Now, it might be anticipated that rules so comprehensive, entire, and unvarying in themselves, and so universal in their obligation as to man, would form a character in all cases so identical in principle, so uniform in expression, that the sameness of the moral world would separate it, as by a wide chasm, from those other works of God in which we are both delighted and instructed by the richest variety. To a certain extent, it is true, that all who thoroughly yield themselves to the influences of grace, will present the most exact resemblances in the grand features of Christian character. Still, attentive observation will show us that the uniformity of grace is strictly analogous to the uniformity of nature. There is no real discrepancy in the seeming contradiction that, personally, all men are alike, and all unlike. Similar resemblances and disparities are found in their intellectual constitution. Grace no more alters what is purely natural in the mind, than in the person; and, therefore, within the limits of a general uniformity which is, as it was designed to be, exact and perfect, will there be a rich and valuable variety, analogous to the whole divine procedure, (so far, at least, as we are at present acquainted with it,) in which we find subordinate diversities and variations, governed and limited by essential agreements. The order of God is not made up of unvarying identities; neither is there any confusion in that variety which presents to our finite understandings a source of perpetual instruction and ever-growing delight.

But it is not to varieties of this kind that the phraseology in question directs our notice. In all the variations of a skilful composer, the musical ear continually perceives the theme. A Handel so adjusts the notes to be sounded by the numerous performers of some grand chorus, that, many as they are, they are blended into a rich and perfect harmony. But the variations, of which we have to speak, are discordant ones. They are at variance, sometimes greatly at variance, with that spiritual order which constitutes

scriptural holiness. In the human frame there are sometimes found those diversities of conformation

which transgress the established limits of orderly variety. These are properly called distortions, deformities. The varieties caused by the different combinations and proportions of the various mental faculties, are neither prevented from existing, nor discovering their existence, by the operations of grace. Without grace, Baxter and Milton, Barrow and Taylor, would have been very different men. Possessed of grace,

they were different men still. In this sense, and the consideration is a very important one,—

"Many are we now, and one,

We who Jesus have put on."

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Thus far, then, our way is clear, that all Christians are alike, and not alike; that while there is the strong family likeness stamped on the countenance of all who are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus," there is the personal distinction by which one is known from the other. A common nature is distributed amongst them all; but each retains his own personal identity. And so far as that which is significantly termed, our own way," may be included, consistently with truth and righteousness, in such individual distinctions as are in perfect harmony with the features of the divine image, so far we may dismiss it from our consideration. Not every departure from exact regularity of features is ugliness; not every departure from perfect symmetry of form, distortion. But we do fear that there are instances in which this phrase points out what, to human judgment at least, may not thus be harmonized. The great majority of those cases which would come under the general description of "our own way," are cases of real distortion; and, for the most part, indications of real disease. Justice, indeed, as well as charity, require that we should add, "not in the same degree, nor to the same extent." There are WAYS that are evidently weaknesses and infirmities; harmless errors, whose worst result may

be some inconvenience to the individual, or some drawback from that beautiful symmetry of character by which he might have more entirely glorified God, by adorning in all things the doctrine of his Saviour. And yet, perhaps, even of these it may be said, that a conscience fully enlightened, and thoroughly under the influence of divine principle, would aim at their removal. "Perfect love casteth out fear;" but it likewise increases that holy carefulness to please God, which will produce deliberate examination of every point of character, that, should there be any part of its surface which shall not reflect the glory which shines in the whole, but present to the observer, if not portions of deep shadow, yet of evidently inferior brilliancy, the detected obstruction may be removed. We are not to judge ourselves as we judge others. Along with truth and justice, charity, in this latter case, must make her voice heard; but in the former, conscience must endeavour to anticipate the sentence of God himself. Even, therefore, should our way seem to be little or nothing more than a slightly unbeseeming incumbrance to ourselves, still, as it may possibly be injurious to others, we are not to forget the important injunction,-not, indeed, given us as the rule of our own demands upon our brother, but by which we are to regulate our own conduct to him," Let us not please ourselves, but every one his neighbour for edification." And, then, some meaning there must be in those repeated commands which call on us to BE PERFECT. To reduce them to a

Own

mere call for sincerity and uprightness, is to dilute them down to the loss of all their strength. Can less than this be implied,-that we are to aim to have our religious character so complete, as to exhibit neither redundancy nor defect, in such a command as that which was SO solemnly addressed to Abraham ?— "I am God Almighty: walk before me, and be thou perfect." Let no one dispirit himself by saying, "I cannot do this, or go beyond that." Without asking how far he may go,

before his progress shall be interrupted, let him proceed onward and onward still; and when he really finds that he can go no farther, then, but not till then, let him fix the pillars beyond which no Chris tian traveller may pass. But no! The open door is before us, and an unobstructed way. Delightful promises invite us; positive commands both direct and oblige us; the whole Gospel calls on each Christian to labour for himself, as all to whom the Gospel ministry is committed are required to labour for him, that he may be perfect in Christ

Jesus."

