forth that gratitude into actual devotion; at least, | ponded with it. Scenes of deep distress await us this is to imitate our blessed Lord, so far as we can imitate him at all: it is adopting into our lives, the principle which regulated his.

Again: It appears, on one occasion at least, that our Lord's retirement to prayer was preparatory to an important work, which he was about to execute. The manner in which Saint Luke states this instance is thus:-"And it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God; and when it was day, he called unto him his disciples, and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles." From this statement I infer, that the night, passed by our Lord in prayer, was preparatory to the office which he was about to execute: and surely an important office it was; important to him, important to his religion; important to the whole world. Nor let it be said, that our Lord, after all, in one instance at least, was unfortunate in his choice; of the twelve one was a traitor. That choice was not an error; a remarkable prophecy was to be fulfilled, and other purposes were to be answered, of which we cannot now speak particularly. "I know," says our Lord, "whom I have chosen." But let us confine ourselves to our observation. It was a momentous choice: it was a decision of great consequence; and it was accordingly, on our Lord's part, preceded by prayer; not only so, but by a night spent in prayer. He continued all night in prayer to God;" or, if you would rather so render it, in a house, set apart for prayer to God. Here, therefore, we have an example given us, which we both can imitate, and ought to imitate. Nothing of singular importance; nothing of extraordinary moment, either to ourselves or others, ought to be resolved upon, or undertaken, without prayer to God, without previous devotion. It is a natural operation of piety to carry the mind to God, whenever any thing presses and weighs upon it: they, who feel not this tendency, have reason to accuse and suspect themselves of want of piety. Moreover, we have for it the direct example of our Lord himself: I believe also, I may add, that we nave the example and practice of good men, in all ages of the world.

all. It is in vain to expect to pass through the world without falling into them. We have in our Lord's example, a model for our behaviour, in the most severe and most trying of these occasions: afflicted, yet resigned; grieved and wounded, yet submissive; not insensible of our sufferings, but increasing the ardour and fervency of our prayer in proportion to the pain and acuteness of our feel

ings.

But, whatever may be the fortune of our lives, one great extremity, at least, the hour of approaching death. is certainly to be passed through. What ought then to occupy us? what can then support us? Prayer. Prayer, with our blessed Lord himself, was a refuge from the storm; almost every word he uttered, during that tremendous scene, was prayer: prayer the most earnest, the most urgent; repeated, continued, proceeding from the recesses of his soul; private, solitary; prayer for deliverance; prayer for strength; above every thing, prayer for resignation.

SERMON IX.

ON FILIAL PIETY.

And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.-Genesis xlvii. 12.

WHOEVER reads the Bible at all, has read the history of Joseph. It has universally attracted attention: and, without doubt, there is not one, but many points in it, which deserve to be noticed. It is a strong and plain example of the circuitous providence of God: that is to say, of his bringing about the ends and purposes of his providence, by seemingly casual and unsuspected means. That is a high doctrine, both of natural and revealed religion; and is clearly exemplified in this history. It is an useful example, at the same time, of the protection and final reward of virtue, though for a season oppressed and calumniated, or carried Again: We find our Lord resorting to prayer through a long series of distresses and misfortunes. in his last extremity; and with an earnestness, II say it is an useful example, if duly understood, had almost said, a vehemence of devotion, proportioned to the occasion. The terms in which the evangelists describe our Lord's devotion in the garden of Gethsemane, the evening preceding his death, are the strongest terms that could be used. As soon as he came to the place, he bid his disciples pray.-When he was at the place, he said unto them, "Pray that ye enter not into temptation." This did not content him: this was not enough for the state and sufferings of his mind. He parted even from them. He withdrew about a stone's-cast, and kneeled down. Hear how his struggle in prayer is described. Three times he came to his disciples, and returned again to prayer; thrice he kneeled down, at a distance from them, repeating the same words. Being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: drops of sweat fell from his body, as if it had been great drops of blood; yet in all this, throughout the whole scene, the constant conclusion of his prayer was, "Not my will, but thine be done." It was the greatest occasion that ever was: and the earnestness of our Lord's prayer, the devotion of his soul, corres

