bly have been perverted or misunderstood. Yet while by teaching the equality of all nations in the fight of God under the Gospel, and by inculcating on all men the duty of loving their enemies, of regarding every man as their neighbour, and of practising on all occafions mutual benevolence as between brethren, he guarded against the mistakes and exceffes to which patriotifin, ill understood, has so often led: he taught both by precept and example the duty of loving our country. When, in reply to an enfnaring inquiry, he commanded the Jews to render unto Cæfar the things which were Cæfar's; he taught the firft duty of patriotism, faithful obedience to lawful governors. Tribute he paid himself: and wrought a miracle that he might pay it (k). The impending deftruction of Jerufalem he lamented with the most affectionate concern, and with tears (7). After having been obliged when he came to preach at Nazareth, the place where his youth was paffed, to fave his life by a miracle from the rage of. his unbelieving countrymen; he returned in the following year to that city to renew his attempt at the rifk of equal danger (m). (k) Matt. xvii. 27. ( Luke, xix. 41, 42. Matt. xiii. 54-58. With With refpect to friendfhip, our Saviour confirmed its obligations by the fanction of his own example. His whole conduct to his difciples is a pattern of tender friendship. St. John is particularly diftinguished as "the dif"ciple whom Jefus loved." Lazarus, who was not one of his difciples, is called by Christ himfelf his friend (#); and was one of the very few perfons whom Chrift raised from the dead. The affectionate regard of our Saviour to Lazarus and his fifters is beautifully expreffed in the fimple and touching language of the evangelift: "Now Jefus loved "Martha, and her fifter, and Lazarus (o).” Confider, too, the remarkably kind attention. of our Saviour towards Peter; who, after his fhameful denial of his Lord, might juftly apprehend that he fhould no longer be owned as a difciple. One of the angels, who appeared to the women at the fepulchre on the morning of the refurrection, addreffed them, conformably, we may presume, to the injunction of Chrift, in thefe terms: Depart, "fay to his difciples, and to Peter, he goeth "before you into Galilee (p)." To St. Peter, and to him only, Chrift fhewed himself sepa '' (n) John, xi. 11. (p) Mark, xvi. 7. (0) John, xi. 5. rately rately on the vey day on which he arose. And afterwards, in the prefence of fix of his other difciples, he confirmed St. Peter, with marks of great confidence and distinction, in the apoftolical office (q). Finally, it was in the very act of bleffing his difciples that Chrift afcended into heaven (r). To the inftances which have been produced of different virtues fo gloriously exemplified in our Saviour's actions, many circumstances of his life evincing the fame and other virtues might have been added (s). Far from wishing to exhauft, had it been poffible to exhauft, the fubject; my defire is to lead you to apply habitually to the facred fource, from which the preceding examples have been derived. Study the life of your Saviour, in his thoughts, words, and deeds. By prayer and exertion endeavour to be conformed to his image upon earth, as you hope to be conformed to it in heaven. Take for your guide, imitate as far as human weakness can imitate, this perfect pattern of perfect holiness. Far as you will ever remain fhort of it, labour (9) Luke, xxiv. 34. (s) Luke, xxiv. 5. panied with many 1 Cor. xv. 5. A very copious felection, accomexcellent obfervations, may be found in Archbishop Newcome's Obfervations on our Lord's conduct. ftill to approach nearer to it. The more earnestly you ftrive to be a faithful difciple of your Lord, the more of "that mind "will be in you, which was in Chrift Jefus (t)." (t) Philipp. ii. 5. CHAP. IX. ON THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY TO SUBVERSION OF THE WESTERN THE EMPIRE. WHEN the divine author of Chriftianity had withdrawn his vifible prefence from the earth; his religion fpeedily experienced, according to his predictions, the encreafing enmity of a world whofe practices it condemned, whofe forms of worship it fuperfeded. The pure gold was to be tried in the furnace of adverfity. Scarcely had the apoftles of Christ opened their commiffion, when a violent perfecution, commencing with the martyrdom of Stephen, was raised "against the "church which was in Jerufalem: and they 66 were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apoftles (a)." This fudden difperfion of the Chriftians was rendered by the overruling hand of God the caufe of an immediate (a) Acts, viii. 1. and |