The same Apostle hesitated not to say, that, "if any man sin not in word, the same is a perfect man." And our Divine Redeemer-who, on other occasions, was all tenderness and commiseration in his behaviour to sinners; who is represented to us under the mild image of a loving father going forth to meet the returning prodigal; of a shepherd leaving his flock in pursuit of the solitary sheep that had gone astray; and who excused, with so much bounty, the cruelty of his enraged enemies who had pierced his hands and feet, and numbered all his bones-expressed himself in terms of the most vehement indignation, when the hideous form of the Detractor presented itself to his view: "And why," says he, "seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye? Or how sayest thou to thy brother Let me cast the mote out of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thy own eye, and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (MATT., c. vii. v. 3—5.)

Influenced by these considerations, let us be careful not to suffer a word to pass our lips which may possibly be detrimental to the reputation of our neighbour. If we turn our eyes upon ourselves, and examine impartially our own conduct, we shall there discover abundant matter to exercise our censure; we shall there discern sufficient defects to induce us to make every indulgent allowance for those of others; we shall there find a great deal to

X

improve, and much to correct. To ourselves, therefore, to the proper regulation of our own conduct, let our primary attention be given; let us put our own affairs in order before we think of meddling with the concerns of others. Depend upon it, that by showing forth in our lives the sanctity of our profession, by displaying to the view of our brethren the amiable virtues which distinguish a true disciple of Christ, by treating their failings with tenderness and compassion, by endeavouring, as much as possible, to palliate and excuse them, and speaking to them the language of mild, kind, and gentle admonition, which charity inspires, we shall contribute much more effectually to reform their lives, than by attempting to disgrace them in the estimation of the public. Thus, also, shall we practically vindicate the character of our holy religion from the degrading aspersions of infidels and libertines; we shall expose it to the world in all its most captivating charms and native dignity, exhibiting it at once engaging and venerable. And when, having closed our eyes to the shifting scenes of this life, we shall be summoned to take our trial at the awful bar of divine justice-mercy, cherubtongued, will, like a powerful advocate, plead our cause, and procure for us that inestimable blessing promised by our Divine Saviour in his sermon on the Mount, when he said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

SERMON XVIII.

URGENT AND ENCOURAGING MOTIVES SUGGESTED TO SINNERS TO RENOUNCE THEIR EVIL WAYS, AND TO RETURN TO THE LORD THEIR GOD.

THERE shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doeth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance. LUKE, c. xv. v. 7.

THE Scribes and Pharisees having signified, by their murmurs, their disapprobation of the conduct of our blessed Saviour, in associating with publicans and sinners, He replied to them in the following parable: What man of you that hath a hundred sheep; and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost until he find it? And when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders rejoicing; and coming home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them: Rejoice with me because I have found my sheep that was lost." By this parable our blessed Saviour clearly exposed the injustice of the construction which his malignant enemies had put upon his conduct; since he plainly intimated by it that the sole object of that intercourse at which they were disposed to take

offence, was to reclaim sinners from their evil ways; adding, moreover, in the words of the text, for the encouragement of the latter, that their repentance and conversion will not fail to find a gracious acceptance at the throne of mercy: "So

I say to you, there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doeth penance, more than upon ninetynine just who need not penance." Yet, notwithstanding this positive assurance of pardon, held forth to sinners in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, provided they sincerely repent of their past misdeeds, they are apt to be deterred, by a variety of considerations, from availing themselves of it. They have provoked, they say, in the first place, the anger of heaven to such a degree, by the greatness and multitude of their crimes as to have rendered all application for pardon, on their part, unavailing and hopeless. Their hearts, they add, in the second place, are so strongly attached to the pleasures of sensual indulgence, that it is totally out of their power to disengage them. And, finally, they subjoin, that the pressure upon their minds of their worldly cares, solicitudes, and troubles, is such as to render them altogether incapable of attending to the concerns of eternity. Such, my friends, are the considerations by which many are prevented from profiting of the proffered mercy announced to them by their Divine Saviour; to counteract which shall be the object of the discourse to which I have now to solicit the favor of your attention.

If we take a comprehensive survey of the whole

economy of revealed religion, from its origin to its consummation-if we trace it in its progress through each successive period of its existence-we shall observe in it, throughout, the most unequivocal marks of a dispensation of mercy. Mercy was the source from which it emanated, in the promise of a Redeemer who should crush the serpent's head, by furnishing a remedy to the deadly wound inflicted on our first parents, and entailed on their posterity, by the infernal deceiver. Mercy accompanied it in its progressive course through the writings of the prophets, which are assimilated, by St. Peter, to a light shining in a dark place, (2 PET., c. i. v. 19) and shed a placid radiance around it. And when

-on the actual appearance of the promised Redeemer, compared, by the same Apostle, to the rising of the day-star-the Angelic host chanted harmoniously their heavenly anthem of "Glory to God in the highest," the melodious notes of mercy were distinctly heard, sweetly warbling the glad tidings of "Peace on earth to men of good will:" "And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will." On entering upon his sacred ministry he was pointed out, by his precursor, as the merciful lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world. In the whole of his intercourse with mankind-in his words as well as in his actions-mercy always appeared to be the ruling principle of his conduct. Whithersoever he