thing in this world. The disciple was very far from looking on this as a chargeable incumbrance, but accounted it a singular honour, and immediately secured this valuable legacy. For we read, that From that hour the disciple took her to his own home;" where he supplied every thing necessary for her sup port during the remainder of her life. She lived with this disciple, according to some commentators; till the sixty-third year of her age. St. John was the more expeditious to receive this precious deposit committed to him, being persuaded that his care of the mother of the blessed Jesus would entitle him to call the Lord Jesus his brother, in a stricter sense than other believers.

By these words Christ has confirmed the fifth commandment, and set to all children a pattern of the tender care and affection, which they ought to shew for their parents; and that this care should extend to their last moments, not only in acts of kindness and filial duty, but also by making provision for them if they survive their children. Hence we shall now deduce the following inferences:

1. No real detriment will happen to any Christian by partaking of the reproach of Christ.

How richly are the blessed Virgin and St. John rewarded for the fidelity, which they shewed to the blessed Jesus by attending him in his last moments. Nor was the attendance of the other devout women disregarded by our blessed Lord; for they had afterwards the honour of being the first witnesses and promulgators of his resurrection, (Mark xvi. 1--9.) Thus the blessed Jesus leaves none of those, who are not ashamed of the fellowship of his sufferings, without their reward. Infidelity would indeed persuade men, that they incur great damages by such a felowship; that it is a great detriment to their temporal callings, &c. But these are all groundless and fallacious suggestions, which may be confuted by numberless instances. Now supposing that all human

aid should forsake us; supposing persecution and distress should attend us; yet we may depend on his friendship, who is the Lord of heaven and earth, who keeps the keys of Paradise and the mansions of bliss ; and is ever fulfilling what he has promised in these words; 'Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the Gospel's, but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, houses and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecu tions; and in the world to come, eternal life,' (Mark x. 29, 30.) Therefore let us courageously enlist among the followers of our crucified Saviour; for none' of us will repent of having so done, through all the days of eternity.

2. Our blessed Lord has shewn it to be his express will, that they, who believe in his name, should be inseparably joined in the bands of love and unity. We are not to confine these words of Christ, as if they related only to his mother and beloved disciple: for in this his last testament, the Lord Jesus has enjoined, that every believer should do to another all the kind offices he can, and that Christians should shew all possible love, friendship, and benevolence to each other. As he has loved us and given himself up to death for us, he confirms the new commandment, that we should love one another, and by this testamentary injunction, makes this command irrevocable. How then can it be known that we are the disciples of Christ, unless we love one another, and bear each others burdens? this is a duty, which we more particularly owe to the necessitous and the destitute, to strangers, widows, and orphans; and especially, to the poor members of the sacred body of the Lord Jesus. Though the mother of our blessed Lord has been long since dead; yet many pious Christians still remain, of whom Jesus hath said, 'whosoever shall do the will of my father who is in heaven, the

same is my brother, and sister, and mother, (Matt. xii. 50.) Therefore, when we take such persons in their destitute and comfortless circumstances under our care, the sympathizing Jesus accepts of our kindness, not only as if it were done to his parent; but as a favour bestowed on himself, and will reward it ac cordingly. Let us therefore, express our love to our crucified Saviour by carefully observing this his last precept, and endeavour to alleviate and sweeten this troublesome life to our afflicted brethren, by our labour of love, and practise all manner of reciprocal kind offices.

3. A cheerful and ready obedience to the commands of our Saviour is the surest mark of the disciple whom Jesus loveth.

St. John, in the instance before us, shews himself to be the disciple whom Jesus loved, by immediately fulfilling his Master's last command with such a ready willingness. For we do not read that he excused himself, and pleaded his own poverty; or that he represented the several avocations of his Apostolic office, &c. But, from that hour, instantly, he took the vir gin mother to his own home. If therefore we would be the disciples of Christ, and such disciples as he loveth, and in whom his soul is well pleased; we must do his will from the heart, and execute his commands with a ready obedience; we must set aside the excuses of the flesh, and the evasions of unbelief; and must rejoice at an opportunity of shewing our love to our blessed Saviour, and those who belong to his household.

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4. Filial love, besides a cordial affection for parents, ought to shew itself in all obedience and fidelity. Thus in spiritual things, it must appear by praying for, and caring for the welfare of their souls; and, as children cannot requite the benefits they have received from their parents, by supplicating God that he would reward them. Likewise it should appear in temporal things, by promoting their parents advantage as far

as possible; by preventing any damage befalling them in vindicating their good name, assisting them in sickness, poverty, and decrepid age, &c. The honour due to parents consists in the sentiments of the heart, which should be filled with a sincere reverence for them, and shew itself by respectful words and behaviour, and a ready obedience without murmurs, delay, or contradiction; by complying with their lawful commands, and submitting to their reproofs and corrections; by conforming to their advice, patiently bearing their foibles, and throwing a veil over their faults. Such should be the temper and behaviour of all Christian children towards their parents.

5. Our blessed Saviour by his behaviour in his last moments, intended to set a good example in several particulars to dying persons. He teaches them,

First, That they should not behave frowardly and impatiently, under the pains they feel, to those who attend them in their sickness.

Secondly, That they should administer comfort to their afflicted parents, relations, children, &c. who lament their approaching departure, by kind and soothing expressions.

Thirdly, That they should edify them by their example, patience, piety, and devotion, under their sufferings.

Fourthly, That they should settle their worldly concerns with a resigned composure of mind.

Fifthly, That they are not to put off the settling of their temporal affairs to the last moment; but ought to reserve some remainder of time to bestow more immediately on the future welfare of their souls.

Sixthly, That on their death-bed they should do acts of charity, and remember poor widows and orphans, by bestowing something upon them, in order to shew the sincerity of their faith and love.

Seventhly, That they should endeavour, by cor. dial exhortations on their death-bed, to kindle up in

their families the flame of brotherly love and affection, and more closely unite their relations in the bond of perfection and peace. The observance of these duties will make us resemble the benevolent Jesus in our last moments.

THE PRAYER.

O FAITHFUL and ever-living Saviour! we thank thee who didst confer such excellent and invaluable gifts on the cross, by which thou hast manifested to all the world, not only thy love, but likewise thy riches and power. Thou now livest in strength, and art completely entered on thy government over heaven and earth. Thou hast now the keys of hell and death, of heaven and of paradise: Eternal life and every good gift are in thy hands. Draw us, we beseech thee, so powerfully to thee, that we may be also partakers of thy manifold gifts. Thy unperishable riches are so far from being exhausted, during these eighteen hundred years that have elapsed since thy crucifixion, that thou hast yet in store gifts sufficient for men, even for backsliders; and there are still mansions enough in thy Father's house, into which thou wilt admit those who art not ashamed of thy sufferings, and thy cross. Bless, O Lord, that part of thy word, which has been at present considered, that it may be to all a balsam of life, and may support us to the end, under all the troubles and afflictions which we may meet with in following thee. Grant this for the sake of that love, with which thou hast loved thine own unto the end. Amen. Amen.

CONSIDERATION VIII.

THE LAST SUFFERINGS OF THE LORD JESUS. NOW from the sixth hour there was darkness over the land until the ninth hour; and the sun was darken