CHEAP R £ P O 8 IT RT. 
 SUNDAY READING. 
 
 TO UQhVto NE; 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 Way to know a True Christian* 
 
 BEING 
 
 A Defcription of the Chara&er of, our blefTed Savior, 
 with an Inquiry whether we are like Him. To which is 
 added, An Appeal fir ft to Infidels, and then toPedbns 
 who call themfelves by the Name of C . i r i ^ T i a N s „ 
 
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THE 
 
 TOUCHSTO N E, Wc. 
 
 IN this Giriftian Country, or at leaft among the 
 more Ghriftian part of it, the duty of imitating 
 him by whole name we "call ourfelves is a point 
 which muft be allowed to be clear. I think it 
 muft alfo be admitted by all who confider them- 
 felves as Chriftians, that in proportion as a man 
 differs from his Savior, and turns away from the 
 confideration of his Character and Gondii 61, in 
 the fame proportion does he depart from true 
 goodnefs, and betray the unfoundnefs of his whole 
 Chriftian profeffion. 
 
 We fliall proceed, without further preface, to 
 fpeak of a few of thofe tempers and difpofitions 
 which mod remarkably diftinguifhed our bieffcd 
 Lord, and they (hall be the following. 
 
 Firft. He was remarkable for his c on defc en/ton 
 and humility, and for his indifference to worldly 
 praife. He fought not honor fronvmen: he never 
 aimed at earthly diftinclion or fuperiority,' but 
 fubmitted willingly to be confidered as one of the 
 meaneft of .the people. No lofty high minded 
 thoughts, no afpking defires were harboured in his 
 breafl. He made himfelf " of no reputation," and 
 appeared as the fervant of all. It was inoft won- 
 derful condelcenfiorwn Chiift, who is fpoken of 
 in Scripture as " coming down from heaven," 
 and as having partaken in "' the glory of the Fa- 
 ther before the world was," even to vifit this 
 world at all. It was ftill greater condefcenfion to 
 vifit us in the character of a man l>ke ourfelves, 
 
(.3 ) ' ' 
 
 but the condefcenfion is inereafed to a dill more 
 
 aftonifhing pitch, by appearing among us even 
 
 as the pooreft and moft defpifed of mankind, 
 
 He was deftitute of fuch common conveniences 
 
 as even the 'loweft have. 44 The foxes have 
 
 44 holes, and the birds of the air have nefts, 
 
 44 but the Son of Man had not where to lay 
 
 44 his head.' 5 We find him condefcending to 
 
 waft his difciples' feet, and alfo warning them 
 
 not to confider thernfelves as true Believers in him 
 
 if they 44 fought honor one of another:" at an* 
 
 other time we find him admonifhing them to be 
 
 44 poor in fpirit." and at another 46 not to chufe the 
 
 " higheft place," but willingly and contentedly to 
 
 take the loweft till they mould be called up 
 
 higher, affuring them that it was a maxim in his 
 
 kingdom, <4 that every one that exalteth himfelf 
 
 44 mall be abafed, but he that humbleth himfelf 
 
 " mall be exalted." 
 
 Secondly. Our Savior was alfo endued with 
 
 the greateft meeknefs and patience. .No haftinefs 
 
 of fpirit ; no ram anger or refentment was found 
 
 in him. His foul was meek and gentle as a 
 
 lamb: all the trials, affronts, and injuries which 
 
 he met with were fubmitted to by him patient! y 5 
 
 without the leaft murmuring or repining. 44 . He 
 
 44 gave his back to the fmiters, and his cheeks 
 
 44 to them that plucked off the hair.'' 44 He 
 
 46 hid not his face from fhame and fpitting."-^. 
 
