If you need any thing else to encourage you, look at " the cloud of witnesses" that are now in heaven, with palms in their hands, and crowns on their heads, and everlasting songs of triumph in their mouths : were not they once in your state, conflicting with the same enemies, and complaining of the same discouragements ? Do you not find amongst them many whose trials were far more severe than you ever experienced ? And yet were they not crowned at last ? Did not their diffi- culties yield to their repeated efforts ; and was not " the grace: of Christ sufficient for them ? " Why then should not you
k 2 Tim. ii. 3. » Isai. xl. 27—31. m Heb. x. 38, 39.
n Rev. hi. 21. ° Zech. iv. 7. p Isai. Ii. 10.
fi Josh, xxiii. 10. with Deut. xxxii. 30. r 1 Sam. xii. 22. s Jer. xxxvii. 10. l Mic. v. 7, 8.
also triumph ? "Is God's arm shortened that he cannot save ; or his ear heavy that he cannot hear ? " Doubt not then but that you also shall see your enemies dead upon the sea-shore, and that, " through the strength of Christ you shall be more than conquerors."]
To you then who have escaped from bondage, and are going under the guidance of your God towards the heavenly Canaan, we say, " Go forward." But, that we may not leave you without some more par- ticular directions, we say, Go forward,
1. Warily —
[Your way is not so manifest, but that you need to explore it with continual care. You have indeed the pillar and the cloud ; but it is visible only in the Holy Scriptures ; it is to be found only in the precepts of the Gospel, and in the example of our Lord. If, because your views of Christian doctrines be clear, you suppose that you are not liable to err materially in your practice, you are greatly mistaken. The Apostle tells us, that " they who strove in the games were not crowned, unless they strove lawfully11," that is, according to the rules pre- scribed them. So neither shall we be approved by our Judge, if we do not regulate our spirit and conduct altogether by the rules contained in the inspired volume. Hence we need " to walk circumspectly x;" to look well to our ways; to consult the Scriptures ; to mark the footsteps of our blessed Lord ; and, above all, to pray, with the Psalmist, " Lead me, O Lord, in the right way, because of my enemies. y"]
2. Steadfastly —
[It is not on some particular occasions only that you are to serve the Lord, but at all times, and on all occasions. What- ever advances you have made, we still say, " Go forward." Whatever obstacles are in your way, we repeat the word, " Go forward." Yea, whatever sufferings await you, we say again, "Be not discouraged because of the way2," but " Go forward." Only be sure that you are in the way of duty ; that you are following the Lord's will, and not your own ; and then go forward with all patience and perseverance. You must " know no man after the flesh :" you must, as our Lord says, "hate father and mother, and your own life alsoa," in com- parison of him. Having nothing in view but the glory of your God, you must " forget what is behind, and press forward towards that which is before." You must " be steadfast,
u 2 Tim. ii. 5. x Exod. xxiii. 13. Eph. v. 15.
y Ps. xxvii. 11. z Numb. xxi. 4. a Luke xiv. 26.
83.1 Israel's deliverance at the red sea. 408
immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord ; and then your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."]
3. Triumphantly —
[In every other contest, men exert themselves with a degree of uncertainty respecting the issue : and to " boast, when girding on their armour, as though they had put it ofTb," would be only a mark of folly and presumption. But things are far otherwise with you. Your victory depends, not on an arm of flesh, but on the power and veracity of God. While therefore you are yet on the field of battle, you may advance with David's confidence against Goliath, even though you are only "a stripling with a sling," and your enemies are deemed invincible. It was thus that Paul triumphed, and hurled defiance against all the foes that could assault him, whether on earth or in hellc. Thus also may you anticipate the shouts of victory, and say, " The Lord God will help me : therefore shall I not be confounded : therefore have I set my face like a flint ; and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me: who will contend with me? Let us stand together : who is mine adversary ? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me ; who is he that shall con- demn me ? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them upd."]