reckon the sufferings-" He who hath delivered, and doth deliver, will yet deliver." The patient soul is neither without tears, nor without hope; neither over sensible, nor under sensible; affected with all, cast down with nothing: quiet when tossed, very quiet when extremely tossed; expecting his salvation from God, when none can be had from man. "Though he slay me." Patience is a soul at rest in God; substance gone, Ziglag burnt, all mourning, many murmuring-stoning-David makes up all in God. 1 Sam. xxx. 1-6.

3. Patience will fortify against any unlawful methods for accomplishing our deliverance or desires: the impatient endeavour by any means to obtain their wishes.When the Philistines were coming against Saul with a formidable army, and his own people were much discouraged, he would not wait for deliverance in God's time and way. (1 Sam. xiii. 5. 14.) Patience restrains from unlawful expedients; "He that believeth shall not make haste""The Lord will provide," is the language of patience under the greatest sufferings.

4. Patience disposes the soul to perseverance in the way of duty, whatever discouragements may arise from the pressure of afflictions, or the deferring of hopes. This is the most essential part of patience, to persevere in our Christian course, whether afflictions attend us, or whatever it may cost us. The impatient are apt to "faint and weary in their minds," and grow remiss: "but the righteous shall hold on his way;" hence we are exhorted to "run with patience the race that is set before us."

II. Endeavour to recommend this grace to your esteem, and excite you to the attainment of it.

1. Patience is a virtue common to us with God. Longsuffering is his darling attribute; and what is dear in his sight, ought to be no less precious in ours. And how marvellous is his patience, who daily pours his blessings on those who as daily offend, affront, and dishonour him! "he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good;" he does not exclude the worst of us from those blessings, to which the best of us have no title. For the benefit of the impious as well as the pious, the ungrateful as well as the grateful, the seasons take their rounds, the elements work together, the light and heat exert their friendly in

fluence, the fountains send forth their salutary streams, and the pastures flourish. The gospel is still preached to those who slight it; the cup of salvation is still held forth to those who have so often dashed it from them; and although God be provoked every day, he holds his hand, and waiteth to be gracious-although he have the power in his own hands, and the weapons of his indignation are all ready, he defers to strike; and while judgments sleep, mercy calls night and day to sinners, "Why will you die?" His truth is denied; his Son crucified; and his long suffering is made an argument against his existence; and he is still patient, "What is man, then, that he should complain ?"

2. The patience which we so much admire in God, shone forth yet more amazingly in the person of his Son. Was ever patience like that patience, which descended from a throne of glory, bore a long imprisonment in the womb, to sanctify sinners; and lay in a stable to bring them to a kingdom! Behold the Master baptized by his servant; and, with his disciples, he lived not as their Lord, but as the servant of all. How tenderly did he bear with their ignorance and infirmities, leading them gently as they were able to follow him; how patiently did he bear the contradiction of sinners, how was he wounded, who heals every disease, how was he fed with gall and wormwood, who reaches out to his people the fruits of paradise and the cup of salvation; and, at his crucifixion, when the heavens were confounded, and the earth trembled, "He opened not his mouth;" he endured without murmuring all that earth and hell could inflict, till he had put the last stroke to the most finished picture of perfect patience, and prayed for his murderers.

3. The patience thus practised by Christ is enjoined by his gospel, being indeed the badge of that gospel and its professors; "Ye have heard," says our Lord. (Matt. v. 43.) "Follow after patience"-"In patience." 1 Pet. ii. 21-23.

4. We find all the saints of God, who have been eminent for their faith in Christ, to have been as eminent for their patience, without which their faith must have failed in the day of trial: it being not through faith alone, but "through faith and patience," that they "inherited the

promises." Faith begat patience, which, like a dutiful child, proved the support of its parent. Patience preserved Noah's faith all the time the ark was building, and while it floated on the waters; through patience Abraham endured the severest trial that ever faith was put to; through patience, Jacob, persecuted by his brother, left his father's house; through patience, Joseph endured and forgave the ill treatment of his brethren; through patience, Moses, so often abused and insulted by a stiffnecked people, still entreated the Lord for them; through patience, David would not slay his implacable enemy, Saul; through patience, Job endured the loss of all things. We are compassed about with a cloud of witnesses, who, through the patience of Jesus Christ, wandered about in sheep-skins." Heb. xi. 37, 38.