and not urged too far. It shows the protection of providence to be with virtue under all its difficulties: and this being believed upon good grounds, it is enough; for the virtuous man will be assured that this protection will keep with him in and through all stages of his existence-living and dying he is in its hands-and for the same reason that it accompanies him, like an invisible guardian, through his trials, it will finally recompence him. This is the true application of that doctrine of a directing providence, which is illustrated by the history of Joseph, as it relates to ourselves-I mean as it relates to those who are looking forward to a future state. If we draw from it an opinion, or an expectation, that, because Joseph was at length rewarded with riches and honours, therefore w shall be the same, we carry the example farthe than it will bear. It proves that virtue is under the protection of God, and will ultimately be taken care of and rewarded: but in what manner, and in what stage of our existence, whether in the present or the future, or in both, is left open by the example: and both may, and must depend,

Again: The history of Joseph is a domestic example. It is an example of the ruinous consequences of partiality in a parent, and of the quar-read, to detain Benjamin; the rest, being perplexrels and contentions in a family, which naturally spring from such partiality.

On account of the continuance of the famine in the land, it became necessary for the brethren of Joseph to go a second time into Egypt to seek corn, and a second time to produce themselves before the lord of the country. What had been Jo-garded his parent, he introduced the aged Patriseph's first question on the former visit, was his first question in this, "Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? is he yet alive? And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive: and they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance."

in which alone it was left for him to discharge the office, and testify the affection of a son; in his sickness, and upon his death. "And it came to pass," we read, "after these things, one told Joseph, behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim." Joseph delayed not, you find, to leave the court of Pharaoh, the cares and greatness of his station in it, in order to pay the last visit to his dying parent: and to place before him the hopes of his house and family, in the persons of his two sons. And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this

fortune, undiminished, nay, rather increased, by absence, by distance, by unexampled success, by remote and foreign connexions, you have seen, in this most ancient of all histories, as conspicuous, and as amiable an instance.as can be met with in the records of the world, in the purest, best ages of its existence.

SERMON X.

(PART I)

OUR SINS.

My sin is ever before me.-Psalm li. 3.

place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, TO THINK LESS OF OUR VIRTUES, AND MORE OF unto me, and I will bless them. (Now the eyes of Israel were dim, so that he could not see.) And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them: and Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face; and, lo! THERE is a propensity in the human mind, very God hath showed me also thy seed. And Joseph general and very natural, yet at the same time, brought them out from between his knees, and he unfavourable in a high degree to the Christian bowed himself with his face to the earth." Nothing character; which is, that, when we look back upon can well be more solemn or interesting than this our lives, our recollection dwells too much upon interview; more honourable or consoling to old our virtues; our sins are not, as they ought to be, age; or more expressive of the dignified piety of before us; we think too much of our good qualithe best of sons, and the greatest of men. ties, or good actions, too little of our crimes, our We now approach the last scene of this event-corruptions, our fallings off and declension from ful history, and the best testimony, which it was God's laws, our defects and weaknesses. These possible for Joseph to give, of the love and rever- we sink and overlook, in meditating upon our good ence with which he had never ceased to treat his properties. This, I allow is natural: because, unfather, and that was upon the occasion of his doubtedly, it is more agreeable to have our minds death, and the honours which he paid to his me- occupied with the cheering retrospect of virtuous mory; honours, vain, no doubt, to the dead, but, deeds, than with the bitter humiliating rememso far as they are significations of gratitude or af- brance of sins and follies. But, because it is nafection, justly deserving of commendation and es-tural, it does not follow that it is good. It may be "And when Jacob had made an end of the bias and inclination of our minds; and yet commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into neither right nor safe. When I say that it is the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gather-wrong, I mean, that it is not the true Christian dised unto his people. And Joseph fell upon his fa- position: and when I say that it is dangerous, I ther's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. have a view to its effects upon our salvation. And Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel. And the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days. And Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: and there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company. And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan; and there they mourned with a great and a very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days."

teem.

