shall receive denial. Partly by so saying, we teach ourselves, how meet it is to make our suit to God, since besides him, none glistereth with so shining glory, none hath dominion so large, or force so great, to be able to stay him from giving that he hath appointed according to his pleasure, or to take away that he hath already given us. And there is no evil of ours so great, that may not be put away by his exceeding great power, glory and wisdom.

Master. I like well (my son) this thy short declaration and I see nothing left out, that ought to have been spoken.

Scholar. But yet this one thing will I add thereto. The chief and principal thing, required in prayer, is that without all doubting we stedfastly believe, that God our Father will grant what we do ask so that it be neither unprofitable for us to receive, nor unfit for him to give. For he that is not assured but doubtful, let him not think (as James saith) to get any thing at the hands of God.

Master. I see now, my dear son, how diligently and heedfully thou hast applied thy mind to those things that I have taught thee, how godly and upright a judgment thou hast of God's true service and of the duties of neighbours one to another. This remaineth, that from henceforth thou so frame thy life, that this heavenly and godly knowledge decay not in thee, nor lie soul-less and dead, as it were, in a tomb of the flesh. But rather see that thou wholly give thyself continually and earnestly to these godly studies. So shalt thou live, not only in this present life, but also in the life to come, which is much better and blesseder than this life present. For godliness, as Paul saith, hath a promise not in this life only, but in the other. It is convenient, therefore, that we earnestly follow godliness, which plainly openeth the way to heaven, if we will seek to attain thereunto. And the principal point of godliness is (as thou hast declared even now very well) to know God only: to covet him only as the chief felicity to fear him as our Lord: to love and reverence him as our Father with his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. This is he that hath begotten Christ. Observ. No. 4.

and regenerated us. This is he which at the beginning, gave us life and soul: which maintaineth: which blesseth us with life of everlasting continuance. To this godliness is directly contrary to godlessness. As for superstition and hypocrisy, they counterfeit indeed, and resemble it, whereas nevertheless they are most far different from all true godliness: and therefore we ought to avoid them, as a pestilence, as the venom, and most contagious enemies of our soul and salvation. The next point of godliness is to love each man as our brother. For if God did at the beginning create us all: if he doth feed and govern us: finally, if he be the cause and author of our dwelling in this wide frame of the world: the name of brother must needs most fitly agree with us: and with so much straiter bond shall we be bound together, as we approach nearer to Christ, which is our brother, the first begotten and eldest; whom he that knoweth not, he that hath no hold of, is unrighteous in deed, and hath no place among the people of God. For Christ is the root and foundation of all right and justice: and he hath poured into our hearts certain natural lessons, as: Do that (sayeth he) to another, that thou wouldest have done unto thyself. Beware, therefore, thou do nothing to any man that thou thyself wouldest not willingly suffer. Measure always-another by thine own mind, and as thou feelest in thyself If it grieve thee to suffer injury: if thou think it wrong that another man doth to thee: judge likewise the same in the person of thy neighbour that thou feelest in thyself: and thou shalt perceive that thou dost no less wrongfully in hurting another, than others do in hurting thee. Here if we would stedfastly fasten our foot: hereunto if we would earnestly travel: we should attain to the very highest top of innocency. For the first degree thereof is to offend no man. The next to help as much as in us lieth, all men: at least to will and wish well to all. The third (which is accounted the chief and perfectest) is to do good even to our enemies that wrong us. Let us therefore know ourselves: pluck out the faults that are in us, and in their place plant virtues like unto the husband

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men that first use to shrub and root out the thorns, brambles, and weeds, out of their ley land and unlooked to: and then each where therein scatter and throw into the womb of the earth good and fruithful seeds, to bring forth good fruit in their due season. Like wise let us do. For first let us labour to root out froward and corrupt lusts: and afterward plant holy and fit conditions for Christian hearts. Which, if they be watered, and fatted with the dew of God's word, and nourished with warmth of the Holy Ghost, they shall bring forth doubtless the most plentiful fruit of immortality and blessed life: which God hath by Christ prepared for his chosen, before the foundations of the world were laid. To whom be all honour and glory. Amen.

THOUGHTS ON THE LOVE OF FRAISE

AND THE FEAR OF SHAME.

