SERMON XII.

On the Love of Display.

6TH. CHAP. OF ST. MATTHEW, 4TH VERSE.

66

Thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."

HE apparent contradiction which exists

THE

between particular passages of Scripture vanishes upon examination. When our Saviour exhorts his followers to "let their light shine before men," he does it that their piety, their benevolence, and their self-denial, may adorn the doctrines of the Gospel, and "glorify their Father who is in Heaven.” When, in the sequel of his discourse, he warns them against the love of display; against "sounding a trumpet before them, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and

in the streets, that they may have glory of men: when he tells them, in their works of charity, not to "let their left hand know what their right hand doeth;" in their prayers, to "enter into their closet, and when they have shut the door, pray to their Father which is in secret;" in their exercise of self-denial, to "anoint their head, and wash their face; that they appear not unto men to fast;" he is equally zealous for the interests of his Father's kingdom, and for the eternal happiness of those to whom he addresses himself. He is anxious that his hearers should remember, while they recommend the important truths of religion to others, that their own salvation should be their principal object. He wishes to convince them, that, as far as they alone are concerned, the good opinion of their fellowmortals is neither to be desired highly, nor considered as a proper principle of action.

Their business is with God. In the solitude of their own chambers, in the depths of their own hearts, with no witness but conscience,

with no care but to ensure the Divine approbation must personal religion be exercised, and the acceptable obedience of faith performed. Singleness of purpose and simplicity of heart are the duties here recommended by our Saviour. They will not only render us equally desirous to serve God when no applauding eye but that of Heaven views our conduct; but they will obviate all the dangers attendant on the public exhibition of ardent piety, active beneficence, and determined self-denial. Christian humility will temper the fervour of zeal, and the principle of unfeigned religion sanctify the outward virtues which it demands. Without motives such as the Gospel requires, without a heart devoted to God, and a principle of action which will uniformly operate in every situation and under every circumstance; there is no security for acting right, there is no possibility of pleasing Him who knoweth what is in man. Friends may congratulate, acquaintances may applaud, dependants may flatter; but we are no nearer the kingdom

of

of Heaven. We" have our reward."

We have it in the approbation which we seek, in the honour which we covet. We must not expect the recompense of the just, for it is reserved for those who love God, not this world for those who obey him in sincerity and truth, not those who make his service another mean of self-exaltation, and value in the exercises of piety and benevolence only the respect which they create.

Do not suppose that the subject before us is one in which we have less concern than they to whom it was originally addressed. In the present day there is ample scope for our Saviour's admonition. We live in an age, fertile indeed in crime and daring in impiety, but also nobly distinguished by its examples of fervent and enlightened piety, of active and widely extended beneficence, not only in the humbler walks of life, but in the circles of the rich and the noble; in those who are exalted in talents as well as in station, and are therefore" burning and shining lights" in the Christian world. Now,

in such a constitution of society, where the conduct, which is ridiculed and opposed by one set of characters, is loudly applauded and warmly patronized by another, is there not abundant danger of mistaking interest for conviction, and the example of our superiors for the unbiased sentiments of our own hearts? When there is so large a 'body, to whom the profession of religion is an introduction, and the assumption of its peculiar views a recommendation; should we not dread lest we are merely conforming to a party, while we are devoting our time and attention to the outward offices of religion, apparently enjoying the conversation of the pious, and promoting the temporal and eternal welfare of our brethren? These are serious questions, for they involve, on the one hand, the vice of hypocrisy, or the danger of self-deception; on the other, the evidence of a true faith and of love unfeigned. To satisfy ourselves in this particular, we cannot do better, in humble reliance on the Divine blessing, than examine our conduct in the particulars