portion beyond it? Or fhall we be tremblingly alive to the opinion of our fellow-creatures, and think it a great hardship, if it be our lot to fuffer fhame, for his fake, who endured the cross, and despised the shame for us? Rather may we account fuch disgrace our glory, and every lofs and fuffering, that we may endure for him, a gain. While on the other hand, we learn with the apostle Paul, to esteem every gain and honour this world can afford, to be but lofs, and dung, in comparifon of the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Fefus our Lord*.

SERMON XVIII.

VOLUNTARY SUFFERING.

ISAIAH 1. 6.

I gave my back to the fmiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I bid not my face from fame and spitting.

T

HAT which often paffes amongst men

for refolution, and the proof of a noble, courageous fpirit, is, in reality, the effect and mark of a weak and little mind. At least, it is chiefly owing to the presence of certain circumftances, which have a greater influence upon the conduct, than any inherent principle. Thus, many perfons, who appear to fet death and danger at defiance in the hour of battle, while they are animated by the examples of thofe around them, and inftigated by a fear of the punishment or fhame they would

Y 4

would incur if they deferted their poft, upon a change of fituation, as for inftance, on a bed of fickness, difcover no traces of the heroifm for which they were before applauded, but tremble at the leisurely approach of death, though they were thought to defpife it under a different form. It was not true fortitude, it was rather a contemptible pufillanimity,that determined the celebrated Cato to deftroy himself. He was afraid of Cæfar; his dread of him, after his victories, was fo great, that he durft not look him in the face; and, therefore, he killed himself to avoid him. To the fame meannefs of fentiment, we may confidently ascribe, the pretended gallantry of modern duellifts. They fight, not because they are not afraid of death, but because they are impelled by another fear, which makes a greater impreffion upon a feeble, irresolute mind. They live upon the opinion of their fellow-creatures, and feel themselves too weak, to bear the contempt they fhould meet with, from the circle of their acquaintance, if they should decline acting upon the false principles of honour, which, pride and folly have eftablished. They have not refolution sufficient, to act the part which conscience and

reafon

reason would dictate, and, therefore, hazard life, and every thing that is dear to them, as men, rather than dare to withstand the prevalence of an abfurd and brutal cuftom.

A patient enduring of affliction, and especially of difgrace and contempt, to which the characters the world moft admire, are confessedly unequal, is a much furer proof of true fortitude, than any of those actions which the love of praise, the fear of man, or even a mercenary attachment to lucre, are capable of producing. True Magnanimity is evidenced by the real importance of the end it proposes, and by the steadiness with which it pursues the proper means of attaining that end; undisturbed and unwearied by difficulty, danger, or pain, and equally indifferent to the cenfure, or fcorn, of incompetent judges. This greatness of mind is effential and peculiar to the character of the Chriftian. I mean the Christian who deferves the name. His ends are great and fublime, to glorify God, to obtain nearer communion with him, and to advance in conformity to his holy will. To attain these ends, he employs the means prefcribed by the Lord, he waits at Wisdom's

gates,