ing him." But it cannot be supposed, without apparent absurdity, that St. Paul would pray for the removal of bodily defects, which could not be brought about without a miraculous interposition of Almighty power. Beside, his bodily defects of low stature, and so forth, had been with him through life; they were not given or sent at any particular period, nor could they be removed.

The Apostle, by employing figurative language on the subject of the infirmity, which occasioned him so much uneasiness, has cast a veil over it, which no industry of commentators or others has ever been able to remove. Nor is it at all of consequence to the complete understanding of the Apostle's reasoning. The circumstances of the case are these: St. Paul had been highly favoured, and treated as a man greatly beloved in the heavenly world. Jesus had in a special and unexampled manner appeared to him in the glory of his exalted human nature, with an effulgence exceeding that of the sun shining in its strength; and he was, at a subsequent period, "caught up to the third heaven," to the paradise of God, where he was blessed with visions and revelations of the Lord; and "heard unspeakable words," which it is not possible for a man to utter, in the language of mortals..

But St. Paul had still to reside a little longer on earth among his fellow-men, and was liable, as other men are, to be unduly elated by the privileges conferred upon him; to prevent which it pleased God his Saviour to permit him to be assaulted by the enemy of man, in the form of some temptation or infirmity, calculated to humble him in his own estimation, and perhaps also to lower him in the esteem of others.

To have this "thorn," which galled and annoyed him, removed, he was very anxious, and besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from him. But his prayer was not granted: what he desired was not conceded. Instead of removing his infirmity, the Lord said unto him, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul was satisfied, and formed the resolution, contained in the words of our text-" Most

gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

You perceive St. Paul prayed to a person he styles the Lord; that same Lord replied to his prayer; and the Lord who was prayed to, and answered, was the Lord Christ. The Lord said, "My grace" shall be with thee, and "my strength" shall support thee; and these the Apostle calls the "Power of Christ." Christ Jesus is therefore the object of prayer, and consequently truly God. By this power resting upon him must be understood its being always present with him, to assist and sustain him in the time of need.

Having thus briefly traced the occasion and import of the words of our text, I shall deduce from them a few practical inferences. And,

First, Infirmities, temptations, and anxieties, have been the lot of the most eminent servants of God; of inspired Apostles, as well as of ordinary ministers and private Christians; for so general, in all places, and in every age, have been the pernicious effects of man's first apostacy; it has involved all mankind. Although the renewing influences of God's Holy Spirit produce an extensively beneficial change upon the human soul, sanctification has still to progress through the whole of life, and is, we believe, never perfected whilst man remains on earth. The idea of sinless perfection whilst here below, is not a doctrine, we apprehend, according to the Scriptures; and the idea of entire rest on the Christian's part, or a complete cessation of hostilities on the part of Satan, the world, and corrupt nature, derives no proof either from Scripture or experience.

But it would appear from the promise made to the Apostle Paul, that some conscious weakness or inability for the performance of his great and important duties, was that which depressed him, or caused him anxiety. If he surveyed the power of spiritual enemies, and the hostility of earthly authorities, with the inveterate prejudices and corrupt usages which prevailed among the mass of mankind, he might naturally desire to have arrayed on the side of the

Christian cause, more apparent sanction from Heaven, and a more visible demonstration of strength to support its interests. Whether a tendency to distrust, to unbelief, and secret misgivings as to the truth and final issue of this cause, constituted "the thorn" which galled him; or whether it was a temptation to some corporeal sin, to which he alluded, we cannot tell. But all these, in the experience of eminently good men, have been, in every age, as messengers of Satan" sent to buffet them: and God has been pleased to cause the facts to be recorded in Holy Scripture for the consolation of those who may, in different ages, be similarly tried.

