fident opposer he reproved with seasonable freedom, and just severity. Nor would the peculiar affection he bare to his own disciples, suffer him to soothe their irregular passions, or palliate their criminal mistakes. As occasion was, he reprehended or he pitied them, he exhorted or he comforted them, he censured or he applauded them. And his instructions he clothed with such language, figures, and parables; and uttered them with such a voice and gesture, as were best adapted to convey them with clearness and energy to the mind and conscience. Thus did our divine Saviour, in every possible way, serve the interests of the immortal souls of men, Which leads me to speak,

SECONDLY, Of his doing good to their bodies.

Their temporal interests, every species of which I include in this phrase, were an object he did not deem unworthy of his attention. As he was not himself a stranger to poverty and affliction, so neither was he insensible of the miseries of others. So far from it, that he is said to have borne their griefs and carried their sorrows a: and he came not to be ministered to, but to minister b.

How much he was concerned for the civil interests of his native country, appears from the tears he shed over Jerusalem, while he looked forward to the dreadful calamities that were coming upon it. The offices too of private friendship he performed with the greatest cheerfulness, as is evident from the provident care he took of his disciples, whom he considered as his family, and the affectionate farewel he gave them at last. And of the good he did to individuals of every rank and condition where he came, the instances are innumerable.

He was himself poor, and so had little of this world's good to distribute to the needy. Yet what he had he freely communicated to them; and the widow, the orphan, and the stranger all shared of his bounty. Having no other way to provide for a large multitude that followed him into the wilderness, and were almost spent with hunger, he miraculously multiplied a few small loaves and fishes, and so kindly supplied the cravings of animal nature c. The sick he healed.

a Isa. iii. 4.

b Matt. xx. 28.

c John vi. 5-14.

The cries of tender parents for their children, of masters for their servants, of the humane for their afflicted friends and neighbours, he heard and answered. He gave eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, and feet to the lame. The hungry he fed, and the naked he clothed. Little children received his benediction, and the blessing of thousands that were ready to perish came upon him a. By his presence, houses hung round with sorrow and mourning, were made cheerful and happy. The widow of Nain, through his tender compassion, had her only son restored to life, and given back to her embraces b; and Martha and Mary their beloved brother La

zarus c.

In short, every place he visited had some monument of gratitude to raise to his liberality. And his disciples long after, well remembered what he was used to say, with heartfelt pleasure and delight, It is better to give than receive d., The favourite maxim this by which he governed his life, and which he found means to practise amidst all the poverty and misery he endured. Thus have we taken a general view of the good he did both to the bodies and souls of men..-And now let us see,

II. With what attention and diligence he performed this the great business of his life.-He went about doing good.

Such was his constant, unwearied, and most delightful employment. He considered it as his proper work, just as men do the following their several trades and occupations of life. -So he calls it his Father's business. Wot ye not that I was about my Father's business e?—And the work which was given him to do f. To do the will of God was his meat and drink g; as natural to him, as it is to men in common to gratify their senses. And that it was thus his object will appear, if you consider these three things, manifestly included in the expression of going about to do good,—the wide extent of his labours-the pains which of necessity must attend his workand his perseverance therein.

a Job xxix. 13.

d Acts xx. 35.

g John iv. 34.

b Luke vii. 11—17.

c John xi. 1-46.

e Luke ii. 49.

ƒ John xvii. 4.

FIRST, AS to the wide extent of his labours.

He did not move in a narrow sphere. His aim of doing good was not confined to his own proper family, to his neighbourhood, to the town where he lived, or to the villages round about it, no nor to Judea itself. It was not confined to his immediate disciples, or to his own party, as they were perhaps called; no nor to the Jews themselves. He did good to all sorts of men, high and low, rich and poor, young and old, persons of every description. He went about doing good. He did not stay at home, and receive all that came to him, as Paul was obliged to do at Rome, in his own hired house. But he went abroad, went wheresoever he was sent for, or where there was any prospect of doing good. Sometimes he is seen in the city, and sometimes in the wilderness; sometimes in the towns and villages, and sometimes in the fields and by the way-side: now in Galilee, then in Judea.

SECONDLY, The pains and fatigues too attending his work were very great.

