dering fpectators, It was not thy own power, it was not thy own holiness, which had wrought this-thou being of like paffions and infirmities;-but that it was the power of the GOD of Abraham,—the holiness of thy dear Lord, whom they crucified, operating by faith through thee, who waft but an inftrument in his hands.-If thus honestly declining honour, which the occafion fo amply invited thee to take;—if this would give more fatisfaction to a mind like thine, than the loudest praises of a mistaken people, what true rapture would be added to it from the reflection, -that in this inftance of felf-denialthou hadft not only done well,-but, what was still a more endearing thought, that thou hadft been able to copy the example of thy divine Mafter, who, in no action of his life, fought ever his own praise, but, on the contrary, declined all poffible occafions of it;—and in the only public inftance of honour which he suffered to be given him in his entrance into Jerufalem,-thou didst

remember, it was accepted with fuch a mixture of humility, that the prediction of the prophet was not more exactly fulfilled in the hosannas of the multitude, than in the meeknefs wherewith he received them, lowly and fitting upon an afs.-How could a difciple fail of profiting by the example of fo humble a master, whose whole course of life was a particular lecture to this virtue, and, in every inftance of it, fhewed plainly he came not to fhare the pride and glories of life, or gratify the carnal expectation of ambitious followers; which, had he affected external pomp, he might have accomplished, by engroffing, as he could have done by a word, all the riches of the world; and by the fplendour of his court, and dignity of his perfon, had been greater than Solomon in all his glory, and have attracted the applause and admiration of the world-this every difciple knew was in his power;-fo that the meannefs of his birth,-the toils and poverty of his life, the low offices in which he was

engaged, by preaching the gofpel to the poor-the numberlefs dangers and inconveniencies attending the execution,were all voluntary.-This humble choice both of friends and family out of the meaneft of the people,-amongst whom he appeared rather as a fervant than a mafter, coming not, as he often told them, to be miniftered unto, but to minifter, and as the prophet had foretold in that mournful description of him, having no form nor comeliness, nor any beauty that we should defire him.—

How could a difciple, you'll fay, reflect without benefit on this amiable character, with all the other tender pathetic proofs of humility, which his memory would fuggeft had happened of a piece with it, in the course of his mafter's life;-but particularly at the conclufion and great cataftrophe of it, -at his crucifixion; the impreffions of which could never be forgotten.-When a life full of fo many engaging inftances of humility, was crowned with the most endearing one of humbling himfelf to the death of the cross,-the

death of a flave and a malefactor,-suffering himself to be led like a lamb to the flaughter,-dragged to Calvary without oppofition or complaint, and as a fheep before his fhearer is dumb, opening not his mouth.

O bleffed Jefus! well might a difciple of thine learn of thee to be meek and lowly of heart, as thou exhortedst them all, for thou waft meek and lowly-well might they profit, when fuch a leffon was feconded by fuch an example!It is not to be doubted what force this must have had on the actions of those who were attendants and conftant followers of our Saviour on earth; -faw the meeknefs of his temper in the occurrences of his life, and the amazing proof of it at his death, who, though he was able to call down legions of angels to his refcue, or by a fingle act of omnipotence to have destroyed his enemies; yet fuppreffed his almighty power, -neither refented-or revenged the indignity done him, but patiently suffered himself to be numbered with the tranfgreffors.

It could not well be otherwife, but that every eye-witnefs of this must have been wrought upon, in fome degree, as the apostle, to let the fame mind be in him which alfo was in Chrift Jefus. Nor will it be difputed how much of the honour of St. Peter's behaviour in the prefent tranfaction might be owing to the impreffions he received, on that memorable occafion of his Lord's death, finking ftill deeper, from the affecting remembrance of the many inftances his mafter had given of this engaging virtue in the courfe of his life.

St. Peter certainly was of a warm and fenfible nature, as we may collect from the facred writings,-a temper fitteft to receive all the advantages which fuch impreffions could give;-and therefore, as it is a day and place facred to this great apostle, it may not be unacceptable, if I engage the remainder of your time, in a fhort effay upon his character, principally as it relates to this particular difpofition of heart, which is the subject of the difcourfe.