Nay, turn to any of the distinguished and pious characters of holy writ. Contemplate Elijah, daunted by no danger, and withheld by no personal apprehension, speaking the threatenings of God in the ears of a powerful tyrant. Look at John the Baptist, amidst all that humility which made him feel himself unworthy even to bow at bis Saviour's feet,-look at him denouncing the crimes of Herod, and boldly proclaiming the con demnation of the powerful and great; and ask yourselves, in the language of our Lord to those who flocked to his preaching, whether it was really any frail or vacillating reed trembling in the desert wind, that they went out to see; or whether they found the likeness of a luxurious and effeminate courtier, clothed in the soft raiment of a kingly palace, in that bold undaunted spirit whom they flocked to hear. Turn again to Stephen, and say if there was weakness on his part, amidst the horrors of his martyrdom, when he subdued not only the desire of life and the fear of dissolution, but made the strength of his Christian love triumphant even over human passion and resentment. Or ask if Paul, or John, or any of the Apostles were weak, when they sacrificed all that they could hope from the world, in the steady pursuit of that greater and imperishable treasure-the "incorruptible crown

which fadeth not away in the heavens." Nay, examine if there be feebleness or irresolution in the true Christian of these latter days, when we see him, as we can see him, going forth under a greater than the strength of man, to achieve the triumphs of his faith: when we find him, in trouble, gifted with more than mortal resignation, and blessed with an intrepid and unyielding spirit which can gather resources from the pre sence of its Saviour, even when all earthly refuges have passed away; though "troubled on every side, yet not distressed: perplexed, but not in despair: persecuted, but not forsaken: cast down, but not destroyed."*

But while we acknowledge the principle maintained above, the very same arguments will afford also some very important and practical lessons to ourselves. If any of us have found religion to be an easy task, requiring none of the exertions, none of the stedfastness of purpose, or the resolution of spirit, which have been just detailed, it is much to be feared that we have greatly misunderstood its character, and have been grossly deficient in our zeal. The Patriarchs found it not so, nor did the apostles, nor have the true servants of God even from the remotest times; and why should we expect that, in our

* 2 Cor. iv. 8.

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case, the requisitions of duty should be less severe? Is it probable that the same God who made it so hard a task, in this our state of proba tion, to wrest a scanty subsistence, by the sweat of the brow and the labour of the hands, from the bosom of the earth; and who has not sup plied us with the enjoyments of this life save at the cost of long and reiterated toil, nor committed even our interests to our own keeping without exacting, as it were, in return, the unwearied exercise of our constancy and resolution, and all the manly energies of the soul;—is it probable that he should, in the same probation, leave the blessings of eternity to be attained without a struggle? Or is it reasonable to expect, free as the gift is, and unworthy as ourselves are to receive it, that it will be forced upon us without any exertion of our own? Nay, believe me, Christ must be imitated in his stedfastness of purpose, and his firmness under trials, as well as in other points, or he is not imitated aright. If we are really his followers, we must be so, like the apostles, "by honour and dishonour," "by evil report and good report," "in much patience, in labours, in watchings." We must be so in spite of the world, in spite of our own rebellious hearts, in spite of the machinations of the enemy.

2 Cor. vi. 8.

God indeed girds our arms with strength for the battle, but still our arms must fight. It is he that giveth the prize, but we must run that we may receive it.* Vigilance, stedfastness, a manly and undaunted spirit,-none, even the greatest of human exertions, can be superfluous, to ensure the co-operation of God's holy spirit in effecting the great work we have to do. And we know little of the value of the Christian graces in this life, we know little of the triumphs it can obtain here, and we shall know little of the glories it will procure hereafter, unless our lives, as well as our lips, shall re-echo the spirit of stedfastness, vigilance, firmness, and resolution mentioned in the apostle's charge;-"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."