ful servants, are reserved to the next life. They are now the objects of faith-God, who cannot deceive, hath promised such good things as pass man's understanding; such as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, in the day when he shall judge the world by Jesus Christ, to all those who shall be approved by him. They must, therefore, struggle through the race, and be approved by the Judge, before they receive the "crown of righteousness, now "laid up for them," and "which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give them at that day."* They must "be patient unto the coming of the Lord." Even as “the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain," and the harvest be ripe for the sickle; so must they also be "patient," and "stablish their hearts in faith," until the "coming of the Lord."+ Refreshed and strengthened by the heavenly dew of divine grace, as the fruits of the earth are nourished and made to grow by the early and latter rain which the providence of God sendeth on them, they shall increase in all holy tempers and good works, the fruits of faith and patience, till, at the general harvest at the last day, they shall be received like pure wheat into the granary of God, and be filled with the fulness of him that filleth all in all."‡

III. As a most powerful motive to engage us to this course of life; as a perfect rule to direct us how we ought to walk and please God; as a means of begetting and increasing all holy and heavenly tempers in us; and as the object of our faith and hope, under all the sufferings of life, the Apostle directs us to "look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the Joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Great is the encouragement held out to the pious Christian in these words. If he honestly endeavours to divest himself of all incumbrances in the Christian race; avoiding sin of every kind, and, through faith, obeying God in all things; patiently depending on his grace and holy Spi

rit to enable him to do his duty under the infirmities and troubles of this life, and waiting in hope for the heavenly inheritance in the world to come through the mediation of Jesus the Saviour; looking to his merit and intercession for the forgiveness of his sins, to his divine power for protection and grace under whatever shall happen to him, to his example for direction in all circumstances; and, in prospect of the crown of righteousness, which God the righteous Judge shall give him at the last day, bearing with patience the evils and troubles of this miserable world-If he act thus, here is assurance for him, that he shall inherit eternal life, and partake of that glory which now adorns the humanity of Christ at the right hand of God.

So much is implied in what the Apostle hath said; and Christ himself hath promised, "where I am, there shall also my servant be."* Particularly with regard to the suf fering of evil for his sake, was this spoken. And that the text principally relates to the imitation of Christ in his patient endurance of sufferings according to the will of God, there can be no doubt. The same Apostle hath also said, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Christ."+

Many and great are the troubles and afflictions to which we are in this world liable; violent and impetuous the temptations to which we are daily exposed. Every considera tion ought to be employed, every help called in, to enable us to bear them with the dignity of reasonable beings, and the humble hope and confidence of Christians.

God hath taught us to consider him as the kind Father, as the all-powerful, all-bounteous Patron of the whole creation. He declares that he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men; that it is with a view to their benefit, that he permits trouble or temptation to approach them; namely, to exercise and strengthen their faith and patience, to turn their thoughts and wean their desires from this world, and fix them on himself; to weed out every temper, and mortify every affection that is contrary to his will, and destructive of their own true happiness. † 2 Tim. ii. 12.

*John xii. 26.

Could we believe this; could we persuade ourselves of the truth of it, not only in theory, but so as to live and act upon it; our faith would become healing balm to the heart rent with affliction-to the wounding strokes of temptation and adversity. It would pull out the sting of grief: It would assuage the paining troubles of this uncertain life, and sweeten the bitter potion of human misery. O, therefore, have faith in God! Consider him as being full of an infinite desire to do you good; ever willing, ever ready to embrace you with the arms of his mercy: And let your whole soul rely upon him who alone is able to help you; who alone is able to save you, not only from the short-lived troubles of this world, but from the endless anguish of sin and guilt.

In prosperity we are apt to forget God. When our af fairs proceed as we wish, and success crouds in upon us, the world appears all-sufficient for our happiness, health gives a relish to our enjoyments, and the tide of pleasure carries us gently down its easy current. We are then very apt to say with the disciples on the mount, "it is good for us to be here." We wish only for a continuance of the same state, and if we ever think of the necessity of leaving it, it is with sorrow and regret. All thoughts of God and eternity are shut out or stifled; the world has our treasure, and the world hath our heart. Serious reflection is banished; pleasure becomes the object of pursuit ; the passions are inflamed; the appetites excited; and the mortification which the gospel requires, the self-denial it enjoins, appear more irksome than to part with a hand or

an eye.

God, infinite in goodness, seeth with pity the thraldom of his poor, deceived, yet beloved creatures. He sends affliction and adversity to their relief. He strikes away the props of their worldly happiness, that in the wreck of all they held dear, they may be constrained to catch at him for support. When worldly hopes are gone, and the prospect of happiness in this life is at an end; the soul anxiously looks forward to eternity, for something more stable on which to build her dependence. The pride of

VOL. II.

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prosperity being taken away by a due sense of our own weakness and inability to help ourselves; we become better prepared for faith in God, the only root from which all divine and Christian virtues do spring. To this truth the Psalmist bore witness, when he said, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now have I kept thy word."-" It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes."*

God called his own Son to endure the bitterest sufferings of human nature; and as a reward of his perfect obedience, he hath exalted that nature to the right hand of the throne of his glory. In conformity to him, the Captain of our salvation, he hath called all his followers to the patient suffering of the evils and troubles of life, and hath assured us by his apostle, that "if we suffer with his Son, we shall also be glorified together."+

Let us then be persuaded to attend to the exhortation of the text, and "lay aside every weight," all the evil appetites, desires, and propensities of our nature; " and the sin which doth so easily beset us"-particularly that unbelief and distrust of God to which human nature is so very prone. Then shall we be prepared to "run with patience the race that is set before us:" Then shall we be disposed to "look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith," with full resolution to follow his example in all things: Then, also, shall we feel and know, "that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory" which shall reward the faithful servants of God; "that all things work together for good, to them that love God;" and "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Psalm cxix. 67, 71.

† Rom. viii. 17.

Rom. viii. 28, 38, 39.

DISCOURSE XVII.

THE STRAIT GATE.

LUKE Xiii. 24.

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

STRONG is the curiosity of the human heart, and frequently are its efforts misapplied. Our Saviour had been calling men to repentance and amendment of life, by arguments drawn from the most affecting circumstances; the untimely death of those unhappy Galileans, whose blood, the brutality of Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices in the temple; and the fatal accident which happened to eighteen persons, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and crushed them to death. Whether these were, or were not particular judgments of God, Christ doth not determine; but he doth positively say, that they who suffered these calamities were not greater sinners than others who dwelt in Jerusalem. By their disasters he called all the Jews to repentance, pronouncing this heavy sentence on their impenitency, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Continuing obstinate in sin, and hardened in iniquity, they filled up the measure of their guilt, in crucifying the Lord of Glory, and persecuting his Church; and the doom which Christ had pronounced was at last fully executed on them, in the ruin of their country, and destruction of their city and temple by the Romans.

The Galileans, of whose death our Saviour was informed, were probably killed while they were sacrificing in the temple at the Passover, on account of some seditious practices against the Roman government. The tower of Siloam stood in Jerusalem, probably near the pool of the