SERMON XXVIII. SOS suffer sometimes tomuch uneasiness in themselves, beçause of the perversehumours of those they converse with. This unea- siness indeed may arise to a criminal excess, but the springof it has something amiable. I could wish every soul of us would learn a lovely carriage. For, III. Itmakes us resemble God himself. And yet there are some that will be selfish and churlish, that will practise the furious or thepeevish passions, through some reigning principleof pride, or covetousness, impatience, or envy. There are sonic that de- light in vexing their fellow -creatures, and in giving them torment andpain. l'art of these qualities make us a-kin to brutes of the worser kind, when we takecare of none but self, and are regard- less of neighbour's Welfare. " If self be healthy and rich, easy and honoured, it is no matter though the rest of the world sustain sickness, and poverty, and scandal." Others of these unlovely characters approach nearer to the spirit of the devil, Who takes delight in torturing his fellow-creatures, and doing what mischief he can amongst men. But it is a God-like temper to take á sweet satisfaction in diffusing our goodness, and in pleasing and in serving all that are near us. Let us then be followers of God as dear children; Eph. v. i. He is the original beauty, he is the loveliest and the best of beings. Tobe good, and to do good, is a divine perfection, and let us remember it is a perfection that may be imitated too. He causes Isis sun to rise, and his rain tofall on the ust andon the un- just, and fills the hearts even of the evil as well as the good with foodandgladness, when hegives them fsuitfidseasons; Acts xiv. 17. Let us not dare then tobe rough and quarrelsome, and sul- len, and ill-natured, while we profess to be his offspring. Let there be something lovely in our whole temper andconduct, while we pretend to he imitators of the God of love. And does the light of nature furnish us with all these motives for a lovelycar- riage ? then surely the light of scriptureenforces them all. The gospel obliges christians to this practice by much stronger argu- ments, and it layson us more substantial obligations. I. Theblessed and ever glorious Trinity, the Father, the Son and theHoly Spirit, give us in the gospel a divine example of this practice. Has God, the great and glorious God, mani- fested a lovely conduct in his works of creation, and his ways of providence; how much more glorious a pattern has he set us in the transactions of his redeeming love ! What condescension bath he here shewn! What gentleness! what patience and for- bearance ! what forgiveness ! what infinite and endless discove- ries of grace has he made in his gospel ! God the Father recon- ciling the world to himself by Jesus Christ, has a peculiar sweet- ness of aspect and most amiable appearance, Here every chris-
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