our ways ?" They may depend upon it, they are sowing misery for themselves, and will reap a bitter crop sooner or later. Their wickedness will overtake them one day. They will find, like Herod, that it is an evil thing and bitter to sin against God. (Jerem. ii. 19.)
Let ministers and teachers remember that there is a conscience in men, and work on boldly. Instruction is not always thrown away, because it seems to bear no fruit at the time it is given. Teaching is not always in vain, though we fancy that it is unheeded, wasted, and forgotten. There is a conscience in the hearers of sermons. There is a conscience in the children at our schools. Many a sermon and lesson will yet rise again, when he who preached or taught it is lying, like John the Baptist, in the grave. Thousands know that we are right, and, like Herod, dare not confess it.
Let us learn, in the second place, tJiat God's children must not look for their reioard in this world.
If ever there was a case of godliness unrewarded in this life, it was that of John the Baptist. Think for a moment what a man he was during his short career, and then think to what an end he came. Behold him, that was the Prophet of the Highest, and greater than any born of woman, imprisoned like a malefactor ! Behold him cut off by a violent death, before the age of thirty- four — the burning light quenched — the faithful preacher murdered for doing his duty, — and this to gratify the hatred of an adulterous woman, and at the command of a capricious tyrant ! Truly there was an event here, if there ever was one in the world, which might make an ignorant man say, " What profit is it to serve God ?"
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But these are the sort of things which show us, that there will one day he a judgment. The God of the spirits of all flesh shall at last set up an assize, and reward every one according to his works. The hlood of John the Baptist, and James the apostle, and Stephen — the hlood of Polycarp, and Huss, and Kidley, and Latimer, shall yet be required. It is all written in God's hook. "The earth shall disclose her hlood, and no more cover her slain.'' (Isaiah xxvi. 21.) The world shall yet know, that there is a God that judgeth the earth. " If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter, for he that is higher than the highest regardeth : and there he higher than they." (Eccles. vi. 8.)
Let all true Christians remember, that their best things are yet to come. Let us count it no strange thing, if we have sufferings in this present time. It is a season of probation. We are yet at school. We are learning patience, longsuffering, gentleness, and meekness, which we could hardly learn if we had our good things now. But there is an eternal holiday yet to begin. For this let us wait quietly. It will make amends for all. " Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. iv. 17.)