of the attention of us all-" Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think of these things." It is not enough for us to acknowledge, practically, the claims of truth, purity, and justice; but we must also meet and answer every expectation which our profession and our principles have raised. Whatever is generally esteemed to be lovely--whatever is usually spoken of as excellent-whatever it be to which by general consent we attach the idea of the fair, and the honourable, and the praiseworthy, -that must a follower of Christ consider to be the matter of his duty. There is nothing good in itself, or advantageous to others--nothing that is calculated to edify by the power of example, or to bless in the way of direct energy and influence-nothing that is calculated to give pleasure, or to remove distress, but what is implied in the very nature of true piety. Religion is the likeness of God in the

soul of man; and a Christian is truly an imitator of God hence he is called "to walk worthy of God," -to act as becometh one who professes to bear the divine image. Let any one contemplate the moral attributes of the Deity, and think what that man ought to be who professes to give to the world a living miniature representation of this infinitely glorious Being. On the ground of consistency, he should be blameless and harmless; a follower only of that which is good; holy in all manner of conversation and godliness; a beautiful specimen of whatsoever is noble, dignified, generous, and useful. The world take us at our word; they accept our profession as the rule of their expectation; and although they often look for too much, considering the present imperfect state of human nature, yet, to a certain extent, their demands are authorized by our own declarations. What, in reason, may not be looked for from one who professes to have received the word of Christ, the temper of heaven, the impress of eternity, the nature of God? Hence, the least deviations from rectitude are apparent in those who say such things; the least specks of imperfection are conspicuous on so bright a ground; faults stand out in bold relief and obtrusive prominence, on such a basement. Our profession invites the eye of scrutiny; we are not suffered to pass the ordeal of public opinion without the most rigid scrutiny; we are brought out from obscurity, and held up to be examined in the light of the sun. Failings, which would escape detection in others, are quickly discerned and loudly proclaimed in us: and it is, therefore, of immense consequence that we should