our side, to be done; and that we must bring with us teachable minds and gentle tempers; in order that grace may find a proper soil to work on. Unless this were so, there would be no meaning in the caution, which follows, that every man should be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; since, if grace were irresistible, all these would be the natural and necessary effects of grace; and by no means in our power either to neglect, or to cultivate That would be a strange mockery, if a man were to cast us from a high tower; and then bid us take care, to fall to the bottom: yet there is no difference between such a conduct, and that which the Calvinists ascribe to God, when they say, thatHe first gives us grace, which effectually moves us to work His will; and then commands us to do, what we are doing, and cannot help doing already. The truth is, and it is abundantly clear, as I conceive, at once from reason, and from Scripture, that the spiritual gifts of God may be fitly compared to the blessings, which He gives to the natural world; the rain, which causes the green blade to spring; the sun, which mellows the soil, and ripens the fruitful ear. Like the rain, and the sunshine, they are the free bounty of the Most High; and, like them, they are the great and effectual causes of the grass, which giveth food to the cattle; and the corn, which strengtheneth the

heart of man. But, like the sunshine and the rain, they still leave much for the industry of man to do; and, as the sunshine, and the rain, will not give us bread; unless we plough the land, and root out the weeds, and fence the field, and reap the corn, and stack, and thresh, and grind it; so the grace, which God offers to us, can only increase our guilt and our damnation; unless we cultivate our hearts, and weed out our evil thoughts, and shut out, so far as possible, all occasions of evil, and apply, by diligent exertion, our good principles to the purposes for which they were intended.

Thirdly, it is worth our while to notice, that it is by a diligence in learning our duty, that, in the first instance, St. James supposes, that we are to avail ourselves of God's gracious offers of salvation; and that here, as elsewhere, He strongly discourages all religious gossip; and, still more, all angry and disputatious tempers. "Let every man be swift to hear; slow to speak; slow to wrath." Now, here, I need hardly remind you of the mischief, which has been done to real Christianity, by men setting up as its teachers, not only without being called to that office by those rulers of the Church, whom Christ has appointed; but, still more, when they have neither had the time to qualify themselves to speak on those mysteries, to do justice to which the studies, and prayers, many years are not more

of

than sufficient. But, it is in the real spirit of love to such persons as these, and it is in the solemn discharge of that duty, to which these words of St. James compel me, that I would entreat them to be very sure, that they understand the Gospel, before they pretend to preach it, or dispute about it; and, in the words of the same apostle, not to be "many masters: knowing, that" such as rashly take that office on themselves "shall receive the greater damnation"-shall be judged, that is, more severely for their faults, or failings, in proportion as they have professed to be lights to others; and have attempted, by wrathful censures, or by fierce disputations, to establish what they have, perhaps, mistakingly believed to be the "righteousness of God."

Fourthly, they may be still more led to religious prudence, in this particular, by attending to what St. James goes on to assure them,— namely, that this over forwardness and angry zeal in the service of God, is, in truth, very closely connected with sensual and worldly passions; that it, for the most part, has its spring in them; and is a token of their prevalence in the unseen and deceitful heart of man, who is thus blinded as to his true condition. This is plain by the connection of my text with the verse, which goes before it; in which, after having cautioned his disciples against the errors, which I have noticed, he, lastly, goes on to teach them,

how best to avoid those errors, namely, by cutting out of the heart itself, that carnal and worldly temper, which leads men to think highly of themselves, and of their own qualifications:-"Wherefore, laying apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, receive with meekness the engrafted word."

It is, indeed, most certain, that, where the heart is meek, the conversation will never be positive, overbearing, or censorious ; - that, where the sinner is really convinced of his own necessities and ignorance, he will be always better pleased to learn from others, than himself to undertake the office of teacher:-that, where he feels his own weakness, his own sinfulness, his own total dependance on the mercies of the Most High, he will have little time, or inclination, to find fault with others; or to cherish in his breast that wrath, which worketh not the righteousness of God.

Be humble then, my brethren; be teachable; be doubtful of yourselves; and judge favourably of each other; and, that you may do all this more effectually, prepare your hearts, by prayer, and by repentance, and by a deep and unaffected lowliness, to receive that degree of Heavenly light, which God may be pleased to pour on you! Nor doubt, that the light so sought after, the truth so studied, the word so meekly received and so diligently engrafted in your hearts and memories,

will be found able to save your souls. It is God's word ;—it will not return unto Him empty of its performance; but it shall "take root downwards, and bear fruit upwards;" and be, to those that believe, His great power unto Salvation !

Which that we may all seek, according to His word and all find, as His word hath promised; may He grant to our prayers, for the sake, and through the merits, of His dear Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord!