is the elder brother, and the Almighty Creator of all things, the affectionate and beneficent Father, who acts in all respects suitably to this relation, reverencing and obeying their common parent, behaving with affection and kindness to their brethren, maintaining peace where it is, and doing all they can to restore it where it is not, and exerting themselves on all proper occasions to promote the general happiness: such have the high honour conferred upon them of being called the children of God, and are assured of all the favour, assistance, protection, support, and provision, which that relation implies. At present they receive the Spirit of adoption, by which they say, Abba, Father; and hereafter, as heirs,heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, they shall receive an eternal inheritance. We are all, indeed, his offspring by creation, and we all partake of his bounty, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and he sendeth the rain on the just and on the unjust. But those only are his children in the scriptural sense, or can reasonably expect to be treated as such, who behave themselves as becomes that relation. As a turbulent, disobedient, and wicked son is disowned, disinherited, and banished from the presence of his father; so the same thing happens in the family of God; who, the Scriptures declare, will treat with the affection, favour and liberality of a Father, those only who in Christ Jesus become his followers as dear children. Those who neither honour nor obey him as their Father, but live and die in rebellion against him, he will not only

disown and disinherit, but send away from his presence into everlasting punishment. "In this," saith the Apostle John, "the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother; for this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another."

The Apostle James places in a strong and convincing light the importance of the duty I have been endeavouring to recommend, and the danger of neglecting it. (James iii. 13-18.)

Who is a wise man, and endowed with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits; without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

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SERMON IX.

ON PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE.

MATT. V. 10-12

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets, which were before you.

In order to our becoming true disciples of Christ, it should be our constant aim to complete in ourselves the Christian character, that we may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. And for the accomplishment of this important purpose, it behoves us not only to cultivate assiduously all the Christian virtues, but to be prepared to suffer in the cause of Christian duty, if at any time in the course of Providence, we are called upon to do so. We cannot justly claim an interest in the blessings promised to the humble and contrite, to the meek and merciful, to the pure and peaceable, for being in the number of those whose sincere endeavour it is to become all this; if we do not add to our other Christian virtues, those of patience and constancy under trial and persecution. And to patience and constancy in circumstances of

difficulty and trouble, what greater encouragement or reward can be proposed to us than that which our blessed Saviour assures us of in the text. Blessed are they, &c."

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In discoursing on this subject, I shall offer some considerations, from which, I hope, it will appear that the Christian, when thus ill-treated for being a Christian, has more cause for thankfulness, than for complaint and despondency.

Consider, in the first place, that such trials are perfective of the Christian character.

He has but a poor opinion of what becomes him, and what he ought to aim at, as a disciple of the Gospel, who rests satisfied with his present attainments, whatever they may be. If we think rightly on this subject, we shall account the progress we have already made in the Christian life, as nothing compared with what we may accomplish by increased diligence and persevering exertion, aided by the grace of God; and every event or circumstance, which contributes to our advancement in Christian virtue, whatever its aspects, operation, or consequences may otherwise be, we shall hail as a happy No correction of any kind, whether inflicted by the hand of Providence, or proceeding from the ungoverned passions of men, is joyous, but grievous in the meantime; but if it afterwards produce in us the peaceable fruits of righteousness, have we not cause to rejoice that we have been visited with it? There are certain graces which we cannot know whether we possess or not, till occasions arise which

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require the exercise of them; and if circumstances occur to put us to the trial, and thus to improve our character, are we therefore to murmur or complain? On the public stage of the world, extraordinary conjunctures produce great men, and call forth talents and energies which would never have been known to exist, had not the occasion brought them to light; and if statesmen, and legislators, and warriors, rejoice in the events which have raised them to eminence and distinction, how much greater cause has the Christian to be satisfied, at least, if not thankful, when opportunities are given him of evincing the strength and sincerity of his faith, and of attaining to a higher pitch of Christian virtue than he was previously thought capable of, even by himself. He has as much greater reason for satisfaction and thankfulness, as he who is slow to anger, is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit, than he who taketh a city. Evidently there can be no patience, no meekness, no forbearance, no forgiveness, where the trials and temptations relative to these virtues do not occur;-and consequently where they do not occur, there can be no improvement of character in these respects; but, as evidently, every trial honourably sustained, and every temptation resolutely and successfully resisted, bring the person who thus acquits himself, a step nearer to Christian perfection. For, according to the Apostle Paul; (Rom. v. 3.) "tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience;' that is, we learn from trial, what, and how much Christian principle, will enable us to do and suffer in