work, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works ; and the last to be more than the first.' The angel of the church of Thyatira is commended, (1) first, for his love ; (2) for his charity ; (3) for his faith ; and (4) for his patience. And in the general course of his life, he daily became more excellent ; for his ' latter works were more than the first," that is, they were more manifest proofs of his constancy, and more worthy of praise than the first. This faithlul pastor is commended for his holy progress in grace and holiness. So Paul, Philip, iii, 12, ' Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect ; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.' Yer. ] 3, ' Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this ojae thing I do, for- getting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.' Ver. 14, ' I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' The Greek word Siuxu), doth emphatically import a pressing with an eager pursuit after the mark. It is the same word that signifies to persecute, because the earnestness of his spirit in pressing toward the mark now is the same that it was in the persecution of those that pressed toward the mark before. Look, as good runners, when they come near unto the mark, stretch out their heads, and hands, and whole bodies, to take hold of them that run with them, or of the mark that is before them ; so he in his whole race so laboured unto that which was before, as if he were still stretching out his arms to take hold of it. If such a man might have his choice, he would be the most humble, the most holy, the most heavenly, the most mortified, the most patient, the most contented, the most thankful, the most fruitful, the most active, the most zealous, and the most self-denying Christian in the world, 1 Peter i. 15, 16. If he might have his choice, he would be holy as God is holy, and perfect as his heavenly father is perfect ; he would do the will of God on earth, as those princes of glory, the angels, do it now in heaven, viz., freely, readily, cheerfully, delightfully, universally, revereutially, and un- weariedly, &c. If he might have his choice, he would exercise every grace, and perform every duty, with all his might ; he sees so much excellency and beauty in God and Christ, that he cannot be at rest till he be swallowed up in the enjoyment of them ; he sees so much ex- cellency in grace, that nothing but perfection of grace will satisfy him ; he makes perfection not only his utmost end, but he also labours after perfection with his utmost strength and endeavours. When God is made the one of a man's desires, the one of a man's affections, the one of a man's life and comfort, then will he be the one of a man's endeavours too. That obedience that springs from faith, when it is not winter- time with a Christian, is a fruitful obedience, it is an abounding obe- dience, it is a progressive obedience. Look, as the mercy and favour of God to a believer is not stinted nor limited, so the obedience of a be- liever to God is not stinted or limited ; but now the obedience of hypo- crites is always stinted and limited. This command they will obey, but
' It is not every believer's happiness always to make a progress in grace. Solomon and Asa, and others, run retrograde. Saints have their winter seasons ; they have their decaying times, and withering times, as wull as their thriving times, their flourishing times, Kev. ii. 4.
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not that ; this duty they will do, but not that ; this work they will attend, but not that, &c.