therein. But what He asks is, that for our own sakes we should see the
truth about ourselves, see what we really are, and sacrifice that self-
conceit which prevents our seeing ourselves as God our Father sees us.
And why does that please God? Simply because it puts us in our right
state, and in our right place, where we can begin to become better men,
let us be as bad as we may. If a man be a fool, the best possible thing
for him is that he should find out that he is a fool, and confess that he
is a fool, as the first, and the absolutely necessary first step to
becoming wise. Therefore repentance, contrition, humility, is the very
foundation-stone of all goodness, virtue, holiness, usefulness; and God
desires to see us contrite, simply because He desires to see us good men
and good women.

Next, the sacrifice of thankfulness, of which it is written, "I will
offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name
of the Lord." And again--By Christ let us offer the sacrifice of praise
continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks unto His name.
Ah! my friends, if we offered that sacrifice oftener, we should have more
seldom need to offer the first sacrifice of repentance. I am astonished
when I look at my own heart, by which alone I can judge the hearts of
others, to see how unthankful one is. How one takes as a matter of
course, without one aspiration of gratitude to our Father in heaven--how
one takes, as a matter of course, I say, life, health, reason, freedom,
education, comfort, safety, and all the blessings of humanity, and of
this favoured land. How we never really feel that these are all God's
undeserved and unearned mercies; and then, how, if we set our hearts on
anything which we have not got, forget all that we have already, and
begin entreating God to give us something which, if we had, we know not
whether it would be good for us; like children crying peevishly for
sweets, after their parents have given them all the wholesome food they