all things were nothing: for he had found, that having Christ he could be bold to meet (what shall I say?) not the world only, but the devils also. Yes, having found Christ, he was ready to stand and defy all created things; for he could say, "It God be for us, who can be against us?' You are aware, that while he was promulgating that truth, which he found to be so precious to him, the labours he was called to endure were not a few, and the perils-even going to the very extremity almost of life-were not few either; for he was cast out and left for dead, and that not once only, but several times; he was persecuted from city to city; he was, like his Master, obliged to wander about houseless, destitute, afflicted, tormented; for the world was not worthy of him, even as it was not worthy of his great Lord, his great Redeemer. Such is the man, who says 'to the Church, writing not his own words, but words which were given to him authoritatively, by that Spirit which will not suffer one jot or tittle of his record to pass away until it had received its full, its complete accomplishment; this same Paul writes “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."

It is very important when we hear an exhortation, or when we read an exhortation, to consider the character of the person who gives it. And here we shall see its importance, if we just consider what was the issue of the Apostle's labours. These labours which have been already referred to, as being so abundant, and of such a character, as one might say, they have not been equalled either before or since, except by Him who endured all contradiction of sinners against himself, and was content to be as nothing, that he might redeem us to God by his blood.

If you ask, in the first place, what was the issue of the Apostle's labours concerning the Gentiles; you have only to consult the record which you have in the Scriptures, and you shall find, that there was nothing that could give flattery to the flesh; there was nothing that could cause the man to be overjoyed as to the work of his own hand. Take as a specimen the church of Corinth; the church which he had watered with his tears, and built with his prayers, and over which he had yearned with much fatherly anxiety and solicitude; the church of which he had written on one occasion, that they "came behind in no gifts," waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; and yet what was the state of that church? Was there anything unclean there? Was there anything unholy there? Was there anything to constrain this loving Apostle, in whom dwelt richly the spirit of his Master, to say, "Take heed, lest when I come unto you I come with the rod of chastisement; lest I be found unto you such as ye would not; because I find among you debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults." You know the state of the church of Corinth; you know the sharp rebuke which he was obliged to use to those sinners of the Gentiles, concerning whom he had said, and the desire of his soul evidently went out with the words, "I seek not yours, but you :" he was constrained to use such language concerning one of those churches on one occasion when he testified of their unrighteous practices: it was a most sharp and a most cutting accusation, and it was the accusation of a man who knew not how to accuse wrongfully, but who did know how to deliver over men to Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme. This was the issue; the issue of his labours in most respects with reference to the Gentiles: his work appeared to demand

humiliation; no glory could he find; he could not say, "This is what I have builded with my own hand; this I have procured by my might, or my power, or my influence;" oh, no, what he had to do was to humble himself, as he declared he did, in the presence of the Lord, and pour forth his soul for those who had so grievously offended against the light and knowledge which had been given

unto them.

And, then, if you turn your eyes to the Jews; to those brethren according to the flesh, for whom he was content to endure all things if he might but win them unto Christ Jesus; for whom he says he had continual sorrow and heariness of heart, and for whom his most constant prayer and earnest desire was, that they might be saved; what was the issue of his labours concerning them? The preaching of the cross, even by the mouth of the Apostle Paul, who did mighty deeds, who did signs and wonders-did this preaching of the cross prove to them anything but foolishness? Did it prove to them anything else but that stumbling-block, which it was declared it should, by the mouth of God's servant, the prophet Isaiah? No, verily; the Jews remained stubborn, and cast out the name of Christ as evil; and the Apostle, up to the time of his death, was as much, if not more, the object of bitter and heavier persecutions on the part of his own nation, than he was even on the part of heathen and infidel Rome. And such was the man who could write, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due time we shall reap, if we faint not."

