LX.

_THE IMAGE OF SELF._

23rd Sunday after Trinity.

S. Matthew xxii., 20.

"Whose is this image?"

INTRODUCTION.--Some people are very fond of contemplating their own
excellencies, of admiring their good qualities, or their success in
life; they will talk to you of what they have done, how they made this
lucky hit, how they outwitted so-and-so, how they escaped such a danger
by their foresight. But they are not fond of considering their
imperfections, of lamenting their faults, of confessing their failures,
their lost opportunities, their neglected duties, their grave
transgressions. No, no! they do not see them, they see only their own
good qualities and none of their blemishes, they extol their successes,
and hold their tongues over their failures.

SUBJECT.--But it would be well for us to contemplate ourselves as we
really are, and see ourselves in the light in which we are seen by God,
for the Apostle says: "If we would judge ourselves, we shall not be
judged," that is, if we would only see ourselves with all our defects,
and repent our faults here, and judge ourselves and go and amend, then
we should escape the judgment hereafter.

I. King David says, in the 51st Psalm, "I acknowledge my faults, and
my sin is ever before me." Now, think of this! If any man had
occasion to boast it was King David. He had been a poor sheep-boy
attending the flocks of his father, a farmer at Bethlehem, and he was
taken from the sheepfolds and exalted to be king. What an exaltation
for him from a humble origin to the highest place! He might well look
back on that with exultation; but no, a shadow steps between and clouds
the view, "My sin is ever before me."

I daresay his palace walls were hung with tapestry, or painted in
colours with pictures representing his deeds. There he was shewn
fighting the bear, there taking the lamb from the lion's mouth, and
smiting him. There he was pictured with his sling going against the
giant Goliath. There he was represented standing over the fallen
Philistine and hewing off his head. Look! another picture! his
marriage with Michal, the daughter of King Saul. "Whose is this
image?" It is that of the conqueror over Amalek. "Whose is this
image?" It is David crowned king of Judah in Hebron. And here is a
goodly picture; of whom is it? This is David anointed King over all
Israel. There is another! David defeating the Philistines in the
battle under the mulberr