Mount of Olives, it burst upon his view:1 his own sufferings forgotten, the shouts of the applauding multitude unheard, he is absorbed in the miseries about to fall on the people for their sins! Again, who can fully conceive of the compassion which led him, when expiring in death, to provide a refuge for his mother, when a sword was going through her very heart, as she beheld her son in the agonies of the crucifixion !

Time forbids me to point out how this benevolence of Christ flowed forth in the forgiveness of injuries-nor is it needful. Not a single word of resentment, nor any expression of personal displeasure, ever came out of his mouth. He was daily and hourly returning good for evil, till, on the cross, he prayed for the very wretches who were driving the nails into his hands and feet-Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.2

Nor is it necessary to dwell on THAT MEEKNESS AND LOWLINESS OF SPIRIT which so remarkably appeared in our Lord, but which we have just noticed in describing his conduct in his state of humiliation. In fact, so meek was Jesus, and so confessedly was this the whole impress of his character, that he could

Mr. Jowett mentions this touching circumstance in his 2 Luke xxiii. 34.

ches.

call on his disciples to imitate him in this respect, without rendering his sincerity for a moment questionable. Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. The soft and gentle spirit of Christ is ever apparent. As a lamb dumb before his shearers, so opened he not his mouth. Instead of the ambition, the susceptibility of affronts, the self-confidence, the personal importance, which appeared in other moral teachers, our Lord was uniformly gentle and lowly. It is impossible even for the unbeliever to deny, and indeed he does not venture to deny, the meekness and lowliness of Christ's character.

Then consider HIS SUPERIORITY TO TO THE WORLD-to the passions, objects, opinions, pleasures, indulgences, love of ease; regard to fame, to riches, to display, to influence, to praise-which the Scripture includes under that comprehensive term, and which have ever ensnared, under one form or other, all merely human teachers. In our Saviour we see nothing of a worldly spirit:-there was no courting of the great, no fawning over the persons of the noble, no haunting the palaces of kings, no deference to the authority of powerful and wicked men, no debates about human politics and temporal interests, no desire after worldly

'Matt. xi. 29.-Bowdler.

2 Isaiah liii. 7.

distinction or dominion, no leaning to an outward splendour and an external Messiahship, such as the Jews desired and feigned. On the contrary, never was there so unworldly a character, never such disinterestedness, never such superiority to all the glare and bustle and attraction of the world and worldly glory. He estimated things as they really were, and acted simply and invariably upon that estimate. He was not of the world; he was of another spirit, engaged in other pursuits, touched by other interests, bent on high and nobler ends. And in no respect is his example more perfect in itself, and more necessary to us, than in his overcoming of the world.'

Then mark the STRICT TEMPERANCE AND COMMAND OF THE INFERIOR APPETITES which our Lord exercised-a rare and difficult attainment! But what self-denial, what abstinence from indulgence, what freedom from every thing like the stain of excess, appeared in Christ! His temperance how pure, how elevated, how vigilant, how uniform, how natural! He wrought no miracle for the supply of his own wants-you hear of none of these wants. He pities the multitude, indeed, and feeds them miraculously; but for himself, he has not where to lay his head. Whilst he sits instructing the

' John xvi. 33.

Samaritan woman, he accounts that he has meat to eat which his disciples knew not of; whilst, as to them, they are compelled to go into the city to purchase food.'

Join to these virtues, THE FORTITUDE AND CONSTANCY which appeared in our Redeemer -that quality of mind which is compounded of courage, patience and perseverance; which knows not how to yield in a great undertaking; which is daunted by no opposition, and faints under no discouragement; which endures contradiction, violence, injustice, oppression. With what fortitude does our Lord bear the incessant hostility and perverseness of the Jews! With what constancy and boldness does he arraign the vices and hypocrisy and cruelties of the scribes and pharisees! When did he betray any symptoms of cowardice or the fear of man? When did he fly in dejection or irresolution? No: he fainted not, neither was discouraged, till he had set judgment in the earth.2

THE PRUDENCE AND DISCRETION which ever adorned our divine Master must not be overlooked. These made a remarkable, though not a disproportionate, part of his character. He never invited attack by imprudence, nor provoked hostility by intemperate rashness.

1 John iv. 8.

2 Isaiah xlii. 4.

When no good could be effected in one spot, he withdrew to another. The questions dictated by curiosity or craft, he repelled by wisdom; proposing other questions, or inculcating a general doctrine, or softening reproof, by the veil of a parable. The forethought, the consideration of circumstances, the adaptation of means to the desired end, the disposition of the several parts of his doctrine to their proper purposes and to the class of his auditory, his determination under a choice of difficulties, his address in defending his disciples when accused, his apologies before the bigoted Jews, marked our Lord's wisdom. The human heart lay open before him: difficult questions and sudden turns only served to display his consummate prudence. Yes, he did all things well :' his prudence was as conspicuous in the manner, as his benevolence in the execution, of his designs.

2. But I must not detain you longer on the separate graces of our Saviour's personal character, much as they might be extended. I must proceed to offer a few remarks on the UNION of them in his most holy life; for he combined all the various branches of moral excellency, and exhibited in equal perfection the

1 Mark vii. 37.