AMONG all the duties which the divine revelation of the Saviour imposes on mankind, there is none so constantly enforced by the precepts of Scripture, and recommended by the example of the Lord Jesus, as a compassionate and tender concern for the infirmities of man. The language of the Bible is the language of love, and directs us to the cultivation of an expansive benevolence. The life of Christ exhibits a matchless pattern of forbearance, meekness, and compassion, and was an inimitable exemplification of the doctrines which fell from his sacred lips. No tongue ever spake like his; no life ever resembled his: in short, he was love itself. It pleased him to tabernacle in our flesh that we might be drawn to an humble imitation of his character-an imitation in no respect, indeed, ever reaching the divine, original :-but the nearer we approach to it, the more solid happiness is enjoyed; and we also become better qualified for those supernal felicities which shall, hereafter, proceed from the delightful and unclouded contemplation of every excellence. To this imitation is every Christian called. He is called to cultivate a likeness to his heavenly Master, and especially in that spirit of love which influenced and directed all his actions; a spirit which will teach him to bear, with meekness, the infirmities of others; and will induce a habit of passing over with compassionate feeling, the frailties of mankind, and of judging of others, not with a censorious, but with a forgiving temper. Such is the disposition we are commanded and exhorted to cherish and the exhortation is enforced not only by CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 116.

the consideration of its preparing us for the society of angels, but because it enables us to discharge, with greater comfort, the duties of our earthly station. The man, who cultivates this disposition, passes through the chequered scenes of life with an evenness of mind and cheerful composure. There are many circumstances in which this virtue will be called into exercise. He will have not only to encounter the opposing spirit of the world in general; but his patience and forbearance must be shewn towards those who have yet made but imperfect attainments in religion. He will not suffer his mind to be soured by the little cross events arising from Where, the weaknesses of others. indeed, would be the superiority of his principles, if they did not fortify him against these unavoidable oc

currences!

Si, quidquid vidit melius pejusve sua spe Defixis oculis animoque et corpore torpet? He learns, like his Saviour, to pity the follies of mankind; and particularly any which may cleave to the characters of his brethren in Christ. He guards against a haughty and supercilious spirit, knowing that he himself has nothing but what he has received; and if God have formed his character, in any mea sure differing from others, he gives him all the glory, and assumes nothing to himself. He examines the conduct of his divine Master, and there discovers what patience he possessed, and which he often found it necessary to exercise even towards his own disciples. If he censure, he does it with meekness, having a re gard both to the circumstances and feelings of others; and compassion is mingled with reproof.

the world, "all boasting is excluded." And although, through the infinite mercy of the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, the guilt of sin is removed from the soul, and consequently every alarm from the conscience, yet the remains of sin dwell within us, and we have daily reason to deplore the diseases which it has entailed upon a debilitated, shattered constitution. Will the man, then, who has learned of his Saviour, be disposed to talk harshly of defects in another, as though he himself were free from defect? Is every little irregularity of temper, or error in conduct, to be viewed with an eagle-eye, and condemned with the moroseness of a censor? As well might the unwilling inmates of a hospital reproach one another on account of the disagreeable vapours arising from each other's wounds. The source of this antichristian temper is undoubtedly spiritual pride. It is a melancholy proof of the degradation of our nature that we no sooner begin to recede from one evil than we approximate to another. But let every one be careful of indulging a cold or a lofty spirit towards any of his brethren; knowing that he is not placed in the world to pass a severe sentence on their errors and sins, but to bear, with meekness and love, their infirmities and follies; recollecting that he himself is a child of infirmity and folly.

Let it, however, be distinctly understood, that this paper is meant in no degree whatever to excuse or palliate sin. We mean not to offer any plea for the sinful tempers which, alas! too often appear in the lives of professing Christians. While pity for such persons is recommended, let it not be imagined that any effort is made to extenuate their guilt. Rather let us all confess ourselves unholy, and pray, in the beautiful language of our Liturgy, "Grant that all carnal affections may die in us, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in us."

There is another consideration to be mentioned, which is, that we are more easily prevailed upon to abandon evil tempers and habits by the persuasions of love than by the repulsive appearances of dignified contempt or of frigid neglect. Contempt is an attribute foreign to the Christian character; yet it is to be feared that many too often feel and manifest it. Independently, however, of this, who that is acquainted with the constitution of the mind does not perceive that nothing is so effectual in obtaining an influence over it, as a spirit of love and compassion: and, if it be poisoned by erroneous prejudices, that no medicine is so efficacious as the "milk of human kindness." "No oratory is so powerful as that of mildness. The drops that fall easily upon the corn ripen and fill the ear; but the stormy showers that fall with violence, beat down the stalks flat to the earth, and lay whole fields, without hope of recovery." (Hall.) A difference in opinion is often suf ficient to create unholy tempers, and to rouse within us a high opinion of fancied superiority. Each party

will affect, perhaps, to despise the other. It were well if such dispositions were confined to the world. But it is really astonishing sometimes to hear persons, professedly religious, speaking of others, who have the boldness to differ from them, in the most degrading terms. Such is not the spirit of the Gospel, all whose precepts and examples enjoin a different conduct; and of all its examples, that of the Redeemer shines the brightest.--Since, then, the cultivation of those tempers which reigned in his sacred breast will alone fit us for the discharge of our duty; since love is the genius of the religion which he came from heaven to promulge, and which he exemplified in his life; since we are all alike the heirs of sin and partakers with one another of the diseases which it has entailed upon our race; let us diligently aspire after a more perfect resemblance of

his character. Let us cultivate the divine philanthropy of the blessed Jesus; who pitied and prayed of tener than he censured; who bore, with unexampled patience, our wayward passions and childish follies; and who, when he might have turned away in disgust, hath regard ed us with benignity and love.

