(3.) That which is apt to occasion wea- riness in well-doing, is the deferring of the reward. We are apt to be discouraged and grow weary, if we have not what we desire presently ; we are all for present pay. But consider, 1. Our work is not yet done ; we have not yet finished the faith : the ser- rant doth not receive his pay till his work be done. Even Christ's reward was refer- red till he had done his work ; when he had completed our redemption, and said u- pon the cross, " It is finished," then he en- tered into glory. 2. God defers the reward, to make heaven more Avelcome to us. Af- ter all our praying, weeping, suffering, liow sweet will the joys of paradise taste !
(4.) That which is apt to occasion wea- riness in well-doing, is the greatness and
difficulty of a Christian's work ; but why should this make us weary ? Difficulty whets a generous mind ; the soldier's life hath its difficulties, but they raise his spi- rits the more ; he loves to encounter liaixl- ship, and will endure a bloody fight for a golden harvest. Besides, where is the least principle of grace, it renders the way of re- ligion, easy and pleasant. When the load- stone draws, it is easy for the iron to move : When God's Spirit draws we move in the way of religion with facility and delight. Christ's service is freedom. Ps. cxix. 45., " I will walk at liberty." To serve God, to love God, to enjoy God, is the sweetest liberty in the world. Besides, while we serve God, we gratify ourselves ; as he who digs in a mine, while he sweats, he gets gold ; while we glorify God, we pro- mote our own glory.
II. The second thing expressed is, that we should not grow weary in a Christian course, — we should not tire in our race, — " Let us not be weary in well-doing." The Greek word, to be weary, signifies, to shrink back, as cowards in war ; let it not be thus with us ; let us not shrink back from Christ's colours, Heb. iv, 14., " Let us hold fast our profession:*' We must not only hold forth our profession, but hold fast our profession. The crown is not given to him that fights, but to him that overcomes.
Use 1st. Of reproof. It reproves such as are weary of well-doing. These are falling stars, 2 Tim. iv. 10. Demas forsook God, and afterwards became a priest in an idol temple, Dorotheus. Hos. viii. 3., " Is- rael hath cast off the thing that is jrood." Many have thrown off Christ's livery ; they have left off an holy course of life ; they have turned to worldliness or wantonness, Gal. y. 7., " Ye did ran well, who did hin- der you ?" Why did you tire in your race .* 2 Pet. ii. 21., " It had been better for them not to have known the way of rigliteous- ness, than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment."
Use 2d. Exhortation : " Let us not be weary in well-doing." Consider,
1. The way of religion is of good report ; Ileb. xi. 2. By faith " the elders obtained a good report." Shall we be weary of that which is our credit ? If indeed the Christian
NOT BEING WEARY IN WELL-DOING.
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rtligion were a tiling th.nt would bring Kliamc or loss — as the ways of sin do — then we had cause to desert it, and grow weary of it; but it brings honour; Prov. iv. !)., " She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace." Why then should we be weary of well-doing ?
2. The beauty of a Christian is to hold on in piety without being weary : Acts xxi. 16., " Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple." It is a beautiful siglit to see silver hairs crowned with golden virtue. The beauty of a thing is when it comes to be finished , the beauty of a picture is, when it is drawn out in its full lineaments, and laid in its o- rient colours ; the beauty of a Christian is, when he hath finished his faith, 2 Tim. iv. 7. It was the glory of the church of Thyatira, she kept her best wine till last, Rev. ii. 19., " I know thy works, and the last to be more than the first."
3. Sucli as are weary of well-doing it is a sign they never acted in religion from choice, or from a principle of faith, but from the external spring of applause or pre- ferment, so that, when these fail, their seeming goodness ceaseth.
4. God is never weary of doing us good ; therefore we should not be weary of serving him. A king that is continually obliging his subjects by gifts and gratitudes, those subjects have no cause to be weary of ser- ving their prince.
5. If we grow weary, and throw off re- ligion, we make all we have done null and void ; Ezek. xviii. 24., " When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned." lie who hatli been serving God, and doing angel's work, if once he grows weary and desists, he unra- vels all his work, and missetli of the re- compense of reward. He that runs half a race, and then tires, loseth the garland ! O what folly is it to do well a whih*, and by apostacy to undo all ! As if a limner with a pencil should draw a fair picture, and then come with his sponge and wipe it out again.