s in the conqueror, one should be almost tempted to
suspect; that, considering it as a principle of such potency and
prevalence, as that they must despair of bringing it into just
subjection, they were intent only on complimenting it into good humour
(like those barbarous nations which worship the evil Spirit through
fear;) or rather, that they were making a sort of composition with an
enemy they could not master, and were willing, on condition of its
giving up the trade of war, to suffer it to rule undisturbed, and range
at pleasure.

But the truth is, that the reasonings of Christian moralists too often
exhibit but few traces of the genius of Christian morality. Of this
position, the case before us is an instance. This principle of the
desire of worldly distinction and applause, is often allowed, and even
commended, with too few qualifications, and too little reserve. To covet
wealth is base and sordid, but to covet honour is treated as the mark of
a generous and exalted nature. These writers scarcely seem to bear in
mind, that though the principle in question tends to prevent the
commission of those grosser acts of vice which would injure us in the
general estimation; yet that it not only stops there, but that it there
begins to exert almost an equal force in the opposite direction. They do
not consider how apt this principle is, even in the case of those who
move in a contracted sphere, to fill us with vain conceits, and vicious
passions; and above all how it tends to fix the affections on earthly
things, and to steal away the heart from God. They acknowledge it to be
criminal when it produces mischievous effects, but forget how apt it is,
by the substitution of a false and corrupt motive, to vitiate the purity
of our good actions, depriving them of all which rendered them truly and
essentially valuable. That, not to be too hastily approved, because it
takes the side of virtue, it often works her ruin while it asserts her
cause, and like some vile seducer, pretends affection only the more
surely to betray.

It is the distinguishing glory of Christianity not to rest satisfied
with superficial appearances, but to rectify the _motives_, and purify
the _heart_. The true Christian, in obedience to the lessons of
Scripture, no where keeps over himself a more resolute and jealous
guard, than where the desire of human estimation and distinction is in
question. No where does he more deeply feel the insufficiency of his
una