I remark, secondly, that as St. Paul desired and prayed for a complete deliverance from that infirmity, temptation, or trial which harassed him; so do most Christians, in similar circumstances, desire to be completely delivered from temptation: it is a common wish, but it does not seem to be a suitable or proper one; and when granted, it seldom proves a season of soul prosperity. Man's weak mind is soon elated. The love of ease to an undue degree is inherent in depraved nature. The desire to attain a supposed sufficiency in self is ever at work in the human mind. In the carnal mind it refers to worldly possessions; and in the spiritual mind, it refers to spiritual gifts. Hence most men, instead of a suitable and daily reliance upon Divine Providence, labour and toil to be rich; and are discontented, and thankless, and fretful, if they succeed not in obtaining what they call an independence; and spiritually minded men are importunate to be delivered from temptations and trials, instead of pleading for divine help to resist them, and looking continually to the power of Christ to sustain their souls and give them the victory.

Men who, like St. Paul, are called to difficult duties, are prone to look too much to self, and to desire to be made independent of heaven. Thus, Moses and Jeremiah objected to undertake the duties assigned them, till each received from the Great Lord a severe rebuke. If God bid thee go and speak to thy fellow creatures, and to deliver to them a message from him, why object to do so from thy

want of eloquence: for who made man's mouth? Look to the Almighty for help, and go thou to perform his bidding. It is not a good spirit that induces a child, or a servant, to refuse to do what a father, or a master requires, on the plea of inability, and the want of sufficient means. It implies a direct charge of a defect of knowledge or wisdom in the person who gives the command; and also a distrust of being sufficiently attended to and supported. And it indicates a lack of cheerful, willing devotedness in the person who receives the command. How opposite was the impulse of Isaiah's good feeling, when he heard the question put by the Triune Jehovah, "Who will go for us?" How prompt was his answer, although but a minute ago lamenting his unworthiness! Being blessed by a seraphic touch, communicating a purifying and ardent zeal to his lips, as if inflamed by a living burning coal from off God's altar, he instantly cried out, " Here am I; send me."

Oh, my brethren this ready mind, this willing cheerful devotedness, is what we should possess in all the duties God calls us to, whether in private or in public; whether in the Ministry at home or the Ministry abroad. We should possess a cheerful alacrity to serve, and a Godhonouring confidence in His goodness and faithfulness and power.

For I remark, in the third place, The Lord would have his people cherish a daily and an hourly dependance on himself. It is safest and best for them. Man in his original condition, when innocent, and stronger than he is now in his guilty and fallen estate, should still, as a creature, have cherished a spirit of humble and constant dependence on his Creator. Or if we consider that man was then entrusted with more than he is now; and that from the temptation of a proud desire to be independent he failed to secure and preserve the innocence he possessed; we see the reason why the restored spirit of man must be united to Jesus; and that it is in Him only the strength of every believer resides. He is the HEAD of that body, which is spiritually called the Church;

the members of which are known certainly only to himself. He is the vine, and believers are the branches.

But can a hand live when severed from the body; or can it move and act without influence from the head? Can a branch grow and bear fruit when cut off from the vine? Is the dependence only annual, or is it not daily, and hourly, and momentary? Still simple and obvious as this truth is, there is perhaps no truth which, judging by the practice of God's people in every age, they have sooner disregarded and seemingly forgotten. In the season of weakness and in the hour of adversity, they cleave to the Lord; but in the day of supposed strength, and in the time of prosperity, they forget him. They become, as the Bible represents them, like high-fed animals, turbulent, and vicious. "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked."

I dare say, in the history of your own lives, there are not a few here present, who can remember seasons in which they have been (like St. Paul, but with much less reason) exalted above measure; and who subsequently would acknowledge that it was good for them that they were afflicted and humbled-it was good for them that they were reminded of their own weakness, and were made to cease from man; to relinquish dependence on princes, or the son of man, in whom there is no stay. Ah, how many have there been, who have really felt, as a celebrated cardinal expressed himself, "Had I served my God as faithfully as I have served my king, he would not have forsaken me in my old age." In his temporal prosperity, he forgot his God, and in his adversity he repented; and it may be returned with acceptance-God alone knows.

But the fact serves the purpose of our main argument, that it is good to be afflicted, and be made to know our frailty and weakness.

And hence we observe, in the fourth place, Divine Wisdom sees fit in mercy, to allow of temptations, trials, and persecutions, or infirmities; sinless infirmities, if you please; and also temptations to sin, in thought, word, and deed. The type of the Christian life, contained in the