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النشر الإلكتروني

SERMON X.

AN EAGER PURSUIT AFTER RELIGIOUS WISDOM THE WAY TO OBTAIN IT.

PROV. ii. 1-6.

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest› for ·her as for hid treasures;

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

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SOLOMON, the teacher in the text, knew from his own experience, that the path of duty, though plain and straight, is not without its difficulties, which arise, not so much from the nature of the things to be performed, as from the unwillingness

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of man to perform them. It is a dangerous mistake to suppose, that the course which a Christian has to pursue is so easy, as to call for no exertion; he ought to be aware, that, the present life being a scene of trial, we must prepare for struggles of different kinds; struggles with difficulties from without, when temptations arising out of bad example or the evil passions of others are thrown in our way; and difficulties from within, when our own inclinations are contrary to the voice of duty...

We must therefore enter upon the business of our daily calling (which is to each the path of duty marked out for him by Almighty God, who has appointed us, to it) with as earnest a desire to act uprightly and faithfully, as we do to become acquainted with our worldly business, that we may make our way in the world, and gain the means of support. The Christian is not required (far otherwise) to neglect the means of earning a maintenance by honest industry, he is only required to bear constantly in mind, that, as he has those upon earth, to whom he must look for support in s in some way or other; he has

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likewise a Master in heaven, on whom he :must depend for every thing he possesses here, or hopes to possess hereafter. The necessity of a diligent attention to the rules of the Bible, as a check upon our natural inclinations, and to keep us within the bounds of duty, is plainly declared by Solomon, when he calls upon us to “seek wisdom as silver, and search for it as hid treasures." And this is nothing more than we might be led to expect, from what we observe in the ordinary affairs of life. You all know, that those things which promise the largest advantage, are generally found to be attended with trouble and difficulty. The husbandman must rise up early, and go forth into the fields to his work till the evening, and this, not only day after day, but year also after year, if he expects to rear the fruits of his labour, by laying up for himself and family a comfortable support. The trader must not only hold himself to wait upon his customers, but must take care also to be provided with a stock of those articles which they are likely to want, else he will in vain expect that his profits will yield a present maintenance,

and enable him to put by a support for his old age. Is it then to be supposed, that the practice of Christian obedience, that the faithful discharge of our daily duties, in a spirit of reverence, patience, and resignation towards God, of meekness and brotherly love, as well as honest industry, towards our neighbours at large, and your employers in particular, is to be performed without great care and watchfulness, accompanied with earnest and persevering prayer to God? As all our endeavours, without trust in a Saviour's mercies, and prayer to God for protection, will be of no use, so also prayer will be attended with no benefit, if our best endeavours do not go with it." We must watch and pray," says Christ himself," that we enter not into temptation." Now the frame of mind necessary for a Christian will not come of itself; it is not like the possession of health and strength, which many enjoy without taking any pains to obtain them: it is in this respect more like knowledge or skill in any pursuit, which no one can

• Matt. xxvi. 41.

possess without giving much time and attention to the subject. But in one respect it differs also from knowledge and skill; men may possess these without bringing them into use, but no man can be a Christian, without practising what the Gospel requires of all who bear that name. "If ye know these things," says Christ, "happy

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ye if ye do them." It is in vain also to attempt setting about the duty of Christian obedience, if we are not prepared to enter upon it in the right way. Instead of considering first what is our own will and making every thing bend to that, we are bound to inquire what is the will of God, which in every instance is, in other words, to inquire what is our duty as husbands, parents, children, masters, servants, and neighbours: for it is the will of God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, that we should all perform every duty of our calling, not out of regard to worldly advantage, but to obtain the favour of our Master in heaven, Jesus Christ: and for this end, the assistance of the Holy Spirit

John xiii. 17.

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