was awhile reftrained, left, by the murder of this holy man, who was generally beloved and venerated by the people, he should cause an infurrection among his fubjects.

Shall we mourn for the imprisonment of the prophet? We must lament the interruption of his miniftry; but there is no doubt, that he was happier in his chains, than his perfecutors in the palace. Shall we, then, be afraid of the confequences, to which a faithful difcharge of our duty may expofe us? No: let us revere our confciences, and dread the difpleasure of God more than the frowns of the world. Let us openly avow our attachment to Chrift, and our abhorrence of fin; nor dare to give up the truth in compliment to any man. For it were better to go down into a dungeon for righteousness' fake, than to enjoy the favour of princes, with the reproaches of our own minds, and a fear of the divine judgments.

It should seem, that John's difciples had free accefs to him during his confinement, and that he was folicitous to introduce them to a further acquaintance with the Saviour, to remove their fufpicions, or to confirm them in their attachment to Him. On this principle, we apprehend, when he heard of the growing reputation and the miraculous works of Jefus, he fent to him two of his beloved followers (not for his own fatisfaction, but theirs) to enquire, whether or no he was the true Meffiah *. Our Lord, probably knowing the purpose, gave a full answer to the queftion, by referring them to the wonders which he performed before them, in proof of his character, and then warned them to beware of entertaining prejudices against Him.-May we learn from John, when we are quitting the world, to bear our teftimony for Chrift, to rejoice in the advancement of His kingdom, to direct our friends to Him, and labour to establish them in the knowledge and love of his name!

Mat. xi. 2-6. Luke vii. 18-23.

The

permitted luca a life as cut here in me math, and vica neas!

az zay a espatulate with Ges concerning the whom it me utice of his Youding, for while the west Zunch, and theques we porefei, & nur ken as if He had Minden forty or sock to care of bis fervants, Www that we saw to cafes, like this berre us? Why Mya Hia non peut the cause of the upright, and conkad se prydes of his enemies?—3 we have no My 16% Want Him. - He doeth all things Mt, in the end, fhall any of his faithful peoDa bomglwing though they may fuffer bonds and imbeber amen, og martyrdom itself, for their attachment * $1 m Ne mourn for the cruel and premature 2 ada di the prophet; but to him the ftroke could not what came, which inftantly tranfmitted him from Chang hungrim, to a diftinguished place in the Aran de renalling glory.

W

This dile pics were not ashamed to own their relaon to their murdered matter. They performed their bor hum, in burying his corpfe; and probaat time they became followers of Jesus.

May

May his memory be dear to us, as it was to them! Whatever reproaches may attend the faints of God, living or dying, may we honour their names, and not be afraid to avow our efteem for them!

You, who hate and perfecute the zealous fervants of Christ, would have taken part with Herod and his affociates. But ah! confider, with whom you would with to be joined hereafter! Will you not defire to have your portion with them, whom you now defpife for their holy fingularity? O feek, then, to poffefs their faith and love, their felfdenial and devotion. "Give diligence to make your calling and election fure:" and you fhall foon be, where the Baptift is, adoring your God and Saviour; and you fhall there attain a higher degree of fanctity, blifs, and glory, than what distinguished this eminent character upon earth.

We pray, therefore, with our Church,

"Almighty God, by whofe providence thy fervant John Baptift was wonderfully born, and fent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour, by preaching of repentance; Make us fo to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching, and after his example conftantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently fuffer for the truth's fake, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen *.'

*Collect for Saint John Baptist's day.

JESUS

JESUS CHRIST.

CHAP. II.

SECT. I

Importance of the character of Jefus to be studied with prayer and for the increase of holy affections—its originality-proofs of his existence-writers of his history competent and faithful. Confider, as an introduction, I. His pre-existence, 11. His Deity, ill. His incarnation, IV. Preparations made for him.

WE cannot but feel a suspicion and diffidence of

ourfelves, while we attempt to delineate the character of the Saviour. So great is its importance in every view; fuch a divine fplendour and glory are caft around it; and fo profound are the myfteries, with which it is connected; that our minds are filled with an awful reverence, when we draw near to contemplate: and we feem difpofed rather to stand at a diftance, in filent and devout admiration; for "we cannot order our fpeech by reafon of darkness."

But the difficulty of the task fhould not discourage our humble, though weak endeavours. Only et us undertake it with earneft fupplication, that we may not "darken counfel by words without knowedge." In the ftudy of every part of the facred. Scriptures, we have continual need of prayer, that we a juft and fpiritual difcernment. But ly, while the Lord himself comes down and paffes by before us, we fhould beg,

that

that the veil may be removed from our minds, and that He, "who commanded the light to fhine out of darkness, may shine into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift. Read the hiftory of Alexander or Cefar, as you please; but dare not to take up the holy records of the Saviour, to indulge an idle or curious fpeculation: for every thing here is wonderful, and defigned to excite in us the devout affections of gratitude, love, and zeal.

A right apprehenfion of His character will conftrain us to cry out with Simeon, in rapturous adoration, "Lord, now letteft thou thy fervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have feen thy falvation +." Every proper view of Him will, alfo, produce a fanctifying influence. For, "with open face, beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

The most fuperficial obferver muft allow, that the hiftory of Jefus is replete with wonders. Almost every circumftance in it is uncommon, and unparallelled. He was born, He lived, fuffered, and died, in a very different way from any other man. This originality of his character is a strong prefumption in favour of his religion; because no impoftor ever did resemble him, nor is it probable, that fuch a refemblance would ever be pretended.

It is not our defign to produce the many evidences, which might be offered, in fupport and confirmation of our holy faith. But it may be noted briefly, that the proof of the whole depends on this fingle fact, that there did really exift fuch a perfon as Jefus of Nazareth. And this is eftablished upon ftronger teftimony, than any other fimilar fact can be. The declarations of many ancient Pagan writers put it be

* 2 Cor. iv. 6.

† Luke ii. 29, 30.

2 Cor. iii. 18.