did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren." (Rom. viii. 29.) If you would appear with Christ in glory, you must be now changed into his image. Holiness and patient suffering will make you like him, and is the decreed way unto his kingdom.

4. Walking as Christ walked will make it evident that you are indeed in him." He that saith he abideth in him, ought" to prove what he saith, and "himself so to walk, even as he walked." (1 John ii. 6.) To be in Christ, is to be a new creature: and these new creatures do all resemble him; for he is "formed in them." (Gal. iv. 19.) Naming the name of Christ will never demonstrate your Christianity, unless you "depart from iniquity," which makes you so unlike unto your Lord.

But likeness to him will prove you his in truth. And an evidence of this, what strong consolation will it afford! If you are in Christ, how safe are you! You are secured from the curse of the law; the stroke of vindictive justice; the wrath of the destroyer; the bondage of corruption and sin; the sting of the first death, and the power of the second. If you are in Christ, his God is your God, his Father your Father. (John xx. 17.) You are loved as he is loved : "That the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John xvii. 23.) And, "That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." (Verse 26.) You "are joint-heirs with Christ" unto the same "incorruptible inheritance." (Rom. viii. 17; 1 Peter i. 4.) How firm and sure is your title! How certain and soon will be your possession! And, after possession is taken, you shall not be dispossessed unto eternity.

5. Your following the example of Christ very much honours him, and credits Christianity.-It is a sign that Christ's death has a mighty virtue in it, when it makes you to die to sin, and to be unmoved by the biggest offers that mammon makes to you. It is an argument that he is truly Christ, when you are truly Christians; that he is indeed alive, when he lives in you, and makes you to live to him and like him. It is a demonstration that our Lord is risen indeed, when you "rise with him, and seek those things which are above." (Col. iii. 1.)

Christ is very much unknown, and, being unknown, is undesired and neglected, because so little of him is seen in Christians' conversation. How few deserve digito monstrari, "to be pointed at," and to have such a character given them [as this]!"There go the persons who discover such a spirit, who talk and walk, too, after such a manner, that it is evident Christ dwells, and speaks, and walks, and works in them."

Be all of you prevailed with to honour your Lord Jesus, by showing the world what he was when here upon earth, and how powerfully he works in you, though now he is in heaven. Chrysostom, with great reason, does call good works συλλογισμους αναντιῤῥητους, unanswerable syllogisms," and demonstrations to confute and con

vince infidels. The world would flock into the church, being struck with the majesty and glory shining forth in her, if she were but more like unto her glorious Head. But when they who are called Christians are so like unto the world, it is no wonder if the men of the world continue still as they are.

6. Christ frequently speaks to you to follow him, and observes whether and how you do it.-His word is plain, that you should learn his doctrine, and live after his example. And "his eyes," which are as a flaming fire," are upon professors' ways. (Rev. i. 14.) His omniscience should be more firmly believed, and seriously considered, by the church itself: "All the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give to every one of you according to your works." (Rev. ii. 23.) I shall here, by a prosopopoeia, bring-in our Lord Jesus speaking to you, and himself propounding his own example, that you may hear, and heed, and follow the Lamb of God. To this effect Christ speaks to you :

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth.' Look unto me, and become like me, all you that profess yourselves to be my members. What do you see in me, that in any reason should turn away your faces or your hearts from me? 'Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.' (Matt. xi. 6.) The Father is well-pleased in me, and so should you; as you value his favour, and would consult your own interest. I never took so much as one step

in the ways of misery and destruction; be you sure to avoid them. I always trod in those paths which to you will prove pleasantness and peace; though, to satisfy for your deviations and going astray, I was fain myself to be a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.' (Isai. liii. 3.) Consider your Lord and Master, you that call yourselves my disciples. Many look upon you that will not look into my word, and will judge of me by your practices. Be not so injurious to me, by misrepresenting me; as if I allowed those evils which you allow yourselves in. Why should I be 'wounded' in my honour in the house of my friends?' (Zech. xiii. 6.) Why should you 'crucify me afresh, and put me to an open shame?' (Heb. vi. 6.)

