strength; and lastly, whether after doing all we can, we rely on his merits, as unprofitable servants*, or hope for salvation by our own sinful good deeds; what answer must the consciences of many of us make? Such undoubtedly as will at least evidence the need of fixing our thoughts upon him much more steadily, than we have done; of stirring up in our hearts the warmest sentiments of reverence, gratitude and love towards him; (for who can be equally intitled to them, or what employment so delightful or beneficial?) and of exerting them in every act, which he hath appointed, or his followers found serviceable. External acts of themselves indeed are nothing: but when they proceed from a good principle within, and are chosen and used with discretion, they keep up the vigour of the mind, and strengthen good habits inexpressibly. The importance of them in civil affairs is every where acknowledged: and how can we fancy it to be less in religious? Therefore if indeed we honour our Redeemer, we must show that we honour his Sacraments, his ordinances, the weekly, the yearly days consecrated to him, the places of his worship: permit me to add, his ministers, only being careful to distinguish, for the sake of our Master and of mankind, the devout, the laborious, the disinterested, from the lovers of pleasure or gain, of power or applause, from the formal, the thoughtless, the lukewarm. Nor will he, whose respect to the Author and Finisher of our faith is real, either seek or wish to shelter himself from infidel scorn by leaving the motives of his conduct in religious matters doubtful: but openly, though decently, make it known to all men, of which side he in truth is; and do at least as * Luke xvii. 10. much for the cause of God, as he could with propriety for any other, that he hath at heart: recollecting that thus the pious will be animated, the opposers staggered, the indolent awakened; and likewise, that them only who confess him before men, will Jesus confess before his Father which is in Heaven*. But zeal for his mission and doctrines will be of no avail, without imitation of his example and obedience to his laws. As on the one hand, the virtue which men profess without religion, the religion which they profess without Christianity, the Christianity which they profess without affection to Christ, is essentially imperfect and mostly nominal: they model it into what they please, and it wastes away to nothing: so on the other, not only hypocritical, but partial, attachment to him, fondness for him as the obtainer of pardon and future happiness, and slight of him as the director of life; hoping to be saved by faith without works, or waiting for his grace to amend us without taking pains to amend ourselves; these things put his Gospel and him to open shame†. We must look unto Jesus, as our exemplar and legislator: else we shall look to him in vain as our Saviour. Some of his actions indeed were appropriated to his office; and some of his precepts to that of his Apostles. But whatever was temporary or singular in either, is easily discerned, and the rest binds us all. Therefore we must learn of him to be meek and lowly: for so shall we find rest for our souls. We must condescend, when occasion requires, to the meanest instances of mutual service: for our Master and Lord washed his disciples' feet, that they should do as he had done to them. We must take the most injurious Matth. x. 32. † Heb. vi. 6. John xiii. 5. 13. 15. provocations patiently: for he, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not ; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously*: We must forgive one another, as God for Christ's sake is ready to forgive us †. We must speak the truth every man with his neighbour, for there was no guile found in his mouth §. We must be harmless and undefiled, separate from sinners ||, in our temper and practice, even when obliged to be most in their company; for so was he, conversing with them, as a physician with the sick. In a word, the same mind must be in us, which was in Christ Jesus our Lord. And we must not only avoid gross transgressions and omissions; but purify ourselves as he is pure and perfect holiness in the fear of God††. Ambition, worldliness, delicacy, voluptuousness, dissipation, eagerness for amusements and trifles, are utterly beneath us, and unsuitable to our profession. A Christian is a character of dignity: and though he submits with a graceful willingness to whatever his condition here demands: yet he sets his affection only on the things above 1; and from the view of his Redeemer placed there at the right hand of God, draws his directions for his conduct below: reasoning with St. Paul, The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again §§. Such as are duly moved by this consideration will faithfully perform, not only the general duties of life, but the particular ones of their rank and circum 1 Pet. ii. 23. + Eph. iv. 32. Heb. vii. 26. ++ 2 Cor. vii. 1. Eph. iv. 25. Phil. ii. 5. ‡‡ Col. iii. 2. grace though faultless, endured much more than we sin- always have room and need, a still completer image of Christ. And let us all incessantly study to acquire that constant, that affectionate and influencing attention to him, for which St. Peter celebrates the early Christians, when he saith, Whom having not seen, ye love: in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls*. * 1 Pet. i. 8, 9. |