 64 He was oppreffed, and he was afflicled, yet he 
 
 44 opened not his mouth." 44 He was brought 
 
 44 as a lamb to the (laughter, and as a fheep 
 
 " before his (hearers is dumb, fo he opened not 
 
 " his mouth,"' St. Peter tells us, that 44 wheu 
 
. ( « ) 
 
 u he was reviled he reviled not again, when he 
 " fuffered he threatened not, but committed hiin- 
 "Telf to him that judgeth righteoufly," and his 
 own admonition to his followers is, " Take my 
 4t yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am 
 W meek and lowlyjn heart, and ye fhall find reft 
 "for^your fouls." When his enemies treated 
 him with the greateft unkindnefs and cruelty he 
 returned them good for evil, and fought to pro 
 mote their happinefs and falvation. So far Was 
 his mind from harbouring any malice or revenge, 
 that he prayed even for his murderers, and re- 
 commended them to the Divine Mercy, faying. 
 Father forgive them, for they know not what 
 "they do." 
 
 Thirdly. The mind of Cirri ft was alfo filled with 
 the tendered cc?npaJfion and love. Z This was ma- 
 nifefted throughout his whole conduct, by the kind 
 attention which he (hewed both to the bodies and 
 fouls of men. He went about doing good," reliev- 
 ing the helplefs, healing the difeafed, and com- 
 forting the afflicted. He alfo infiru&ed the igno- 
 rant, and " jjave lifeht to them that fat in darknefs 
 and in the fhad&w of death.' 5 The poor guilty 
 firmer found hi in a friend indeed. We never read 
 of any firmer turning from his fins, and calling upon 
 Chrift, without receiving an anfwer of peare t 
 to tfra-t our Savior five wed by his conduct that he 
 : ame, as fie himMf expreffes it, 6 f, to feek and to 
 5 ; lave that which was loft." He-is reprefented in 
 Scripture as one who was always labouring to pro- 
 
 ote the Salvation of thofe around him; and when 
 men would not hearken" to his words, but deter- 
 mined ftill to go on in their iins, his foul pitied 
 theuij and he was grieved for their hardnefs of 
 
\ ( 5 > 
 
 ^ heart;" Mow fully does his pathetic Lamenta- 
 tion over devoted jerufalem fpeak the compani- 
 onate afFeaion of his mind! " O Jerufalem! 
 " Jerufalem! thou that killeit the Prophets, and 
 « ftoneft them that are fent -unto thee : how often 
 " would I have gathered thy children together, 
 " even as a hen gatkereth her chickens under her 
 ;t wing, and ye would not." 
 
 But his love was Shewn molt eminently in his 
 laying downiiis life for us: as he fpeaks, " Greater 
 8 Love hath no ban than this, that a man lav 
 " down his life for his friends." this great 
 mflance of loye he mewed, yet this was not all : 
 >He laid down his life for his enemies. St. Paul 
 
 we were yet without ftrength," (or. 
 when, we had fallen fo as to he utterly helplefs 
 and ruined) « in due time Chrift died for the 
 '* ungodly. For fcarcely fqr a righteous* man 
 " would one die, yet peradventure for a good 
 Q% man fome would even dare to die. But ^God 
 commendeth his love toward us, in that while 
 we were yet finners Chrift died for us." Herein 
 is love beyond ekample. We read of fome who 
 have been induced to die for their country or 
 their friends, but where have we heard or read of 
 any one, except Jefus Chrift, who has willingly died 
 for his enemies; for thofe who offended and°cruelly 
 injured him. 
 
 Fourthly. Chrift was remarkable for the moft 
 perfeft obedience and reftgnation to the will of God. 
 
