justice at least, and but justice to ourselves: nay, our affection to others makes us willing to see their good qualities in the fairest light, to magnify to ourselves their excellencies, and to lessen or overlook their defects; while on the other hand, it inclines us readily to forego any undue claims of pre-eminence, and even to abate something of what we might strictly claim to ourselves: whence the comparison must be more favourable to others; and our pride, if not entirely prevented, must be considerably reduced. Increase this charity, and the pride still lessens; till, at length, it is almost literally true, as the Apostle divinely expresses it, that, in lowliness of mind, each esteems other better than himself; better, in respect to knowledge, as to every thing else.

6. Lastly, charity, not only by its qualities, but in the very nature of things, is destructive of all pride. For what is pride, but an immoderate love of ourselves? And what is charity, but a fervent love of other men? It is the same passion of love, only directed to different objects. When it is concentred in a man's self, it naturally grows abundant and excessive: divert some part of it upon others, and the selfish love is proportionably restrained. Just as

seas and rivers would overflow their shores and

banks, if they had no outlet or circulation: but issuing forth in useful streams or vapours to refresh the land, they are kept in due proportion, and neither deluge the rest of the globe, nor drain themselves. Thus the affection of love, if too much confined, would overflow in pride and arrogance; but, when part of it is diffused on others, the rest is innoxious and even salutary, as supplying the mind only with a just and moderate self-esteem.

Hence we see that charity, by its very operation, corrects the excesses of self-love; and therefore of learned pride (which is one of those excesses) as well as any other vice, which the confined and inordinate exercise of that passion is apt to produce.

In these several ways then, whether, by prescribing the proper end of knowledge, the edification of our neighbour, an attention to which must needs lessen the temptation to pride; or, by suggesting how imperfectly that end is attained by knowledge, which must mortify, rather than inflame our pride; or, by confining the candidates of knowledge to solid and important subjects, and, of these, rather to practical subjects, than those of speculation, both which pursuits are unfavourable to the

growth of pride; or, by increasing our good opinion of others, engaged in the same pursuits of knowledge, which must so far take from our fancied superiority over them; or, lastly, by the necessary effect of its operation, which is essentially destructive of that vicious self-love, which is the parent of such fancies

In all these respects, I say, it is clearly seen how CHARITY, whose office it is to edify others, is properly applied to the cure of that tumour of the mind, which knowledge generates, and which we know by the name of LEARNED

PRIDE.

There are many other considerations, no doubt, which serve to mortify this pride; but nothing tends so immediately to remove it, as the increase of charity. It is therefore to be wished, that men, engaged in the pursuits of learning, would especially cultivate in themselves this divine principle. Knowledge, when tempered by humility, and directed to the ends of charity, is indeed a valuable acquisition; and, though no fit subject of vain-glory, is justly entitled to the esteem of mankind. It should further be remembered, that this virtue, which so much adorns knowledge, is the peculiar characteristic grace of our religion; without which, all our attainments, of whatever

kind, are fruitless and vain. Let the man of Science, then, who has succeeded to his wish in rearing some mighty fabric of human knowledge, and from the top of it is tempted with a vain complacency to look down, as the phrase is, on the ignorant vulgar; let such an one not forget to say with HIM, who had been higher yet, even as high as the third Heavena, "Though I understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing."

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d 2 Cor. xii. 2.

e 1 Cor. xiii. 2.

VOL. VI.

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de

SERMON XX.

PREACHED NOVEMBER 19, 1769.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, Xxvi. 9.

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

THE

case of the Apostle, Paul, as represented by himself in these words, is so remarkable, that it cannot but deserve our attentive consideration.

The account of those many things, which he thought himself obliged to do against the name of Jesus, during his unbelieving state, he gives us in the chapter whence the text is

.I