dens, and the young ravens their food, had not where to lay his head,' nor any legal property of his own to support him. How unworthy of such a master must that disciple be, who coming naked into the world, and possessing nothing, but by the mere bounty of Providence, is dissatisfied with his condition, because he enjoys not more of this world's wealth and honour than his Divine Master? But he thinks he hath deserved a better lot: deserved of whom? Of God? If he hath vanity enough to stand upon his merits with Providence, let him know, that eternal infamy and misery is all he can deserve of God. If he had the mind of Christ, he would sit down satisfied with the low and indigent condition of Christ. We do not enough consider how greatly Christ hath dignified poverty by his example, as well as sweetened it by his precepts. Blessed are the poor in spirit,' says that gracious Master, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' As Christ's kingdom was not of this world,' that man can be no follower of his, who cannot be satisfied without something like a kingdom here, although he may, by humility, provide a much better one hereafter.

Our Saviour's example affords us the highest instance of resolution that can be conceived. There is nothing shocking or terrible in nature, which he was not obliged to encounter with. The utmost cruelty of man, edged by the blackest malice of devils, was discharged upon him in distresses of every kind. He was slandered, reproached, spit upon, buffeted, betrayed, falsely accused, and cruelly murdered. Now, though he could have avoided all this, yet he went through it all with a calmness and steadiness perfectly astonishing and inconceivable. Such resolution makes even humility majestic. If fortitude does not comprehend all the virtues, it is at least the foundation of them all; insomuch that there is no being a Christian without it; for he who is a Christian, must have firmness and perseverance to withstand all trials, to face all dangers, and contemn all calamities, that may attempt to frighten, or force him from his duty; with strength and constancy to resist all allurements that might otherwise seduce him from it. There is no warfare, in which so high a degree of resolution is required, as in that against our spiritual enemies. It is for this reason, that we ought to fix our eyes on the

courageous example set us by our great leader, that, if possible, we may be fired with a portion of the same glorious and undaunted spirit, that shone in him with so much lustre amidst all his horrible conflicts. Nothing but the mind that was in him can enable us to fight our way through the various difficulties that stand between us and the prize of our high calling,' the crown of everlasting life. The irresolute and fickle Christian hath no courage to renounce the world, or to subdue himself; but is ever wavering and dodging between his principles and his passions; as if it were possible to travel on the narrow way, and the broad at once; though the one leads to hell, and the other to heaven. Woe be to the fearful heart,' says the son of Sirach, and 'faint hands, and the sinner that goeth two ways.' Can such a man, 'who is unstable in all his ways,' hope that so unsteady a soul, and so dead an heart, will ever be able to carry him up through that steep and difficult, though glorious path, his Saviour hath trod before him, and marked every step of it with his blood? No; it is impossible. Heaven must be taken by storm, and can never be won by so cowardly and so faint-hearted a soldier.

Again, as our hearts are corrupt, our affections unclean, and our passions wild, there is no one virtue we stand more in need of than self-denial. Self, mistaken and degenerate self, is our greatest enemy; and therefore to guard against, and subdue ourselves, is a duty of the most necessary obligation, and a matter of the highest consequence. Now the whole life of our blessed Saviour is, from beginning to end, a most wonderful example of self-denial. Although he could have had no occasion for this virtue on his own account, he being purity and holiness itself, yet, in order to set the necessary precedent, as the Son of God, he denied himself the glories and raptures of heaven, and, as the son of man, all the pomps and pleasures of the world, and became a man of sorrows, to save others. What notion can we have of the grandeur of that mind, that was all tears and tenderness to the miseries of other men, nay of even the bitterest enemies, but had no relenting for himself, when he felt that agony which forced his blood through his pores, and saw the shame and terror of his death approaching? No language hath a name for this height of virtue. Generosity, and self

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denial, and mortification, and mercy, all put together, are by no means sufficient to express it, St. Paul argues extremely well with us, upon this example. We then,' says he, ́ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour, for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself." The self-pleaser, and the self-willed, is too unlike Christ to have any share in him, and is governed by a mind so narrow, and so opposite to the mind of Christ, that it is impossible he should ever be united to him. How can he be a member of Christ, who centres all his pleasures and interests in himself, not in Christ, the head, nor in his fellow-Christians, the members of Christ's body. He cannot be an eye, nor a hand, nor a foot, in such a body, which hath but one common interest; for he never sees, nor acts, nor stirs, but for himself, unhappily, for his own mistaken self. His mind is very unlike the mind of Christ; for that, wherever it works at all, works for the common good of the whole body.

