and infpire them with the love of goodness. This heavenly appearance is really in a manner placed before us chriftians. In the example of our bleffed Saviour, virtue is placed before us in a visible shape: we not only hear it dictating, in the form of rules and instructions; but we fee it acting before us, in all the offices of life.Nor can we pretend to fay, that we have, in the example of our bleffed Saviour, fuch a pattern as we cannot follow. It is true, we cannot come up to it, nor imitate it in every part; but it is in general plain to our capacities. Had the example of our Saviour been the example of a perfon in an elevated station of life-had our Lord fhewn us how kings ought to reign, or magiftrates to govern, or generals to command, it would have been a noble leffon, no doubt, for kings, and magiftrates, and generals; but it could have been imitated only by few. Or, had our Lord given us the example of auftere manners of a life devoted entirely to religious offices, the neceffary business of the world would not have permitted us to imitate it. But it is an example of a different kind which our blessed Lord has fet before us: it is the example of meeknefs, gentleness, contentment, kindness, affection,

affection, heavenly-mindedness, humility; a life spent in being of service to others; of piety and devotion; and of mild fubmiffion, and refignation, in all cafes, to the will of God. This example, as far as the divine nature of our Saviour was concerned, was certainly unneceffary; but he chose to give us the example in the human nature, as fuited to the imitation of mankind. High and low, rich and poor, this countryman and that countryman, people of all profeffions, of all ages, and of all distinctions, find here an example fuited to their imitationthe example of a holy, good man, which people of all profeffions ought to follow.

If there are any, to whom Chrift's example is more peculiarly adapted, it is thofe in low circumstances. He often tells us, he was the preacher of the gospel which was meant for the poor. And his example has the fame tendency. He does not fet the example of spending a fortune in a noble and magnificent manner-of doing great and generous things; but of fuch virtues as may be practised in the humbleft life. None of you can have lefs of the world's goods than your Saviour had; but he was content to bear all the evils of the lowest station, that he

might fet you an example of trufting in God in all your distreffes; and of thus making poverty the means of religion.

Having thus pointed out to you the example of our bleffed Lord as a perfect pattern, I fhall now fhew you how far you may follow it :He left us an example, that we should follow his Steps. To follow the steps of a person, fignifies, that we fhould go the fame road-that we should turn neither to the right hand, nor to the left; but, as nearly as may be, pursue the track of the perfon we follow.-Now, in fome things it is impoffible for us to follow the steps of Christ as, in the first place, where he acts in his prophetic character-when he denounces woe against the fcribes and pharifees; or when he denounces judgment upon the unrighteous cities, which fhut their ears against the truth; or when he drove the buyers and fellers out of the temple.-Other parts of his life, too, are beyond our example. In one part of fcripture we are told, he fafted forty days and forty nights; in another, that he would continue whole nights and days in prayers to God. Now these steps, we know, it is as impoffible for us to follow, as it is to work the miracles which

Chrift wrought; yet still, even these we ought to follow at a proper diftance. If we do not denounce judgments against wicked men, we should at least discourage and avoid them: if we cannot, with the zeal and dignity of our Lord, drive the buyers and fellers out of the temple, we can, however, fhew our regard to the temple of God, by continually frequenting it, and with fincerity performing our devotions in it: if we cannot fast forty days and forty nights, yet still we can practise fuch felf-denial, fuch fobriety, and fuch temperance, as our nature will allow, and our religion prescribes: if the frailty and circumstances of our nature will not fuffer us to continue all night in prayer to God, yet still we can perform our devotions, both in public and private, with attention, fincerity, and fervour.Thefe, however, are the extraordinary parts of that

great example, whofe fteps we are to follow in general, it is obvious, to imitation. The common parts of our Saviour's life set before us the plain example of doing our duty to God, our neighbour, and ourselves; and the manner in which we are to follow the example, is to go as far in the imitation of it as we can.. When the text fays, Be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father

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Father is perfect, the meaning is not that, by the beft of our endeavours we can attain that per fection; but by imitating that example, as far as we can, we may go higher than we could without it. And hence arifes the great advantage of having a perfect pattern. We may ftill rife higher in the degrees of imitation; as there will always be fo many degrees above us, that we can never attain the highest.

And now, my brethren, let us (as we ought on all occafions to apply every instruction to practice) seriously afk ourfelves, whether we do in earneft fet the 'bleffed example of this holy life before our eyes? Whether, as far as we can, we follow thofe heavenly steps that went before us?How are your hearts with regard to God? Do you feel any thing like that piety to God, that zeal for his laws, that love of God, that confidence, that truft in him, which appeared in your bleffed Lord? or are your hearts always grovelling in the world, and stuck faft in the mire of earthly things? Are you not often fo far from reverencing the name of God, that many of you fcruple not to prophane it with oaths and imprecations? If called to fome fevere trial; if any misfortune is laid upon you;