5. The present state of man renders the practice of this virtue absolutely necessary, if we would enjoy any happiness here or hereafter. Could we live in the world without sufferings, then were there no need of patience. But thus runs the sentence, (Gen. iii. 17,) "Cursed is the ground." Every man, from him that sitteth on a throne, to the man that lieth in a dungeon, must have labour and sorrow; and tribulation admits of no remedy but patience. The Christian has need of patience-for "he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Wo unto you that have lost patience; and what shall ye do when the Lord shall visit you! Patience is the only armour that is proof against all assaults, and he who has it well buckled on, needeth not to fear any adversary.

6. And lastly, let me set before you, in one view, the incomparable excellences and advantages of this. lovely grace. Patience commends us to God, and keeps us his ; patience is the guardian of faith, the preserver of peace, the cherisher of love, the teacher of humility; patience governs the flesh, strengthens the spirit, sweetens the temper, stifles anger, extinguishes envy, subdues pride; she bridles the tongue, restrains the hand, tramples on temptation, endures persecutions; patience produces unity in churches, and harmony in families; she comforts the poor, and moderates the rich; she makes us bumble in prosperity, and cheerful in adversity; she teaches us to forgive those who have injured us, and to be

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the first in asking forgiveness of those we may have injured.

If, therefore, to be like unto God; if to be conformed to the image of Christ; if to follow the precepts of the gospel; if to write after the copy of the saints; if to render our present state comfortable, and ensure our final salvation; if to enjoy the incomparable excellences and advantages of patience: if these things are desirable, let us from henceforth give ourselves to the pursuit of this virtue, let us "follow after patience." And for this purpose let us adore and emulate the long-suffering of our God; let us contemplate and transcribe into our practice the patience of Jesus Christ; let us study and fulfil the precepts of the gospel; let us look at and emulate the examples of the saints; let us consider and alleviate the sorrows of our pilgrimage; let us seek until we obtain the heavenly grace of patience, with all her benefits and blessings conferred on her by Jesus Christ; into whose patience the Lord direct our hearts, until she have her perfect work in the salvation of our souls through the same. Amen.

CHRISTIAN HUMILITY.

Humbleness of mind.-Col. iii. 12.

THE first instance of being wise for ourselves is to put the principal value upon that part of ourselves which is most noble and durable-our souls; and to use our main diligence for securing their welfare. It is another branch of wisdom to make a right estimate of ourselves, compared with other beings, either above us, or of the same order with ourselves. Christian humility is the very temper to which such a thought will lead us. And that is to be our present subject.

I. Explain the nature of this temper. The word which is here, and in several other places of the New Testament, used to express this Christian virtue, signifies in general a low apprehension or esteem: and,

from the scope of the places, though the word does not directly express so much, it must mean a low apprehension or esteem of ourselves. It stands directly opposite to pride and arrogance. Generally the word is used in scripture in a good sense, but twice in one chapter of this epistle in a bad one: (Col. ii. 18-23,) for a base and unworthy subjection of mind; which shows, that there is occasion to guard against mistakes in this matter, as well as to illustrate the excellent temper designed to be expressed by it.

There may be a seeming humiliation of outward expression and behaviour, which covers a very proud heart. But Christians are called to put on "humbleness of mind." The actings of this temper will be best discerned in a relative view, as we entertain an humble opinion of ourselves, compared either with God, or with our fellowcreatures.

1. An humble apprehension of our own knowledge. (1 Cor. viii. 1.) There is nothing which men are more ready to be proud of, and to think better of themselves in, beyond desert. Many would sooner bear a reflection upon their moral character, than upon their understandings. No branch of pride hath more need of a cure, though indeed none hath to support it, than conceit of our own knowledge. (Job xi. 12.) Now the beginning of humility, and indeed of true wisdom, lies in moderating our conceit of our own sufficiency this way. And so it will include,

(1.) A sense of the natural imperfection of our faculties. There is indeed a dignity in our natures in comparison of the lower creation, as God hath made us intelligent beings; but we should ever remember, that the faculties he has given us are but finite, and limited at the best, and that many things are above them. Job xlii. 3.

(2.) An apprehension of our own fallibility, and liableness to mistake even where we may think we judge aright. When we consider the power of prejudice, our readiness to make rash and hasty judgments, the plausible colours which may be put upon error, the indisposition of our minds in our fallen state for the admission of divine truths; when we consider these things, we have reason, in most judgments we form, to carry this cautionary