those enemies by whom you will be assailed. The giants of innate sin, and outward temptation, are too many, and too powerful, to allow you a hope of subduing them. Will ye, then, turn your backs upon heaven; and are ye disposed to yield without a struggle? For your soul's sake arise from this most unworthy bondage, which Satan is casting around you, by the instrumentality of your own cowardice. The evil is within yourselves. Your hearts are not right with God. Ye are yet unhumbled by a due sense of sin. Ye are unacquainted with your need of a Saviour, or with the infinite love of him who gave his life, as the price of your redemption. The God of this world has blinded your eyes, hath perverted your hearts, and made you say of that service which is perfect freedom, This is a hard saying, who can bear it? Is this infidelity to be removed? must, if ye are to be saved. Far from fearing to devote yourselves to God, and to fight the battles of the head and captain of your salvation, ye must count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus your Lord. Ye must say of the difficulties before you, none of these things move me. The love of God must be shed abroad in your hearts, by the Holy Ghost given you; otherwise, doubt, and fear, and rebellion, will keep their post over It you like strong men armed. Perfect love casteth out fear. Remember your obligations to redeeming goodness. Remember the supports and triumph which God's infallible word have secured you. We do not deny, that the Anakim will oppose; that the powers, and the prince of darkness will lie in wait to destroy but greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. Their defence is departed from them; the Lord is not among them. Formidable as they may appear, they shall be bread for you. Their very temptations shall be overruled to your advancement in the life of grace, and the consolations of God. He is in the camp of his people. His strength is made perfect in weakness: and the more feeble you are in yourselves, the more unequivocal monuments will you become throughout eternity, of that omnipotence, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Consider also the sad effect which the timidity of the spies had upon all the multitude of Israel. The eyes of the camp are upon you; and if ye swerve in fear and sloth from the combat with Satan, and the strife for heaven, ye may cause the apostacy of others. Resolve to fight the battles of the cross, in the sufficiency of him who died upon it,―and you are safe. Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. (2.) There are, however, I hope, many others possessing a portion of that flame which glowed in the hearts of Caleb and Joshua-men gifted with courage for their warfare, and zealous for their God. Cultivate, I implore you, this holy boldness, which God's own agency has implanted within you. Persevere to the end, undismayed by opposition, unterrified by the frowns or the ridicule of men. It was the perfection of Caleb's character that he followed the Lord fully; turning a deaf ear to every mean pleading of unbelief, sensuality, and fear. Joshua was a man of kindred soul; and, when every other individual among the thousands of the rebellious hosts died in the wilderness, he and Caleb obtained a heritage within the borders of Canaan, and of that better land which it typified. Imitate their example. Pray for increasing faith, and reliance upon the word, the truth, the love, the power, the grace of him. who is your covenant God in Jesus Christ. His shield will be interposed between you and. danger, as Joshua and Caleb were immortal, however fiercely Israel might threaten. Who shall harm you if ye be followers of that which is good? They stood alone among the univer sal rebellion; not only alone, but undismayed. Fear not ye the face of men. Shrink not to encounter that holy singularity which becomes a Christian-which, as he walks abroad in a world that lieth in wickedness, is one of the badges of his sincerity. The combat will be short, the issue glorious, the reward eternal. Even while the rain falls, the cloud is passing fast over your heads; and an eternal sunshine will succeed. Summon your faith to realize the exceeding great and precious promises, with which God is cheering you onwards. Be ye faithful unto death; and that Almighty King, whose you are, and whom you serve, will give you a crown of life, a palm of victory, a throne of glory. SERMON VI. THE SABBATH BREAKER STONED. NUMBERS XV. 32-36 While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses. 66 THE heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made: and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it; because that in it |