5. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12. The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world. John 17:14.

The children of God do not love and please the world, and are oftentimes greatly afflicted on account of abounding wickedness, and particularly the profanation of the Lord's name. Now, when you can like the world, and the world can like you, there must be much worldliness in you; for the world loves its own.

Many pretend to be Christians, but they will not endure persecution. Instead of this, they blame others for too much rashness, and not acting prudently enough to avoid the mockings and hatred of the world. Therefore, they propose to take wiser measures; and, in order to do more good, take great care not to be despised and rejected; but under this pretence of wisdom and prudence, very often lie concealed a dangerous love of the world and fear of man. Be thou nobler minded, live as a Christian indeed, and be not ashamed to bear the cross of Christ.

"The disciple is not above his master." Has eternal love, wisdom, and power endured the contradiction and reproach of sinners? Thou wouldst be wiser than he indeed, if thou couldst escape the reproach and hatred of the world.

6. All things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9: 23.

Faith is the principal thing in the Christian religion. It is the spiritual eye enlightening the mind, directing the feet, and cheering the heart; the whole turns upon it. As our faith is, so is our strength and fruitfulness in good works. But at the same time we need continual help from above to enable us to believe, even after the work of grace has been actually wrought in our hearts. Therefore, nothing is more needful than to pray for faith as long as we live. May the Lord give and increase it continually.

Nothing can be stronger in the universe than the hand of faith. By this we lay sure hold on our most glorious and almighty Lord in heaven, and such an inviolable union is established between Christ and a believing soul, that none can separate the one from the other; all the powers of hell and sin avail nothing against it. Faith breaks through the greatest obstacles, removes mountains of difficulties, and has, as it

were, a kind of omnipotence in it. For "this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." John, 54. Nay, it even wrestles with God, and prevails. Gen. 32:28. As straw cannot withstand the force of fire, so God being a wall of fire around his people, the greatest power of our mighty enemies shall be consumed like the stubble. O then look upon them steadfastly, my soul, and believe in him with a simple heart. Wondrous are his ways with his people, and past finding out; but at last all their sorrows and strife, by the management of his infinite wisdom, must come to a glorious and triumphant end.

O let us go from strength to strength,

From grace to greater grace,
From one degree of faith to more,
Till we behold thy face.

7. Christ is all, and in all. Col. 3:11.

For a believer to receive and know Christ as his all, is the only means to live truly a life of faith; and when he has done this, it will not be hard to resign all other things. To talk much of Christ, and make frequent use of his name one to another, is commendable, if the heart goes along with the words; but to call upon God the Father with a filial confidence is

also our duty, and does not contradict the apostle's meaning at all, for it is only through Christ we can do it; and, as he says himself, the Father and he are one. Thou art my all, O gracious Lord; what then can I want? I desire no more than to be put always in mind of this by the animating voice of thy Spirit.

My Lord, my life, my love,
To thee, to thee I call;
I cannot live if thou remove,
For thou art all in all.

Thy shining grace can cheer
This dungeon where I dwell:
'Tis paradise when thou art here,
If thou depart, 'tis hell.

Nor earth, nor all the sky

Can one delight afford;
No, not a drop of real joy,
Without thy presence, Lord.

To thee my spirits fly

With fulness of desire;

And yet how far from thee I lie:
Dear Jesus, raise me higher.

8. They, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Rom. 10:3, 11.

The same mistake which proved so fatal to the Jews, proves equally fatal to many who pretend to call themselves Christians. Ignorant alike of the divine character and their own, they build their hope of the favor of God and eternal life upon some works of righteousness which they have done or intend to do, and reject the righteousness of Christ, in which alone they can be justified and accepted. In this mistake the decent and the profane are equally involved; for the worst of mankind fancy themselves possessed of some virtues and good qualities that will entitle them to the divine favor. The delusion remains till the light of the Holy Spirit darts in, like a sunbeam, upon the mind, and discovers the guilt and pollution that defile the best of us. We then abhor ourselves, and look to the free grace of God in Christ Jesus for pardon and salvation. We have a hope that maketh not ashamed.

Jesus, thy blood and righteousness

My beauty are, my glorious dress;
'Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.

Bold shall I stand in that great day,
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully through these absolved I am,

From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.