 " I came down from heaven, he faith, not to 
 u do mine own will, but the will of him that fent 
 L ' me. And I muft work the work of him that 
 ^ fent me while it is day, the night cometh when 
 
 A 3 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 " no man can work." At twelve years old we 
 find him diligently employed in purfuing the great 
 objeft for which God lent- him into the world, 
 reafoning with and queftioning the fewiih Doclors- 
 in the Temple. When his mother inquired of 
 him concerning the reafon of his conduit, his an- 
 fwer was, 4 - Wift ye not that I rimft be about my 
 " father's bufmefs:"' He was more intent on obey- 
 ing God than oh receiving his daily food; 44 I 
 " have meat to eat," faid he, 44 which the world 
 C4 knows not of:" and immediately after he adds, 
 64 my meat is to do th« will of 'God , and to faiilh 
 " the work which he hath gitfen me to do. 1 And 
 as he was active in performing, fo was he alfo pa- 
 tient in fullering whatever God required. All the 
 fevere trials and afflictions which Chrift endured, 
 were endured without reluftance or repining, be- 
 caufe he knew that ihey came upon him by Divine 
 appointment. Even when his laft bitier Hifferings 
 drew aear, and his human Nature thuddered at 
 the profpeft of them, hear with what, abedient re- 
 signation he prayed: 44 Now is my foul troubled, 
 44 and what ftaU 1 fay, Pother, fave me from 
 " this hour; but for (his caufe came T unto this 
 44 hour. Father, glorify thy name. — Father, if 
 64 thou be willing, remove this cup from me; 
 * 4 neverthelefs, not my will but thine be done." 
 
 If there were room to enlarge on this fubjecl:, 
 we might proceed to fpeak of our Savior's fpotkfs 
 purity, of his unfhaken faith and truft in God, 
 of his noble courage in the caufe of truth, 
 and alfo of his ardent devotion, as well as many 
 other mining excellencies in his character; but it 
 is the lefs neceffary, becaufe they are partly im- 
 plied in the tempers already treated of. 
 
And now let me put a very fimple queftion to the 
 reader. Who are they that are the true Difciples 
 of this jehis Chrift? The^anfwer is eafy. The 
 true Dilciples are thofe undoubtedly who moft 
 nearly referable that charaQer of Chrift which has 
 been fpoken of. Thofe are not the true Chriftians. 
 who merely call themfeives fucfe. Again, thofe 
 are not the true Chriftians who, though they be. 
 lievc and affirm the Bible to be true, yet never 
 read it, and know nothing of what is contained in 
 it Again, thofe -are not the true Chriftians who 
 though they may read the Bible, and though they 
 can prove by argument that it is no impofture, are 
 neverthelefs no better for all this knowledge. 
 Again, they are not the true Chriftians who have 
 nad Chxiftian baptifm, who attend at Chriftian 
 worfhip, and receive every month the Chriftian 
 Sacrament, and who are orthodox even in their 
 Creed, and can fee the errors into which other 
 men fall on thefe fubjefts; for a man may ftill 
 want the main thing which Chriftianity confifts in 3 • 
 I mean he may want a refemblance to Chrift in 
 his turn of Chdrafter, and temper, and fpirit. But 
 in order to bring this whole fubjefit more diftinftly 
 home to the Reader, let us again briefly touch on 
 the feveral tempers that were fpoken of. 
 
 Firft, then your Savior was remarkable for 
 his condefcenfion, humility/ and indifference to 
 worldly praife. Are you diftinguifhed by the fame 
 difpofnions ? Are you willing to drop down from 
 your rank in life, as Chrift did from his celeftial 
 dignity? Are you contented alfo with a low eftate 
 as he was? And is your heart deadened like his to 
 the.de fire of worldly praife and reputation? Is this, 
 I fay, your character? Or, on the contrary, are 
 
f 8 ) 
 
 you one of thofe Chriftians who make ^ point of 
 not {looping to any employment that is judged be- 
 neath them, and who are continually aiming at 
 high acquaintance, whofe great anxiety it is alio to 
 fare plentifully in this world, and who, in fhort 
 are in full chace of wealth as well as reputation, 
 honor, and preferment ? This is one teft by which 
 you are to judge whether you are a Chriftian. 
 