"When you yield to Satan's temptations, are you like to me? When you are eager after worldly wealth, the applause of men, and flesh-pleasing delights, are you like to me? When you are proud and haughty, bitter, envious, and revengeful, do you at all resemble me? When you seek yourselves, and please yourselves, and matter not how much God is forgotten and displeased, am I in this your example? O, all you upon whom my name is called, content not yourselves with an empty name! Be my disciples in truth; and 'let the same mind that was in me be in you also.' (Phil. ii. 5.) Be my disciples indeed. Live as I did in the world: to honour God, and to do good to man, let it be your business; for I have left you an example, that you should follow my steps.'" (1 Peter ii. 21.)

7. Follow Christ's example, that you may enter into his glory.— "For if we be dead with him," says the apostle, 66 we shall live with him if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him." (2 Tim.

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ii. 11, 12.) Be of good courage; and conflict (but do it in his strength) with your spiritual enemies; and you shall be conquerors, nay, more than conquerors," over them and hark what Christ promises to them that overcome; nay, to every one of them: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Rev. iii. 21.) Conformity to Christ in his humiliation will end in a conformity to him in his exaltation: all in the next world shall resemble in glory, whom grace in this world has made to resemble him: "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Col. iii. 4.)

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8. One word farther I would speak to myself and my brethren in the ministry of the gospel.-We are under special obligations to follow Christ's example. All the flock should be like the Great Shepherd; but especially the under-shepherds should resemble him, that they may be able to say with the apostle : "Be ye followers of us," for we are followers of Christ." (1 Cor. xi. 1.) How clear should be the light in our heads, who have special instruction from Him, “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!” (Col. ii. 3.) With what authority should we speak, who speak in his name; who speak his words, and preach his everlasting gospel! and what we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and what we loose on earth is loosed in heaven! (Matt. xviii. 18.)

How should we "have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way!" (Heb. v. 2.) How faithfully should we warn the secure to flee from wrath! (Matt. iii. 7.) How earnestly should we entreat sinners "to be reconciled!" (2 Cor. v. 20.) How should we "long after souls in the bowels of Jesus Christ!" (Phil. i. 8.) And since He thought not his blood too dear to redeem them, we should not think much of our prayers, tears, study, sweat, and labour for their salvation.

How self-denying should we be, counting it far greater wisdom "to win souls," than to "seek great things for ourselves!" (Prov. xi. 30; Jer. xlv. 5.) How exemplary should we be "in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity!" (1 Tim. iv. 12.) In all things we should "show ourselves patterns of good works," (Titus ii. 7,) that our sermons, being practised by ourselves as well as preached, may be with greater efficacy upon others.*

And since our Lord Jesus, after he had preached the kingdom of God, was himself a sacrifice; we should not be unwilling to confirm the doctrine we deliver with our blood; nor refuse, if called to it, to "be offered upon the sacrifice and service of the church's faith."

Cures prius

• Memento voci tuæ dare vocem virtutis ; ut opera tua verbis concinant. facere quàm docere. Sermo quidem vivus et efficax exemplum est operis, facilè faciens suadibile quod dicitur, dum monstrat factibile quod suadetur.—BERNARDUS, Epist. 201. "Remember to impart to thy words the tone of virtue, that thy works may be in perfect unison with them. Be careful first to practise that thyself which thou art desirous of teaching to others. Indeed an example in actual exercise operates as a living and efficacions discourse, easily rendering that potent and persuasive to which its exhortations are directed, while it demonstrates the practieability of that to which it persuades."-EDIT. VOL. IV. G G

(Phil. ii. 17.)* This kind of spirit made the apostle like to Christ indeed: "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts xx. 24.)

IV. In the fourth and last place, I am to conclude with some directions how you may be able to follow the example of our Lord Jesus.

