is intimately allied also with that fitness for the discharge of the various duties of life, without which they must become, not only difficult, but in a high degree irksome and oppressive.

On this preliminary part of our subject, (the considerations which are pertinent being obvious to all,) I shall detain you only by observing,

Thirdly, That the display of a Christian Temper greatly adorns and recommends the Gospel of Christ.

There prevails in society around us a disposition, of which we are scarcely entitled to complain, to compare and to contrast the man of the world with the professor of serious religion, whenever it may be thought that the result of the comparison will prove disad

vantageous to the latter. Shall there, then, be materials for eulogizing the character of those who make no pretensions to decided piety, on the ground of their amiableness of temper, and gentleness of spirit; and shall there be ground for an impeachment of those who make a public profession of religion, as in these respects greatly inferior? Shall it be said, with any color of truth, that not a few of them betray a disposition unyielding and unkind, uncharitable and severe, irascible and unforgiving, arbitrary and impetuous? "My brethren, these things ought not so to be." They are incalculably injurious to the souls of men. They arm the carnal and unrenewed mind with all the force of the most

determined prejudice, against those who lay claim to the character of separatists, from an ungodly world, and also against that truth which they profess to embrace. Oh! never let it escape your remembrance, my Christian friends, that not only your own honor is at stake, but also the honor of the glorious cause of truth and holiness, to which you profess a devoted attachment. The honor of our Lord Jesus Christ requires you to adorn in all things, the doctrine of his gospel; and how can it be more beauteously adorned, than by "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price?"" Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,

bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering;"-and over all these things, as the connecting girdle of this spiritual attire, put on the graceful and the attractive ornament of love. And let it be the love which "suffereth long and is kind; which envieth not; which vaunteth not itself; which is not puffed up; which doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her own; is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; which beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things."

We are now, I trust, prepared to consider,

SECONDLY, the best methods of

aiming at the cultivation of the Chris

tian temper.

It seems to be the opinion of some, that a bad temper is an evil of such a nature, as almost to preclude the hope of amendment. This, however, is an opinion which would have disgraced a philosophic pagan; how much more a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ! If it be the boast of philosophy, that it can effect much, and often has effected much, in the improvement of the natural temper, it is beyond all doubt the glory of Christianity, that it can effect, and often has effected, incomparably more. With this encouraging conviction, let me proceed to suggest some scriptural advices for the due regulation of the temper.