JOHN.

FAMILY SERMONS. No. XXXII.

ed with the care of the churches, we find him always active and unwearied, patient, resigned, cheerful, and even joyful. Whatever God denies, he gladly relinquishes; whatever God requires, he eagerly fulfils. Nor are we to regard these qualities as peculiar to the apostle, or to any age, nation, or individual. It is true of every real servant of Christ, that he does the will of God from the heart. Those whose lives are governed only by the law of honour, of custom, or of fashion, or even by

Christ."

In the verses preceding the text, St. Paul expresses his hope, that whether in life or in death Christ would be glorified in him; and in the verse now read, he states the ground on which, under divine grace, this hope was founded. To me to live is Christ." It is as if he had said, "I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing; but yet the grace of God is not without its fruit in my soul. If I venture to hope that whether in my life or death I shall glorify the Master I serve, it is because I feel that to me to live is Christ;' that Christ is the supreme end of my life, and that I value life only as it may be referred to him, only as it may be consecrated to his service and glory."

I. It is my intention, in the first place, to describe somewhat more fully the dispositions implied in the words of the text.

1. They imply an entire subjection to the law of Christ.-The veneration in which the apostle held this law is unquestionable, as might be shewn from a variety of passages in his writings; and what these passages would lead us to conclude respecting his character, is verified by every act of his life. In considering that life, we know not which to admire most, his vigour in acting or his patience in enduring. Whether in perils or in want, assailed by the fierce storms of persecution, or load

to them to live is Christ. If any of these laws rule us in preference to religion, tous to live may be fashion, or custom, or what else we will, but it is not Christ: our life is not that of the apostle, nor, without a change of heart, can our death be his.

2. A second circumstance, included in the declaration of the apostle in the text, is, that the ruling motive of his life was the love of Christ.-It is to this motive, throughout all his writings, that he constantly appeals: "The love of Christ constraineth me." And his whole life bears witness to the sincerity of this language. What but this love could have carried him through his countless perils? What but this love could have enabled him to rejoice in tribulation for Christ's sake? What but this love could have changed his poverty into abounding wealth,

having nothing, and yet possessing all things?" What but this love animated him, when from the dungeon of Philippi he sent up to Heaven, not the sighing of the prisoner, but the song of praise. The love of Christ, as it were, levelled every mountain, and filled up every valley in his path. This it was which renewed his strength, lightened and rewarded his labours, made him "more than conqueror," and at length seated him with his crucified Master, at the right hand of God.

But the motive which influenced

St. Paul was not confined to the apostle, or to the age and country of inspiration. It has adorned the

thus unreservedly dedicated himself to his Saviour's service, say of himself, "to me to live is Christ."

II. Having thus endeavoured to shew what dispositions appear to be implied in the declaration, "To me to live is Christ." I will now proceed to point out the superiority of a character thus formed to every other; to point out, that is to say, in what respects a character in which the law of Christ is made the rule, the love of Christ the governing motive, and the service and honour of Christ the supreme end of life, is of all characters the wisest and the best.

1. In the first place, this disposition best becomes man in the situation in which he is placed.-It is well for creatures who are not to survive their frail bodies, to look up to those who will best feed and cherish the body. It is well for creatures who have no interest beyond the present state of being, to make this world their supreme object. It is well for animals which have no master but man, to exhaust their strength in the service of man. But this is not our situation: we are not the beings of a day. We are not to perish with the beasts. This world is not our home. Man is not our only benefactor. We have a home beyond the skies. We have a "Father which is in heaven;" a Saviour, who, even while we were yet sinners, died for us; who " bore our sins," who was "bruised for our iniquities," and "who ever liveth to make intercession for us." Shall our eyes and hearts be chained to the poor and perishing objects of this life, when the glories of an unseen world, when the Saviour on his cross, and the Lamb on his throne, are unveiled to our view? Can the glorious inheritance of the saints in light be proposed to us, and yet we continue to make the things of time and sense, empty and vile as they are, the chief objects of our regard? Can it be that the Son of God should have died for us, and yet that we should refuse to give our poor, frail, worthless lives to him? Let us rather say with

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2. But as such a disposition as this best becomes us as men and sinners, so it is of all others the most advantageous to us. We have by sin forfeited all title to the divine favour, and all prospect of future, happiness and though inhabitants of a world for which Christ died, we can derive no benefit from his death, except on the terms which he himself hath revealed to us. "He' that believeth on the Son hath life: he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." It is then through belief or faith in Christ that we must be saved. In other words, we can only be saved through the exercise of that very disposition which is spoken of in the text: " to me to live is Chrst." And it is the peculiar office of faith to place Christ before us in his various characters; to invest his person, his law, his service, with fresh dignity and excellence; to unite us closely to him, and to enthrone him in our hearts. Is not then such a disposition advantageous to us, seeing that everlasting salvation hangs upon it? It is this which measures our pretensions and seals our fate, deciding our everlasting misery or joy. What is there besides, which involves in it consequences of equal importance to us sinful men? Can a regard to any other law, a love to any other object, a consecration to any other service, promise or perform so much? Tell us, ye lovers of sensual pleasures, will that dissipation, will those indulgences, which even now leave you languid and miserable and self-condemned, support you on the