 Secondly. We fpoke~6f the meeknefs and pa- 
 tience of Chrift. When he was *« reviled he re- 
 viled not again." His foul, as we obferved, was 
 meek and gemle as a lamb. Is this alfo your cha- 
 rade*? Has your natural temper, if it is hafty, been 
 brought under, fo that affronts and injuries do not 
 much ruffle you? Are you not made violent jn 
 your fpirit by the violence of thofe who are op 
 pofed to you ? How do you feel, for inftance, to- 
 wards men of an oppofite nation, or of a contrary 
 party to vou in politics, or of another feft in re- 
 ligion? Chi ill: died for his enemies ; how do you 
 feel towards all your enemies? Do you bear the 
 evils of lift: alfo as Chrjft did, without murmuring 
 and complaining, fubmitting cheerfully to a hard 
 arfd humble lot if it be the will of your heavenly 
 father? 
 
 Thirdly. Chrift was full of tender compafliori 
 and love, both to the bodies and fouls of men. 
 How ftands the likenefs in thcfe particulars? For 
 inftance, what part of your time and money do 
 you give to fhe relief of men's bodily diftreffes ? 
 Is your character that of a father to the fatherlefs, 
 a vifuor of the fick, a benefactor to the poor, and 
 a comforter of the arfli&ed? Do' you, like your 
 Savior, go about doing good ?" How do you 
 a& alfo towai ds thofe who are of bad character in 
 
the world, and who have trefpaffed, as fome judge, 
 paft all forgivenefs ? Does your benevolence em- 
 brace even thefe outcafts alfo ? It was one of the 
 reproaches caft on 'Chrift by the Pharifees, that he 
 (looped too low in this refpeft, and that he feemed 
 to take the part of wicked and undeferving people 
 f? Behold!" faid thev " a friend to Publi cans and 
 Sinners," and again, " this woman is a Sinner." 
 Are you in like manner a friend to the mo ft dif- 
 creditable kind of Sinners? Is the idea of- their un- 
 worthinefs no argument with you for declining an 
 opportunity of doing them good? Do you take their 
 part and not defpair of them, notwithstanding the 
 frteers of fome unchriftian people? Or, on the con- 
 trary, does the dread of fuffering in your own re- 
 putation continually check you in the juft exercife 
 of your beneficence? 
 
 But the love of Chrift had refpeft chiefly to the 
 fouls of men. Are you chiefly concerned about 
 their fouls alfo? Do you do what in you lieth to 
 promote men's eternal interefts ? Do you labour to 
 enlighten, to inftruct., to invite, and to warn men 
 with all earneftnefs as Chrift did? And do you 
 weep over the cafe of impenitent Sinners, as your 
 Savior wept over Jerufalem? Or, on the contrary, 
 are you one of thofe who make light of men's fpi- 
 ritual interefts, who feem almoft to forget that 
 their fellow-creatures have immortal fouls, and 
 who at the utmoft can only be prevailed on to 
 mew a little humanity to their bodies? 
 
 Fourthly. Chrift was remarkable for his obe- 
 dience and refignatiorj, to the will of God. He evi- 
 dently lived -only for the purpofe of doing the will 
 of his heavenly Father. Is this the propofed end 
 of your living ? Do you consider all your employ* 
 
mems in this life as the fulfilling of a work which 
 God hath given you to do, and do you labour to 
 Jcnow his will in order to your thus fulfilling it? 
 Or, on the contrary, are you one of thofe who 
 never fhink of God's will, but go their own way 
 and fay, they have a right to pleafe themfelves 
 provided they commit no great crime againft their 
 neighbour. And again, when croffes or troubles 
 come upon you do you bear them with resigna- 
 tion, confidering them to be fent by God, or are 
 you impatient until they are, removed, reverfing 
 on fuch occafions the language of your Savior and 
 faying, " Not thy will, O Lord! but mine be done." 
 
 On the fu'bjecl of our Savior's holinefs and 
 purity, his unmaken faith and truft in God, his 
 boldnefs in the caufe of truth, and his ardent de- 
 votion, as well as his other excellencies, we will 
 not attempt to enter &ere. Let it be remembered, 
 however, that it is the part of a true Chriftian to 
 fFace out the whole character of his Savior, and 
 to imitate him in every one of thofe points in 
 which the Scriptures fet him forth as out, example. 
 
