as well as sacrifice the present comforts of your life, to hold up the credit of a party? A language I have more than once heard: I say, this doctrine of Christ is an answer and antidote against the power of this objection. He teaches us to embrace truth under all those scandals. The Jews had more to say of this kind than any, whose way had a more extraordinary institution; but Christ minds not either institution or succession. He was a new man, and came to consecrate a new way, and that in the will of God; and the power that accompanied his ministry, and that of his followers, abundantly proved the Divine authority of his mission, who thereby warns his to expect and to bear contradiction, reviling, and persecution: for if they did it to the green tree, much more were they to expect that they would do it to the dry; if to the Lord, then to the servant. Why then should Christians fear that reproach and tribulation, that are the companions of his religion, since they work to his sincere followers a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory? But indeed they have great cause to fear and be ashamed, who are the authors of such reproach and suffering, so contrary to the meek and merciful spirit of Christ: for if they are blessed, who are reviled and persecuted for his sake, the revilers and persecutors must be cursed. But this is not all: He bids his disciples follow Him, learn of Him, for He was meek and lowly: He taught them to bear injuries, and not smite again; to exceed in kindness: to go two miles when asked to go one; to part with cloak and coat too; to give to them that ask, and to lend to them that would borrow; to forgive, aye, and love enemies too; commanding them, saying, "Bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Mat. v.) Urging them with a most sensible demonstration, "That," saith He, "ye may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven: for He maketh his sun to rise upon the good and the evil, and his rain to descend upon the just and the unjust. He also taught his disciples to believe and rely upon God's providence, from the care that He had over the least of his creatures: "Therefore," saith He, "I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on: is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them; are ye not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into