SERM. PUT the cafe at the worft. your fortune only, but Suppofe not your fafety, to be in hazard; your life itself to be endangered, by adhering to confcience and virtue. Think, what a creeping and ignominious ftate you would render life, if, when your duty calls, you would expose it to no danger; if by a daftardly behaviour, you would, at any expence, preferve it. That life, which you are fo anxious to preferve, can at any rate be prolonged only for a few years more; and thofe years may be full of woe. He who will not rifk death when confcience requires him to face it, ought to be ashamed to live.--Confider, as a man and a chriftian, for what purpose life was given thee by Heaven. Was it, that thou mighteft pafs a few years in low pleafures, and ignoble floth, flying into every corner to hide thyfelf, when the leaft danger rifes to view? No: Life was given, that thou mighteft come forth to act fome ufeful and honourable part, on that theatre where though haft been placed by Providence; mighteft glorify him that made thee; VIII. thee; and by steady perfeverance in virtue, S ER M. rife in the end to an immortal state. Son of man! Remember thine original honours. Affert the dignity of thy nature. Shake off this pufillanimous dread of death; and feek to fulfil the ends for which thou wert fent forth by the Creator.The fentiment of a noble mind is, I count not my life dear unto myself, fo that I may finish my courfe with joy. To the finishing of his courfe, let every one direct his eye; and let him now appretiate life according to the value it will be found to have, when fummed up at the clofe. That is the period which brings every thing to the test. Illufions may formerly have impofed on the world, may have impofed on the man himfelf. But all illusion then vanishes. real character comes forth. The estimate of happiness is fairly formed. Hence it has been justly faid. that no man can be pronounced either great or happy, until his laft hour come. To that last hour, what will bring such fatisfaction, or add fo much dignity, as the reflection, on having furmounted L 2 The VII. SER M. mounted with firmnefs all the difcouragements of the world, and having perfevered to the end in one uniform courfe of fidelity and honour? We remarked before, the magnanimous behaviour of the Apostle Paul, when he had perfecution and diftrefs full in view. Hear now the fentiments of the fame great man, when the time of his laft fuffering approached; and remark the majesty, and the ease, with which he looked on death. I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have finished my courfe. I have kept the faith. Hence forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness*. How many years of life does fuch a dying moment overbalance? Who would not chufe, in this manner, to ga off the stage, with such a song of triumph in his mouth, rather than prolong his exiftence through a wretched old with fin and shame ? age, ftained 2 Timothy. iv. 6. 7. ANIMATED ANIMATED by these confiderations, let us nourish that fortitude of mind, which is fo effential to a man, and a Chriftian. Let no difcouragement, nor danger, deter us from doing what is right. Through honour and dishonour, through good report and bad report, let us preferve fidelity to our God and our Saviour. Though an hoft should encamp against us, let us not fear to dif charge our duty. God affifts us in the virtuous conflict; and will crown the ror with eternal rewards. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. To him that overcometh, faith our bleffed Lord, I will grant to fit with me on my throne; even as 1 alfo overcame, and am fet down with my Father on his throne* conque SER M. VII. Rev. ii. 10.-iii. 21. SER SER M ON VIII. On EN VY. VIII. I CORINTHIANS, XIII. 4. Charity envieth not. SERM ENVY is a fenfation of uneasiness and difquiet, arifing from the advantages which others are fuppofed to poffefs above us, accompanied with malignity towards those who poffefs them. This is univerfally admitted to be one of the blackeft paffions in the human heart. In this world, we depend much on one another; and were therefore formed by God to be mutually ufeful and affifting. The inftincts of kindness and compaffion which belong to our frame, fhow how much |