But farther; there is in the life of our Saviour the most perfect pattern of humility. Although he was the King of heaven, yet he took upon him the form of a servant,' and in that form endured, with an amazing calmness, the contempt of those he came to save. He, who had been accustomed to the hosannahs and hallelujahs of angels, submitted to the scoffs and taunts of men, who called him a madman, a wine-bibber, and sinner.' He heard the blasphemy of the multitude, but made no reply; 'for as a lamb before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.' They spat in his face, and scourged him, and he submitted with infinitely greater humility, than those who are guilty are able to shew on the like treatment. His example in this respect he himself hath expressly recommended to us, 'Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.' When he had washed the feet of his disciples, he said unto them, 'know you what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet; for I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent, greater than he that sent him. If ye

know these things, happy are ye, if you do them.' As there is no vice, to which the nature of man is so prone, nor that of God so averse, as pride, so our blessed Saviour took particular pains to enforce the example of his own humility on us for that very reason. And shall we, when we see the Son of God stooping so low, carry ourselves with an high head, and stiff neck? Shall we, who are but earth and ashes, refuse to bear what he did, to 'whom all power in heaven and earth was given, who is exalted above all principality and power, and to whom a name is given, at which every knee must bow?' The proud man hath not that mind which humbled Christ to the death of the cross; for which God exalted him, and gave a name, which is above every name ;' but that mind and spirit, which threw down Satan out of heaven, into a place of endless shame and torment.

Again, As by nature and necessity we are for ever to be subjects, to the church and the civil magistrate here, and to God hereafter, there is no disposition or virtue more necessary to us than obedience; and therefore we ought to train ourselves to it, with the utmost diligence, by all the precepts of the gospel, and particularly by the example of our blessed Saviour, in which this virtue shines forth in a peculiar manner. We know, that' as he is God, 'all power belongeth unto him;' and yet he paid the most exact obedience, not only to the will of his Father, but even to the rules of the Jews, as well civil as ecclesiastical; although those rulers were either the worst of men, and the most lawless of usurpers, or only the mere deputies and delegates of his own power. Besides, the obedience which he humbled himself to, was, in another respect, the greatest instance of resignation that ever was heard of; because he not only submitted to authority and power, but to persecution and injustice, of the severest and grossest nature. Though a king, he submitted to the punishment of a slave; though innocent, to the death of the guilty, There is no such obedience required of us by Almighty God, nor can be; because before him we are all servants, all guilty. Men indeed may punish us for a crime we never committed; but in this they are only the instruments of Providence, to lay on us a small part of those sufferings, which are most justly due to us, on account of our manifold offences in other respects. But,

supposing us entirely innocent, what does the example of our blessed Saviour recommend to us? A humble resignation. His precept also does the same; if thine enemy smite thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other also.' St. Peter likewise reasons very well with us to that effect. 'This is thank-worthy, if a man, for conscience toward God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffetted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently; this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.' Thus certainly will he demean himself who is governed by the spirit of resignation and obedience, that was in Christ Jesus; and instead of thinking it a disgrace to him, will glory in sharing with his Lord and Master, the honour of an innocent sufferer.

Again, in the life of our blessed Saviour there is a most useful example of patience, in comparison of which even that of Job was but discontent and fretfulness. Through his whole life he met perpetual contradiction and opposition; which however was on 'no occasion able to ruffle the settled calmness of his mind. He found his disciples stiff in their prejudices, in ignorance, and worldly-mindedness; through pride contending for superiority, through vanity raising objections, through incredulity disbelieving or doubting, in spite of the most express prophecies, and the most amazing miracles; and, through a deadness to spiritual doctrines or promises, ready, on every occasion, to desert or betray him. Yet he held on instructing them, with meekness, till he changed them into a different kind of men. The Scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, took their turns to encounter him with difficult questions, which he baffled with astonishing wisdom, but never triumphed or insulted. There was no kind of artifice, no degree of cruelty, unemployed by the rulers of the Jews, to stop the progress of his doctrine, or to destroy his person; but all conld never force him either to complain or repine. When he was arraigned, and nothing could be brought against him, but the clamours of a malicious maltitude, he pleaded the cause of his inno