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SELF-CONCEIT.

age and wisdom, he would be filled with confusion and shame.

You will hear such persons prating much of independence of mind. They profess to think for themselves, and form their own opinions, without respect to what others have thought, and said, and written. They would scorn to consult a commentary, to assist them in determining a difficult passage of Scripture, or the writings of a learned divine, to help them out of a theological difficulty. That would be subjecting their minds to the influence of prejudice, or betraying a want of confidence in their own infallible powers! which is the last idea they would think of entertaining. The long-cherished opinions of great, and wise, and good men, are disposed of with a sneer. You will hear them delivering their opinions pragmatically, and with strong assurance, on points of great difficulty, which good men, of the greatest learning and ability, have approached with diffidence; and boldly advancing ideas which they suppose to have originated in the depths of their own recondite minds, which they are afterwards mortified to learn are but some old, castoff, crude theories or speculations, which had been a hundred times advanced, and as many times refuted, before they were born. But the matters appear so plain to them, that they cannot imagine how any honest mind can come to any other conclusions than those to which they have arrived. Hence they are ready to doubt the piety of all who differ with them, if not to assume the office of judge, and charge them with

TRUE INDEPENDENCE.

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insincerity or hypocrisy. But their strong confidence in their opinions arises from superficial and partial examination, and overlooking objections and difficulties which readily occur to the well-balanced and discriminating mind, which has thoroughly investigated the subject in hand.

Yet I would not be understood to recommend implicit submission to the judgment and opinions even of the greatest and best of men. This is Popery. The mind must be convinced before it yields assent to any position. But it would be the height of self-conceited arrogance for any person, but especially for a youth, to presume himself too wise to gain instruction from the writings of men who have devoted their lives to the investigation of truth; or summarily to set aside, as unworthy of his attention, opinions which have been embraced by the greatest and best of men for successive generations. Nor does it argue any uncommon independence of mind; for you will generally find such persons arranged under the banner of some one of the various schools of theology, morals, philosophy, or politics, and following on with ardor the devious course of their leader, receiving whatever falls from his lips as the voice of an oracle, and running with enthusiasm into all his extravagances. Like the vane upon the spire, that lifts up itself with proud eminence to the clouds, they are ready to be carried about by every wind of doctrine. Whereas true independence of mind consists in weighing evidence and argument impartially, and forming a decision independent of prejudice, party feeling, pride of opinion, or self-will;

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UNSEEMLINESS.

and, when coupled with humility, it will always rejoice to receive instruction from any source. The person

who knows himself will be deeply humbled under a sense of his own weakness and ignorance, and will advance his opinions with modesty, while he treats the opinions of others with becoming respect.

V. Charity doth not behave itself unseemly. It does not disregard the courtesies of life, nor break over the bounds of decency and decorum, but pays a strict regard to propriety of conduct, in all circumstances. There are many unseemly things which render the conduct of any person repulsive and disgusting.

Forwardness, or a disposition to be conspicuous, is unseemly, especially in a young person. It is, indeed, the duty of every one to be always ready to engage in every good work; and it is wrong to be backward, and refuse to cooperate with others in carrying on any useful enterprise. But the heart is deceitful; and, while we satisfy our consciences with the idea that we are going forward in the discharge of duty, we may be but feeding our own vanity, by bringing ourselves into notice. An humble Christian has a low estimate of his ability to do good, and is generally disposed to prefer others, as better qualified than himself, to occupy any conspicuous post. "In honor preferring

one another." He will therefore be modest and retiring; though, when the course of duty is plain, he will by no means shrink from it. "The righteous are bold as a lion." There are several characteristics, however, which distinguish the forward, unseemly spirit. He is jealous and testy. You will hear him

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complaining of the aristocratic spirit of others; and, if he is not noticed as much as he thinks he deserves, he will take offence. He will rarely be found cordially coöperating with others in any good work, unless he is foremost in it himself. If you wish to secure his aid, or forestall his opposition, you must be careful to consult him before you undertake any enterprise. Should you neglect to do so, however good your object, or well chosen your measures, you may expect him to find fault and throw obstacles in the way at every step of your progress. Such persons often exhibit a fiery zeal and a restless activity; but they are never roused except for the promotion of an object with which self is in some manner identified.

To assume, in a dictatorial manner, to catechize others, as to their views on any subject, especially if they are older than yourself, is unseemly. You will meet with some persons who seem to take it for granted that they have a right to call you to account for your opinions, and to determine authoritatively your claim to the character which you profess. I do not question the propriety of kind and modest inquiries as to the opinions and views of others; nor of endeavoring, by fair and candid arguments, to convince them of what we suppose to be their errors. But, then, we must never forget that they are our equals, possessing the same right to judge of the truth with ourselves, and accountable for their errors to the same tribunal. This will leave no ground for the exercise of a dogmatical or a dictatorial spirit.

It is unseemly for young persons to be foremost in

speaking, in company, or to give advice with confidence, in regard to any thing which is to influence the conduct of their superiors in age, wisdom, or experience. Elihu, although a man of superior knowledge and abilities, did not presume to speak to Job till his aged friends had ceased; for he said, "Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom." Young persons sometimes render themselves ridiculous by such unseemly conduct. The prophet Isaiah gives this as one of the marks of a degenerate age, that "the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable."

Fierce contention about personal rights is unseemly. It begets a selfish, jealous spirit. You never hear this where love reigns; for love is a yielding spirit. The spirit that can never brook the least encroachment upon his rights is an unseemly spirit, which will always be embroiled in some difficulty or other.

All coarseness, grossness, or rudeness, of character is unseemly; and the declaration that charity doth not behave unseemly, conveys the idea of an exquisite propriety of deportment, free from every thing indelicate, obtrusive, repulsive, or unamiable.

VI. Charity seeketh not her own. It is not selfish. The temper here described is inculcated in a beautiful manner in Paul's Epistle to the Philippians. He exhorts them, in lowliness of mind, each to esteem other better than themselves; and not to look exclusively on their own things, but also on the things of others; and then commends to them the example of our Lord,