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infenfible, how ungrateful, how despicable muft we be should we refufe it! Certainly we should render ourselves utterly unworthy of being called the difciples of Jefus; we fhould forfeit all the advantages and felicities that are promifed us under that diftinction.

We have fourthly the fame reafons for leading a righteous, a holy, a godly, an humble, a heavenlyminded life, as Chrift had fo to do; and confequently we are, for this reafon, bound to follow his example. Or, do we not stand in the fame relations to the fupreme being in which Christ him felf stood, confidered as a man? Have we not the very fame nature as he had? Ought not the honour and glory of God to be the ultimate end of our whole behaviour, and his will the only and unalterable rule of it? Are we not juft as much strangers and fojourners here on earth, as our lord and faviour was? What greater reasons have we to love the world and the things of it more, and more highly to prize them, than he had? Are riches, honours, and fenfual gratifications more our peculiar and highest good than they were his? Can they contribute more to our true and everlasting felicity, than they could contribute to his? Are they lefs dangerous to us than they were to him? Is it an eafier matter for us to conquer our corruption, to perfect our holinefs, to work out our falvation, than it was for him to do the work the father had given him to do? Have we lefs need of devotion, of

VOL. II.

L L

zeal

Such is the perfection of the christian law, fuch the purity of thofe morals which Jesus delivered, fuch the beauty of the gospel as a rule of life, as to have gained the love and admiration of many who have difbelieved its doctrines. But he gave them a ftill higher luftre by his example. The perfection of the christian law, the purity of thofe morals which Jefus delivered, the beauty of the gofpel as a rule of life, appear nowhere to fuch advantage, as in the life of our lord. There you contemplate holinefs, not as a dead letter, but as a living form; fubftantial, prefent, fpeaking to the world. He trod before you the path that leads to heaven. It is pointed out by his precepts; it is marked by his example; it is confecrated by his blood.

Would you learn what virtue is, would you be in love with virtue, would you practife virtue; contemplate the life of Jefus, ftudy the life of Jefus, imitate the life of Jefus. He to whom the jews preferred a robber and a murderer, was fairer in his life than the fons of men, and purer in his heart than the angels of God. That head which they crowned with thorns was ever intent on benevolent deeds, and at that very moment of time meditated their good. Thofe feet which they bound to the crofs went about on errands of mercy. Those hands which they nailed to the accurfed tree, were lifted up in devotion to God, or ftretched out in beneficence to men. Jefus, through his whole life, marked out the path which leads to the heavens.

Walk

Walk in that path, christians. You fhall arrive at heaven; and be of that happy number, who are to inhabit the mansions prepared for you by him who is the refurrection and the life.

Communion.

SERMON LII.

Of the Paftoral Office.

GOD, Father of men, what great things haft thou done in us thy children, and how much art thou daily doing for us! All nature reveals to us thy glory and grandeur, thy grace and parental affection towards us. All informs us of thy will and of our grand appointment. All incites us to the accomplishment of thy will, and to the continually completer attainment of the ultimate end of our being. Nature as well as religion; the reason with which thou haft endowed us, as well as thy more immediate revelation. Thanks and praises be to thee, the All-bountiful, for the various means of inftruction and knowledge thou haft imparted to us! Thanks and praises be to thee, more especially for the advantages which thou haft vouchfafed to us in this respect as chriftians! Yes, in thy fon Jefus thou haft caufed a brighter luminary to rife upon us. By him we are come nearer to thee, our father, and to the knowledge of the truth. By him we have learnt

to

to form jufter conceptions of numberlefs momentous, confolatory objects. By him we have attained to greater certainty concerning thy will and thy gracious difpofitions towards us, more hope and af furance both living and dying.

By him haft thou

instituted amongst us the pastoral office; and what means, what inducements, always to proceed farther in knowledge and virtue, haft thou thus beftowed upon us! How greatly facilitated to us the way to perfection and happiness! Oh might this important office be more and more faithfully administered by all who bear it, and be uniformly diffufing more light and comfort and joy, continually producing more good difpofitions and actions among mankind! Do thou cleanfe and fanctify thy church, moft gracious God, that both teachers and hearers may be constantly advancing together towards that which thou wouldst have them to be. Oh pour out thy spirit and energy upon us all who are ordained. to declare thy will to our brethren, and lead them to thee and to happiness; teach us rightly to difcern the truth, to believe it firmly, to follow its dictates faithfully, to deliver it with conviction to others; and thus open to it an access to the understandings and to the hearts of them that hear us. Enable our hearers alfo to bring with them increafing docility and attention to the difcourfe of their teachers, and to apply it with growing diligence to their improvement. Oh might thus the kingdom of thy fon Jefus, the kingdom of truth and virtue,

of