cultivate in themselves the fame mind which was in him, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separated from finners, and who continually went about doing good. Your time will not allow me fo much as to name all the virtues which shine with the brightest luftre in his character, and in the practice of all which defire to follow him. In one word, they perceive nothing in his character which has the least tendency to mislead them into imperfection, folly, or vice, whilst they behold in it every virtue divine, focial, and personal, in fuch perfection, as to form a model which they may for ever copy, without ever equalling: They imitate him in his unaffected piety to God, his justice and charity to all men, and in his univerfal felfgovernment. His example they have ever in view as the pattern of their imitation: In all difficult and trying fituations, they seriously ask their own hearts, how Chrift would have acted in fuch a fituation; and then they go and do likewife, let the foolish or the wicked think or say what they pleafe. Those who thus know Christ, aspire with the utmost ardour after this temper and conduct, and make daily progrefs towards the highest attainments.

It now only remains, that I fhould close this dif course with a few practical obfervations upon it. ist, We

ift, We may obferve the refined and excellent nature of those bleffings which we may receive from Chrift. Are they a deliverance from Egyp tian bondage, the poffeffion of a land flowing with milk and honey, or any other great inheri tance or kingdom in this world? No, all these are gifts beneath the dignity of Chrift to come to this world to bestow; thefe are gifts which might be poffeffed by men, and yet their poffeffors be foolifh, wicked, and wretched: But the bleffings, which Christ came to bestow, are the pardon of our fins, the renovation of our natures, with all that happiness in every stage of our existence, and in every outward fituation, which is infeparable from them, and which, with the utmoft propriety, are styled our life. These are the bleffings which we most need: This is what will be of the greatest advantage to us in every fituation : This will make us happy in the poffeffion of ourselves, and of every proper object of human enjoyment: No outward ftate, however exalted, can render that man great or happy, who is dead in trefpaffes and fins: No outward circumftance, however adverfe or low, can make that man little or wretched, who is fpiritually alive: Nothing fo much degrades or torments human nature as fin: Sin is the reproach C

of

of any people: "There is no peace (faith God) "unto the wicked, for his heart is like the trou"bled fea, which cannot reft." Nothing fo much exalts and bleffes human nature, as its reftoration to knowledge, righteousness, and holiness: The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour : The good man is fatisfied in himself: Wisdoms

ways are the ways of pleasantness, and her paths

are the paths of peace.

Henceforth, inftead of defpifing holiness, like fome, as inconfiftent with the gospel of Chrift; inftead of dreading it, like others, as a grievous burden; and instead of confidering it, like others, as the price of happiness; let us regard it as it is in itself, one of the chief bleflings of the gospel, the very life and liberty of man, as happiness itfelf, and a part of heaven: Let us ever remember that Chrift came into this world, to renew and perfect our natures, as well as to expiate our guilt: That holiness is the beft evidence of our faith in him, and of our meetness for the inheritance of the faints in light: Let this life of man, be that bleffing which we chiefly feek in our belief and obedience of the gofpel, and we fhall not be difappointed.

2dly,

2dly, We may obferve the true reafon, why, though Chrift came into the world, that men might have life, yet fo many of those who live under the light of the gofpel, continue dead in tref paffes and fins. It is because they know not Chrift, hear not his voice, and follow him not. How many infidels, alas! are there in chriftian countries, and under the name of chriftians? How many even of those who think they believe in Christ, know fo little of his nature, character, and religion, that it may be faid they rather do not disbelieve, than that they actually do believe? How many are there who would rather hear any voice than the voice of Chrift, and who anxioufly keep at as great a distance as they can from his. example?

Perhaps fome may fay, could not Chrift compel them to know him, hear his voice, and follow him? Yes he could,by that fame divine power by which he miraculously compelled the ftormy wind and raging waves to be calm, the dead to rise from their graves, and the devils themfelves to confefs him as the Son of God; but all external compulfion is inconfiftant with the nature of true religion, and with the fpiritual life of a rational and accountable creature. Let the followers of Mahomet, and

the votaries of the Church of Rome, make profelytes by the fword, by fire and faggot; but let none of the followers of Jefus, either attempt themselves, or expect that he will exert his divine power, to compel men by outward violence, to follow him. If any of them do, let them remember, that he hath faid to all fuch, "Ye know not "what manner of fpirit ye are of, for the Son of 66 man, came not to destroy men's lives, but to "fave them alive." Chrift does not drive his sheep before him; they know his voice and willingly follow him,

Laftly, We may obferve by what means we fhall most effectually promote the great purpose for which Chrift came to the world, the life of men. It is by bringing men to know Christ, to hear his voice, and to follow him. Till then it is impoffible to make them fpiritually alive; and when once they know him, it is impoffible to hold them in the bands of fpiritual death. To profefs christianity without believing in Christ its divine author, is a grofs abfurdity and impiety: To be lieve in him as the divine author of christianity, and not to model our faith upon his doctrines, our worship upon his ordinances, and our hearts and lives upon his laws, his life is equally

abfurd