XI.

۱

We both labour, and fuffer reproach, because we trust in the living God.-1 Tim. iv. 1o.

THAT holy and indefatigable labourer in the vineyard of the Lord, the Writer of this epistle, tells his beloved convert, Timothy, in this pafsage, that trust in God enabled him to undergo all the labours and distresses of his apostleship. His labours and distresses were abundant. Our

labours are infignificant, and our distresses, 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 abili. ties; and we have the fame ground for going cheerfully through our labours, and for bearing our distresses, which this holy apostle had. We may all, if we please, trust in the living God.

All the attributes of God administer comfort to man, except his justice. Here we naturally recoil,

:

reel

That man, with all his guilt about him, should stand before infinite justice, presents an idea which cannot but make an awful impression. Yet even here we have great room to trust in the living God. His justice, infinite as it is, is tempered by mercy equally infinite; and to this is added, the powerful mediation of a blessed 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 most 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 such unerring certainty, as to be most beneficial not only to mankind in general, but to every individual in particular, should be a constant argument with us to fubmit to every event, however harsh it may appear. If we fully trust in an unerring Providence, it will be impoffible not to acquiefce: if we do not acquiefce, it is impossible we can fully truft. At the same time let us confider, that this full trust in the unerring providence of God,

is

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

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

This trust therefore in the promises of God, is our grand comfort in the distresses 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 expectation,

1

XII.

If riches increase, fet not thy beart upon them.Pf. lxii. 10.

We are cautioned here, not so much againft

riches, as against the increase of them. When a man possesses only what he has been long accustomed to possess, the danger is less: use has made his poffeffions, whatever they are, familiar to him; but when the possession 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 blessing of God, on a fair and honest profession, to reject the bleffing, and stop in the midst of golden opportunities? It is a happy thing when a man can fet bounds to his acquisitions, and say, I` have enough. That, however, is not easy: the word enough is regulated by fuch a variety of circumstances, that the fame definition of it can hardly touch the cafes of any two people.

But

But though it may be difficult to give rules to estimate a fufficiency, yet whatever our poffefsions 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 unrighteousness; 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 setting our hearts upon them. We are told, they often make themselves wings, and fly away. And if they do not leave us, we shall certainly, in a little time, leave them. And then the question stares us in the face, Whose shall those good things be which we have provided?or, in other words, why did not you make a proper ufe of them in your life-time ?

Secondly, we should reflect, how we came by our riches; and, it may be hoped, we fhall 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, still they are his gift.

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