His constitution was probably as tender, and as susceptible of languor and weariness as that of the most delicate. This however was no temptation to him to sloth and indulgence. Urged by the vehement desire of doing good, he is forgetful of himself, and indifferent to those precautions which would be generally thought prudent. Hunger, thirst, and cold, he willingly suffers to accomplish his designs. Hazardous and fatiguing journeys he takes to compass the ends of his ministry. Sometimes we see him sitting on the side of a well, and asking a little water to quench his thirst a. And again, entering a village where the inhospitable inhabitants refuse him any entertainment. The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests: but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head b, yet none of these things discourage him.

Nor does his love of solitude, which must have been peculiarly grateful to him who had in himself such sources of divine entertainment, divert him from his grand object. If he may but do good he is content to live in a crowd. Nor is he discouraged by the opposition he meets with. Nothing is so

a John iv. 6, 7.

b Matt, viii. 20.

great a trial to a good man, as to be traduced for a designing hypocrite, and represented as aiming at popularity, or something worse. So our Lord was treated. Yet this cruel treatment does not provoke him to desist from his attempts to do good; no nor the base ingratitude of many who received favours at his indulgent hands.-Once more,

THIRDLY, The phrase intimates his constancy and perseverance in this his delightful employment.

It

He did not in one or two instances only do good. He did not upon a few occasions only exert himself for the good of his family, his neighbourhood, his friends, or his country. was not in his early days only that he was thus employed, or when incited to duty by some fair opportunity that offered. To do good was the business of his whole life. At twelve years of age he was doing good in the temple a, and the very last day of his life he was employed in the same work. His zeal never abated, nor did his business suffer any the least intermission. I have finished the work, says he, when he came to die, which thou gavest me to do b.

Thus have you the outlines of our Saviour's most perfect and amiable character-a character which never was or can be equalled. He went about doing good, and acquitted himself with entire satisfaction to his divine Father, and the requisitions of his holy law.

Let us now consider the instruction which this pleasing subject affords.

FIRST, This view of our Saviour's character should excite in our breasts the warmest love to him, and the firmest confidence in him.

Can we have so fair a pattern before our eyes without being enamoured with it? especially when we reflect that to this zeal and diligence of his we owe our hope of everlasting life. It was not only in obedience to his Father's commands, but to gratify his own ardent desires for our welfare, as well as that of his immediate disciples, that he thus went about doing good. From his toils and labours we derive blessings of infinite value. He has by these means laid open to our view the immeasurable

a Luke ii. 46.

b John xvii. 4.

grace and compassion of his heart; given us the most striking idea of the divine character; provided effectually for our forgiveness, acceptance, and salvation; and set us an example the most engaging the most animating. Behold the Son of God thus going about doing good, thus providing for the happiness of myriads of rational creatures, and securing to them joys the most refined and that know no end. And then say, Whether he is not worthy of our highest love and most cheerful obedience. Nor can there remain the least ground to suspect either his ability, or his willingness, to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him a; after his having given such proofs of the perfection of his character, and the benevolence of his heart.

SECONDLY, In this mirror of our Saviour's example we have a clear and humbling view of our own defects. His pattern justly upbraids the sin and folly of all. He went about doing good.

But ah! how many are there, on the contrary, who go about doing evil? like their father the devil, who, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour b.-Doing evil to God, trampling under foot his righteous law, and casting contempt upon the gracious proposals of his gospel. Doing evil to their fellow-creatures, to their reputation, substance, and persons. And doing evil to themselves, laying violent hands on their immortal souls, making a mock at sin c, and casting about fire-brands, arrows, and death, saying they are in sport d.-And not only do evil, but go about to do evil; consider it their business, make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof e; and not only do these things, but, as the apostle expresses it, have pleasure in those that do them f. How deplorable these characters!

Others there are who think it enough if they abstain from gross sins, and doing no one any harm, take it for granted they may be excused doing any good. But such men, while sheltering themselves under the fond notion of innocence, act in direct opposition to their own reason; since the same law

a Heb. vii. 25.
d Prov. xxvi. 18, 19.

b 1 Pet. v. 8.

e Rom. xiii. 14.

c Prov. xiv. 9. f Rom. i. 32.