 And now let .us make an appeal in a few words 
 to two or three different defcriptions of people. 
 And firR to the downright Infidel. You are one 
 who difbelieve in Chrift; but are you one that has 
 duly weighed and confidered his character ? What 
 is the fault you find in it? When the unbelieving 
 jews once took up (tones to call at Jefus, he ai> 
 iwered them by faying, ?f Many good works have 
 " I fhewed you from my Father, and for which of 
 " the fe good works do you (lone me?" And fo it 
 rnav belaid to you now. Many excellencies in 
 Chrift's character have been fet before you, and. 
 for which of thefe is it that you difbelieve in him?* 
 
( 11 ) 
 
 Surely you cannot deny that there is fomething 
 very excellent, and unimpeachable, fomething very 
 pure and holy, fomething alfo very original, fome- 
 thing in fliort that looks very like divine in the 
 character that has been fpoken of, nor can there 
 be any doubt of the tendency of the difpofitions 
 which have been defcribed to promote the peace and 
 happineis of mankind. When therefore one man 
 feoffs, when another gravely difbelieves, when a 
 third doubts about Chriftianity ; when difficulties 
 ri e up in the minds of fome, and when profane 
 and biaipheming books are fpread abroad to ove*- 
 thn )w the faith of others, to all this hoft of un- 
 believers we beg leave in this place fimply to 
 reply, by oppofing to them the character of Jefus 
 Chrift, a character which thofe who are the moli 
 violent in running down Chriftianity, will be found 
 I believe in general, to take very little trouble in 
 confidering. 
 
 When thofe unbelieving Jews of old who were 
 fo bent on crucifying Chrift were afked, " Why, 
 "what evil hath he done?" the grand difficulty 
 was, to get them to give their attention fairly to 
 the character of the prifpner; the multitude of 
 them, when this very reafonable queftion was afked, 
 are faid to have returned to their general abufe, and 
 to have " only cried out the more let him be cru- 
 cified;" but when Pilate, though difpofed to fide 
 with the_ Jews, was obliged by his office to exa- 
 mine and crofs-examine this Jefus, " Verily," faid 
 Pilate, " I find no fault in him."- — Our prefent dif- 
 ficulty is much the fame; for if we could but per- 
 fuade our modern Infidels and Blafphemers to be- 
 ftow for once a little time in examining, p©int by 
 pQintj the character of this Jefus of Nazareth as 
 
IKIate did, methinks they would be glad to wafh 
 their hands alio, like Pilate, of the blame of being 
 his more forward enemies : they would turn over at 
 leaft the heavier part of the guilt to the rabble of 
 more uninformed perfons faying, like Pilate after 
 the examination, " Takej* him imd crucify him." 
 
 But let us next addrefs the merely nominal and- 
 falfe Chriftians. Now thefe are the perfons who f 
 though fome of them lament perhaps the prefent 
 growth of infidelity, have been the principal caufes 
 of it. Not a few of thefe Chriftians fo called are, 
 it is to be feared; men even of immoral charac- 
 ter, and thefe mud be named among the belt 
 friends of infidelity, for the corrupt life of one 
 who calls himfelf a Chriftian, is certainly the greai- 
 eft of all encouragements to the unbelievers. But 
 let us not confine our obfervation to immoral 
 Chriftians only. You are certainly a promoter of 
 Infidelity if you do but fail of having that peculiar 
 temper and turn of mind which has been defcrib- 
 ed. I will fuppofe now that you are a decent 
 moral' perfon — But muft we not own that fo alfo 
 are many of the Infidels— honorable— fo are t}ie 
 Infidels — humane, perhaps handfome in your 
 condu& ? and very refpeftable— but fo alfo are 
 many of the Infidels. If this then be all, you have 
 nothing in your char-after bm what is common 
 both to you and them, and an Infidel af this rate" 
 u juft as good as a Chriftian; and if as good he 
 nnift be as fafe alfo— furely then there is no need 
 of Chriftianity; and if there is no need of it 
 there arifes a ftrong fufpicion alfo that there is 
 rto truth in it; for to fuppofe Chriftianity to be 
 true, and fent of God, as it profeffes to be, while 
 neverthelefs there is ruo need of it, and while the hU 
 
