tian duty. It is indeed a practice contrary to reason, and no less to scripture. For St. Paul saith 'No man,' that is, no wise man, ever hated his own flesh.' [Eph. v. 29.] Yet the opinion, that such things are in themselves acceptable to God, hath not only been common in false religions, but crept into the true and both furnished unbelievers with an objection against it, and misled believers very unhappily. For they who fancy that exercising rigour on their persons hath any good in it, separate from the good uses to which it may contribute-are some of them led to fancy also, that the farther they carry it, the better; till they hurt, perhaps ruin, their healths, disorder their understandings, or however sour their tempers: while others conceive that there is very great merit in a very little suffering, and consequently persuade themselves, that God will readily excuse the smaller faults of a behaviour not quite so moral as it should be, on their punctual performance of their higher duties, as they esteem them; though, in truth, not only imaginary, but often of little more than imaginary hardship. And thus, whereas common sinners are open to remorse of conscience, which there is hope may, sooner or later, through the grace of God, amend them; these, on the contrary, proceed self-applauded, and fully persuaded of their title to a distinguished share of divine favour. On which account our Saviour tells the pharisees, men of austerity in some respects, and wondrous exactness in little matters, that "the publicans and the harlots shall go into the kingdom of heaven before them." [Matthew xxi. 3.]

Not that Christians, of more abstemious lives than ordinary, are therefore to be condemned as pharisees and hypocrites; or derided, as weak and superstitious. Every one is bound to employ such means for his preservation from sin, and advancement in piety and virtue, as either God's word hath prescribed, or his own reason and experience recommend. Now some may find rules to be useful or necessary, which to others would be neither. Some again may rashly censure, what they would do much better to imitate. And all persons, but especially all who live in ease and plenty, should be attentive to keep their bodies in subjection;' [1 Cor. ix. 27.] not harassing them as enemies, but ruling and providing for them as servants, in such manner as to make them both willing to obey, and able to perform their work. They should watch over

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their natural fondness for pleasure, and tendency to follow the customs of the world; not with unreasonable scrupulousness, but with religious prudence; learn to suspect their favourite inclinations, and the opinions that countenance them; check themselves in proportion as they grow eager; stop and look round them with care; never adventure to the extremity of what is lawful, but, in all dubious cases, lean to the undoubtedly safer side; be moderate in the most allowable gratifications of this world, and delight principally in cultivating and improving those pious and virtuous affections, which alone can 'make them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; [Col. i. 12.] of a happiness entirely spiritual, and abstracted from flesh and blood.

But then, while we observe this caution in regard to worldly objects, we must be careful also, on the other hand, that we carry it not to dangerous or extravagant lengths; that we seem not unthankful to, or suspicious of him, who hath given us richly all things to enjoy ;' [1 Tim. vi. 17.] that we disguise not religion by putting it in a melancholy and forbidding dress; that we be not betrayed by the restraints under which we lay ourselves, either into vain self-opinion and spiritual pride, or a rigidness of temper, very unsuitable to the gentle spirit of the Christian profession: but particularly, that we forbear to condemn, or even despise, our brethren of more seeming latitude; who, it may be, under the appearance of a freer life, (which was our Saviour's own case, for he came eating and drinking,') [Matth. xi. 19. Luke vii. 34.] preserve really and inwardly a stricter guard over their thoughts, words, and actions, than we do. And, in general, all persons ought to take heed, that while they are watching against the approach of one sort of sins, those of another do not find a ready admission. We are willing enough to keep at ever so great a distance from the faults, to which we have little or no inclination; and often affect to make our zeal in that respect remarkable: but then perhaps more favourite vices have easy entrance into our breasts, and take firm possession of them. We are shocked, for instance, and with much cause, at the monstrous and ruinous eagerness for pleasure, the profligate and unprecedented contempt of religion, that prevails in the world; our behaviour, on those heads, is unblamable, exemplary, and we value ourselves upon it beyond bounds. Yet,

possibly, all the while, we indulge ourselves to the full another way; are unjust and fraudulent, or selfish and unreasonable, or penurious and hard-hearted, or censorious and unforgiving, or peevish and ill-tempered; make every one about us uneasy, and those chiefly whose happiness ought to be our first care. This is applauding ourselves for being fortified, where the enemy is not likely to make an attack; and leaving the places that are most exposed, quite undefended. Every one, therefore, ought to study the weak parts of his own heart and conduct, and spend the main of his attention upon these; that so not only a wrong inclination or two may be rooted up, (which if left to themselves would scarcely grow,) or may be sacrificed in favour of others as bad, but the whole body of sin be destroyed; the flesh, the principle of evil, with all its affections and lusts, nailed to the cross of Christ.

