multitude was fhock'd at the meffage he fent our Saviour, and suspected he had changed his opinion; and for this reafon he afk'd this question: What went ye out to fee? a reed shaken with the wind? Think you, that John, who acknowledged me for the Meffias, is now of another mind? No, no; he put the query for his difciples fatisfaction, not his own his belief varies not with the feafon, nor, like a reed, follows the impulfe of every wind: he is ftill the fame, unchangeable in his faith, and uncorrupt in his practice.

But this elogium of St. John is a fatire upon the greatest part of mankind, who yield to the breath of every paffion. Men fhift their religion like their cloaths, and fight to-day for that they will fight against to-morrow, with an equal eagerness. Any fect fatisfies them for a time, and no one long: fo that having run through all religions, they end in atheism; and admit no creed for orthodox, but that all are indifferent, or apocryphal.

:

They are as conftant to their morals, as their religion the first temptation carries off their virtue; and they feldom repent of one fin, but to ftrike upon another. One would think they play'd at faft and loose with God, crimes tread fo faft on the heels of repentance, and repentance on those of fin fo that they feem not forry for their offences, but their forrow; and repent in earnest of an apparent repentance. To keep the commandments one month, and tranfgrefs them eleven, will not fave you: no, no; you must forfeit your life for your religion, and either carry off into the other world innocence, or repentance.

Chrift puts this fecond question; What went you out for to fee? a man cloath'd in foft raiment ? Certainly our panegyrifts would fcarce overlook his other rare prerogatives, to flourish upon his garment of camel's hair. This might indeed serve

for

for a fubject of laughter, but not of praise; and I believe by his exterior we fhould have taken him rather for a madman than a prophet. But Chrift rates not the value of men by the price of their apparel: he prefers a faint in fackcloth, before a finner in embroidery; and a man, who contemns finery, before him who wears it. Believe me, whofoever employs much time in setting off his body, feldom thinks of embellishing his foul. Cloaths indeed fhould fit our quality, as well as our body; but it's frenzy to pride in thofe ornamental trifles, that are covers of our fhame. Cloaths are marks of our misery, not of our greatness; and therefore it's no lefs abfurd to look big because we are fine, than because we are guilty.

O Lord Jefus! I believe thou art the defire (or expectation) of all nations, the Meffias; that thou haft fulfilled to a tittle the two grand offices of Teacher and Redeemer; for thou haft taught us our duty by thy example, and ransomed us with thy blood; thou haft fo plained the way to heaven, that the blind may fee it, and children walk in it. I acknowledge thee my guide as well as my master, and intend to frame all my actions by the rule of thy law. I confefs I have often rather followed the impulfe of nature than of thy grace, and contemned thy maxims to embrace thofe of the world: but I promise for the future an inviolable fidelity to thy commands, and wifh I might expiate with my blood those crimes I intend to purge at least with my tears.

EPISTLE

EPISTLE to the Philippians, Chap. iv. Verse 4. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I fay, rejoice.

5. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at band.

6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and fupplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

7. And the peace of God, which passeth all underStanding, fhall keep your hearts and minds through Chrift Fefus.

T

The MORAL REFLECTION.

HE apostle exhorts the Philippians to the practice of all thofe virtues, that make a good man, and a perfect chriftian. But why does he invite them to rejoice with fuch a tranfport of pathos and energy. Rejoice, I fay again, rejoice. One would think an exhortation to ferioufnefs and moderation might have been more feasonable, unless thefe Grecians were of a more melancholy complexion, than the English; for it is certain, gaiety is our defect, not mopishness; our mirth flies even to madness, and the whole year feems in our island to be one mad carnival.

However, the apoftle commands the Philippians to rejoice; and to fhew he was in earneft, he repeats the precept. I fay again, rejoice. Nay, and this joy must be continual.

What great happiness called for fo exceffive a joy? Neither grandeur, wealth, nor learning; for all these, being purely natural, are below the mirth of a Chriftian, and rather deserve contempt than joy. For in fine, tho' of themfelves they are not bad, yet on the other fide they are not good; their value depends on our management, and (God knows)

knows) they oftener render men worfe than bet

ter.

The apostle therefore does not invite us to rejoice, on view of any temporal concern, but to rejoice in the Lord, who has been pleased to dignify us with the title of Chriftians. This is an honour above the level of patent and efcutcheon, and makes us truly great and happy, unless we mifufe the gift, and foolishly betray our own intereft. For Chrift has raised us from a state of bondage to another of liberty of flaves to the devil, he has made us fons of God: now this adoption entails not on us a claim to a petty lordship, or to a fleeting empire, but to heaven itself; where we fhall live above the reach of fortune, and the troublesome alarms of fear or hope. This certainly is a fubject worthy of joy; and he, who can be fad upon fuch an amazing profpect of honour and happiness, must be supinely foolish, or fuperlatively melancholy, or at least unacquainted with the circumftances of his own condition.

It is true, we cannot enter upon the poffeffion of this inheritance without force and violence; yet we are fure of the conqueft, if we will only take the pains to overcome. The whole fuccefs of the enterprize turns upon our refolution; we may furrender, but cannot be forc'd; our ftrength is fuperior to that of our enemies (for the Lord is our help) fo that the defeat must lie at our own door.

Rejoice then in the Lord, and even always. Nothing ought to damp this chearfulness but fin, because nothing (but this) can cut off the entail to heaven, or endanger our eternal happinefs. Tho' fortune tofs us, from the top of honour, into the lowest abyss of contempt and ignominy; tho' diseases prey upon our bodies, violence and injuftice upon our eftates; tho' we groan under all the temporal miferies, flefh can fuffer, and tyrants in

vent ;

vent; all these preffures ought not to interrupt the course of our joy, because they cannot repeal the right to eternal blifs Chrift has purchased for us at the infinite price of his facred blood. Nay, if we fupport them with courage and refignation to providence, they will polish our virtue, refine our merits, and fit us for a more glorious sovereignty: Rejoice then always, even under the greatest sufferings, and receive the moft fenfible afflictions, as marks of God's affection, and perfwade yourselves, he punishes you in time, to fpare you for eternity.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. Tho' you are joyful, be not immoderately fo: let joy lodge in your heart, and moderation fit on your exterior, for edification: this virtue regulates the outward behaviour; it prescribes a mean to our gestures, and an unaffected motion to all the parts of our body. It forbids a ftarch'd stiffness in converfation, as unfeasonable; and a petulant levity, as fcandalous. Be neither morofe, nor airy; neither too fullen, nor over-complaifant; never speak ill of others, nor well of yourself; that is criminal, and this foolish: in fine, be eafy without affectation: this is ridiculous in the eyes of men, and feldom innocent in the fight of God.

To move effectually the Philippians to the study of virtue, the apoftle urges this motive, For the Lord is at hand. Be modeft, peaceful, and obliging, not only to friends, (which is only a Pagan or Jewish virtue) but also to your enemies; bear profperity with moderation, and adverfity with patience; For the Lord is at hand, he contemplates your combats against the affaults of flesh and blood, to crown your courage, and punish your cowardice. When you shall have breathed your last, and death fhall have closed your eyes (and, alas! this fatal moment cannot be far off, and may be nigher than you imagine) he will call you to a fevere account.