perfection of Pleasure too: Being made like them impeccable and incorruptible. And therefore entirely and confummately Blessed.

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dance upon him, in oppofition to vanity and confidence in our selves andfortunes. This is the duty which the Text recommends, and which therefore I fhall press upon you by these four or five arguments. 1. The example of excellent perfons. 2. We have réceived all from God.

3. We are in fuch a State of dependance upon him that we can reap little benefit. Nay, we may fuffer much prejudice by the moft excellent endowments and poffeffions; unless they be fanctified by hisgrace,andbefriendedby his Providence.

4. The boafting in any thing but in him is a fymptom of extream profaneness and irreligion; and therefore,

5ly. God is a profeft Enemy to alt fuch proud and vain boafters. I'll begin with the first of these.

1. The example, &c. This duty of boasting in God, and nothing else, is what the Scripture does frequently and earnestly inculcate, and extends to all those things which mankind is wont to acquiefce, confide and Glory ir. thus, Jer. 9. 23, 24. Thus faith the Lord, Let not the wife Man glory in bis Wisdom, neither let the mighty Man glory in his Might: Let not the Rich Man glory in his Riches, but let him

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that Glorieth Glory in this, that he underftandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercifeth loving kindness, Judgment and Righteoufnefs in the Earth : For in these things I delight faith the Lord: To this probably St. Paul refers, when putting the Corinthians in mind, out of what mean, despicable, ignorant, finful and wretched State, God had tranflated them into the Kingdom of his dear Son, he concludes with this Inference, that no flesh fhould glory in his prefence. But of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made unus Wifdom, and Righteousneß, and Sanctification, and Redemption, that according as it is written, He that Glorieth let him Glory in the Lord. 1 Cor. I. 29,30, 31. And St. Paul himself was an eminent Example of his own Doctrine, for when to vindicate himself from that contempt,which falle Apostles indeavour'd to caft upon him, he found himself obliged to recount what he had done and suffered, in the cause of Chriftianity, together with his Endowments, Graces and privileges, in all which he was not inferiour to the Chiefeft of Apoftles; he begs pardon for it, calls it the Foolishness of boafting, and as if

nothing lefs could excufe it, he pleads neceffity for it, You have compelled me. So ftrong a tincture of carnal vanity did boafting feem to have in it, the very appearance of which created as it were a blush and scruple in this humbleft and greateft of the Apostles, and yet it did butfeem fo,for the true Cause of this just and neceffary commendation of himself, was not any Worldly tendernefs for his own Reputation, but a jea loufie for the Honour of God, and the Intereft of Souls; he was afraid leaft his Office might fuffer in his Person, and that contempt which was thrown upon the one might hinder the success of the other; this is clear from 2 Cor. II. 20. But this Apoftle who was thus fhy of glorying in his Excellencies and advantages, leaft he should feem too tender of his own honour, how forward is he to record his infirmities, that he might advance God's? 2 Cor. 12. 9. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather Glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may rest upon me. He willingly lets us know that he was a blafphemer, and a perfecuter, that at the fame time he might let us know the Riches of Divine Mercy, in his pardon, and ApoAle

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poftle-fhip; he willingly confeffes his proneness to be puft up by Knowledge and Revelation; his contention with the thorn in the Flesh; that he might from hence take an occafion to magniffe the power of God's grace, he every where, owns his weakness, confeffeth himself an earthen veffel,that the glory of all his conquests and atchievments might redound to God, from whom he derived whatever Strength or Treasures he poffeffed.

To St. Paul I will joyn David; for as the one was the most eminent fervant of God under the New Teftament, fo was the other under the Old, which ought to add great force and weight to their examples. I have confidered the humility and gratitude of the one, in reference to fpiritual things, and now I will fet before you that of the other, in reference to temporal ones. The praise of God for fome Mercy or Bleffing or other, is the fubject of almost every Pfalm; one while he magnifies God for his goodness in general, and another while for that to himself in particular; and fometimes he mixes both together; as in this 34th Pfalm v. 4. he celebrates his own deliverance. I fought the Lord

and