such an inestimable blessing, demand of us? "Greater love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his life for his friends," says our Lord; and, He continues, " ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I "command you." Such are the evidences of our affection, that "we keep His commandments, that we "continue in His love, as He hath kept his Father's "commandments, and continued in His love: and

this is His commandment, that we love one "another, as He hath loved us." Ungrateful shall we be, if our conduct be not correspondent to such ineffable goodness! Let us often contemplate the blessings comprized in the name of SAVIOUR. O amiable and consolatory name, with what love ought every feeling heart to be impressed for Him, to whom it is so justly appropriate!" To Jesus, who is the faithful "witness, and the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth: Unto Him that "loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood; and hath made us kings and priests unto "God, and his Father, to Him be glory and dominion 4 for ever and ever, Amen."

66

SERMON

SERMON VII.

ST. MARK'S DAY,

THERE being several persons of the name of Mark men. tioned in Scripture, it is not easy to determine which of them was the Evangelist, who is this day commemorated by the Church: We read (Acts xii. 12), that "Peter came to the "house of Mary, the mother of John, whose sirname was "Mark." We read of "Mark, sister's son to Barnabas," (Col. iv. 10). We find, likewise, a person of the name of Mark, spoken of by St. Peter; " the Church which is at "Babylon saluteth you, and so doth Marcus my son" (1 Pet. i. 13). Now that John sirnamed Mark, and Mark the kinsman of Barnabas, was the same person, is evident from Acts xv. 37, where it is expressly said, that Barnabas determined to take with him and his colleague St. Paul, John, whose sirname was Mark. John Mark then was the associate of Paul and Barnabas, and the same who is so often mentioned in St. Paul's Epistles.

I would refer the reader, for further satisfaction, to the Abridg ment of the Bishop of Lincoln's Elements of Christian Theology.

EPHESIANS

EPHESIANS IV. 11, 12.

He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

WH

HEN our Blessed Lord had finished the work of our Redemption upon earth, and, in great triumph, ascended up to heaven, the more effectually to communicate the benefits of his Redemption to us, He knit together his elect into one fellowship and communion, and sent the Holy Ghost to form and establish his Church for ever; to settle it at first under the conduct of his Apostles, and Prophets, and Evangelists; and after them, under a constant succession of Pastors and Teachers, appointed by them, whom He set apart, and qualified" for the work of the Ministry, for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying "of the body of Christ."

In this discourse I shall, first, consider, what regard we ought to pay to the offices of the Church, such as Preaching, and Prayer, and the Holy Sacraments.

Secondly, to the Church itself, where these offices are duly, and decently, celebrated,

These being points of the greatest importance, and universal use, require to be very plainly, and practically, spoken of

* Bishop Hickman.

For

For the perfecting of the saints, our Saviour instituted holy offices in the Church, whereby his Grace might be conveyed unto us, and the communion of his Holy Spirit might be with us to the end of the world: and therefore, as we value the Grace of God, as we hope to receive benefits by the gifts of the Holy Ghost, so we must give diligent attendance to those offices, whereby they are to be communicated to us.

And first, to the office of Preaching God's holy Word; for this is the very foundation of all Grace, the ground-work of Religion, the sowing of that good seed, which Prayers and Sacraments bring to maturity. And accordingly, the first commission, which our Saviour gave to the Apostles while He was upon earth, and the last, which He left with them, when He went up to Heaven, was, that they should "go, and "preach the Gospel."

This was the original of Christianity, to which we owe all the knowlege that we have of the True Religion; and, if we would have the true Religion continue with us, it must be by the same methods that planted it first among us; by a regular course of faithful Preaching, and affectionate Exhortation; for this is that very Ministry, by which all saints are edified; this is the Ordinance, to which both our faith and virtue owe their rise.

I know there are those, who think their faith is come to maturity already, and then look upon all farther instruction as superfluous; that the good seed is now sowed, plentifully, in their fields, and makes so flourishing a shew, that they never question its increasę. Therefore, says St. Peter, "I will, always, put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know "them,"

"them." Yet, still, there are those, who come to hear the Word of God with itching ears, as the Athenians did, to hear some new thing; and disdain all plain, profitable, doctrine, because it is no more than what they know already.

"The Word of God" says the Apostle, "is pierc"ing as a two-edged sword;" and, if it be but skil fully handled, and faithfully applied, it will be sure to reach the heart. Though our heart be never so hardened with vice, and over-run with corrupt affections, yet there are charms, or there are terrors, in Religion, that will make it soft again; and then this sword of the Spirit, this Word of God, will strike us, successfully, in that tender part.

And this is the first advantage, which the Christian Church enjoys, for the perfecting of Saints, above all other religions that went before it. Nay, may add, it is an advantage which we, of this Church, enjoy, above all other Christians in the world, that the pure, genuine Word of God is here daily read, and duly explained unto us; and no one Christian duty, but what is, frequently, brought to our remembrance, and pressed upon our hearts, with "line upon line, "and precept upon precept." Here, neither doctrine, nor reproof, nor correction, nor instruction is wanting; nothing that is needful to promote our righteousness, and furnish us to all good works.

We cannot but observe, and have reason to complain, that several Christian Churches do not endeavor so much to make their disciples virtuous, as to persuade them, that they are so already; that they are safe under the cover of their Church; that they are God's peculiar people, and so they need not "work