As to THE "WELL DOINGS" of the Apostle, scarcely any doubt can be left on the mind with reference to these, if we attentively peruse the records of his commission. His well doings were not to make himself a name or a praise in the earth; he was no mountebank, who for a season sought to attract the gaze and admiration of men, in order that upon the pinnacle they should raise for him he might stand and enjoy his transient life of honour and worldly reputation. No; his desire was to do that which Christ did; he desired so to follow Christ as he himself exhorts others to follow Christ. His desire was to shew all patience of evil, all endurance of suffering, all readiness to every good work, all uncompromising and unflinching integrity in his declaration of that truth which was to be the line of demarcation between the precious and the vile, to separate between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. His well doing was this: to account no trouble too great for the honour of his Master; to account no suffering too much, that he might win souls to Christ; to account no agony beyond endurance, provided he could preach that name which is above every name, and than which none other is given under heaven whereby we must be saved; for it is the name of Jehovah-Jesus, the God-man, the Mediator between God and man, who shall lay his hand both upon Jehovah and us, saying to his Father, "I have found a ransom; deliver, therefore the captive from going down to the pit;" and saying also to us, "Turn ye unto your God; for I can reconcile you; I can take away your enmity, through mine own blood-offering; it is I that have blotted out as a thick cloud your transgressions, and as a cloud your sins." This was Paul's "well doing." It was on the one hand so to love the sinner, as at the same time, that he did most cordially hate the sin; and on the other it was to endure all hardship, as a good soldier of God, and a servant of Christ, that he might

present the Church unto God as a chaste virgin, undefiled, and entirely without spot; free from the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Now, in the next place, let us pass to consider, WHAT THE APOSTLE MEANS EY HIS EXPRESSION, DUE SEASON." It is very evident the Apostle referred not first, to his labours. Of course, when I make this declaration, I make it in its general sense. A few exceptions do not invalidate the general truth. It is true that there were individuals in Corinth, who were separate from the mass of corruption that ultimately prevailed in that Church; it is true that there were individuals at Ephesus, who were not of that class which made it necessary that Christ should rebuke with sharpness the angel of that Church, because the Church had left its first love, and forgotten the simplicity of faith in Christ Jésus. But still, in the general, the Gentiles were much in the state in which they were before the proclamation of the Gospel was made to them; they cast out the name of Christ as evil. And the Jews also stumbled at that stumblingstone and rock of offence; even the precious Corner Stone that was laid in Zion; the Elect of God; the man that was Jehovah's fellow; the Lord our Righteousness.

Seeing, then, that the Apostle did not receive all he expected to receive, and seeing nevertheless that he has left upon record these words, for our admonition and use, we must endeavour to ascertain what meaning can be attributed to the language, "due season." His observation is such as precludes all doubt as to the issue; he rested in his own mind, on the ultimate certainty of the issue. But the Apostle doubtless understood that while the end is the first in God's purpose, it is the last in manifestation. I say, while the end is the first thing in God's purpose, it is the last thing in manifestation. The Apostie Paul doubtless understood, that all things at last were to be gathered up in Christ; as he says in the beautiful commencement of the first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, that God hath determined" in the dispensation of the fulness of times, to gather together in one all things"-in thate whom he calls the Beloved; in whom also we are accepted. The Apostle knew that it was God's purpose to head up, as it were-for that is the meaning of the original expression in that passage-to "head up" in Christ; making Christ the head, and his own Church the body; making Christ the corner stone, the stone which shall be brought with shoutings of "Grace, grace unto it;" even as he is laid the foundation stone of the Church in Zion. The Apostle understood this; and having a largeness of spiritual apprehension, and having a distinction of comprehension, he could see that his own season was not perhaps God's season; that the season which the flesh might dictate as the best for success, was the time and season which God might shew was the least correct time for the manifestation. He knew that a time of suffering must elapse, as weil for ministers as for people, before they, who through that should enter into the joy which is prepared for those that love God; and he knew that as Christ had, before his glory, passed through humiliation, so ministers, as well as people must likewise pass through humiliation; and they must be content to have death inscribed upon every hope, before they should see those hopes revive, even as Abraham's son revived, and he received him back again from the dead. He knew this, and therefore he was quite willing to see death written

even upon his ministrations; he was quite willing to see death written upon all his hopes, for he knew there was a bright resurrection for all the hopes he had in Christ Jesus; he knew that the fulness of the Gentiles should ultimately come in; that all Israel should come in; and that the Lord will turn ungodliness from Jacob. And therefore he was content to say, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." The expression "due season," then, I conceive refers to a time which is known only to the Father, who hath put the times and seasons in his own power. The expression "due," is a word which is elsewhere translated "own." It is a pronominal adjective, which signifies possession; which signifies a peculiar appropriateness when it is joined with any particular substantive. To give you an instance of the use which is always made of it, I may mention the place where we are told that the Jews found fault with Christ because he made himself equal with God, saying that God was his Father: "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." The expression there is the same that is found here; his own Father; God was his own Father. So in his "own season' that is, the season which is peculiarly adapted for the purpose; the season which God knows to be the most appropriate; the season that shall best fit in to all the other declarations which God shall make of his majesty, his justice, and his power, as well as his love, his mercy, and his grace: at that time “we shall reap, if we faint not." That season may not be ours, as, doubtless, many times it is not: that season may not be ours, not the one which we, in our fleshly wisdom, should choose; but it is the season which God chooses, the season which is best adapted, which is most peculiarly suited for the purpose of mercy and truth meeting together, and righteousness and peace kissing each other.

