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againft, the fame temptations to refift, the fame enemies to overcome. Their advantages for performing their duty were not greater than ours: on the contrary, befides all that they poffeffed, we have the benefit of their example and experience. God's hand is not fhortened, the blood of Chrift hath loft none of its virtue, his interceffion is no lefs prevalent, nor is the power of his Spirit in the leaft impaired by length of time or constant exercise. "He is the fame "yefterday, to-day, and for ever:" So that we are entirely without excuse, if we do not both aim at, and actually attain the fame degrees of holiness and purity with any of those that have gone before us.

Let us then confider all those perfons celebrated in Scripture - hiftory, as examples which we not only ought to copy after, but may, through God's grace, hope to equal: and, instead of being dazzled with the luftre of their virtues, let us fearch into the principles which influenced their conduct, that, by cherishing thefe, we may be animated to go and do as they did.

The Apostle mentions, in the text, one of diftinguished

VOL. III.

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diftinguished efficacy, which I propose to make the fubject of this difcourfe ;-A fupreme defire to please God, who trieth the heart, without regard either to the praise or cenfure of men. It was this which fupported him under the ignominious treatment he met with at Philippi, which he mentions in the fecond verfe of this chapand encouraged him to perfift in preaching that gofpel which he had received in truft from God. It was this which rendered the first Christians fuperior to adverfity in all its frightful forms: and it is the fame divine principle, which, if once it got the entire poffeffion of our hearts, would be a conftant spring of holy obedience, and enable us, by the bleffing of God, to follow the cloud of witneffes who have gone before us, through the most rugged paths of virtue, untainted with that meannefs and inconftancy of behaviour, which are the reproach of fo many profeffing Christians in our days.

I propose, therefore, through divine affistance, ist, To open the nature and extent of the divine principle mentioned in

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my text; 2dly, To represent the happy effects which would flow from our being animated with this steady and prevailing defire. After which I fhall conclude with a practical improvement of the subject.

I begin with opening the nature and extent of the divine principle mentioned in the text. And to prevent any mistakes on this head, it may be needful to observe, that our making the approbation of God our principal aim does not exclude all regard to the opinion or judgement of our fellow-creatures. We are certainly bound by that great law of our religion, "Thou fhalt love thy

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neighbour as thyself," to make the pleafing of our brethren, by every lawful means, an object of attention, and a fubordinate end of our conduct. And as our neighbuor is commanded to love us as himfelf, both reafon and religion teach us to render ourselves as amiable to him we as can, that fo we facilitate his performance of that important duty.

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Neither, on the other hand, are we wholly to difregard the cenfures of men, or be altogether

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together unconcerned, when our reputation is blackened by injurious calumnies. "A "good name is better than precious oint"ment."

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It is a special bleffing which we are to receive with thankfulness from the hand of God and it is our duty to preferve it as carefully as we can. Without a good name, no man can be ufeful in the world. To neglect it therefore, where it does not proceed from a consciousnefs of guilt, is certainly, in moft cafes, a very culpable indifference. Thus far, then, the judgement of men is to be regarded: but then we must please our brethren, only fo far as it is pleafing to God. In every cafe we must ftate the matter thus: Whether is it wiser to obey God or man? to fear thofe who, after they have killed the body, have no more that they can do ; or to fear him who, after he hath killed, can destroy both four and body in hell? We must not only contemn the favour of men when compared with the approbation of God, but learn to value it among thofe tranfitory things, which are only defirable as means for attaining a higher end.

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In like manner, the displeasure of men, if unjust, must be reckoned among our light afflictions, which are but for a moment. In fuch circumstances, it must appear a small matter to us to be judged of man's judgement: "We have one that judgeth us, even "God." That prophecy of our Saviour must be conftantly remembered, that the world will hate us; and his example muft be ever before our eyes, who condefcended to be fcorned, and buffeted, and flandered as an impoftor and blafphemer; who made himself of no reputation, but endured the crofs, and despised the shame, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. In a word, God must be pleased by all means; his approbation is the one thing needful: he is now our Witnefs, and will, ere long, be our Judge; and in thefe two characters we ought conftantly to fet him before us.

This is the temper which the Apostle expreffeth in the text.-I proceed now, in the

Second place, To reprefent the happy effects which would flow from our being ani

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