LXX.

Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will; but thine be done.Luke, xxii. 42.

FROM paffages of this kind, in which Chrift prays to his father, and fhews the deepest submiffion to his will, the unitarian argues, that Christ plainly acknowledges his inferiority.

I mean not to enter into argument with the uni tarian on his general queftion. All I mean, at prefent, is to fhew, that fuch paffages as these, have no relation to it.

Among the gracious offices which our bleffed Saviour undertook for the redemption of man, one certainly was, to fet him an example. The fcheme of the gospel, delivered in a life proves this.

As an example therefore was intended; it is pro bable alfo, that every chriftian virtue in particular was meant to be exemplified. If we are inftructed in patience, for instance, in one part of scripture, we have an example of patience prefented to us in another.

If we are taught humility in one chapter, in a fucceeding one it is urged upon us in a pattern. These virtues, as far as our bleffed Saviour himself was concerned, were furely unneceffary: but for our fakes he thought fit to give us the example, as well as the precept.

In this view also we confider fuch paffages, as the text, in which our bleffed Saviour expreffes the highest sense of fubmiffion to the will of God. It was certainly neceffary to inftruct mankind, among other duties, in piety, devotion, and refignation. And if our Saviour proceeded in this cafe, as he did in others, by exemplifying the duties he taught, how was this to be done, but by fetting the pattern himfelf? And as it is evident he fet the example of feveral virtues, which, as far as he himself was concerned, he had no occafion to practise, why may we not fuppofe the fame in this cafe alfo? So that on a fuppofition of our Saviour's divinity, he must have acted just as he did. Confiftently with himself, hẹ could have acted in no other way.

So that, in fact, the argument drawn from fuch paffages as these in the text, for the humanity of Chrift, feem to have nothing to do with the question.

LXXI.

Watch and pray, left ye enter into temptation.Mark, xiv. 38.

ANGELS are probably employed in praising God, and meditating on his works, and excellencies. But a state of trial is a state of danger; and its inhabitants are weak, infirm, and fallible. If they were not, they would be creatures qualified for a fuperior station: for God fills his creation. with various ranks. In a great house the apostle argues, there must be veffels of wood, and of earth, as well as of filver and gold.

This being the cafe, man is graciously furnished in the gospel with all proper instructions to enable him to pass properly through that state of trial, in which he is placed: and these instructions are fummed up by our Saviour in two words, watch and pray. The former relates to our own care, and endeavours, which are abfolutely neceffary. But as these endeavours, unfupported, cannot carry us happily through this state, we are farther enjoined

to

to feek the affistance of heaven by prayer, which is always afforded, when it is fincerely fought.

N. B. This fubject, if the discourse were made out, might be enlarged upon under the following

divifion.

First, might be fhewn the nature of a state of trial compared with what we fuppofe to be the angelic state.

Secondly, the nature, and end of watching from our weakness, and the temptations which every where furround us.

And thirdly, the neceffity of God's affiftance, from our own inability to grapple with temptations;

and the neceffity of fincere prayer in order to obtain that affiftance.

LXXII.

O Lord, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom haft. thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. -Pfalm civ. 24.

THIS world is commonly placed in opposition to the next, and hath therefore a bad name in all our religious exhortations. The wicked world is its common appellative. But it is ill used; and hath been traduced merely on account of its wicked inhabitants. In itself it is innocent; and may be enjoyed with innocence; and when we speak of it apart from the ill-ufe that is made of it, instead of fetting it in oppofition to the next world, we might perhaps more justly bring them closer together.

When therefore we take a view of this world in all its grandeur, and beauty-its varied furfaceits woods-its waters-its vaft canopy of fkyand even its inhabitants, which tho' in many inftances its greateft deformity, discover often fuch qualities, as are truly amiable-we are led to con