66

Paul was thus content to look forward to the time when he should reap the reward of his labours; he was content to look forward to the time when the full accomplishment should be manifested of that petition which Christ himself provided us; Thy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." He was content, like the husbandman, to plough up the fallow ground; he was content to sow the seed; he was content to cast the harrow over the earth; he was content patiently to endure when he saw the snow upon the ground, as it were, killing the hopes which he had entertained; and all this because he knew, that in his own season, in the season most peculiarly appropriate to the purpose, God would give him to reap if he fainted not. The husbandman was first to endure toil, that afterwards he might receive the joy of the harvest.

Now, Christian friends, what a lesson of exhortation do we derive from such a passage of Scripture as this. Perhaps few of us would have so high an estimation of himself as to put himself in comparison with the Apostle Paul: but supposing that none should-supposing that none would be willing to put himself side by side with this great Apostle of the Gentiles; can we say other than the Apostle; can we say anything but this—" And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not?"

To as many as have known the Spirit, the language of my text will come with great weight, even if it be viewed only as the exhortation of Paul the uninspired supposing it to be only the language of man. But when we take

higher standing, as we must, and view this language as coming to us, not with. Paul's authority, but with the authority of Him who made Paul his Apostle ; who was Paul's hope, Paul's joy, and Paul's abiding peace and solace, and never-failing strength; when we view it as the language, not of man, but of the Living God, is there in it, nay, can there be in it, any greater authority than that which it already has? It is not the language, then, of Paul the fallible, but of Paul the infallible; of Paul, viewed not merely as an earthen vessel, brittle, worthless, frail, corruptible; but it is the language of Paul viewed as the golden vessel of sanctification, into which the Spirit of God was being poured abundantly, that out of that vessel again, large supplies might be given for the Church's need.

Such is the language; take it and apply it to every purpose of life; and you shall find it come with power to your souls. Do any of you feel that the Christian course is one of great difficulty? Remember what Paul says. Do any of you feel tired from the conflict with the foes within, or from the foes without? Remember what Paul says. Are the men about you such as have no sympathy with you? He had his thorn in the flesh, as well as you; he had his messenger of Satan to buffet him, as well as you: he knew what it was to have fightings without, and what was far more fearful, fightings within: he knew what it was to be perplexed beyond measure; he knew what it was to be persecuted, to be cast down, to have all things taken away; to be denuded of every hope, to stand naked in the presence of the Living God, having nothing in the creature, nothing in self, but only saying, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb; and naked must I return;" finding strength only in the Lord, and sufficiency to enable us to say with him, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth me."

And yet I say, "Be not weary in well doing," whether you have to maintain a good confession as individuals in Christ's Church, or whether as beacons to others, you are to come forth more prominently. The language will suit you: as private individuals you shall have consolation from this language; as public characters you shall have consolation from it, and be enabled to make a good confession. If you are in difficulty, also, it will afford you rich consolation. It was given for you, believers; "Whatsoever things are written, are written for you, that you through patience and suffering might have hope," a hope that maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost given unto you.

And now to apply these words to that purpose for which it is my privilege to call your attention this evening. How applicable is such language as this, to all efforts which may be made from time to time, to declare the Gospel of good tidings in the ears of men. How comforting, in the first place, to you, who in the work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope, seek to do your Master's will. My dear friends who are teachers in those schools whose cause I now advocate, I would say to you, that while God's ministering servants, who are commissioned to be ministers for Christ in the sanctuary, derive comfort and strength from such language as this, you may also derive strength from the same language. It is not written merely for us who minister in holy things; it is written also for your consolation and joy in Christ, who are ready to give up your own personal ease, and your own personal comfort, that you may serve