ticular lecture to this virtue, and, in every inftance of it, fhewed plainly he came not to fhare the pride and glories of life, or gratify the carnal expectation of ambitious followers; which, had he affected external pomp, he might have accomplished, by engroffing, as he could have done by a word, all the riches of the world; and by the fplendour of his court, and dignity of his perfon, had been greater than Solomon in all his glory, and have attracted the applause and admiration of the world: this every difciple knew was in his power;-fo that the meannefs of his birth, -the toils and poverty of his life, the low offices in which he was engaged, by preach. ing the gospel to the poor-the numberless dangers and inconveniencies attending the execution, were all voluntary.-This humble choice both of friends and family out of the meaneft of the people,-amongst whom he appeared rather as a fervant than a master, coming not, as he often told them, to be miniftered unto, but to minifter,-and as the prophet had foretold in that mournful defcription

of him, having no form nor comeliness, nor any beauty that we fhould defire him.

How could a difciple, you'll fay, reflect without benefit on this amiable character, with all the other tender pathetic proofs of humility, which his memory would fuggeft had happened of a piece with it, in the course of his mafter's life;-but particularly at the conclufion and great catastrophe of it,-at his crucifixion; the impreffions of which could never be forgotten. When a life full of fo many engaging inftances of humility, was crowned with the most endearing one of humbling himfelf to the death of the cross,—the death of a flave and malefactor,-fuffering himself to be led like a lamb to the flaughter,-dragged to Calvary without oppofition or complaint, and as a sheep before his shearer is dumb, opening not his mouth.—

O bleffed Jefus! well might a disciple of thine learn of thee to be meek and lowly of heart, as thou exhortedft them all, for thou waft meek and lowly:-well might they profit, when fuch a leffon was feconded by fuch an example!-It is not to be doubted what

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force this must have had on the actions of thofe who were attendants and conftant followers of our Saviour on earth;-faw the meekness of his temper in the occurrences of his life,and the amazing proof of it at his death, who, though he was able to call down legions of angels to his rescue, or by a fingle act of omnipotence to have destroyed his enemies; yet fuppreffed his almighty power,-neither refented or revenged the indignity done him, but patiently fuffered himself to be numbered with the tranfgreffors.

It could not well be otherwise, but that every eye-witnefs of this must have been wrought upon, in fome degree, as the apostle, to let the fame mind be in him which was alfo in Chrift Jefus. Nor will it be difputed how much of the honour of St. Peter's behaviour in the prefent tranfaction might be owing to the impreffions he received, on that memorable occafion of his Lord's death, finking ftill deeper, from the affecting rememberance of the many inftances his master had given of this engaging virtue in the course of his life.

St. Peter certainly was of a warm and fen

fible nature, as we may collect from the facred writings, a temper fitteft to receive all the advantages which fuch impreffions could give; and therefore, as it is a day and place facred to this great apostle, it may not be unacceptable, if I engage the remainder of your time, in a fhort effay upon his character, principally as it relates to this particular difpofition of heart, which is the fubject of the difcourfe.

This great apostle was a man of distinction amongst the difciples,-and was one of fuch virtues and qualifications, as feemed to have recommended him more than the advantage of his years, or knowlege.

On his first admiffion to our Saviour's acquaintance, he gave a most evident testimony that he was a man of real and tender goodness, when being awakened by the miraculous draught of the fishes, as we read in the fifth of St. Luke, and knowing the author must neceffarily be from God, he fell down inftantly at his feet,-broke out into this humble and pious reflection;-Depart from me, for I am a finful man, O Lord!-The cenfure, you

will fay, expreffes him a finful man,—but fo to cenfure himself,--with such unaffected modeity, implies more effectually than any thing elfe could, that he was not in the common fenfe of the word,—a finful, but a good man, who, like the publican in the temple, was no lefs juftified, for a felf-accufation extorted merely from the humility of a devout heart jealous of its own imperfections.-And though the words, depart from me, carry in them the face. of fear,-yet he who heard them, and knew the heart of the fpeaker, found they carried in them a greater measure of defire. For Peter was not willing to be difcharged from his new gueft, but fearing his unfitness to accompany him, longed to be made more worthy of his converfation.-A meek and modeft diftruft of himself, feemed to have had no small fhare, at that time, in his natural temper and complexion; and though it would be greatly improved, and no doubt much better principled by the advantages on which I enlarged above, in his commerce and obfervation with his Lord and mafter,-yet it appears to have been an early and distinguishing part of his