Thus died, and thus was honoured in his death, the founder of the Jewish nation, who, amidst many mercies, and many visitations, sudden and surprising vicissitudes of afflictions and joy, found it the greatest blessing of his varied and eventful life, that he had been the father of a dutiful and affectionate son.

It has been said, and, as I believe, truly, that there is no virtuous quality belonging to the human character, of which there is not some distinct and eminent example to be found in the Bible; no relation in which we can be placed, no duty which we have to discharge, but that we may observe a pattern for it in the sacred history. Of the duty of children to parents, of a son to his father, maintained under great singularities and variations of

I say, that it is not the true Christian disposition; for, first, how does it accord with what we read in the Christian Scriptures, whether we consider the precepts, which are found there, applicable to the subject, or the conduct and example of Christian characters?

And

Now, one precept, and that of Christ himself, you find to be this: "Ye, when ye shall have done all those things, which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do." Luke xvii. 10. It is evident, that this strong admonition was intended, by our Saviour, to check in his disciples an over-weening opinion of their own merit. It is a very remarkable passage. I think none throughout the New Testament more so. the intention, with which the words were spoken, was evidently to check and repel that opinion of merit, which is sure to arise from the habit of fixing our contemplation so much upon our good qualities, and so little upon our bad ones. this habit is natural, and was never prohibited by any teacher, except by our Saviour. With him it was a great fault, by reason of its inconsistency with the favourite principle of his religion, humility. I call humility not only a duty, but a principle. Humble-mindedness is a Christian principle, if there be one; above all, humble-mindedness towards God. The servants, to whom our Lord's expression refers, were to be humble-minded, we may presume, towards one another; but

Yet

towards their Lord, the only answer, the only | hear little of virtue or righteousness; but you hear thought, the only sentiment, was to be, "We are perpetually of the forgiveness of sins. With the unprofitable servants." And who were they, that first Christian teachers, "repent, repent," was the were instructed by our Lord to bear constantly burden of their exhortations; the almost constant this reflection about with them? Were they sin- sound of their voice. Does not this strain of preachners, distinctively so called? Were they grievous, ing show, that the preachers wished all who heard or notorious sinners? Nay, the very contrary; they them, to think much more of offences than of were persons, "who had done all those things merits? Nay, further, with respect to themselves, that were commanded them!" This is precisely whenever this contemplation of righteousness the description which our Lord gives us of the came in their way, it came in their way only to persons to whom his lesson was directed. There- be renounced, as natural perhaps, and also gratefore you see, that an opinion of merit is discou-ful, to human feelings, but as inconsistent and raged, even in those who had the best pretensions irreconcilable with the Christian condition. It to entertain it; if any pretensions were good. But might do for a heathen, but it was the reverse of an opinion of merit, an over-weening opinion of every thing that Christian. merit, is sure to grow up in the heart, whenever The turn of thought which I am recommendwe accustom ourselves to think much of our vir ing, or rather, which I find it necessary to insist tues, and little of our vices. It is generated, fos-upon, as an essential part of the Christian charactered, and cherished, by this train of meditation ter, is strongly seen in one particular passage of we have been describing. It cannot be otherwise. Saint Paul's writings; namely, in the third chapAnd if we would repress it; if we would correct ter to the Philippians: "If any other man thinkourselves in this respect; if we would bring our-eth that he hath whereof he might trust in the selves into a capacity of complying with our Sa- flesh, I more; circumcised the eighth day, of the viour's rule, we must alter our turn of thinking; stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hewe must reflect more upon our sins, and less upon brew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Phaour virtues. Depend upon it, that we shall view risee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; our characters more truly, we shall view them touching the righteousness which is in the law, much more safely, when we view them in their blameless." These were points which at that defects, and faults, and infirmities, than when we time of day, were thought to be grounds of confiview them only, or principally, on the side of their dence and exultation. But this train of thought good qualities; even when these good qualities no sooner rises in his mind, than the apostle checks are real. I suppose, and I have all along sup- it, and turns from it to an anxious view of his own posed, that the good parts of our characters, which, deficiencies. "If by any means I might attain as I contend, too much attract our attention, are, unto the resurrection of the dead." These are nevertheless, real; and I suppose this, because the words of an anxious man. "Not," then he our Saviour's parable supposes the same. proceeds, "not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am

