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XI.

We both labour, and fuffer reproach, because we

truft in the living God.

1 Tim. iv. 10.

'HAT holy and indefatigable labourer in the

THA

Our

vineyard of the Lord, the Writer of this epistle, tells his beloved convert, Timothy, in this paffage, that trust in God enabled him to undergo all the labours and diftreffes of his apostleship. His labours and diftreffes were abundant. labours are infignificant, and our diftreffes, commonly, mere trifles, in comparison with his. It is true, we have not that firmness-that heavenly aid, and apoftolic vigour, which St. Paul had. But our fufferings are in proportion to our abi lities; and we have the fame ground for going cheerfully through our labours, and for bearing our diftreffes, which this holy apoftle had. We may all, if we please, truft in the living God.

All the attributes of God adminifter comfort to man, except his juftice. Here we naturally

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recoil. That man, with all his guilt about him, fhould ftand before infinite juftice, prefents an idea which cannot but make an awful impreffion. Yet even here we have great room to trust in the living God. His juftice, infinite as it is, is tempered by mercy equally infinite; and to this is added, the powerful mediation of a bleffed Redeemer.

But among all the grounds of comfort which we receive from our gracious Creator, with regard both to this world and the next, the contemplation of his wisdom, and his promises, is the moft reviving. The former fets our mind at reft in this world; the latter carry us happily to the next.

The wisdom of Providence, which orders all the events of this world with fuch unerring certainty, as to be most beneficial not only to mankind in general, but to every individual in particular, fhould be a conftant argument with us to fubmit to every event, however harsh it may appear. If we fully trust in an unerring Provi- › dence, it will be impoffible not to acquiefce: if we do not acquiefce, it is impoffible we can fully truft. At the fame time let us confider, that this full truft in the unerring providence of God,

is the only way to fecure our happiness among the difafters of life. Nothing else can administer a full remedy for the many sufferings we must unavoidably feel.

the next.

The other great comfort, which a trust in the living God procures for us in the diftreffes of this world is, that they will end in the happiness of We have God's promife for this hope, which turns into certainty. I fpeak of fuch only as obey God; and indeed they are the only perfons who seek for comfort from these divine fources.

This truft therefore in the promises of God, is our grand comfort in the diftreffes of life. It is the leading-star which carries us to Bethlehem; and makes all our journey to that blessed refidence of our Redeemer, full of happy expecta

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XII.

If riches increafe, fet not thy heart upon them.
Pf. lxii. 10.

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WE are cautioned here, not so much against

riches, as against the increase of them. When a man poffeffes only what he has been long accustomed to poffefs, the danger is lefs: use has made his poffeffions, whatever they are, familiar to him; but when the poffeffion increases beyond the ordinary capacity of receiving it, (which is almost always the cafe of a fudden increase of wealth,) the moral danger becomes great.. Am I then, if riches increase by the bleffing of God, on a fair and honest profeffion, to reject the bleffing and ftop in the midst of golden opportunities? It is a happy thing when a man can fet bounds to his acquifitions, and fay, I have enough. That however, is not easy: the word enough is regulated by such a variety of circumftances, that the fame definition of it can hardly touch the cafes of any two people.

But though it may be difficult to give rules to eftimate a fufficiency, yet whatever our poffef fions may be, very good rules may be given to prevent our fetting our hearts upon them. If we fet our hearts upon them, they become at once what the scripture calls, the mammon of unrighteoufnefs; or the temptations to every mode of wickedness: for the love of money, we know, is the root of all evil.

In the first place, their fugitive nature should prevent our fetting our hearts upon them. We are told, they often make themselves wings, and fly away. And if they do not leave us, we fhall certainly, in a little time, leave them. And then the question ftares us in the face, Whofe fhall thofe good things be which we have provided? or, in other words, why did not you make a proper use of them in your life-time?

Secondly, we should reflect, how we came by our riches; and, it may be hoped, we shall acknowledge we received them from God, the author and giver of all good. Whether we obtained them by our own agency, or by any other means, ftill they are his gifts.

This being fettled, it follows next to ascertain for what purpose God gave them to us. We

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