fequence of fuch a Life, and fuch a Knowledge, but this only, that they shall be beaten. with many Stripes?

As to ourselves, we have great Reason to bless God daily that by his good Providence we have been born and educated in a Christian Country; that we have been admitted into the Church of his Bleffed Son, and have had betimes the Means of Knowledge and of Grace communicated to us: But let us take Heed that we do not turn these Bleffings into Curses upon ourselves by our abufing them. These are great Talents which our Bleffed Lord has entrufted us with, if we ufe them as we ought: If we improve them to the Glory of God, and the Good of them about us, happy will it be for us, and we shall one Day hear that bleffed Sentence, Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. But if we neglect these great Opportunities of Salvation which God now affords, they will one Day rife up in Judgment against us, and condemn us. And it fhall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in that Day, than for wicked Chriftians who were redeemed by the Cross of Chrift, but who accounted the Blood of the Covenant a vain Thing;

who were fanctified by the Holy Ghost, but did Despite to the Spirit of God; who were bought with a Price to be the Servants of God, but who fold themselves for Slaves to Iniquity.

Lay hold therefore, my Brethren, of the Mercy of God, while the Day of Mercy lafts; for if you neglect or despise the Goodness of God, which calleth us to Repentance, this will be your Condemnation, that Light is come into the World, and you chofe Darkness rather than Light.

VOL. II.

K DISCOURSE

And Jefus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness, being forty Days tempted of the Devil.

***FTER our Saviour had washed his Difciples Feet, and wiped them with a Towel, he faid unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

None answering this Queftion, he plained to them himself the Meaning of what he had done: Ye call me, fays he, Mafter, and Lord: And ye fay well; for fo I am. If I then, your Lord and Mafter, have washed your Feet, ye also ought to wash one another's Feet. For I have given you an Example, that you should do as I have done

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to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Servant is not greater than his Lord, neither be that is fent, greater than he that fent him. If ye know thefe Things, happy are ye if ye do them. Should you ask the like Question concerning the History in the Text, our Saviour's Temptation in the Wilderness, and fay, What is this that has been done unto him? How came the Son of God to be thus infulted by the Powers of Darkness? Whence arofe the Tempter's Confidence and Power? or why were confummate Virtue and Innocence fubmitted to this Proof and Trial? You might be anfwered in like Manner alfo, He hath given us an Example, that we should do as he hath done. Were you to hear the Complaints, which even good Men often make, that they are forced to ftruggle with many and with great Temptations; that the Paths of Virtue are flippery and infecure, beset with many Dangers; and that their Prayers to be delivered from their Trials come empty back and bring no Bleffing with them; you might in our Saviour's Name and in his Words expoftulate the Cafe with them: Fe call me Lord and Mafter: And ye fay well; for fo I am.