temptations will recur ; and our natural indisposition to holy exercises will shew itself ; however much we are on our guard, and however diligently we address ourselves to the great work that is before us. If even the Apostle Paul, after so many years spent in the service of his God, had reason to complain of " a law in his members warring against the law of his mind," so that " the things which he would, he did not, and the things that he would not, those he did ;" we cannot expect such an entire exemption from conflicts, but that we must sometimes have to cry out with him, " O wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me ?"
Thus may all of us take to ourselves the advice that is given in the Book of Ecclesiasticus ; " My son, if thou set thy heart to seek the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation."]
It is well to be aware of the difficulties that are in our way ; for they, II. Must be encountered —
[ We must not dream of neutrality. It is indeed said by our Lord on one occasion, " He that is not against us is with usf:" but that referred only to persons really interested in his cause, though not moving exactly in the same way ; and was intended to teach candour in judging those who differ from us. On another occasion he said, " He that is not with me is against me ; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad g :" and this was to inform us, that His cause admits of no neutrality: we must take a determined part against sin and Satan : and even to deliberate, in such a case, is to be guilty of treason and revolt.
Nor must we give way to fear. Let the trials that threaten us be ever so severe, we must not shrink back, as though we had not counted the cost. We must be prepared to " deny ourselves, to take up our cross, to follow Christ ;" we must " be ready not only to be bound, but even to die for him," at any time and in any manner that he shall see fit. If we saw the furnace now before us, and burning with seven times its accustomed fury, and men ready to cast us into it, we must take the same decided part that the Hebrew youths did: " Be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set uph."
Nor must we be discouraged by difficulties. To what purpose is there a complete set of armour provided for us, and a vic- torious issue assured to us, if we are to faint as soon as diffi- culties press upon us ? We should rather rise to the occasion. " If the iron be blunt, we must whet the edge, or put to more strength1." As soldiers of Jesus Christ, it is our very
f Lukeix. 50. e Matt.xii. 30. h Dan. iii. 18. i Eccl. x. 10.
82.1 god's command in Israel's difficulty. 101
profession to endure hardships k. If at any time we find our strength decay, we must go to Him, who has promised to " renew" it to such a degree, that we may "mount up with wings, as eagles" after their plumage is restored, and pursue our course as racers, without weai-iness or fainting1. Whatever be our trials, it is at our peril to draw back from the en- counter111. " We must not even look back, after having put our hands to the plough." It is " he only that overcometh," who shall possess the crown of victory n.]
To meet all difficulties thus, we are encouraged by an assurance, that they, III. Shall be vanquished —
[Consult the promises of God, and see what they say : are they not as extensive as our necessities? What is there that arrests your progress, or obstructs your way ? Is it a moun- tain ? You may say to it, " Who art thou, O great mountain ? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain0." Is it a sea? God will " make even the depths of the sea a way for the ran- somed to pass over1'." Is it your own weakness that disheartens you ? Behold, " one of you shall chase a thousand, and two shall put ten thousand to flight q." Is it rather your unwor- thiness ? " It was for his own name's sake that he made you his people ; and for his own name's sake he will not cast you offr." You will not suppose that there was any great worthiness in the Chaldeans ; but see how assured they were of victory when God was on their side8. And shall your weak- ness or unworthiness be any effectual obstruction, if your God fight for you? You would not think there was any great cause for a lion to despair when contending with the defence- less lamb : yet that is the very image by which God has been pleased to designate the contest in which you are engaged, and the victory that awaits you*.