the ready undertaking and vigorous pursuit of every worthy purpose-I speak to you, Gentiles, (says St. Paul) inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office, if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. And again to the Hebrews-Consider one another, so as to provoke one another to charity and good works.

Examples, by their power over the mind and fancy, possess considerable influence upon practice. No study is so generally interesting as history, or the tradition of remarkable examples. Those who have no genius for the subtleties of science, no patience to pursue the reasonings of philosophy, are still susceptible of the pleasures of historical narration. And no attempts have been so gallant, no exploits so truly illustrious, as those which have been achieved by the faith and patience, the prudence and courage of the worthies of the sacred writings. It was more wonderful that Abraham, merely with the servants of his household, should vanquish four powerful and victorious kings; and that Gideon, with three hundred unarmed men, should discomfit the mighty host of the Midianites; than that Alexander, with a well-appointed army, should subjugate the Persian empire. The siege of Jericho is more remarkable than the famous ones of Numantia and Saguntum; as it was more wonderful that walls should be demolished by the sound of trumpets and the shouts of men, than by the

、

battering-ram or catapulta. And he who shall compare the deeds of Samson with those of Hercules, will find that one real exploit performed by the former, far surpasses the twelve fabulous labours of the latter. No triumphs, indeed, can be compared to those of piety; no trophies are so durable as those erected by victorious faith.

The

We may further consider, that God has provided and recommended to us one example, as a perfect standard,—the example of our Lord. This is the most certain and universal pattern; yet it does not supersede the use of others. Not only the valour and conduct of the general, but of inferior officers; nay, the bravery even of the common soldiers serve to animate their fellows. stars have their season as well as the sun to guide us. And, considering our infirmity, inferior examples sometimes possess a peculiar advantage even from their very imperfection. The practice of our Lord proceeded from that perfection of divine grace, which we can never arrive at ; and even to look upon it might dazzle and discourage our weakness; but as others were subject to the same difficulties which we feel, and were exposed to the same perils which we fear, we may hope to follow them, at any rate within a reasonable distance.

To conclude-since examples are of the greatest use towards our proceeding in the way of happiness; since they are so conducive to the instruction of our understanding, to the guidance of our rea

son, to the excitement of our passions, to the regulation of our imagination in the pursuit of good; let us make every due and profitable use of them. By a diligent perusal of the sacred writings, let us meditate on the lives of those holy men who are therein propounded to us as patterns of a persevering faith in God, and of the most submissive obedience to his commands. Let the light of their exemplary piety and virtue continually shine upon our souls, to direct our minds, to inflame our affections, to quicken our resolutions, to detect the errors, and correct the faults of our lives, that we, imitating their virtuous and pious conversation, with them may be partakers of the same heavenly kingdom-which God Almighty, and our blessed Saviour (the author and finisher of our faith) grant unto us all; to whom, with the Holy Spirit, be all glory and praise for ever and ever.

SERMON XXIV.

FROM ALLESTREE*.

1 PETER iv. 1.

He that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin.

WHEN it was evident that the garden of Eden possessed too many pleasures; and, that though man was made upright, yet, amid such a profusion of delights, he scarcely could continue so a day; but, among the many inventions he found out, the first was to destroy himself; under the shadow even of the tree of life working out death, and making the paths of Paradise lead him towards hell; God saw himself constrained to take another course: he stations a guard of fire around this place of pleasure, as well as in the place of torment and there was as much need of flames to keep man out of Paradise, as to frighten him from hell. He decks the

* Richard Allestree was born 1619, and died 1680.

earth no longer with the flowers and fruits of the garden, but makes her bring forth weeds and thistles, thorns and briars; which (if the soul should cleave and cling to the earth) might tear and wound it in the embrace, and save it from such prohibited and unhallowed union. Nothing but sufferings will do us good. The earth was most dangerous when it was a Paradise: nothing but a malediction could make it safe to us. Our happiness must be inflicted on us; and we must be goaded into blessedness.

He

God, therefore, has put afflictions into every dispensation since the first. Among the Jews, sin received immediate punishment by the tenor of the covenant: and, though the retributions of our covenant be placed at a distance, even as far as hell; yet Christ has dressed his very promises in sackcloth and ashes, tears and trouble. When he would recompense the highest virtue, he says it shall receive an hundred fold, with PERSECUTIONS. even grants us sufferings: unto you it is GIVEN in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to SUFFER for his sake. So that the sting of the serpent is now the tempter: his bite and his venom moving us to OBEDIENCE, as much as his lying tongue seduced our first parents to REBELLION. And when he fulfils God's threat and wounds the HEEL, he only drives us the faster away from him, and makes us haste to Him who flies to meet us with healing in his wings.

He who told us we must be baptized with fire,