"THE love of worldly praise," many contend, "is a good and useful principle: It prompts to generous actions: It is the main spring of virtue; at least it is the handmaid to it." The love of praise, it is perhaps added, is also a natural principle: from whence some will proceed to argue that what is natural must be allowable, and even to question whether it would not be sinful to resist and deny it. Such as are disposed to maintain this argument would do well to consider the concluding verses of the xvith. chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. We find from this passage that Peter, who no doubt loved his master, was ashamed of the disgrace which Jesus declared himself about to suffer. This was a very natural way of expressing his love; though probably he also felt that his own reputation was in some degree implicated with that of his Lord. Christ, however, does not applaud Peter for his friendly wish to spare him all disgrace and suffering; but on the contrary, peceiving that the love of case and of worldly reputation had been the foundation of Peter's speech, he rebukes him for it in the severest manner; "Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."

And then he adds the following general observation. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." The phrase, "let him take up his cross," is very expressive. The world did not furnish at that day an object of greater degradation and contempt, than a malefactor carrying his Cross (as was the custom) to the place of execution; and yet this is the image which Christ employs to describe that deadness to worldly praise by which all his followers were to be characterized, and to reprove that principle of self-exaltation, which is the principle of the world indeed and of all men naturally, but which is also the very principle of the devil.

"The love of praise," say those reasoners to whose opinions I have already alluded, "is the handmaid to virtue. Formerly perhaps some evil might have arisen from it, for then the world was in a heathen state-it was then against Christ; but times are changed." Is it then to be supposed that Peter and James and John might not be influenced by worldy praise, but that we may? that the same principles can be proper in Christians now, which formerly would have been a renunciation of Christianity? Now, indeed, the Christian name is more common; but the world it is to be feared is little less corrupt than in the days of Christ; and a corrupt world it may be presumed will always have a corrupt standard of goodness. If it be affirmed that the world is now Christian and no longer corrupt, I would only say that such an objection is so directly opposed to common experience, that it would be wasting time to attempt to remove it.

If, however, it be said, as it more probably will, "True, the world is very wicked; but nevertheless wicked men respect and praise virtue, and it is only therefore by a virtuous course of conduct that the world's praise is to be obtained:" then why, it may be answered, did not a corrupt world respect and praise virtue in the time of Christ? "Vicious men," it is said, "respect and praise virtue." Did the

vicious men in Christ's days praise the virtue of Christ? No, they crucified him. But perhaps you think that this was the act of only a few peculiarly wicked men in a very wicked age-a sentiment, which, though it be prevalent among those who have but an imperfect sense of human corruption, is yet directly contrary to fact. No! It was both Jews and Gentiles, both the Priests and the Laity: It was verily both Herod and Pontius Pilate, and all the people who were gathered together against the holy child Jesus. How did all ranks and orders of worldly men unite against Christ? The Scribes opposed him: The Sadducees came forward to resist him also: The Herodians endeavoured to entangle him in his talk: The chief Priests accused him before the magistrate: The Pharisees (the men famed for worldly virtue) took counsel how they might put him to death: The Soldiers spit on him; The whole multitude joined in crying, Crucify him, crucify him! Those who passed by wagged their heads and reviled him: And the Thieves, who were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Wicked men, it is said, respect and praise virtue. Behold, virtue itself appears on earth embodied as it were in the person of Christ. Oh! but this was a sort of virtue too pure for their taste. True, but so also is all Christian virtue. It is not held in earthly estimation, neither is it of earthly growth: Christian virtue is Grace: It is an emanation of the Spirit of Christ; the same in principle, the same in nature, the same in its general effects. There is a virtue indeed of worldly growth, a spurious and false virtue, in many respects the very opposite to that of Christ. It is a meteor by which men are dazzled and led astray from the path of holiness; a poor temporizing virtue, suited to the taste of a corrupt world, and founded chiefly in that pride and love of praise which are so emphatically condemned by Christ, and which carry men to the utmost distance from him.

