his own concerns. 'exercise of this excellent virtue. Is he traduced by his enemies and loaded with the vileft abufe; is he withstood by them in the most opprobrious manner; do they take up ftones to throw at him: he never returns evil for evil; when he is reviled, he reviles not again; but meets their fury with a fedate and fublime tranquillity; and repells their unjust accufations by rational arguments and folid replies. Would the difciples, from too quick a fenfibility at a flight offence, have him call fire from heaven to deftroy the Samaritans? He fternly rebukes them for their violence, faying to them, "Ye know not what manner of fpirit ye are of. For the son of man is not come to deftroy men's lives, but to fave them." Do the difciples fhew fo much indifference and infenfibility at the very time when his whole foul was in commotion, and when he had moít need of their comfort and fupport, and notwithstanding his repeated admonitions to watchfulness, as to fuffer themselves to be overcome by fleep? He reproves them for it indeed, but at the fame time excuses it himfelf; and his very reproof is without anger, only proceeding from friendship and compaffion. "What, could ye not watch with me one hour! The fpirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Your `bodies are oppreffed by fatigue. Is he at length arraigned as a criminal at the bar, ftanding unpitied and alone, without an advocate to plead his caufe? Is he, the greateft benefactor to his brethren, most

His whole life was a continued

fhamefully

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fhamefully infulted by them, derided, crucified and flain? Is he fufpended as a felon, between two malefactors, on the accurfed tree, to be a mark for the general fcorn and the most outrageous infults? Even in thefe dreadful circumftances he preferves his fpirit in a perfect calm, and free from all the disorder of paffion. Amidst all the perfecutions he daily met with, the lamb of God appeared in meeknefs, in gentleness and in uncomplaining innocence. No angry, no malicious, no vindictive expreffion, proceeds from his mouth; he prays for the barbarous inftruments of his unmerited fufferings in the mildeft interceffion that was ever offered up at the throne of mercy; he comforts a fincere, though late repenting finner; he provides for his deftitute mother, and for the difciple who had always been his favourite; and then commends his fpirit, full of confidence and fortitude, into the hands of his heavenly father.

All these virtues, pious hearers, all these merits were accompanied with the greateft humility, and thence acquired additional fplendor. Our redeemer was not oftentatious of thofe prerogatives which elevated him fo far above all mortal beings. He held it not robbery, fays the apostle, after the words of our text, he boasted not that he resembled God, that he was his fon, his beloved, and in intimate union with him. On the contrary, having these pre-eminences, he laid them all aside, and took upon him the office of a minifter. He concealed his

prerogatives,

prerogatives, he never made use of them, except when the nature of his office and the defign of his miffion required it. He fought not his own glory, but the glory of him that fent him. He afcribed those wonderful acts he performed, not fo much to himself, as to his heavenly father, from whom he received the power. "The fon, fays he, can do nothing of himself, but what he fees the father do. The doctrine that I preach, is not mine, but his that fent me. The father who is in me, he doth the works. I feek not my own will, but the will of the father who fent me." And what an affecting inftance of his humility did he give but a fhort time before his fufferings, by washing the feet of his difciples, and by condefcending to fuch fervices as are only becoming to the meaneft domeftics! Nay, how plainly did his whole conduct shew, that "the fon of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minifter, and to give his life a ranfom for many !" Thefe, my dearest friends, are the leading features in the venerable and amiable character of our faviour Jefus. This is the captivating example of goodness and virtue he has left us; and to which he has fo forcibly enjoined us to conform. I am perfectly fenfible, my friends, that the picture I have prefented to you is far, very far inferior to the excellency of its original; and I am inclined to believe, that it is not poffible for creatures so weak and corrupted as we are, to do it complete juftice. Can we however contemplate this picture, all imperfect as it is, without aftonishment, without gentle tranfports?

VOL. II.

K K

transports? Can we contemplate it without having the highest veneration for Christ and his holy religion, without being enamoured with the piety and virtue that appears in every part of it, without feeling a fresh zeal to act up to the bright example with all poffible firmnefs and perfeverance? Unhappy they who can confider such a spotless pattern of moral goodness and rectitude without emotion, or without being infpired with the moft ardent defires of becoming a tranfcript of it! Such infenfible, fuch groveling fouls, must be loft to all that is beautiful, that is good, that is generous and noble; they must be loft to virtue, to religion, to heaven. Yes, my friends, if we would be the difciples of Jefus, if we would be happy, we fhould thus be affected by the example of our lord. So will it by degrees destroy in us all the feeds of irregular and depraved lufts and affections; produce and ftrengthen in us every amiable, every generous difpofition; infpire us with a truly effective zeal in the beneficent actions which are well-pleafing in the fight of God. To this end, we fhould keep this example conftantly before our eyes, frequently examine ourfelves by it, and make it the model of our whole carriage and demeanour. We fhould be like-minded with Jefus, and fo walk even as he walked. Thrice happy we, if we fincerely do fo, and perfevere in it even to the end! Chrift will then acknowledge us for his adherents and fucceffors; and as fuch we fhall live and reign with him in the other world for ever. Good-Friday.

SERMON LI.

Of the Imitation of the Example of Jefus.

1

GOD, who haft given us thy fon Jefus, to be a teacher, a guide and precurfor on the paths of virtue and happiness, grant that his doctrine may continually manifeft its divine energy in us; grant that his example may attract us to the imitation of it. As thou didst commit to him the noblest, the most falutary work, the work of the redemption of mankind, thou haft likewise committed to every one of us his particular business to tranfact on earth. Thou haft affigned to each of us his ftation, his calling, his field of action, in which we may exercise our faculties, be useful to ourselves and to others, and promote the welfare of the whole. Grant that we, like the great captain of our falvation, may perform our work with fidelity and fortitude, that we like him may conftantly keep our object in view, and be ever advancing towards it. Let us not indulge in floth, but lay afide all irrefolution, all thoughts of fatigue. Strengthen us by thy good