by heathen philosophers : their morality is a system of pride ; and, however wide its circumference, every line of it centres in self. But the morality of the Gospel is founded in humility, and, in every part of it, has respect to the glory of God. It requires us " not to live unto ourselves, but unto him who died
for us and rose again" Were this more considered
amongst us, we should not hear of persons founding their hopes of acceptance on their morality : for, where is there one who has regulated his life by this standard ? If we try our morals by this touchstone, we shall see that the very best of us needs
a Saviour, as much as the vilest of the human race
Let us remember then what true morality is, and labour to attain its utmost heights.]
2. The diversified uses that we are to make of our Saviour's death —
[Doubtless the first great use that we are to make of it, is, to trust in it for our reconciliation with God. We all have sold ourselves to sin and Satan, and must all look to his blood as the price paid for our redemption. No other ransom ever was, or ever can be, paid for our souls : in that therefore must
be all our hope, and trust, and confidence But in the
death of Christ we have also an assemblage of every virtue that suffering humanity can exercise. In that we have a pattern of all that is great and glorious ; a patience invincible, a love that passes the comprehension either of men or angels. To that therefore we must look as to the pattern to which we are to be conformed : and though it is not possible that we should ever come near to his perfection, yet we must aspire after it; and, setting him ever before our eyes, must endeavour in all things to " walk as he walked."]
3. The criterion whereby we are to judge of our spirit and conduct —
[It is often difficult to ascertain the precise quality of our own actions ; but here are two things, by which, as by a rule or plummet, we may be enabled to form a correct judgment. Let us compare our spirit and conduct with that which is dis- cernible in worldly men : and we may be nearly sure, that, if we resemble them, we are wrong. Let us next turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, and see what his spirit and conduct were on similar occasions : and we may safely conclude, that we are right or wrong, in proportion as we resemble him, or differ from him. We do not undertake to say, that these tests are infallible in all cases ; because a worldly man may sometimes do what is materially right, though from a wrong principle ; and because the cases between our" Lord and ourselves may not be sufficiently parallel : but the person who will habituate