direct the will, and regulate the affections: this will make you holy; this will subdue temptation; this will be an antidote against the infection of evil examples. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith; for who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?" This will surmount the disorders of life, the fear of death, and conduct the soul to everlasting felicity.

Finally, my brethren, let each of us attach himself with more seriousness, alacrity, and fervour than ever, to the proper duties of his station; let each consider in what instances he fails to fulfil his course; let each examine himself, and see wherein he fails to observe "the good and perfect law of God." Let him discover "his easily besetting sin," and see how far this has perverted his course, and turned his affections from God.

The time is coming when you will perceive that there is no true wisdom to be found but in doing the will of God. The value of time is to be estimated by the opportunity which it gives us of laying up riches for eternity. He is the most steady pursuer of his own interest who has "laid up treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."

Some of you, perhaps, have not even begun: you have done nothing yet for the glory of God; you have been living entirely to yourselves; and your lives, it may be, are approaching to a close. Begin then to be wise; reflect on what you have heard; and remember, it will be ratified by the impressions of a dying hour.

There are some present, perhaps, who are near to the end of their course, and have the satisfaction to reflect that they have had their conversation with God. Happy such persons, whatever their station in life may be ! Let the consideration of your having so nearly fulfilled your course make you more diligent and circumspect in what remains of it. In a very short time your conflict will be over, your corruptions will be slain. So near to victory, do not let the weapons of warfare fall out of your hands: "Be faithful unto death, and you shall receive a crown of life."

The memory of John the Baptist is perpetuated with honour, because he fulfilled his course;" while that of Herod and Pontius Pilate are covered with infamy. Which of these characters will you imitate? Will you be among those whom God condescends to honour, to whom he will say, "Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into the joy of your Lord?" or will you now surround yourselves with a few sparks of worldly pleasure, and lie down in eternal darkness?

Whenever the gospel is preached, this alternative is set before you; the alternative of "shining like the sun for ever; or of awaking to shame and everlasting contempt." If there were no judgment-seat at which we must appear, we might have our election between peace of conscience and the gratification of our desires. But our course here is a preparation for our course hereafter. Never dissever in your

minds a life of piety and a life of honour; there is no glory, no happiness, but in the love and service of God.

Hear the language of the apostle Paul, in the near prospect of a violent death: "I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness."

Do you believe this? If you do not, you are not Christians; you wear a mask. But if you do, the conviction and confession of this truth will for ever be a source of torment to you, unless you now imitate the conduct of this apostle, give yourselves up to God, and embrace and pursue a holy and religious life in Christ Jesus.

IV.

CHRIST'S PRE-EXISTENCE, CONDESCENSION, AND

EXALTATION.

PHIL. ii. 5-9.-Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him.*

[PREACHED AT THE CHAPEL IN DEAN-STREET, SOUTHWARK, JUNE 27, 1813.]

In this chapter it is manifest from the context that the apostle is inculcating upon professors of the gospel a spirit of condescension and humility. "Let nothing," saith he, "be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself: look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."

His intention is to enforce a disposition that enters very deeply into the lowly spirit of the gospel, an attention to the circumstances of others, a preference of their interests to our own, and a willingness to condescend to make great sacrifices of our own interest and gratification, of our own honour and advantage, to promote their good. It is that particular species of Christian virtue and benevolence which stands opposed to the tenacious maintenance of outward distinctions and dignities that insists on all the honour and pre-eminence which we might be supposed to have a right to claim; and lays by its own advantage and honour for the sake of promoting the spiritual and tem

*From the notes of W. B. Gurney, Esq., corrected, in a few cases, by comparison with the notes sent by six other friends. See Mr. Hall's own sketch of the argument, p. 24-28.-ED.

poral interests of our fellow-creatures, and especially of our fellowchristians.

Of this disposition he presents a striking example in the noble conduct of our Saviour, and in the great doctrines which are exhibited in his incarnation and converse in this world, as well as in the wonderful example of love and humility which he showed in becoming "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross;" and he shows that by such a conduct as this it was that Jesus Christ rose in our nature to that inexpressible majesty with which he is at present invested. "Where

fore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Permit me to request your attention while I endeavour to set forth, in some imperfect measure, that example of great condescension and humility which is exhibited in the passage before us.

Now, in the idea of condescension, we must suppose a superior and an inferior,-one by whom that virtue is exercised, and another to whom it is shown. Where there is a perfect equality there is no room for the exercise of this particular species of virtue; much less where a superior only is in question: for, though we may behave ourselves with the utmost propriety towards an equal or a superior, yet it is impossible that he should be the object of our condescension; this would involve a very great absurdity in language.

Whenever we speak of this species of excellence, it always implies that it is an inferior towards whom it is exerted; this is the necessary pre-requisite for the exercise of this particular form of Christian and moral virtue. In like manner it is evident that a stoop, a descent from some dignity or previous elevation, is always supposed in the exercise of this branch of virtue. It always implies a resignation of some claim to a superior station, a foregoing of some advantage or pre-eminence. It is also necessary that such humiliation should be perfectly voluntary; a voluntary lowering of ourselves beneath the station which was previously occupied; a laying down of some advantage or dignity. There is a strong contrast supposed in a series of acts of condescension, or even in one, between the station we previously occupied and that in which we place ourselves. There is also an implied opposition between something we possess and something we resign, and the station to which we are reduced in consequence of resigning it,—the station to which we bring ourselves,-which forms a powerful opposition or contrast to what we might have assumed or previously possessed.