|

Another great Christian rule is, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (Philip. ii. 12.) These significant words "fear and trem-apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count bling," do not accord with the state of a mind not myself to have apprehended, but this one which is all contentment, satisfaction, and self- thing I do; forgetting those things which are becomplacency; and which is brought into that state hind, and reaching forth unto those things which by the habit of viewing and regarding those good are before, I press towards the mark, for the prize qualities, which a person believes to belong to of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." In himself, or those good actions which he remembers this passage, you see, that, withdrawing his mind to have performed. The precept much better ac- from all notions of perfection, attainment, accomcords with a mind anxious, fearful, and apprehen- plishment, security, he fixes it upon his deficiensive; and made so by a sense of sin. But a sense cies. Then he tells you, that forgetting, that is, of sin exists not, as it ought to do, in that breast expressly putting out of his mind and his thought, which is in the habit of meditating chiefly upon the progress and advance which he had already its virtues. I can very well believe, that two per-made, he casts his eyes and attention upon those sons of the same character in truth, may, never- qualities in which he was short and deficient, upon theless, view themselves in very different lights, what remained for him yet to do; and this I take according as one is accustomed to look chiefly at to be the true Christian way of proceeding. "Forhis good qualities, the other chiefly at his trans-get those things that are behind;" put out of your gressions and imperfections; and I say, that this thoughts the attainments and progress you have fatter is the disposition for working out salvation already made, in order to see fully your defects agreeably to Saint Paul's rule and method; that and imperfections. is, "with fear and trembling:" the other is not.

But further: There is, upon this subject, a great deal to be learnt from the examples which the New Testament sets before us Precepts are short, necessarily must be so; take up but little room; and, for that reason, do not always strike with the force, or leave the impression, which they ought to do: but examples of character, when the question is concerning character, and what is the proper character, have more weight and body in the consideration, and take up more room in our minds than precepts. Now, from one end of the New Testament to the other, you will find the evangelical character to be contrition. You

In another passage, found in a chapter with which all are acquainted, the fifteenth of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, our apostle, having occasion to compare his situation with that of the other apostles, is led to say: "I laboured more abundantly than they all." Saint Paul's labours in the Gospel, labours which consumed his whole life, were surely what he might reflect upon with complacency and satisfaction. If such reflections were proper in any case, they were proper in his. Yet observe how they are checked and qualified. The moment he had said, "I laboured more abundantly than they all," he added, as it were, correcting himself for the expression, "Yet not I, but the

grace of God, which was with me." He mag-gers, one of his temptations, one of the propensinifies not himself, but the grace of God which ties which he had both to guard and struggle was with him. In the next place, you will ob- against, and lastly, an inclination, for which he serve, that, though the consciousness of his labours, found an antidote and remedy in the dispensapainful, indefatigable labours, and meritorious la- tions of Providence towards him. Of his gifts, he bours, if ever man's were so-I say, that, though says, considering himself as nothing, as entirely the consciousness of these was present to his mind passive in the hands of God, "of such a one," of at the time, yet it did not hinder him from feel- a person to whom such gifts and revelations as ing, with the deepest abasement and self-degrada- these have been imparted, "I will glory; yet of tion, his former offences against Christ, though myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities." they were offences which sprang from error. "I Then he goes on: "Lest I should be exalted am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to above measure through the abundance of the rebe called an apostle, because I persecuted the velations, there was given to me a thorn in the church of God; but, by the grace of God, I am flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I what I am." The faults of his life were upper- should be exalted above measure." most in his mind. No mention, no recollection of his services, even when he did happen to recollect them, shut out even for a single moment, the deep memory of his offences, or covered or concealed it from his view.