"But the love of praise,' "it is argued, "is natural to us and for that rea

Was it not

son must be allowable." then natural to Peter as well as to us ? Besides, the argument proves too much; for if every thing be right which is natural to us, then there will be no room left for self-denial at all. And this is in fact the very argument which is commonly pleaded for all sorts of sin; not for pride only, but for concupiscence also-not for the lusts of the spirit only, but for the lusts of the flesh. What wilful sinner does not plead in favour of the indulgence of his passions, "My nature prompts me to it-I will not believe God will punish me for doing that which he has given me a natural inclination to do." Thus, instead of admitting that their nature is evil and ought to be denied, they falsely assume that their nature must be good and ought to be obeyed: and then they cast off the principle of self-denial, follow wheresoever a corrupt nature and a corrupt world lead them, contradict the precepts and trample in short on the whole religion of Christ.

That men who openly reject Christ should do this, is no wonder; but how long, alas! will men calling themselves Christians oppose their own sayings to those of their Lord and Master? How long will they make the corruptions of their nature, the plea for indulging these corruptions? How long will they prefer the gratification of their own selfish and sensual inclinations to the favour of God and Christ?

Taking it for granted that I have proved the love of worldly praise to be a corrupt principle, and one which as Christians we are bound to divest ourselves of, I would proceed to make a few remarks on the subject, and I beg of the reader, whoever he may be, to apply them to himself.

Do you never find your imagination presenting you with ideas of your own respectability-with the lively picture, for instance, of some friend or group of friends who praise either your talents, your person, your accomplishments, or your wit? When employed in some particular business, are you not apt to be anticipating the praise which you trust will follow, and the

credit which will attach to you in consequence?

While worldly men are thus antici. pating praise, the true Christian has settled it with himself, that to indulge a love of praise is sinful, and therefore he denies it. Day after day he is employed in suppressing these imaginations as they arise and in this much of the Christian's daily conflict consists; for though his fancy teems with such evil thoughts, yet he denies them in dulgence. In this respect he follows Christ, who did nothing to be seen of men. He feels the love of praise to be a corruption of his nature, and he therefore mourns over it until it becomes a source of his more deep humiliation before God.

"What am I," he will say to himself, " a poor sinful creature, redeemed from death by that Saviour in whom alone I trust, without merit in myself, a mere supplicant to God for mercy? Is it praise then that I ought to seek? No; I must be content with pardon. How can I claim praise as my due for those works of which I allow the demerit before God? In such a case how worthless and merely nominal is my faith in Christ? How hypocritical and offensive to God my prayers for mer

What love of praise discovers itself also in the conversation of most worldly people? There is a flimsy veil by which they attempt to conceal it; but any man who has the least discernment may see through it, and discover the passion that is in the heart. In order to disguise it, they praise each other, and carry on a continual inter. change of praises or compliments. Men of the world think this lawful, and have no idea of restraining it even though the most direct falsehoods should be uttered. But the Christian denies himself herein, and does not flatter any man in hopes of being flattered in his turn, nor please his friend or his visitor by offering fuel to his vanity. Try your words, you who have been yielding all your days to your natural desire of enjoying the praise of others, and bring yourself to the test in this matter. Inquire now,

for instance, what dictated the words you uttered in the last interview with your company? When you spoke, was it no because you were willing to shew your knowledge? You knew more than the person who spoke before you, and whom perhaps you hastily interrupted in order to exhibit your superiority. Even in your silence you were actuated by the love of praise, for you were fearful in that instance of shewing your ignorance. You spoke of some

subject which was far above the reach of your poor abilities: but you felt as if you were some important person while delivering your opinion upon it; and you decided the point with full confidence in your own wisdom, fancying your inconsiderate words to be full of weight. Again, had you or your friend any connection exalted in power or rank, you spoke much of that person; for, while you were speaking of this elevated acquaintance, you felt elevated yourself, When your friend spoke, you seemed perhaps to intermit your vanity; yet in truth you were secretly taken up with what you had last said yourself, or were next going to say; and you only so far listened as might be needful to your reputation of good breeding, and to your returning another answer which should still more advance your credit. Or, if you really listened, it was to gather knowledge which you might hereafter gratify your vanity by repeating. sometimes indulged your present vanity, sometimes provided for the future gratification of it, and sometimes you pleased yourself with thinking how skilled you are in pleasing. You also complimented your friend on all points: You seemed to take a lively interest in what concerned him: You were glad to see him when he came in; you were sorry to part with him when he went out; and yet perhaps your conscience told you that when he came in you were sorry for it, though your desire of reputation for good breeding led you into this lying compliment.

Thus you

And why, let me ask you, was all this effort to please? Was it the exuberance of your kindness and benevo