Our Christian profession strongly binds us thus to mortify continually every immoral appetite and passion. They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.' The grace of God, which bringeth salvation,' not only taught' but enabled us, ' denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.' [Tit. ii. 11, 12.] They, who are Christ's in name only, bind themselves to this: they, who are in reality his, perform it. If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his :' [Rom. viii. 3.] and the fruit of the Spirit,' we are told immediately before the text, and through the whole scripture, are the pious movements of a good heart, and the actions of a good life. Our blessed Lord gave himself for us, that he might sanctify and cleanse us, and present us to himself holy, and without blemish.' [Eph. x. 25, 26, 27.] If then we labour not to become such, we frustrate, so far as our own concern reaches, his gracious intentions, and make his sufferings vain. If we crucify not our affections and lusts,

we crucify him afresh, and put him to open shame;' [Heb. vi. 6.] pour contempt on his glorious undertaking ourselves, and expose it to the scorn of others: the consequence of which will be, that, as while we profess to know him, in works we deny him,' [Tit. i. 16.] so will he in the day of judgment profess to us, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' [Matth. vii. 23.] Still it should be observed, that so far both good and bad Christians are his, as to be

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always under his dominion. None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself,' exempted from his authority; whether we live or die, we are the Lord's;' [Rom. xiv. 7, 8.] but the wicked continue under his government, just as upon earth rebels continue subjects; not entitled to benefits from their prince, but liable justly to sorer punishments than his other enemies. Think then, will you be Christ's at his coming,' [1 Cor. xv. 23.] only to have vengeance taken of you in flaming fire;' [2 Thess. i. 8.] or to enter with him into his glory?' [Luke xxiv. 26.] If the latter be your choice, the only way to it is, that you think it not too much to crucify your flesh figuratively, renounce and destroy your forbidden desires, however painful it be, for him; since he thought it not too much to let his flesh literally be crucified for you.

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[Text taken from the Gospel for the Day.]

THERE is not a single part of the earth or a living thing that

which we may not gather method of reasoning freVarious parts of the irra

moveth upon the face of it, from instruction, if we will follow the quently made use of in holy writ. tional and inanimate creation are held forth by the wisdom of God, to direct the beings of reason in the way that they should go. The prophet reproves the ingratitude of the rebellious Israelites, by upbraiding them with the dutiful behaviour and fidelity of domestic animals. The ox,' says he,' knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people will not consider.' And the Wise man sends the indolent and slothful, to learn industry from the example of an inconsiderable insect, Go,' says he, to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise.' Our blessed Saviour descends to a yet lower class in the scale of nature;

and frequently sets before us even things inanimate, to convey to us the most important and useful lessons of divine instruction. In his parables, he makes use of the lifeless emblems, of seed sown; of a fig-tree; of a grain of mustard seed; to disclose the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. And in my text, and the verses before it, not merely by way of illustration, but as a precept to instruct, and as a motive to persuade, he directs his disciples to look up to the fowls of the air, and observe how they are fed, and to consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.'

This subject will furnish us with a variety of religious reflections. And, in the first place, it will lead us to admire and adore the infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness of God.

I. There is not a single creature in the universe, that is not wonderfully made. The formation and growth of a plant are to us an inexplicable mystery. A blade of corn, or a spire of grass, is not only beyond the power of man to produce or imitate; but it will defy the researches of the most subtle philosopher to account for or explain the manner of its existence. Who can take upon him to show, how the several particles of matter, collected from all the various elements, and suited to this particular purpose, arrange themselves, and gradually and imperceptibly unite in that wonderful order, which is necessary for the structure of every plant, according to the laws, which the great author of nature has prescribed them? Who can survey, in this structure of them, without amazement, the infinite number of fibres and fine vessels, that are discoverable in every plant; the curious disposition of all these; the ways and channels, contrived for the reception and distribution of nourishment; the effect this nourishment has, in extending its parts and bringing it to its full growth and expansion; in repairing its annual decays and preserving life? How wonderful is their propagation! With what contrivance and care are their seeds brought up to maturity! And how amazing is their increase for the preservation of every species, that none of the works of God, how perishable soever in their nature, might be blotted out of the creation. Is there a storehouse of this infinite variety and number of seeds? If so; of what shape, dimensions, and contrivance are those invisible strainers, peculiar to every distinct species of plants, which admit no other than their own proper seeds for the invariable continuance of all the tribes of them, without the least confu