body, is proficiency in virtue and piety. This is the great test; we must allow no other; but we must meet the requirements of this. If we cannot abide it, if we do not bear much fruit, if we do not seek and strive to form ourselves after the pattern of Christ, and to imitate the imitable moral attributes of that God whom he has made known to us, no matter how much we know, no matter how much we give, no matter how much we believe or profess, no matter how much we worship, how often we fast, or how long we pray, we do not glorify the Father, and of course cannot be considered one with him and with his Son, we are still strangers to his family, aliens from his house, and rebels against his government.

Let us endeavor, my friends, to prove by the constantly increasing virtue and excellence of our lives, that we are worthy of being considered followers of Christ; and by thus co-operating with him in promoting the glory of God in the earth, may we secure an entrance into those heavenly courts, where still brighter and more sublime displays of his Father's love and truth will be unfolded than our mortal vision can discern, or our minds here imagine.

SERMON XI.

BY REV. JAMES WALKER, CHARLESTOWN.

ON MORAL TEMPERANCE.

II PETER, I. 5, 6.- AND, BESIDE THIS, GIVING ALL DILIGENCE, ADD ΤΟ YOUR FAITH, virtue; AND TO VIRTUE, KNOWLEDGE; AND TO KNOWLEDGE, TEMPERANCE.'

So much has been said, of late, about intemperance in eating and drinking, or physical intemperance, that we are almost in danger of forgetting that there is such a thing as moral intemperance. We are almost in danger of forgetting that there is such a thing as intemperance of feeling, intemperance of passion, intemperance of zeal. This last is obviously, from the connexion, the vice which the apostle in the text enjoins it upon the early converts to be careful and shun. From their peculiar circumstances he feared, and he had reason to fear, that they would not have the 'virtue,' the courage and resolution necessary to their faith.' And even if they had the necessary courage and resolution, he was afraid that through want of knowledge,' or discretion, they might fall into many practical errors. They might, however, have 'virtue' enough, and

knowledge'

enough, and yet lack temperance,' or moderation. They might allow their zeal for truth, and their zeal for God, to hurry them into unwise, injurious and even criminal excesses. Therefore he says, Giving all dil

igence add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowl edge; and to knowledge, temperance,' or moderation.

Accordingly I am to speak, in this discourse, of moral temperance-of temperance in regard to our feelings, affections and passions. I am to speak, not of physical but of moral temperance; and of moral temperance as entering into, and constituting an essential part of the Christian character.

I start then with the proposition, that a man may become intoxicated without resorting to intoxicating drinks. A man may become habitually intemperate, though living on bread and water. There is a drunkenness of the mind. Many of our expressions in common use proceed on this supposition. We say of a man that he is drunk with passion; or that he is intoxicated with excess of joy; or that he has read exciting books, or visited exciting scenes, until he has become intoxicated. These are not mere figures of speech; the statements are to be understood literally. The persons spoken of are drunk, are intoxicated. Intoxication, even physical intoxication, does not necessarily imply that a man has lost the command over his limbs. toxication by opium is not attended with the loss of one's command over his limbs. Intoxication, properly so called, is a disease of the brain, an undue excitement, a fever of the brain; and one which may be produced as well by moral as by physical causes. There is, I repeat it, a drunkenness of the mind. It is strict

In