the barren foil: he looks among the beasts of the forest, and selects fome for his food, and others for his convenience: he confults ufe and beauty, in raising his habitation; and adorns the face of nature by his improvements.

Thus far however man, with all his accomplishments, is only fitted for this world; and if he have no higher aims, is ftill only a fuperior brute. But he has a foul within him, actuated by nobler principles, which spurns all earthly things, and rises to a heavenly life. It is this holy fire, which David, in words like these, wishes to kindle. "Thy hands have made, and fashioned me. But the goodly frame is still imperfect. It wants its great animating principle! O compleat thy work. Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments."

Thus then, God hath furnished man with the means of qualifying himself for future happiness. But if he confider the bounty of God as the means only of prefent enjoyment, he not only loses, in a great degree, the happiness he aims at; but he has a penalty to pay hereafter for not accepting the favours of God in the order, and manner, in which God graciously offers them,

LXVIII.

He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.-Matthew, x. 38,

EVERY chriftian hath his cross to take up→ fomething to bear for the fake of his religion;

and as a teft of his fincerity.

The early christian had a very severe trial. He had the vengeance of a perfecuting world to endure -torments and death in every shape of cruelty.

The christian of these ages has generally a different cross to take up. He is under little apprehenfion of torments, and death: but he has the fashionsthe customs-the prejudices-the sneers-the infidelity-and wicked example of a loofe world to contend with,

To the early christian the great inftruction therefore was, Be not afraid of their terrors. The christian of these days is informed, that he who is afbamed of Chrift, and his words, in this adulterous

and finful generation, of him fhall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh with all his holy angels.

Experience hath fhewn, which had the harder fervice. The chriftian of old times took up his crofs, and bore it with fortitude after his master, under all the terrors of perfecution. The modern christian fhrinks from the world-is afraid even of appearing with his cross-and too often accom1 modates the doctrines of it to the fafhion of the times.

LXIX.

We have corrupted no man; we have defrauded no man. -2 Cor. vii. 2.

A MAN's whole duty cannot be comprized in negatives. Yet thefe in the text are very comprehenfive; as they oppofe, in a manner, every violation of principle and property.

I have corrupted no man. Nothing ever escaped me, that could throw any disrespect on religion. No licentious jeft on fcripture was ever heard from me. Every man, no doubt has his peculiar opinions; but I never published mine, when a full ftream of authority, learning, or piety ran against me. I would not risk the danger of leading others into error, or at least of their carrying my opinions farther than I intended.-I have been equally careful with regard to moral duties; and have always been fearful of faying any thing, which might weaken their ties upon mankind.-As a man may corrupt others ftill more by his example, than

than by his conversation, I have been very guarded on this head alfo. I have endeavoured, that no man fhall urge me as an example for the tranfgref, fion of any moral duty.

He whose conscience can fuggeft a language of this kind, may humbly fay with the apostle, I have corrupted no man.

The apostle adds, neither have I defrauded any man. Here is offered a large field of enquiry. The groffness of downright theft is held in horror by every mind, that poffeffes the leaft degree of liberality. But yet many of these liberal minds-liberal in other refpecs-may not be in the least shocked with little tricks and deceits, under various forms, Numerous are the arts, which wander from ftrict honesty, Wherever the interests of men interfere, they are found. The buyer, the feller, the debtor, the creditor have each their little arts of taking ad vantage. The dealings of mankind are so various -cafes are fo intricate-felf-delufion fo cafuiftical -and precept fo unequal to oppofe so complex a fyftem of fallacy, that happy is he, who can fay from his heart, I have defrauded no man,