tion of the learned, or to this effect. Ab, vitam prorfus perdidi nihil agendo laboriofe, "Alas! I have wafted my whole life, in taking much pains to no purpose." But Jefus makes his fcholars wife unto eternal life, and reveals that knowledge to babes, to perfons of weak and confined abilities, of which, the wisdom of the world can form no idea.

3. Other teachers, as I have already hinted, can only inform the head; tions influence the heart.

but his inftrucMoral philofoabound in fine

phers, as they are called, words and plaufible fpecches, concerning the beauty of virtue, the fitnefs of things, temperance, benevolence, and equity. And their fcholars learn to talk after them. But their fine and admired fentiments, are meer empty notions, deftitute of life and efficacy, and frequently leave them as much under the tyranny of pride, paffion, fenfuality, envy, and malice, as any of the vulgar whom they despise for their ignorance. It is well known, to the difgrace of the morality which the world applauds, that fome of their moft admired fentimental writers, and teachers, have deferved to be numbered among the most abandoned

and

and despicable of mankind. They have been flaves to the bafeft and moft degrading appetites, and the tenor of their lives, has been a marked contradiction to their fine-spun theories. But Jefus Chrift effectually teaches his difciples, to forfake and abhor whatever is contrary to rectitude or purity; and inspires them with love, power, and a found mind. And if they do not talk of great things, they are enabled to perform them. Their lives are exemplary and useful, their deaths comfortable, and their memory is precious.

4. The difciples of Jefus are, or may be, always learning. His providence and wisdom have fo difpofed things, in fubferviency to the purposes of his grace, that the whole world around them is as a great fchool, and the events of every day, with which they are connected, have a tendency and fuitableness, if rightly improved, to promote their inftruction. Heavenly lessons are taught and illuftrated by earthly objects; nor are we capable of understanding them at prefent, unless the mode of

inftruction, be thus accommodated to our fituation and weakness.

The fcripture *

points out to us a wonderful and beautiful

* John iii. 12.

ana

T

analogy between the outward visible world of
nature, and that spiritual state which is called
the kingdom of God; the former is like a
book written in cypher, to which the scripture
is the key, which when we obtain, we have the
other opened to us.
Thus wherever they
look, fome object prefents itself, which is
adapted, either, to lead their thoughts directly
to Jefus, or to explain or confirm fome paf-
fage in his word. So, likewife, the incidents
of human life, the characters we know, the
conversation we hear, the viciffitudes which
take place in families, cities, and nations; in a
word,the occurrences, which furnish the history
of every day, afford a perpetual commentary
on what the fcriptures teach, concerning the
heart of man, and the state of the world as
fubject to vanity, and lying in wickedness ;
and thereby the great truths, which it behoves
us to understand and remember, are more
repeatedly and forcibly exhibited before our
eyes, and brought home to our bofoms. It is
the peculiar advantage of the difciples of
Christ, that their leffons are always before
them, and their Mafter always with them.

5. Men who are otherwife competently qualified for teaching, in the branches of fcience

fcience they profefs, often difcourage and intimidate their scholars, by the impatience, aufterity, and distance of their manner. They fail in that condefcenfion and gentleness, which are neceffary to engage the attention and affection, of the timid and the volatile, or gradually to foften and to shame the perverse. Even Mofes, though eminent for his forbearance towards the obftinate people committed to his care, and though he loved them, and longed for their welfare, was, at times, almost wearied by them*. But Jefus, who knows before-hand the weakness, the dulnefs, and the refractorinefs of those whom he deigns to teach, to prevent their fears, is pleased to say, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly. With what meekness did he converfe among his difciples, while he was with them upon earth? He allowed them, at all times, a gracious freedom of accefs. He bore with their mistakes, reproved and corrected them with the greatest mildness, and taught them as they were able to bear, with a kind accommodation to their prejudices; leading them on, ftep by step, and waiting for the proper season of unfolding to them, thofe more difficult points,

which, for a time, appeared to them to be hard fayings. And though he be now exalted upon his glorious throne and clothed with majefty, fill his heart is made of tenderness, and his compaffions ftill abound. We are ftill directed to think of him, not as one who cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, but as exercifing the fame patience and fympathy towards his disciples now, which so fignally marked his character, during his state of humiliation. The compliment of the orator to a Roman emperor, though exceffive and abfurd, when addreffed to a finful worm, That they who durft fpeak to him, were ignorant of his greatnefs; and they who durft not, were equally ignorant of his goodness, is a juft and literal truth, if applied to our meek and gracious Saviour. If we duly confider his greatness alone, it feems almoft presumption in fuch creatures as we are, to dare to take his holy name upon our polluted lips; but then, if we have a proportionable fenfe of his unbounded goodnefs and grace, every difficulty is overruled, and we feel a liberty of drawing near to him, though with reverence, with the confidence of children, when speak to an affectionate parent.

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