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may by their means be diffused around throughout all thy tabernacles; like that of the fragrant oil, which was poured on the head of Aaron, in such rich abundance, that it not only ran down on his beard, but reached even to the skirts of his garments. Amen, and amen.

SECTION VIII.

LUKE VI. 20-36.

AND he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said Blessed be ye poor; for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reprove you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. But woe unto you that are rich for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them

of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again: and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

How necessary is it, that our forgetful hearts should have line upon line, and precept upon precept? If Christ did not think it improper to repeat his discourse, surely it will not be needless for us to renew our attention to it. Oh that every word of it were engraven on our hearts as with the point of a diamond, that we might learn, in spite of all the foolish wisdom of this world, to form ourselves on these maxims, as the surest guide to present and to eternal felicity!

Our Lord again pronounces the poor and the hungry, the mournful, and the persecuted, happy; and represents those as miserable who are rich and full, joyous and applauded; not that this is universally the case; but because prosperous circumstances are so frequently a sweet poison, and affliction a healing though bitter medicine. Let the thought reconcile us to adversity, and awaken our caution when the world smiles upon us; when a plentiful table is spread before us, and our cup runneth over; when our spirits are gay and sprightly; or when we hear, what to corrupted nature is too harmonious music, that of our own praise from men. Oh that we may secure, what is of infinitely greater importance, the praise of our heavenly Master, by a constant obediential regard to these his precepts !

May we be happy proficients in the art of bearing and forgiving injuries. May we be ready to every good word and work, maintaining an eye quick to observe, a heart tender to feel, a hand open to relieve the calamities and necessities of friends, of strangers and of enemies, giving to some, and where, perhaps, there may be little prospect of a return; lending to others, which, if it engage them to greater industry, is as real a benefit as if the loan were a gift.

On the whole, let us not presume to call God our Father, if we do not labour to resemble him; nor dare to challenge the peculiar honour and privileges of Christ's disciples, if we do not distinguish ourselves from others by the charity of our tempers and the usefulness of our lives, as well as by the articles of our faith and the forms of our worship.

SECTION IX.

LUKE VI. 37-49.

JUDGE not and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom: for with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit: for every tree is known by his own fruit: for of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is evil for of the abundance of his heart the mouth speaketh.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, I will shew you to whom he is like he is like to a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock : and when the floods arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it, fo

it was founded on a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell ; and the ruin of that house was great.

Let a frequent reflection on our own faults teach us candour; and let a sense of our continued dependence on Divine liberality make us liberal towards those that need our assistance; lest we lose the comfort so justly forfeited, and abused mercies be another day repaid with measures of wrath, pressed down, shaken together, und running over.

We are another day to give an account of ourselves before God let us judge then for ourselves in matters of religion; and be very careful that we do not stupidly follow blind guides, till we fall with them into destruction. "Lead us, O Lord, in the way everlasting! Form us to a more perfect resemblance of our great Master! Make us severe to ourselves, and, so far as it is real charity, indulgent to others! Sanctify our hearts by thy grace, that they may be as trees bringing forth good fruit, or as fountains pouring out wholesome streams! There may a good treasure be laid up, from whence good things may be abundantly produced! There may those holy and benevolent affections continually spring up, which may flow forth with unaffected freedom, to refresh the souls and animate the graces of all that are around us!"

May these beautiful, striking, repeated admonitions, which our Saviour gives us of the vanity of every profession which does not influence the practice, be attended to with reverence and fear! We are building for eternity; may we never grudge the time and labour of a most serious inquiry into the great fundamental principles of religion? May we discover the sure foundation, and raise upon it a noble superstructure, which shall stand fair and glorious, when hypocrites are swept away into everlasting ruin, in that awful day in which heaven and earth shall flee away from the face of him that sits upon the throne! (Rev. xx. 11.)

SECTION X.

MATT. VIII. 5-13.-LUKE VII. 1-10.

Now when Jesus had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum ; and when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a certain centurion, beseeching him

for his servant, who was dear to him, and who was sick of the palsy, and ready to die, being grievously tormented. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this. For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Jesus saith, I will come and heal him. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having soldiers under me: And I say unto one, Go, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

It is pleasant to think of this good centurion, who amidst all the temptations of a military life, retained the principles, not only of liberality and humanity, but of piety too; and, probably amidst the raillery of his irreligious and idolatrous brethren, had the courage to frequent, and even to build a

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