1. Let your unlikeness to Christ be matter of your great humiliation.—It should be your trouble, that you have been so long learning, and have learned Christ no better; that so much of "the old man remains to be "put off;" that no more of "the new man is put on." (Eph. iv. 22-24.) Look upon the passions and lusts of the flesh as so many foul blemishes, as so many deforming wrinkles, of the old Adam the more of these there is in you, they make you the more unlike to Him who "is altogether lovely." (Canticles v. 16.) Be humbled for your sin, and hate it: that is the way to be rid of it. Sin cannot stand before a perfect hatred, but languishes and dies away; whereas love to it is the life and strength of it.

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2. Study more the admirable excellency and fairness of the copy [which] Christ has set you, and how desirable it is still to be growing up more and more into him in all things.-The beauty of men and angels is black to Christ's fairness. To be like him, is to have that which truly deserves the name of excellency. "With open face" and intentive eyes," behold, as in a glass, the glory of your Lord," that you may be "changed into the same image," and become glorious yourselves. (2 Cor. iii. 18.)

3. Being sensible of your own impotency, live by faith on the Son of God.-Remember, it is "in him that you have both righteousness and strength." (Isai. xlv. 24.) Grace to be like Christ is from him. He strengthens the weak hands, he confirms the feeble knees, that we may work and walk after his example. If you should attempt to do this in your own might, that attempt would be, not only vain, but an argument of your pride and ignorance. Can the branch bear fruit of itself? It is from the vine that sap is communicated to it, to make it fruitful. You must be and abide in Christ, and ever be deriving life and virtue from him, that you may bear fruit worthy of him. "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John xv. 4, 5.)

4. Give up yourselves to the conduct of Christ's own Spirit.-How often is it said, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches!" (Rev. ii. 7, 11, 17, 29, &c.) The Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus; represents his amiableness, "and anoints

• Passione ostendit quid pro veritate sustinere ; resurrectione, quid in æternitate sperare debeamus.-AUGUSTINUS De Civitate Dei, lib. xviii. cap. 49. "By his passion our Lord shows us what it is our duty to endure for the cause of truth; and by his resurrection, what ought to be our hopes respecting eternity."-EDIT.

the eyes with eye-salve, that it may be seen." (Rev. iii. 18.) And wherever the image of Christ is, it is this Spirit that has instamped it upon the soul. "Live in the Spirit," and "walk in the Spirit; SO your feet shall not decline from the steps of Christ; "you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." (Gal. v. 16, 25.) He will cause you to look unto Jesus; and enable you to follow him, without turning aside, or drawing back; till you come to be where he is, and behold his glory and then "you will be satisfied with his likeness," and be for ever with the Lord." (Psalm xvii. 15; 1 Thess. iv. 17.)

SERMON XIV.

BY THE REV. MATTHEW SYLVESTER,

OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

The case proposed:

"HOW MAY A LUKEWARM TEMPER BE EFFECTUALLY CURED?" I add,

"IN OURSELVES, AND IN ONE ANOTHER?"

The resolution given:

Και κατανοωμεν αλληλους εις παροξυσμον αγαπης και καλων εργων· μη εγκαταλείποντες την επισυναγωγήν ἑαυτων, καθως εθος τισιν, αλλα παρακαλουντες· και τοσουτῳ μαλλον ὅσῳ βλεπετε εγγίζουσαν την ήμεραν.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another and so much the more, as ye see the day (to be) approaching.-Hebrews x. 24, 25.

THE inspired author of this profound, sublime, nervous epistle (whether St. Luke, or Barnabas, or Clement, or Apollos, or the apostle Paul, as I most think, I here dispute not) is evidently walking in the searches of the great excellency of Christianity, as it was brought unto us by, and took its denomination from, and serves the purposes and speaks the eminence, unction, and prerogatives, and designs of, Christ the Son of God. And this discourse he here directeth to "the Hebrews; by whom we may understand those Christian Jews that were in Syria, Judea, and principally at Jerusalem; for those that were dispersed through the provinces of the Roman empire, were commonly called "Greeks." And those, indeed, who were converted to the Christian faith were terribly persecuted by the Jews their brethren, and assaulted by seducers to work them back again to their deserted Judaism; and much ado they had to stand their ground. Whereupon this author (mindful of what his Lord had said in Matt.