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who have had the least experience of their own hearts, will readily allow the difficulty of the work. If such be the confession of every humble, self-denying believer, with what a tremendous sway must the sin of pride rule in the breasts of the carnal and worldly-minded! Men never much relish the being driven to their duty. Personal censure, and ill-timed advice, always convey an idea of superiority, and as such will always give offence. Impressed with the truth of these remarks, the Christian will endeavour to unite prudence with his zeal. He will strive rather to lead men into the paths of salvation, than to compel them to come in. Though ever upon the watch to do good, he will temper his watchfulness with judgment. He will study to remove all appearance of design and premeditation from what he says. He will seek to conciliate the affections of those with whom he converses. He will resolutely turn aside from every temptation to sareasm and ridicule, as well knowing that the ap

plause, which might perhaps be procured by his wit, would be but a poor recompense for

the diminution, probably the loss, of his influence over an immortal soul. He will strive, in short, to inculcate the maxims of his religion by example, as well as by precept. With these views, and these resolutions, he will enter into company, and thus convert even an ordinary visit into a plan for promoting the glory of God.

The imitation, then, of Christ constitutes the principal study of those, who are influenced by the Holy Ghost. Whatsoever action they are about to perform, their first question is, whether Christ would have performed it, had he been in their situation: and it is their constant endeavour to regulate, not only their words, but their very thoughts, in a way resembling that, in which they have reason to coneeive that he regulated his. Their ordinary employments, their amusements, their choice

of friends, nay even the most common transac tions of their lives, will be brought to the same test. They contemplate the heavenly meekness of Christ and labour to transfuse his spirit into their own hearts. They view his immaculate purity; and strive with yet greater earnestness to put off the old man with his lusts. They behold his wonderful and disinterested love for mankind, displayed in a life of active benevolence and in a death full of pain and torment; they hear him praying for his murderers, and see him anxiously concerned for the welfare of his friends, even when the prospect of his own bitter sufferings was directly before his eyes and, full of these thoughts, they learn to abhor the narrow spirit of selfishness, and feel their souls alive both to the temporal and the eternal interests of all their brethren. They are taught by his blessed example to love their enemies, to bless those that hate them, and to pray for those that despitefully use them and persecute them.

Thus endeavouring to tread in the steps of their divine master, they gradually acquire a greater relish for heavenly enjoyments, and find themselves elevated above the fleeting pleasures of this transitory world. The amiable mildness and sweet serenity of the new disposition, which has been implanted in them is so conspicuous, that it cannot but be perceived even by those whose hearts are unaffected. It is true, that the man, who is naturally of a harsh and rugged temper, will never attain to the gentleness of those Christians, whose affections have been originally cast in a different and more beautiful mould. Something of the old leaven will yet remain, nor can it ever be totally removed except by the hand of death, Yet how pleasing is it to behold asperities gradually worn away, and, in direct opposition to the ordinary course of mere nature, a mild and placid old age succeeding to a morose and irritable manhood. Such will ever be the influence of real Christianity upon all the more un

kindly passions of the human soul. Avarice will become liberality; uncleanness, purity; and selfishness, a generous desire of promoting the happiness of all mankind. Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.

"Give me," says the eloquent Lactantius," a man of a passionate, abusive, headstrong, disposition; with a few only of the words of God, I will make him gentle as a lamb. Give me a greedy, avaricious, tenacious, wretch; and I will teach him to distribute his riches with a liberal and unsparing hand. Give me a cruel, and blood-thirsty monster; and all his rage shall be changed into true benignity. Give me a man addicted to injustice, full of ignorance, and immersed in wickedness; he shall soon become just, prudent, and innocent. In the single laver of regeneration, he shall be cleansed from all his malignity.”*

*Lact. Inst. 1. ii. c. 26.

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