the Supreme Being himself; and in his own case expressly rejected and disclaimed by our blessed Lord. We are not, therefore, to address our prayers, in any case, to Christ, but to the Almighty, through him as Mediator. I would say, with the angel in the revelations, when John fell down before him, "See thou do it not; he is thy fellow servant; worship God;" and with our Lord himself, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

The last sentence of the passage before us is clear, with respect to St. Paul's sentiment on this subject; for though he had spoken so forcibly, and with so little reserve, on the veneration due to Christ, he concludes: "Let every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father." As our gracious Lord refers all his words and actions to his heavenly Father, so are we to refer all the glory resulting from his ministry to the same source; and, as expressed in another place, we should "do all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to the Father of all, through him."

Notwithstanding the grandeur and profundity of the views developed in this portion of Scripture, the immediate object of Paul was only to illustrate the humility of our Lord, and to exhibit his condescension as an example to the Philippians."Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus." There are some, however, who

think, that the sense I have put upon his words, is inconsistent with this design. They maintain, that the example of Christ loses much of its efficacy, if contemplated in any other point of view than as that of a mortal man. They allege, that as it would be impossible for us to equal or rival a being of a superior nature, it is vain to propose such a character to us as a model; that the impossibility of excelling would damp the ardour of imitation; and that men will never attempt what they previously know to be impracticable.

They do not recollect, that many things may be proper objects of imitation, which we can ne ver hope to emulate; and that excellence is more likely to be attained by copying a perfect model, to the best of our abilities, than by contenting ourselves with equalling what is on our own level. An inferior example can never enable us to ap proach perfection, and will probably betray us into indolence and error; while a perfect pattern will lead us from one degree of excellence to another, without flattering us with having arrived at the summit. Those, who are studious of excelling in any of the fine arts, are far from selecting imperfect models, which may tempt them to copy defects, or to rest contented with inferior acquirements: they travel into distant countries, to study the works of the most eminent masters. They do not even confine themselves

to any one model, but endeavour to combine the beauties of many. Nor are they satisfied with copying the most celebrated specimens of their art, but labour to rival the most beautiful and sublime productions of nature. Nay, far from confining themselves even to the imitation of any one natural object, they endeavour to form to themselves an ideal beauty, selected from the whole creation. In eloquence or poetry, where no visible examples are displayed before their eyes, they study the productions of ancient genius; and, not content with this, they conceive an ideal character, of imaginary excellence; and the nearer they can approach to perfection in their conceptions, the nearer to perfection will also be their imitations.

Now, Christ is the model of the Christian. We are relieved from the necessity of conceiving an ideal character, and the danger of adopting a faulty pattern. The moralist and the religionist have this advantage over the greatest geniuses among statuaries and painters, orators and poets, that they have a faultless example presented to their eyes, in real life.

The character of our Lord it is, no doubt, impossible to excel. It would even argue the greatest presumption to expect to equal it: but it is, on that very account, the most worthy object of imitation. Suppose it were less excellent, but still superior to any that we could hope

to attain; the same objection would remain. Suppose it reduced to our own level, there would be an end of our ambition. It would rather lull us into indolence, or puff us up with vanity and selfconceit, than inspire us with the noble ardour of St. Paul, who, in his Christian course, forgot what he had left behind, and continually pressed forward for the prize. Besides, if Christ were not a perfect model, he must be an imperfect one; and then we should be in danger of copying his imperfections, which we should find so much easier of execution, and so much better adapted to our own imperfect nature. Such a pattern would encourage acquiescence in inferior proficiency. If it were absolutely faulty, it would lead us astray, and betray us into error, perhaps into sin. If it were mixed, we should be continually at a loss to know what we should imitate, and what we should avoid; and, in this perplexity, we would naturally incline to what was most agreeable to our depraved inclination; and thus it would cease to be a model. So that the superior nature of Christ is so far from being an objection to his being proposed as our pattern, that we could not otherwise be secure in imitating him at all.

The intention of proposing a model to us is, that we may, by imitating it, arrive at the highest excellence: now, excellence is not more difficult to copy in a superior being, than the same de

gree of excellence would be, if displayed in a human character. Besides, it could not exist in a man, without supernatural assistance; and then, the difficulty returns upon us; for if a man be divinely assisted, he is no more a proper object of emulation, than the being by whom he is inspired. It, therefore, comes to the same thing, so far as imitation is concerned, whether Christ was a supernatural being, or a man actuated by a supernatural being. This reasoning accords with the exhortation of our blessed Lord himself, "Be ye, therefore, perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect; merciful, as he is merciful; holy, as he is holy;" for, if the Almighty himself may be proposed as a pattern, we may well be called upon to imitate our Master, who abode among us, for this very end, "to give us an example, that we might follow his steps."

Instead of deeming the pre-existent glory of our Lord, an objection to his being proposed as a model for our imitation, I am persuaded, that it adds force to his example in some respects, and detracts from it in none. This is the case, particularly in those points in the character of our Redeemer, which he himself, and his Apostle Paul have selected for our imitation. These are his meekness and lowliness, evinced by his volun. tary abdication of heaven, his humiliation, and his sufferings.