f *3 } * 
 towers ot it are no better than the Unbelievers* 
 is to fuppofe that God afts foolifhly and in vain 3 
 which fcippofition is itfelf a kind of Infidelity^ 
 and is an approach even to Atheifm. „It follows, 
 therefore, that in order to defend the truth 
 of Chriftianity, it is neceffary to exclude oai 
 of the pale of the true ChrifUan Church every 
 fuch merely decent Chriftian as I have been- 
 fpeaking of, laying to him (as all ferious Cbrii 
 nans indeed are ufed to do) that you have no 
 ihare in the privileges of the Gofpel any nro 
 than the Unbelievers, and if " he that believetb 
 not fhall be condemned,' 5 then you it is to be 
 feared are involved iri the fame condemnation. 
 
 We cannot help ©blerving, that Chriftians .of 
 -this merely decent clafs, efpccialiy if poffeffed of 
 a little orthodoxy alfo,. are not feldom the perfows 
 .•who cry out mod. violently again ft Infidelity, and 
 who perhaps tome forward in defence of the na- 
 tional faith, as if thefe were the be ft Champions 
 by whom the truths of Chrift can be defended 5 
 whereas I think I have fhewn, that they are fome 
 of the very perfons who have betrayed the ca ufe, 
 and have iurrendered up the ark of our moft holy 
 : dil:h into the hands of the modern Fhlfiftines. 
 
 Let us next ad<dre(s another clafs of perfons, I 
 mean thofe who are very remarkable for their 
 .attachment, to certain Chriftian Dodrines, and 
 .ape very -zealous for what they call the -Gofpel, 
 Some of theie ' perhaps carry their zeal for doc- 
 trines fo far, rbai they feci' but little ^intercft in 
 any thing that can be faid concerning the example 
 of Chrift, and are ready to turn away from what 
 they call fo merely moral a ieifon. 'Thev dehro 
 to hear of nothing elfe than . the " blood and 
 
f. 1.1 ) 
 
 16 righteeufnefs of Chriftj" and his atonement, and 
 grace, and interceffion. But has not the fame 
 Scripture which fpeaks on thefe fubjefts faid alfo, 
 <; Let the fame mind be in you which was alfo 
 6; in Chrift Jefus, and that Chrift hath fet us an 
 " example that we mould tread in his fieps 
 and again, " that he that faith he abideth in him 
 64 ought himfelf fo to walk even as he walked 
 and again, " that if any man have not the Spirit 
 " of Chrift," (which certainly mull include the 
 temper of Chrift) he is none of his." A plain 
 fcripturai declaration of the Character of Chrift, 
 and an appeal to thofe texts which afiert the ne- 
 ceffity of being like him in our own character and 
 conduct, may be of admirable^ ufe in pulling down 
 the vain confidence of the Enthufiaft, in rectify- 
 ing many errors of the Bigot, in expofing the fin- 
 ful paffions of fome who pretend that they are 
 magnifying .Chrift, in proving in fhort the faith 
 of all, and in calming many political as well as 
 religious controverfies of the Chriftian Church. 
 
