from man's unwillingness to acknowledge his ignorance, from his impetuosity to leap over the paling, instead of walking round patiently to the gate,-from his determination to erect an idol of his own, instead of persevering in the laborious search after the idea, from his incapacity of devoting himself to the study of nature with an earnest, faithful, undivided allegiance. What indeed are all those causes of errour pointed out by that great light of our College, to whom on this day we are wont to take pride in offering our loyal admiration, - those idols of the tribe, and of the den, and of the marketplace, and of the theatre, what are they but different modifications of selfishness, transfers to nature of that which belongs to man, irruptions into the region of truth by the usurping prejudices of the individual, and of the nation, and of the sect? That new instrument of knowledge, which traced the path and laid down the laws of scientific discovery, and of which, whatever its direct influence may have been, we may confidently say, that the researches of subsequent natural philosophers have led to valuable and stable conclusions, in proportion as they have accorded with its principles, that volume, which, it is our glory, issued from a mind bred within these walls, and fed with the milk of knowledge by this our nursing mother, that volume is throughout a doctrine of intellectual humility and selfsacrifice (AO). It teaches us that the only way to rule over Nature is to obey her, that, in order to legislate for her, we must faithfully study her laws. And that other brightest star in our banner, that volume in which these laws are set forth, is an illustration and verification of this truth. If Nature unveiled herself to the eyes of Newton, it was in return for the devotion and selfsacrifice with which he had wooed and served her. Let me remind

you of his own meek and magnanimous declaration. "One day (says his biographer) when one of his friends had said some handsome things of his extraordinary talents, Sir Isaac, in an easy and unaffected way, assured him that for his own part he was sensible that whatever he had done worth notice was owing to a patience of thought, rather than any extraordinary sagacity which he was endowed with above other men. I keep the subject constantly before me, and wait till the first dawnings open by little and little, into a full and clear light" (AP). It would be easy to pursue this subject, and to accumulate instances in proof that even in science selfsacrifice is indispensable to excellence. But on the present occasion this would be needless. For us it is enough, that Bacon has taught, and that Newton has shewn that it is so.

My chief object in this sermon has been to prove, that the great Christian paradox, that he who shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and that he who shall lose his life shall preserve it, is only a paradox to the blindness of the carnal understanding; - that it is not at variance, but in harmony with the processes of Nature in her manifold systems; —that its truth is recognized by all our feelings, and confirmed by the operations of our minds. After this discussion, it cannot be necessary to shew that the same law prevails throughout the moral world. For here it has ever been acknowledged by common consent. A few sophists alone, whether deluded by their own subtilties, or from a wish to justify the evil in their own hearts, by setting it up as the ruling principle of every heart, — have maintained, in contradiction to the voice of mankind, that morality is nothing else than a potentiated selfishness: and the sole argument, on the strength of which their assertion has

gained plausibility and currency, has been the assumption that selfishness is the universal law of nature, and that every creature exists wholly and solely for itself. If therefore we can demolish that assumption, if we can shew its utter fallacy, we may return with confidence to the good old simple creed, that every moral act, as such, is more or less an act of selfsacrifice, and that its moral dignity and worth is in proportion to the degree of selfsacrifice implied in it. True, we often hear it urged, that honesty is the best policy: but who would esteem a man honest, if he were merely honest out of policy? who would not feel that such a man might slip at any moment from his noose? Motives of this kind are urged on the dishonest, who alone can be influenced by them, with the view of convincing them how mistaken they are, according to their own notions of that which is desirable,-in order to burst the net which their understandings have spun round their hearts,—and in the hope that, when they have been led to seek honesty from lower inducements, they may learn to love it from higher. Every moral act implies the submission of the will to a law, which is not the spontaneous form and rule whereby the will would determine its operation, but against which in the first instance our selfwill always revolts. It implies a victory greater or less over our carnal impulses and appetites. Accordingly it must be an act of selfsacrifice; though in time the selfsacrifice may become habitual and easy. This is the principle even of human ethics. But in a far higher degree is it the principle of Christian ethics. For in human morality, through the imbecility of our nature, selfishness is never wholly exstirpated. After having been driven out in its vulgar coarseness, it will intrude in a more refined form: and too often has human

virtue been tainted with the desire of self-glorification. The hero of heathen morality was ambitious of displaying the strength of his will in subduing itself. This however was not the principle of his virtue, but its corruption: and this is why the virtues of the heathens in some measure deserve the name of splendid vices. But in Christian morals there is no such compromise. Our will is not to bow to itself, but to the absolute will of God. The graces of the Christian character are far removed from all manner of selfexaltation, which immediately destroys them. They are meekness, patience, forbearance, longsuffering, gentleness, humility. We do not seek our highest rule in our Reason: but our Reason bends to Faith. We do not conquer our carnal nature by our own strength, but by the grace of God: and this grace can only be obtained, when, casting away all selfreliance, we seek it by humble and earnest prayer: which is therefore the highest act man can perform, because it is the act of the most complete selfsacrifice (aq). Our aim should be to put on the mind of Him, who, being in the form of God, made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and humbled Himself unto the death of the cross: wherefore God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name above every name, that at His name every knee shall bow, in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Thus by His own example did He prove to us, that he who loses his life shall preserve it; and that, as God is glorified in his death, his renewed life shall be taken up into the eternal glory of God.

On these however, the highest and grandest parts of our great theme, I cannot dwell. The time warns me to

conclude. We have seen that through every order of beings, in things inanimate and things animate, in the natural and in the spiritual world, in earth and in heaven, the law of selfsacrifice prevails. Everywhere the birth of the spiritual requires the death of the carnal. Everywhere the husk must drop away, in order that the germ may spring out of it. Everywhere, according to our Lord's declaration, that which would save its life loses it, and that which loses its life preserves it. And the highest glory of the highest life is to be offered up a living sacrifice to God for the sake of our brethren. This is the principle of life, which circulates through the universe, and whereby all things minister to each other, the lowest to the highest, the highest to the lowest. This is the golden chain of love, whereby the whole creation is bound to the throne of the Creator. One way or other our life must be lost; unwillingly and we lose it for ever; willingly and we

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gain it for ever. One way or other we must burn; with that earthly fire, which pours forth smoke, and utterly destroys its prey; or with that heavenly fire, which pours forth light, and burns everlastingly, as seen by Moses in the bush, illumining that wherein it burns, and replenishing it evermore from the inexhaustible fountains of Love. The two flames are standing before you: the choice is still open to you you must cast yourselves into the one; or the other will devour you. Choose speedily; choose resolutely; and may the Holy Spirit of God direct your choice, and uphold your resolution!