Gentiles, while we labour to promote their DISC. interest, we likewife fhall, by fo doing, VIII. promote our own. So fignal an event, as the converfion of the Jews, cannot but operate again on the lukewarm and degenerate nations, as well as on those that are ftill unconverted, to the production of a more plentiful and joyful harvest, than has yet perhaps been seen. "For if the fall "of them were the riches of the world, " and the diminishing of them the riches " of the Gentiles; how much more their «fulness? If the cafting away of them "were the reconciling of the world, what "shall the receiving of them be, but life "from the dead?" the refurrection of Christianity, in all the fplendor of truth, and the beauty of holiness-Nor let us be staggered by the contrary appearances of things in the world. These cannot be more contrary at the converfion of the Jews, than they were at the conversion of the Gentiles. From the Jewish church, when in it's lowest and most unpromising ftate,

DISC. went forth thofe, who brought the nations VIII. to the faith; from the Gentile church,

when in a condition equally low and unpromifing, may go forth thofe, who shall cause Ifrael to return to it-Bleffed times! Delightful profpect!-We fee it, but not now; we behold it, but, perhaps, not near. We live, and probably, like the antient patriarchs, we may die, not having received the promises. But a generation to be born fhall receive them, and fhall praise the Lord, who thus, at different periods, "hath "shut up all in unbelief, that he may" finally have mercy upon all."- Happy, in the mean season, fhall we be, if, while we are preparing ourfelves, we may, in any the leaft degree, by our prayers and our endeavours, contribute towards the preparation of our elder brethren, the once beloved and highly favoured feed of Abraham, for the approach of that awful and important day, when their and our Meffiah, who, as at this time, came in humility, to abase the proud, fhall return in glory, to exalt the humble.

DISCOURSE IX.

THE BELOVED DISCIPLE.

No

JOHN XXI. 7.

That Difciple whom Jefus loved.

IX.

O writings are better calculated to DISC. improve mankind, than those which relate the history of the lives of fuch perfons as have been famous, in their generations, for wisdom and virtue. We are apt to be terrified by the strictness and severity of holiness, while it meets us only in precept; but when we behold it realized in the example of one, made of the same flesh and blood, living in the fame world, and exposed to the fame temptations with ourfelves, we are fired, at the fight, with a noble emulation, and are afhamed of any longer

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IX.

DISC. longer fancying ourselves not able to do what so many others have done before us. St. Auguftine, in his Confeffions, defcribing the conflicts he endured with temptation in his younger years, tells us, how greatly he was ftrengthened, and animated to the fight, by imagining he faw virtue standing, in a vifible form, before his eyes, and pointing to the noble company of those who had been confpicuous examples of purity; with which confideration fhe gently reproached him in thefe words-" Why

canft not thou do what these have done?" From the fair light of one good example innumerable others may catch the heavenly flame, until the whole church become illuminated and adorned with bright and fhining patterns of every thing that is lovely and praife worthy.

Biography hath also another advantage, namely, that it is fure to entertain, because it gratifies that natural curiofity men have to be acquainted with the history of others; which curiofity is then directed to it's pro

per

per end, when it incites us to make the wisdom and experience of past ages our own, in order to become proficients in the mystery of godliness, and to practise every art of virtuous living.

But what chiefly recommends this kind. of writing to Chriftians is, the ufe made of it in the holy Scriptures, which are, for the most part, hiftorical, the wisdom of God having thought it better to set before us the duties of our calling, as they prefent themselves in the life of Chrift and thofe of his faints, than to give us any regular and exact system of them. The church, by the appointment of her festivals, hath contrived to turn our thoughts from time to time upon these lives, that fo, neglect and forgetfulness may not deprive us of the many benefits resulting from a due contemplation of them.

The faint of this day is John the Apoftle and Evangelift. And where will heraldry, among all her boafted titles of honour,

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IX.