If our Saviour condescended, in the instance before us, it is manifest there must have been some previous elevation from which he descended from which he passed to those acts which are here specified. It is necessary, in order to make out an example from our Saviour's case, to specify the particular circumstances here implied, which stand opposed to other circumstances: the elevation must come

first, and the voluntary depression of himself must come afterward. This is implied in the very nature of things. In all acts of condescension we must suppose the person who performs them to be acting in a manner perfectly voluntary; there must be no degradation in the case, nor any thing that occurs by what we call chance or accident, nor yet the usual arrangements of Providence: nothing that thus occurs can give any scope to the exercise of this disposition. Though the manner in which that depression may be borne may evince much patience and equanimity, and much of the proper spirit of Christian resignation to the Divine will, yet it cannot be called an act of condescension, if it is to be traced to the irresistible operations of Divine grace, and much less still if it is the inevitable consequence of an irresistible law of nature. No one ever thought of praising the greatest sovereign on earth on the ground of his condescension in being a man, though this places him in the most essential particulars on a level with his subjects; a participation of human nature being a greater instance of equality than any circumstance that can produce inequality. No one, I say, would think of praising him on that account, because it is an effect of a law under which he was born, and which excludes his choice and volition.

But not only is every instance of condescension supposed to involve the exercise of choice; but there must be no very forcible obligation, no such strong and palpable obligation to the act that expresses the condescension, as that the contrary of it would shock our moral feelings, would appear exceedingly unbecoming, and excite a great degree of moral disapprobation. Though condescension be a great ornament to the character of a Christian, and springs from the principles of his religion, it is of a very different nature from the obligations of justice or even of humanity. It is of such a nature, indeed, that it is always supposed the not exercising it would not at the same time have destroyed all claim to'virtuous and honourable conduct. If there be a forcible obligation to such sort of conduct, that conduct can never be entitled to the praise of eminent condescension. For example, nothing can be more plain than that it is the duty of every man to exercise humanity and strict justice towards all with whom he has to do. But, as the obligations to humanity, in cases of extreme distress, are very forcible and strong, the neglect of them lays a person open to great blame; and the practice of them, in some instances, in proportion to their great obligation, deprives the conduct of the title to high praise nd commendation. In all cases the more palpable the obligation to conduct is, the less is there praiseworthy in complying with that obligation; and, on the other hand, the fainter the previous obligation is supposed to be, the stronger is the instance of virtue from attending to so comparatively feeble a sense of obligation.

Now, it is manifest, that if our Saviour be proposed as a pattern, it must be in some instance wonderfully condescending and humble, different from what might have been expected; that we must not merely look for what is virtuous and worthy, but for that which is so extraordinary and singular as to justify his being exhibited, in this part of his

conduct, as our example. If he be proposed as an imitable model of condescension, it must be for the exercise of this virtue in a very eminent and extraordinary degree; for nothing else can justify his being held up as a pattern to all ages. If, while it was imitable in its kind, it had not surpassed all comparison in degree, it would then have excited a vicious competition,-it would have contradicted the very purpose for which it was produced, which was to set our Saviour inexpressibly high in our esteem, and excite us to emulate his conduct, as far as we are able, with the most entire consciousness that we can only make an imperfect approach to it. We must look, then, for some very extraordinary instance of condescension in our Lord, something which must strike all eyes, something which cannot be accounted for without supposing inexpressible love in the breast of the Saviour, and such an infinite compassion towards a lost world as must place him beyond all comparison, or even the power of being imitated, in this respect.

Now, there are two ways of interpreting this passage of Scripture; and these remarks have been made to enable us to judge which is the best interpretation, which best corresponds with the intention of the sacred writer. If there be any doubt about the meaning of the text separately taken, and it is capable of two distinct interpretations, that must be allowed to be the just one which best corresponds with the purpose for which the passage is produced; that which furnishes the argument for which the passage is brought, that which most illustrates the particular moral duty intended to be inculcated, must be confessed to be the true one, in opposition to that which does not inculcate that duty. It is allowed that an attention to the scope of a passage, and a consideration of the purpose for which it was written, is one of the most certain guides.

In interpreting this passage, and in determining which is to be preferred of contrary interpretations, you must consider, not merely what meaning the words may bear, but which of the meanings proposed best corresponds with the intention of the inspired writer, by exhibiting our Saviour as a marvellous example of condescension. If there be a capacity of putting another construction on the words without any great force or violence to them, which, at the same time, does not exhibit a striking example of condescension,-one which deprives our Saviour of the place he here occupies as a pattern, on the supposition of which it becomes difficult to conceive of any condescension at all remarkable, -we are justified in setting aside that interpretation; not simply because it appears less natural in itself, but because it is quite unsuitable to the place, by destroying and invalidating the purpose for which it is brought.

I shall briefly propose to you the opposite interpretations which have been given to the passage before us.

First, then, let us take that of those who deny the divinity of Christ and the incarnation, and, of consequence, all the doctrines connected with them their interpretation is as follows:-"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God," that is, say they, being possessed of extraordinary miraculous powers,