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animated by religious principle, are depri-SER M. ved of the most powerful incentive to worthy and honourable deeds.

Let fuch difcipline, next, be ftudied, as may form us to the active and manly virtues. To natural good affections, we can never entirely truft our conduct. Thefe, as has been fhown, may fometimes be wraped into whas is wrong; and often will prove infufficient, for carrying us rightly through all the duties of life. Good affections are highly valuable; but they must be fupported by fixed principles, cultivated in the understanding, and rooted in the heart, Habits muft be acquired of temperance and felf-denial, that we may be able to refift pleasure, and endure pain, when either of them interfere with our duty; that we may be prepared to make a facrifice of any worldly intereft, when the voice of God and confcience demand it. Let us always remember, that without fortitude of mind, there is no manhood; there can be no perfeverance in virtue. Let a facred and inviolable regard for truth reign in

Our

SERM. our whole behaviour. Let us bé diftin XIV. guished for fidelity to every promife we have made; and for conftancy in every worthy friendship we have formed. Let no weak complaifance, no undue regard to the opinions of men, ever make us betray the rights of confcience. What we have once upon due confideration, adopted as rules of conduct, to thefe let us adhere unfhaken. However the world may change around us, let it find us the fame in prosperity and adverfity; faithful to God and virtue; faithful to the convictions of our own heart. What our lot in the world may be, is not ours to forefee or determine. But it is ours to refolve, that whatever it fhall be, it fhall find us perfevering in one line of uprightness and honour.

BY fuch difcipline, fuch attentions: as thefe, we are to guard against those fail ings, which are fometimes found to stain the most engaging characters. Joining in proper union the amiable and the estimable qualities, by the one we shall attract the

good;

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good; and by the other, command refpect SERM. from the bad. We fhall both fecure our own integrity, and fhall exhibit to others a proper view of what virtue is, in its native grace and majefty. In one part of our character, we fhall refemble the flower that fmiles in fpring; in another, the firmlyrooted tree, that braves the winter ftorm. For, remember we muft, that there is a season of winter, as well as of fpring and fummer, in human life; and it 'concerns. us to be equally prepared for both.

A higher and more perfect example of fuch a character as I now recommend, cannot be found, than what is presented to us in the life of Jefns Chrift. In him we behold all that is gentle, united with all that is refpectable. It is a remarkable expreffion, which the apoftle Paul employs concerning him; I beseech you by the meeknefs and gentleness of Chrift*. Well might thefe qualities be fingled out, as thofe for which he was known and diftinguished.

* 2 Cor. X. I.

We

SERM. We fee him in his whole behaviour affable, XIV.

courteous, and eafy of accefs. He converfed familiarly with all who prefented themselves; and defpifed not the meanest. With all the infirmities of his difciples he calmly bore; and his rebukes were mild, when their provocations were great. He wept over the calamities of his country, which perfecuted him; and apologized and prayed for them who put him to death. Yet the fame Jefus we behold, awful in the ftrictness of his virtue; inflexible in the cause of truth; uncomplying with prevailing manners, when he found them corrupt; fetting his face boldly against the hypocritical leaders of the people; overawed by none of their threatenings; in the most indignant terms, reproving their vices, and ftigmatizing their characters. We behold him gentle, without being tame; firm, without being ftern; courageous, without being violent. Let this mind be in us which was alfo in Jefus Chrift; and we fhall attain to honour, both with God and with man.

-SER

SERMON XV,

On the SACRAMENT of the LORD'S SUP
PER, as a PREPARATION for DEATH.

Preached at the Celebration of the Sacrament of the
Lord's Supper.

MATTHEW, Xxvi. 29,

But I fay unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

W

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ITH these words of our bleffed Lord, SER M. the Evangelift concludes his account of the inftitution of the facrament of the Supper. It is an inftitution which, folemn and venerable in itself, is rendered still more fo, by the circumstances which accompanied VOL. III.

X

it.