in recollecting how he has passed the day, and what he has done amiss. But in order to make a right judgment of our actions, we must be careful always to compare them with the law of GOD. We are too apt to be partial in judging of ourselves, and one of our most dangerous errors is, that instead of paring our actions with our duty, we compare them with the actions of other men, and try to quiet our conscience by fancying that others are worse than ourselves. This is a most dangerous error. Consider only your own duty, and how you have performed it. If you have not done the very best that you could, frame no vain excuse, and hope for no indulgence while you continue in sin; but on your knees confess your fault to GOD, and humbly implore his pardon, through JESUS CHRIST, and when you rise the next day, recollect what you have done amiss, and try to be more careful. While we are in this state of trial, the best men will always discover imperfections in their conduct, and will always know and feel that they must depend for mercy on the merits of CHRIST, and not on their own; but if any man will constantly examine his own conduct every night, with true Christian humility; if he will constantly ask GoD's pardon for what he has done. amiss, and his assistance during the remainder

of his life; it is, I think, impossible, that such a man should not grow wiser and better; it is, I think, impossible, that he should continue in any known sin; and it is, I hope and believe, impossible, that he should not at last find mercy from our gracious GOD, through the merits and meditaion of JESUS CHRIST; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

SERMON IV.

ST. MATTHEW iii. 13.

THEN COMETH JESUS FROM GALILEE TO JORDAN UNTO JOHN TO BE BAPTIZED OF HIM.

THA

HAT constant regard to the will of GoD which was the subject of my last discourse, will shew itself in obedience to his commands of every kind, and make us diligent in the performance of every duty, to GoD and to our neighbour.

Our duty to Gon requires that we should not only pay Him the hidden worship of the heart, but also that we should observe all the ordinances of religion which He has appointed. We must not only serve Him in our closets by prayer and self-examination, but we must also, in obedience to his commands, attend the public worship of his church; we

must receive the sacraments which He has ordained, observe his sabbaths, honour his holy name and word, and publicly as well as privately shew that we are his disciples; and in this our Saviour has been pleased to be our pattern, as well as our instructor. From his example we learn the most exalted piety. He prayed earnestly; he was constant in his attendance on public worship, and in the observance of the sabbath; and St. Matthew informs us in my text that he was baptized. "Though he was a son, yet learned he obedience;" and though he knew no sin, yet for our sakes he condescended to leave an example of submission to every ordinance of GOD, by using the appointed means of purification in the sacrament of baptism." Suffer it to be so," said our LORD to St. John the Baptist, "for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." With this great example always before our eyes, I propose to consider the public duties appointed in the Christian church, to explain the nature and use of each, and to enforce the duty of obedience to all. the ordinances of the LORD.

Before I enter on these subjects, let me beg you to remember the reverence which is due to the church of CHRIST, and to the appointed ministers of the gospel; and let me Matt.is.

•Heb. v. 8. C

earnestly entreat you not to follow strange teachers. Many of them may be good men, and I hope they are so; but let them not lead you from the appointed place of worship, and the appointed minister, to whom CHRIST has given authority to watch over your souls. We are told that even our Saviour took not this honour on himself, but was called of Gon. We are told that before his death he laid his hands on his apostles, and appointed them to preach and baptize in his name. We know that those apostles appointed others; and even to this day every man who is to speak in the name of CHRIST, and to administer his sacraments, ought to be lawfully ordained by the bishops of CHRIST's church. These are shepherds whom CHRIST has commanded to feed his flock; and no man ought to take this honour to himself. All clergymen, before they are allowed to exercise this holy office, are instructed in the religion which God has revealed; and care is taken that they should be properly qualified to teach others. They are the lawful ministers of CHRIST; the sacraments which they administer; are given by his authority; the prayers which they read, are the appointed service of the church; and the humble Christian who joins with them in worship, does his duty, and has every reason to hope for all the benefits promised by our

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