In another place, the same apostle, looking back upon the history of his singular and eventful life, exhibits himself to his converts, as how? not as bringing forward his merit, pleading his services, or claiming his reward: but as nothing other, nothing more, than a monument and example of God Almighty's mercy. Sinners need not despair of mercy, when so great a sinner as himself obtained it. Hear his own words: "For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting;" 1 Timothy i. 16. What could be more humble or self-depressing than this acknowledgment? yet this was Saint Paul's.

After what you have heard, you will not wonder, that this same Saint Paul should pronounce himself to be "the chief of sinners."-" Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief;" 1 Tim. i. 15. His sins were uppermost in his thoughts. Other thoughts occasionally visited his mind: but the impression which these had made, was constant, deep, fixed, and indelible.

If, therefore, you would imitate Saint Paul in his turn and train of religious thought; if you would adopt his disposition, his frame, his habit of mind, in this important exercise; you must meditate more upon your sins, and less upon your virtues.

Again; and which is another strong scriptural reason for the advice I am giving, the habit of viewing and contemplating our own virtues has a tendency in opposition to a fundamental duty of our religion, the entertaining of a due and grateful sense of the mercy of God in the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ. The custom of thought, which we dissuade, is sure to generate in us notions of merit; and that, not only in comparison with other men, which is by no means good, or likely to produce any good effect upon our disposition, but also in relation to God himself; whereas the whole of that sentiment, which springs up in the mind, when we regard our cha

The eleventh chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, and also the twelfth, ought to be read by you on this occasion. They are very remarkable chapters, and very much to our present purpose. It had so happened, that some hostile, and, as it should seem, some false teachers, had acquired a considerable influence and ascendancy in the church which Saint Paul had planted. To counteract which influence it became necessary for him to assert his character, to state his preten-racters in comparison with those of other men, if sions to credit and authority, amongst them at tolerated at all, ought to sink into the lowest selfleast, and in comparison with those who were abasement, when we advance our thoughts to God, leading them astray. He complies with the occa- and the relation in which we stand to him. Then sion; and he does, accordingly, set forth and enu- is all boasting, either in spirit or by words, to be merate his pretensions. But I entreat you to ob done away. The highest act of faith and obediserve, with how many apologies, with what ence, recorded in Scripture, was Abraham's conreluctance, and under what strong protestations, sent to sacrifice his son, when he believed that he does it; showing most manifestly, how con- God required it. It was the severest trial that trary it was to his habit, his judgment, and to the human nature could be put upon; and, therefore, inclination of his mind to do so. His expressions if any man, who ever lived, were authorized to are such as these: "Would to God ye could bear boast of his obedience, it was Abraham after this with me a little in my folly; and, indeed, bear experiment. Yet what says Saint Paul? "If with me." What was his folly? the recital he Abraham were justified by works, he hath wherewas about to give of his services and pretensions. of to glory; but not before God." No man's pre-Though compelled by the reason you have tensions to glory were greater, yet, before God, heard, to give it, yet he calls it folly to do so. He they were nothing. By grace ye are saved is interrupted as he proceeds by the same senti- through faith, and that not of yourselves, lest any ment; "That which I speak, I speak it not after man should boast;" Eph. ii. 8, 9. Here you the Lord, but, as it were, foolishly in this confi- perceive distinctly, that speaking of salvation, with dence of boasting." And again, referring to the reference to its cause, it is by grace; it is an act of necessity, which drew from him this sort of lan- pure favour; it is not of yourselves; it is the gift guage; "I am become," says he, "a fool in glory-of God; it is not of works; and that this repreing; ye have compelled me."

But what forms, perhaps, the strongest part of the example is, that the apostle considers this tendency to boast and glory, though it was in his gifts, rather than his services, as one of his dan

sentation was given, lest any man should boast, that is, expressly for the purpose of beating down and humbling all sentiments of merit or desert in what we do; lest they induce us, as they will induce us, to think less gratefully, or less piously,