one, than enslave his country and be dishonestly great, with the other?

These examples are borrowed from the history of remote ages, before the light of Christianity was given to the world. When our blessed Saviour appeared in the flesh, he taught mankind to estimate things at their true value, and to form a correct judgment of human life. If, for a moment, we consider him only in his character of "the Son of Man," and, accordingly, exclude from our view "the benefits which, by his precious blood-shedding he hath obtained for us ;"-if we regard him only as "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;"—our approbation will be due to him, in preference to the personages who, at that time, possessed the highest rank and dignity, Tiberius was then sovereign of the Roman empire; and he is conspicuous in history for the number and enormity of his crimes. Herod, at the time of our Saviour's birth, was on the throne of Judea, and obtained, by his pageantry and ostentation, the title of Herod the Great: yet, if his memory has not been unjustly calumniated, there is scarcely a vice or a crime, of which he was not guilty. After his death, his son Herod Antipas was Tetrarch of Galilee, and sat in judgment upon Christ, and was exceedingly glad that he was brought before him. But he was, soon after this, deposed and banished:-to him a more painful change, than even crucifixion itself could have been. Another Herod, remarkable for eruelty, sat afterwards on the throne of Judea, in all

the pomp and glitter that the votaries of this world,the unthinking multitude, -could desire or envy. When he spoke, his flatterers cried out that "it was the voice of a God and not of a man." "And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost."

All the grandeur of this world,-particularly when it is sullied with crimes,-is unworthy of a wise man's regard. It places its possessor below the most igno ble of our species. True greatness consists in a steady performance of duty, under all discouragements:

and the noblest spectacle in human life, is a good man struggling with affliction, and bearing up against all trials, in the hope of being rewarded and happy hereafter. An example, for our encouragement in this particular, is conspicuously set forth in the life of Christ himself. After a series of conspiracies formed against him,—after a persecution so prying and vexatious, that "he had not where to lay his head," he was betrayed by those who shared his confidence, and was delivered into the power of his bitterest enemies. He was dragged before a partial tribunal of heathens;-false witnesses rose up against him, to take away his life ;-he was condemned upon their testimony ;-he was dressed in the ridiculous robes of a mock majesty,-insulted, buffeted, spit upon, scourged, and nailed to the cross. Yet even nature mourned for him. Things inanimate gave sentence against his enemies, and proclaimed the great Mes

siah. The sun withdrew his light ;-darkness covered the face of the earth;-Jerusalem shook to her very foundations ;--the tombs opened, and disclosed their dead;-and this outward fabric of the world seemed approaching to its ruin. Yet how soon did a brighter and more pleasing scene appear, when, triumphant over death and the grave, he ascended, in his glorified body, into heaven, and sat down for ever at the right hand of God. He was made perfect, through sufferings, to obtain deliverance for us, who, all our life-time are subject to bondage. What, then, have we to fear, under such a Guide, and such a Mediator? Let the hands that hang down be lifted up, and the feeble knees be strengthened. Whatever we may be called to suffer, let us endeavour to purify our consciences from sin. We shall then be comforted and sustained with help from God, who will recompense our sorrows with a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

1

SERMON XXVII.

GODLINESS PROFITABLE TO ALL THINGS.

1 TIMOTHY iv. 8.

Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

THOUGH a sense of religion is natural to man, and though nations even the most uncivilized have some mode of worshipping their Creator, and of acknowledging "his eternal power and Godhead,"*—yet the human mind has always, when left to its own unassisted resources, been unable to form a correct notion of God himself; and, consequently, the religious systems which it has framed, have terminated in vanity and delusion. The utmost scope of the worshipper, in these circumstances, seems to have been, with very few exceptions, to gratify the passions and desires that are connected with self-love, and to nurture the propensities of the mere animal life. Those

* Rom. i. 20.

heavenly perfections which alone can elevate, purify, and comfort the soul, were, in the very nature of the case, beyond the reach of their contemplation : --and the reason of this St. Paul confirms, where he says, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God;-neither can he know them ; because they are spiritually discerned."*

The truth of these assertions will be admitted by all who have attentively studied the histories of savage nations, or the records of heathen antiquity. For whether the great object of worship is regarded as one God or as a Plurality, as a good or as an evil Spirit; whether the whole world or any of its productions are deified; it will be found that the religious services of Paganism are little, if any thing, more than the acknowledging of a Power which is able to delight or to grieve the spirit of the mere natural man. However the circumstances of time and place, and even the names of their pretended deities may vary, the things themselves are the same. The objects of adoration have immediate reference to the animal constitution of mankind. Such are worldly pleasure, sensuality, revenge, and success in any pursuit that depends upon strength or subtlety. Such also are the natural productions of the earth that contribute to our nourishment; as corn, wine, and fruits;—and the things that influence them; as the sun, moon, and stars,-and the elements of fire, air, and water. The divine honours paid to deceased

* 1 Cor. ii. 14.