spirit in our endeavours after permanent perfection and happiness. Enable us conftantly to look to thee and to thy will, and faithfully and gladly perform it. Bless, to the promotion of these views, the confiderations that are now to employ us, and hear our prayer through Jefus Chrift, in whofe name we further call upon thee, as: Our father, &c.

PHILIPP. ii. 5.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Chrift Jefus.

THE

'HE important precept of the apostle Paul, which we have read to you, and which we fhould revere as a fundamental law of chriftianity, has already recently furnished us with an opportu nity for entering upon fome meditations on the moral character of our beloved lord and faviour Jefus Chrift: on that occafion we held up to you the charming picture of his virtue and goodness, fhewing you what his mind and his conduct were towards God and man. The pureft devotion, the profoundeft veneration, the most ardent love, the moft cheerful obedience to God, the completeft refignation to his will, the livelieft zeal for his honour, an univerfal and unconquerable philanthropy, an unwearied beneficence, the nobleft magnanimity, the tendereft friendship, the greatest affabi

lity and condefcenfion, the most perfect impartiality, fincerity, open-heartedness, prudence, gentlenefs, humility and patience: thefe, pious hearers, were the principal lineaments of the picture that we prefumed to trace of the tranfcendent character of our redeemer. Though this portrait was extremely defective and imperfect; though far beneath the beauty and the luftre of its original: it was nevertheless in its very nature adapted to attract our attention, to affect us and to excite emotion in our hearts. I trust likewise, that at least with some it produced correfpondent effects, by making a good impreffion on them. We must indeed to a very great degree be corrupt; we must have loft all sentiment for what is beautiful, what is good, what is fublime, if we are unmoved at the temper and conduct of Jefus Chrift, if they fail of filling us with esteem, with reverence and love towards him, if they confirm not our faith in himand his divine doctrine, if they convince us not of the excellence of virtue and fail of rendering it venerable and amiable to us. But this is not enough. We fhould not only esteem and love virtue, but actually practise it. We fhould not only admire the example of our lord, but actually follow it. This mind fhould be in you, as our text fays, which was also in Chrift Jefus. On this all depends. This is the primary object of the holy life of Jefus, and the proper use that should be made of it. This it is to which we are particularly bound by a participation

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pation in the holy fupper, fince we thereby publicly proclaim ourselves the difciples of Jefus, and acknowledge him as our chieftain and lord. It will therefore be perfectly fuitable to the defign of our meeting to-day, if we endeavour, under the divine affiftance, to excite you to the imitation of the excellent example of virtue and goodness given us by our faviour.

The method in which we should imitate this example, and the reasons that oblige us to it, are the two particulars in the confideration whereof your attention and devotion will be employed. How happy will it be for us, my friends, how boldly may we prefent ourselves at the table of the lord, and there receive the pledges of his love, if these confiderations produce in us the fincere refolution to proceed henceforth in the footsteps of our faviour, and fo to walk as he alfo walked!

We lately remarked that Chrift performed many things wherein we cannot pretend to imitate him. He was placed in various relations and circumftances, as the fon of God, as an extraordinary prophet and teacher, as the mediator and redeemer of mankind, in which we can never be. As fuch, he poffeffed prerogatives and abilities far fuperior to ours. He could and was to do fuch works as we neither can nor fhould. But it is not so much the particular actions of our faviour, as the way and manner in which he performed them; it is his difpofition of mind and his whole character, which

we

we are to propofe for our example. We are to regulate our conduct by the fame rules of righteoufness, of philanthropy, of magnanimity; we should be actuated by the fame pure and generous views to the honour of the Moft High, and to the promotion of the general welfare; the fame fpirit of humility, of gentlenefs, of patience, of reconciliation, that actuated Chrift, fhould actuate us also. We are to practise the virtues he practifed, though we cannot in all particular cafes give the fame or fo powerful a demonftration of them. Every one of us fhould strive to fulfil the duties of his calling and the true end of his existence, with the fame fidelity with which Chrift accomplished the defign of his mission upon earth. We should like him employ all our faculties in conformity to the will of God, and earnestly feize all opportunities for doing good, and for rendering ourfelves ufeful to others, though thefe faculties and thefe opportunities be very different, or though they be feldom or never totally alike. Like our faviour, we should bear all the trials which God lays upon us, all the fufferings he difpenfes to us, with ftedfaft patience, and meek fubmiflion to his will, though thefe trials and thefe fufferings be, neither in their nature and quality, nor in refpect of their intention, exactly fimilar to thofe which our redeemer encountered. This is to imitate the example of our lord; and thus even fuch of his actions as were extraordi- . nary, and fuperior to our abilities, may be fubfervient

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fervient to us for inftruction and example. How ever various then and great the prerogatives which he poffeffed; however different his station and calling from ours: notwithstanding this, his life may and fhould be the pattern and rule of ours. The condition of a menial fervant is doubtlefs very much inferior to the ftation of his master; we may nevertheless with ftrict propriety exhort him to imitate the example of his prudent and beneficent master not that he can give the very fame proofs of prudence, of beneficence and affection; but because he may display the fame prudent, affectionate, and beneficent difpofitions in all those actions that are fuitable to his condition. The cafe is the fame in regard to the example of our venerable and amiable redeemer. A few particular exemplifications will beft ferve to illuftrate this

matter.

Chrift came into the world to feek and to fave those that were loft. He came to declare to mankind the will of God, to deliver and redeem them from their aberrations, to smooth for them the way to fupreme felicity; and to this purpose he devoted his whole life. We cannot indeed do exactly the fame. We are not all called to the paftoral office, much less can we promote the falvation of men to the very fame degree as he did. But does it thence follow that we can contribute nothing to that end; that we may be quite indifferent to the falvation of our brethren? May we not on one hand do

or,

harm