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I seem as though I were reluctant to come to the precise class of errors, to remark on which I have prescribed to myself. I would advert to them in as few words as shall be consistent with just description, and in terms as mild as the supreme regard due to the truth, holiness, and grace revealed in the Gospel will allow.

You find a Christian professor habitually fretful and murmuring. There is in him a perpetual tendency to discontent. Good humour scarcely ever smiles on his countenance. He is aware of the supremacy of Providence; and, therefore, will in some measure repress the language of complaint, when divine chastenings are in question: but, as if to make up for this, you will find other outbreakings of what you cannot help considering as unsubdued temper. Sometimes he manages to overlook the providence, and see only the instrument; and, exactly reversing the conduct of David, as he only looks at Shimei, so he claims the full right of recrimination. At others, you discover that he is a regular fault-finder; that is, that, among his other talents, he has the scent and the eye of the vulture. He acts on the principle, that as "love and good works" are very excellent things, so the best way of promoting them in others is, to obey the injunction in its most literal English,“ Provoking them." Now, how often does it happen, when a person of this unhappy temper has been, as the world would

call it, venting his spleen, and you are surprised at an exhibition so contrary to all your notions of Christian meekness and brotherly love, that the whole matter is summarily explained, that it may be as summarily dismissed, "O, you must not mind what he says; he means no harm; he is a very good man; only, this is his way." So, too, in domestic life. Have none of my readers had their slumbers disturbed by the perpetual gnawing, through the live-long night, of some mouse behind the wainscoting? In vain have all the established methods of securing sleep been resorted to. Just as you had forgotten yourself, you were again and again recalled to recollection and watchfulness by the harmless, though teasing, gnatter, gnatter, gnatter, of the poor animal. Solomon has a comparison about "the continual dropping in a very rainy day." Now, are there no women professing godliness" who thus tease themselves, and all about them, by the ceaseless pattering of this wordy shower? Cleanliness and order are not too highly elevated by the saying which assigns them the next place to godliness; but are they never made the occasion of a line of conduct which is described in some parts of the country by the very significant provincialism,-" always wherreting themselves about something or other :" thus, practically at least, losing sight of the "ornament of a meek and quiet spirit?" But however trying this may be to others, however disfiguring to the profession, it seems to be quite hid from the individual who may be guilty of it; or, if there be some suspicion of its impropriety, the matter is speedily settled by the usual excuse," It is only my way." Perhaps, after you have been meditating on that comprehensive rule of moral duty, in the Epistle to the Philippians; (iv. 8;) especially, it may have been, on the full import of the expressions, HONEST, (venerable, respectable,) JUST, OF GOOD REPORT; after having imagined to yourself a character modelled by a strict attention to rules of this sort,

you are called, in the way of your trade, it may be, to have some dealings with a fellow-professor; and at the close, though you cannot charge him with dishonesty, yet you feel that you can only describe his conduct by the usual epithets of "mean" and shabby." Mentioning it to some common friend, the old answer comes again,-"He means no harm; it is only his way."

Or let it be supposed that your Scripture-reading has brought be fore you passages by which genuine sympathy-a kind fellow-feeling with others, especially in their sor rows and distresses-is declared (as it is declared most positively) to be a Christian duty of universal obligation. You are aware that all minds are not constituted alike; that some are naturally more susceptible of feeling than others: but you feel, at the same time, that no duty of universal obligation can be dependent on circumstances purely natural; so that they only should "weep with them that weep, and rejoice with them that rejoice," whose original disposition is favourable to sympathetic emotion. Not so do you find the language of Scripture. The sympathy of Christ, sometimes stated for our encouragement,-" We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,"-is at others stated as an example which we ourselves are to imitate. "Imitate," did I say? far more than imitate. The injunction is,-but let me give the whole passage, presenting, as it does, an exemplification of Christian feeling in the disciple, as well as directing us to that perfect manifestation of it which is found in the Master,—" If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, of one accord," (ouuuxoi, "one-souled,") "of one mind." "LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU, WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS." All this is plain. We have not a description of what may be felt by some, but of what ought to be cherished by all. No exceptions are