"and in all judgment; that we may approve " things that are excellent; that we may be sin"cere and without offence, till the day of Christ: "being filled with the fruits of righteousness, "which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and " glory of God.." your conversation be as it becometh the gos pel of Christ. al wrote this epistle, as well as some others, prison at Rome: and it is manifest that the 5 with him, as he had been with Joseph in si-cumstances; which rendered his confinespeakably more pleasant, than a splendid paa guilty conscience and ungovernable pasInstead of dejection, murmurs, or resente find the apostle uniformly employing the e of cheerfulness, confidence, and exultation, ares that " to him to live was Christ, and to in." All his credit, interest, business, and in life, consisted in communion with Christ, nest endeavours to glorify him and promote e; and he was sure, that death, in whatever hould arrest him, would prove hisrichestad.-What a blessed religion is this, which can king of terrors into a kind friend, and the : inconveniences and sufferings of order to recommend the clemenc other criminals; or be helpful to t likewise received mercy, were for purposes retained a while longer in Hence he took occasion to ex ans in the following words, "Ο "versation be, as it becometh the "that whether I come and see yo "sent, I may hear of your affairs, " in one spirit, with one mind, stri "the faith of the gospel; andin no "your adversaries."-From the pa tion, contained in our text, I shal I. To give a compendious pel of Christ. II. To shew, that this gos] understood and truly believed, will produce a correspondent conduct and conversation. III. To mention some leading particulars in which "a conversation becoming the gos" pel" more especially consists. IV. To make some remarks on the emphatical word "Only." I. I would attempt to give a compendious view of the gospel of Christ. We know that the word rendered gospel signifies glad tidings; and a preacher of the gospel is a messenger or herald, bringing and publishing good news. " How beautiful upon the mountains are "the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, " and bring glad tidings of good things?'" The Ephesians, having formed the design of building the celebrated temple of Diana, were at a loss where to procure a sufficient quantity of the finest marble, to accomplish the plan: and it is recorded, that a certain person, in this emergency, found a quarry at no great distance, exactly suited to the purpose. Running therefore without delay to inform the citizens of this fortunate event, he was saluted, and afterwards called, Evangelus or The who hear them. The promulgat and the impartial administration valuable blessings in themselves, sure to condemned malefactors; king's clemency, or an assurance o suit their case, and tend to che hearts. An act of grace is glad ed debtors, though it may give creditors; and the arrival of a fle in a time of urgent famine, oc which such as live in plenty can conception. We must therefore thing of our own condition, befor ly welcome the gospel of Christ or mistake, in this respect, forms why so many slight the message o lectures on moral duties, separat trines of grace, no more meet the ners; than extracts from the stati comfort and hope to condemned |