 But o::ce more. There are fome who think 
 indeed that they copy after Chrift, and that they 
 copy him the more becaufe they make light of 
 doctrines and beftow their whole attention upon 
 practice. But what is their practice? Are they 
 clofe and real imitators of all thefe holy tem- 
 pers of jefus? I fear thofe who neglect or pervert 
 the doctrinal parts of Scripture, in order to fuit 
 their own creed, are prone equally to forget or 
 lower what is practical in Scripture in order to 
 fait their own practice: many take, for inftance, 
 only a part of ChrifVs example inftead of the 
 whole of it, and even what they take they lower 
 and deprive of all the fpirit that is in it before 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 they can agree to it: thus they may poflibly imitate 
 Chrift's benevolence to the bodies of men, but 
 even this is done only in fome linall degree, for 
 they cannot be faid to u go about doing good," as 
 Chrift did, making:' ,,imevolence their bufinefs, 
 and quitting their home, like him, in fearch of 
 wretched peoj ! e; and as to.Chrift's benevolence to 
 the fouls of men they hardly think of it, and are al- 
 together oppofite to him in that particular : thus 
 many alfo may confider a certain degree of refig- 
 nation to Providence in a time of calamity to be 
 a branch of Chrift i an duty, and may fancy they 
 follow Chrift's example in this refpeft, while in 
 fact perhaps they are much more inthienced by an 
 idea of it's being ncceffary to • fubmit to their fate; 
 and as to that other temper of Chrift whjch we 
 coupled with wilhngriefs to fuffer, I mean a wi! - 
 lingnefs alfo to do the whole will of our hea- 
 venly Father, here they mo ft lamentably fail : for da 
 they look upon .the doing of God's will, as Chrift 
 "did, to be more ncceffary, as_ it were, than their 
 daily meat, and do they count their time, their 
 money, and their labor loft except as it is de- 
 voted to God's fervice^ and employed for his 
 glory? In truth, the whole example of drift, 
 when rightly underftood, can neither be imitated 
 nor approved by the common kind of worldly 
 men; and indeed we all feem naturally to fall 
 into difpofitions the mod contrary to thofe which 
 chara&erifed our Savior; for are men kalih 
 humble, and lowly, and indifferent, as, he 
 worldly praife? Are they naAratty -prone to jftifri 
 give injuries, and to love even their encmi^ 
 fhewing their chief companion alio to the faals 
 of thofe whom they love? Are men natural!? dit 
 
/ 16 * 
 
 pofed to renounce tneir own will, and to look 
 only to the will of God? and are men, naturally 
 fubmiffivc, and refigned, and devoted altogether 
 to the Lord's fervice? The corruption of our 
 nature then is one of the lcffons which we learn 
 by thus appealing to the example of Chrift as the 
 Touchftone of real gpodnefs, and when through 
 the knowledge of this corruption we are humbled 
 under the fenle of guilty and are become anxious 
 to find mercy, then, and not till then, we turn to 
 our Savior's Crofs, a id begin heartily to. plead 
 * 4 the Propitiation" of that Son of God who 44 bare 
 "pur. fins in his own body on the tree," having 
 " given his life to be a ranfom for us." 
 
 The diftance at which we find ourfelves from 
 the great Standard of Perfe-clion, and the diffi- 
 culty which we foon begin to feel when we en- 
 deavour to copy after it, cannot fail to teach us 
 another leifon -in Chrifiianity of the firft impor- 
 tance; we are now taught, I mean, to 44 bow our 
 44 knees" before the * : od*of all* grace, imploring 
 
 3im 44 to help our infirmities," - arid to pour 
 down upon us a portion of that fpirit which was 
 64 given without meafure'' unto Chrift; and thus 
 do the ieveral parts of Chriftianity reflect mutual 
 light on . each other, lie then is the true Chrif- 
 tian who, believing the doctrines of Chrift, is 
 alfo animated thereby to follow all the precepts of 
 
 .his mailer, who heartily approves andzealoully co- 
 pies after the fright example tiiat is fet before him, 
 and who, by the help of Divine Grace, attains in 
 his"humb;c. meafure to ibme true* refemblance of his 
 Savior. 
 
 Sr 4^^- - % r the e ; n . ..o* tjP y / ■ y