*66

masters and servants; he thus addresses them; as enforcing a duty equally necessary to them all. Finally, my my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." And he then informs them what this armour consists of: "stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness.

And

your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God."

It must be evident to us all, that none can make use of this strength, and this armour, but those who believe, trust, and love, the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to perform this duty, as well as every other, we must seek an interest in him; we must draw out of his fullness; for without him we can do nothing.

Those who neglect his salvation are led captive by Satan at his will. The words which our Saviour addressed to the Jews

* Ephesians, vi. 10-11.

+ ib. 13-17.

are equally applicable to them. *" Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." And they will live and die, and continue eternally, the children of the devil, unless they now come to the Lord Jesus Christ that they may have life. There is no other way of escape from the power of Satan on earth; there is no other way of escape from the eternal misery of hell, but through the atoning blood and justifying righteousness of our blessed Saviour.

+" For

there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be

saved."

May we all be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; may we put on the whole armour of God; that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and so to fight the good fight of faith, that we may finish our course with joy, and enter into that rest which remains for the people of God. Amen.

*John, viii. 44. + Acts, iv. 12.

SERMON III.

"We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope."-ROMANS v. 3, 4.

WHEN God had finished the mighty work of creating this world, *" he saw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good." Health, happiness, and immortality, were the glorious inheritance of man in the garden of Eden, but soon this beautiful work of God was deformed by the entrance of sin ;—and sickness, sorrow, and death, became the bitter portion of the children of men. According to that sentence of our Creator, t" cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.". "Man is now born unto trouble, as the

* Gen. i. 31. + Gen. ii. 17, 19. Job, v. 7.

sparks fly upward."- * He hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery; he cometh up and is cut down like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.

This fallen world is now "filled with lamentation and mourning and woe," the dismal offspring of sin. Perhaps there is not one individual among us, who has not already become acquainted with this melancholy truth, by sad experience; and it is evident that we are all every moment of our lives liable to affliction, from the loss of property, the loss of health, or the more severe loss of friends and relatives.

While we thus dwell in a vale of tears, in the very furnace of affliction, we must often find it necessary to go in search of comfort; and too many of us seek it in the amusements and occupations of the world, which are found in the end to be nothing but "vanity, and vexation of spirit." They may indeed, shed a momentary gleam of cheerfulness over the darkness of grief; but it soon passes away, and leaves the soul still overwhelmed in the deep waters of affliction, the glittering straws at which it grasped; being unable to support it.

* See Funeral Service, or Job, xiv. 1, 2.
+ Ecclesiastes, ii. 26.

And happy is it for the distressed soul, if even then it be driven to the true source of comfort; for "*happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, and whose hope is in the Lord his God." For there is an unfailing stream of consolation, flowing through the wilderness of this world, from the fountain of all goodness and mercy.

These waters of comfort, are to be found in the Holy Scriptures, which "were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope." In them we learn, the merciful character of our heavenly Father; his design in sending us afflictions, and in what manner they may work for our good; perhaps more effectually than our brightest and happiest days.

We are told, that "the Lord is long suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." §" And that he will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." And he proves his merciful intentions towards us, by the frequent calls, warnings, and invitations, which he sends us. And perhaps there is no dispensation of his providence

*Psalms, cxlvi. 5.
2 Peter, iii. 9.

+ Rom. xv. 4.
§ 1 Tim. ii. 4.