XVII. of divine grace, for the attainment of fuch SERM. falutary purposes? If dignity of character, if affection, respect, and confideration, on the part of our fellow-men; if favour with God, and all its blifsful confequences, be objects of ardent defire to every intelligent mind; all these must, in the present cafe, combine to ftimulate our endeavours for the attainment of the meek and lowly heart. If the contrary confequences be equal objects of averfion; felf-sufficiency and arrogance must be odious to our feelings, and studiously avoided in our conduct. If pride was unfeemly for man, even in his state of innocence, how much lefs muft it become him in his fallen and miferable condition, and, chiefly, as a profeffor of that religion whofe fundamental articles are acknowledgment of fin, and reliance on the mercy of God through a Redeemer! Indeed, it is impoffible to conceive how any one, who admires the character of our bleffed Lord, who seriously confiders and fincerely believes his doctrines, can affume the haughty mien of G pride, 1 XVII. SER M. pride, and the audacious look of self-righteousness. Therefore, my beloved brethren, let the mind be in us, which was also in Christ Jefus *. In lowlinefs of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves; t ever remembering, that the first beatitude is, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! * Phil. ii. 5. + Ib. ii. 3. Matth. v. 3. SERMON 467 SERMON XVIII. ON THE UNFAILING NATURE OF CHARI- [Preached, August 12. 1798, for behoof of a Society instituted for the Relief of the Sick Poor, and entitled the Sick Man's Friend.] 1 CORINTHIANS xiii. 8. Charity never faileth. AFTER the disciples, who met with Je- SERM. fus on the way to Emaus, and heard him XVIII. expound to them the fcriptures concerning himself, had been feparated from him, by his vanishing out of their fight, they said, one to another, did not our hearts burn within while he talked with us by the way, and Gg 2 us, while XVIII. SERM. while he opened to us the fcriptures? * In like manner, I say to you, My brethren! do not your hearts burn within you, when you read, in the chapter where my text lies, the fublime, comprehenfiye, and inimitable description of that more excellent way †, of that virtue peculiarly Christian, of that perfection of benevolence, which is not confined to this tranfitory ftate of existence, but extends into the regions of everlafting blifs, and will receive there continual improvement and increasing gratification. This virtue I call peculiarly Chriftian, because, before it was placed by our religion on its proper foundation, exhibited in its full extent, and enforced by adequate motives, it was never practised, and was even unknown in the world. For the truth of this affertion, I might appeal to the lives of the best men, and to the writings of the wifeft philofophers, of pagan antiquity, and even to the Jewish religion itfelf. Let thofe, who pretend to give the most amiable representation of human nature, *Luke xxiv. 31, 32. + 1 Cor. xii. 31. and XVIII. and to inculcate the cultivation of the fo- SERM. Gg 3 |