we shall be struck with astonishment how the world of humanity, that now looks desert-like and dreary, opens its treasures of glory and love to our souls. Do not treat it as a fancy. The words are true, for they are God's. Whoever will make the experiment, in good faith and with the heart, will confess that he finds happiness beyond his youthful dreams. If any would know what is good for him in life, it is this, - to love God as his Father, and the beings around him as his brethren. Let him do what is here required, and he soon will wonder at his long insensibility; he will ask where all these treasures of feeling have been hidden; he will be lost in shame for his hewing out so many cisterns, when the waters of life were all the while flowing untasted at his feet.

SERMON XVI.

OFFENCES OF THE TONGUE.

IF ANY MAN OFFEND NOT IN WORD, THE SAME IS A PERFECT MAN, AND ABLE ALSO TO BRIDLE THE WHOLE BODY.-James iii. 2.

ANY one who reads the Scriptures for his own personal improvement is often struck with this, that the sacred writers attach the most serious importance to duties of which men make but little account. So here; one who knows how lightly Christians regard the duty of not offending in word is impressed with the solemnity with which the Apostle treats the obligation, — looking upon the whole character as concerned in it; for he says, whoever is faithful in this respect is a thorough man, strong in self-mastery, equal to all the duties of life.

He considers faithfulness or unfaithfulness in this respect as a sure indication of the presence or want of Christian principle; - yes, the surest, for it is only in unguarded hours that his character appears precisely as it is. In most actions there is some deliberation ; not much, but far more than in our words. The latter flow carelessly and unthought of from the tongue; they come, as is said, from the

overflowing of the heart. If we could see the thought, we should see the character in its exact form, color, and bearing; but this is for the eye of God alone. We are compelled to look at the outward appearance, and there is nothing in the outward appearance which gives us a truer revelation of what is within than the words.

This Apostle also calls our attention to the effect which the management of the tongue has upon the life. It is, he says, as the bit to the horse or the rudder to the vessel; it determines which way we shall go. Thus he thinks that a man's course is not only indicated, but also shaped, by his conduct in this respect. And really, when we consider how men talk themselves into any thing, how, by saying a thing often, they come to believe it, however false it may be, how easily they become insensible to the shame and danger of any thing which they constantly defend, and how many intrench themselves behind a cloud of words, when hard pressed by their conscience or the charges of other men, — we can see how it should be so; we can see a man's words may be a determining power, not only showing what he is, but making him what he is to be for this world and the other.

There is another view which he takes of the subject, which is new and strange to many. He says that harsh and bitter language cannot come from a good heart. Men sometimes appear to think otherwise; they think the heart may be good and kind when the words are harsh and severe. But not so

the Apostle; he says, the same fountain does not send forth salt and fresh water; however full and flowing the fresh fountain may be, if a brackish spring flows into it, it takes but little to spoil the whole for the use of man. The wayfarer perishing with thirst comes to it with hope and pleasure, but turns away with a heavy heart.

But let us look a little more nearly at some of those offences of the tongue which the Apostle considers so dangerous to the souls of men.

First, there are those sharp and angry words of which we hear so many in the world. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," is the Christian command, which all profess to obey; - but what a commentary on it may be found in the intercourse of Christians with each other? How often do we see the flashing eye and the cheek flushed with passion, and hear the most savage and bitter retorts and replies from lips which are also opened in prayer to God, how sincerely, how acceptably, we must leave it for eternity to tell! Men think very little of these things; the passion subsides, and they feel as if all was the same as before. But no. It is not the same as before. There is mischief done more than meets the eye. As each one of these autumnal storms affects the foliage and hurries on the wintry desolation, does each and every storm of passion leave much unseen injury, though perhaps few visible traces in the heart. How easily men delude themselves on this subject! After one of these explosions they become reconciled, and think that

those whom they have injured forgive and forget. But no; to forgive is one thing, to forget is another; perhaps they do forgive, but they do not forget. Other injuries may be forgotten, new acts of friendship efface the memory of former wrongs, but the wound given by the sharp edge of the tongue does not heal over. If you have ever spoken contemptuously of any one, and think that he has forgotten it, you will find, that, although he may treat you kindly, he remembers such things longer than you.

It is impossible to overestimate the injury which is done by these hasty excesses. Human beings are connected with each other by many fine and delicate ties; and this flame of hasty anger burns them like tow. At every flash, some of them snap asunder, and there is no power that can replace them. Thus it is with parents and children, with husbands and wives, with brothers and sisters, with friends and neighbours; the bands of love which should unite them are gone, -burned away by these quick fires of passion. What matters it if the fire is out? what has been consumed cannot be restored from its ashes.

Again there is a sort of violent language where there is not much anger, but rather malice and bitterness strongly felt and strongly expressed, and, strange as it may seem considering what an open and presumptuous offence it is, indulged in without the least consciousness of sin. There is a tendency to extravagance and excess of every kind at the present day. You see it in men's movements; you