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SERMON XII.

LEVITICUS XIX. VERSE XV.

In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

THOUGH this sentiment has been, repeatedly, confirmed by our Saviour himself; and though it continually pervades the writings of Saint Paul, and the apostles; I have chosen to quote it from the Jewish scriptures, to shew, that it was an antient law among men, arising from good feeling, sanctioned by long practice, and, therefore, from its direct bearing upon human happiness, incorporated into Christian morals.

In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour;-the first branch of which righteous judgment is, to cultivate a predisposition to mercy; to hear bad motives imputed to others, with an earnest desire that they may prove to be exaggerated, or untrue; and to discipline the mind in such a manner, that its habitual feeling, on hearing of the faults of others, should be that of unfeigned sorrow. Modern manners have adopted a certain language of virtuous sympathy, which passes, not unfrequently, with ourselves, and others, for the excellence itself;-if all, then, who wish to appear good, counterfeit a compassion for the faults of others, all, who wish to be good, should really cherish, and promote the feeling.Manners are the shadows of virtues; the momentary display of those qualities which our fellow creatures love, and respect.-If, we strive to become, then, what we strive to appear, manners may often be rendered useful guides to the performance of our duties.

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The habit we have of comparing ourselves with others, is that principle of

our nature which prevents us from feeling as much compassion as we ought for the infirmities of the rest of mankind; we cannot hear a bad action imputed to any one without congratulating ourselves that we have not been guilty of it, and enjoying a momentary superiority that our fortune has been more perfect, our wisdom more penetrating, and our virtue more firm:-this is not what christianity teaches; it teaches us to listen, with trembling humility, to every example of error, or of crime; to reflect, at such seasons, upon the frail nature of man; to receive, with serious pity, every fresh example of misguided reason, and triumphant passion; to remember, that to morrow may bring some difficulty which we cannot vanquish; some temptation which we cannot resist;-and that we ourselves may then be suing for that indulgence which to day we so arrogantly refuse to others.

To judge our neighbour in righteousness, it is our duty to consider those motives which may corrupt our judgment: when we set ourselves to reflect how far we have cultivated this species of justice, we deceive ourselves, by quoting the examples of those

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who have become dear to us from particular circumstances; by citing the judgments we have made of friends, of kindred, of men, who have embarked with us in common designs; have been engaged in the same pursuit; and been actuated by the same principles: doubtless, we are just enough in all these instances; here we feel real sorrow at the faults of others, and do all, and even more than the most righteous judges ought to do;-but if we really, and faithfully, wish to fulfil this great duty, we are to examine how far we have righteously judged those to whom we never have been connected in friendship; those whom chance has separated from us by rank, and wealth; nature by talents; education by opinions; those who have been opposed to us in questions which try the passions; those from whom we have suffered disrespect, injury, and contempt. If, in the awful moments of self-judgment, we can satisfy ourselves that we never wished that calumny to be true which accorded with our warmest passions; that we have never been disappointed by that innocence which baffled our resentment, that the infirmities of our

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