of mankind. In the firft light Chrift wanted nothing to perfect his nature. It was in the fecond light only-that of being the captain of our falvation, that he needed to be made perfect through fufferings. As the captain of our falvation-as the Redeemer of mankind, he underwent fuffering, particularly the suffering of death, as it was neceffary in this great work, that he should taste of death for every man.

XLIV.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and fupplication let your requests be made known unto God.-Philippians, iv. 5.

THE apostle St. Paul here gives us a caution against a dangerous propenfity; to which (as is common in other parts of fcripture) he hath annexed its proper corrective.-The cares and anxieties of the world are the mifchief-and the corrective recommended, is, that in every thing by prayer and fupplication our requests should be made known unto God.

By making our requests known to God in a pious prayer, the apoftle fuppofes we rid our own minds of the perplexity, whatever it is; and make it over, as it were, to one, who is able and willing

to bear it for us.

But the apostle's advice in the text goes ftill farther. It is not only a corrective of the mischiefs

which arise from the cares of the world, but it is a test also of the lawfulness, or unlawfulness of fuch cares, and anxieties. By enjoining us to lay thefe cares before God, the text infinuates, that whatever cares we cannot properly lay before God, fhould not be indulged at all. Thus for inftance, the safety of a husband engaged in war, or in a dangerous voyage, may be laid before God in a prayer by a tender wife; therefore the text fupposes such an anxiety may in a reasonable degree be indulged.-But if fhe feel the fame anxiety in removing a fet of china-ware from one place to another, it is plain fhe indulges it improperly, because she cannot make that the subject of a prayer to God.

XLV.

He who hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure.-1 John, iii. 3.

WE have here the progress of a christian life -the efficient caufe-the effect-and the mode

of producing this effect.

In the first place, we have the cause the animating hope, through faith, of a happy immortality.

We have next the effect. When this hope hath taken full poffeffion of a man, he purifieth himself; knowing, that nothing else can fit him for a bleffed immortality.

Laftly, the manner how he is to purify himself, is prescribed as Christ by his precepts, and example, hath fhewn him in the gofpel.

N. B. All these points, in their order, might be dwelt upon at large.

XLVI.

Leaving us an example, that we should follow his Steps.-1 Peter, ii. 21.

THAT our good works, have in themselves fome value in our gracious Creator's eyes (meritorious we must not certainly call them) is, I think, plain from numerous paffages of fcripture: but I infist at present, only on the fingle circumstance, that our religion is given us in the form of a hiftory. The actions of our Saviour's life are fet before us with a view, that we fhould follow his Steps as if our great perfection lay in imitating his example. It is true we are unprofitable fervants after all. By the beft of our works we can lay no claim to God's favour. Hopes of juftification we can have none of fcriptural authority, notwithstanding the best of our works, but from the atonement of Chrift. All I mean, is, to give good works their proper value. As our Saviour's