"For they loved the praise of men more than the praife of God."-JOHN xii. 43.

SPIRITUAL PRIDE.

יי!

See where the Pharifee inflated stands,
And founds his praise abroad to distant lands,
Himself his trumpeter, he blows, not faint,
That all may hear, and own him for a faint;
His lengthen'd notes in fonorous accents fay,
"I do—I think-I give-I faft—I pray
No bankrupt he, for lo! to feed his pride,
See bale on bale, clofe pack'd, ftand by his fide.
The beggar comes, worn down with grief, and old;
He's foon difcharged, for Pride has little gold.
He doles his pittance into mifery's hat,
And loud applaufe he afks, in full for that.
The gaudy peacock, ftrutting in the rear,
Is but a figure of this trumpeter;

It ftruts, and fwells, and fpreads its plumes abroad:
So he, abforbed in felf, forgets his God.

THIS engraving represents a man who appears to be on very refpectable terms with himself. He is founding a trumpet before him; he is very anxious that everybody fhould know when he performs what he conceives to be a good action. A poor man is asking charity; he never refuses a trifle, provided he has his trumpet with him. Up it goes, and, with a long blaft, he calls the diftant paffengers to behold him. At the fide of the trumpeter are seen feveral bales of goods; these are his stock in trade. Behind is feen the peacock, ftrutting, fwelling, and displaying her brilliant train. A proper emblem of this proud trumpeter.

The above cut is an emblem of Spiritual Pride. The trumpeter, giving a little fmallchange to the beggar, and apprizing everybody of the fact, denotes one who loves to make a parade of his religious performances. Does he give to benevolent objects? It is that he may receive the praise of men. Does he faft, or pray, or worship? It is that he "may be feen of men.' On the house-top, through the newspapers, and other fources of circulation, he proclaims his good deeds. He conjugates all his verbs in the first person only: "I vifited," "I preached,” “I prayed," "I gave," &c. Thus the praise of worms becomes neceffary to his existence; on this food he grows fat. Deprive him of it, and he will pine away, and die of atrophy. He facrifices to his own net; he burns incense to his own drag. Self is the god he adores. The "bales of

goods" denote that he is well stockea with felfrighteousness. In his own opinion, he is "rich and increased in goods, and has need of nothing.' The peacock, after all, has just as much religion as he has.

The hypocritical pharifees of the Saviour's time were men of this ftamp. They founded a trumpet before them under pretence of calling the poor together, but in reality it was to fay, "Look at me." They had " their reward." In the east, the practice varies. It is faid that the dervishes, a kind of religious beggars, carry with them a horn, which, when receiving alms, they blow in honour of the giver.

All pride is pretty much alike in its nature and effects. It is produced in fome perfons by noble birth and great natural abilities. In others, by wealth and learning. In others, again, by certain ecclefiaftical endowments, fuch as an office in the church, the gift of praying, or of preaching, &c. These things are all alike good in themfelves, but the hearts of the poffeffors being unfanctified, the gifts are abused, and the Giver neglected.

He who poffeffes true religion will be truly humble. Humility is the only proper antidote for pride. When humility enters, pride departs, as flies the darkness from the fun. To flay pride, and teach man humility by example, the blessed Saviour took upon him the form of a fervant. He made himself of no reputation; he humbled himself unto death, yea, even unto the death of

the cross. O wonderful humility! O boundless grace!

Pride renders its poffeffor truly miserable in this life. The Father of spirits alone can fill an immortal fpirit. The man of pride rejects the bleffed God, and depends for happiness on the applause of man. This is uncertain, unsatisfying, and tranfitory. Witness the cafe of Haman, who, notwithstanding the "glory of his riches,' the multitude of his children," and his princely preferments, was truly wretched. "All this availed him nothing," so long as his voracious pride went without its accustomed fee-so long as one man refused to bring his tribute of homage. But pride will render its poffeffor miferable to all eternity. "How can ye be faved who seek honour one of another, and not the honour that cometh from God only?”

"Beware of falfe prophets, which come to you in fheep's clothing; but inwardly they are ravening wolves."-MAT. vii. 15.

HYPOCRISY.

See in the distance, there, thofe harmless fheep;
Nor watch or ward at any time they keep;
Well pleased, along the pastures green they tread,
And unfufpecting crop the flowery mead:
The fhepherd flumbers in the noontide's fhade,
His flock forfaken, and his truft betrayed.
The wolf draws near, in fheepskin fhrewdly dreff'd,
He bleats aloud, and mixes with the reft;
They prick their ears, and look with fome furprise,
But can't detect him in his deep difguife.
He marks his time; when they are all asleep,
He flays the lambs, and tears the filly fheep.
Thus all falfe teachers are on ruin bent,
And by Apollyon on their miffion fent;
Without, the clothing of Chrift's flock they wear,
Within, the heart of ravening wolves they bear.

THE engraving fhows a wolf in difguife, and a flock of fheep in the background. The fhep