We  have  been  called  to  aspire  after  an  exalta-
tion to  the  natiu-e  and  felicity  of  the  Almighty,
exhibited  to  mortal  eyes  in  the  man  Christ  Jesus,
to  fire  us  w  ith  the  noblest  ambition.  His  Gospel
teaches  us  that  we  are  made  for  eternity;  and
that  our  present  life  is,  to  our  future  existence,
as  infancy  is  to  manhood.  But,  as  in  the  former,
many  things  are  to  be  learned,  many  hardships
to  be  endured,  many  habits  to  be  acquired,  and
that  by  a  course  of  exercises  which,  in  themselves,
though  painful,  and  possibly  useless,  to  the  child,
yet  are  necessary  to  fit  him  for  the  business  and
enjoyments  of  manhood ;  so,  while  we  remain
in  this  infancy  of  human  life,  things  are  to  be
learned,  hardships  to  be  endured,  and  habits  to
be  acquired,  by  a  laborious  discipline,  which,
however  painful,  must  be  undergone,  because
necessary  to  fit  us  for  the  employments  and
pleasures  of  our  riper  existence  in  the  realms
above;  always  remembering,  that  whatever  our
trials  may  be  in  this  world,  if  we  ask  for  God's
assistance,  he  has  promised  to  give  it.  Inflamed,
therefore,  with  the  love  of  immortality  and  its
joys,  let  us  submit  ourselves  to  our  heavenly
Teacher,  and  learn  of  him  those  lessons,  which
alone  can  render  life  pleasant,  death  desirable,
and  fill  eternity  with  ecstatic  joys.
CHAP.  XLV.
Remarks  on  the  peculiar  Nature  of  the
Christian  Religion,  the  Principles  it
inculcates,  and  its  Jitness  to  rendei'
Men  holy  and  humble  here,  and  hap-
pily g  lorijied  hereajter.
WE  cannot  close  this  delightfid  scene  of  the
life  of  our  dear  Lord  and  Saviour  more
comfortably,  than  by  considering  the  benefits
resulting  from  a  due  attendance  to  his  doctrines


Chap.  XLV.
AND   SAVIOUR  JESUS  CHRIST.
