been kept back by diffidence or other circumstances from join- ing themselves to the Lord's people in an open and ostensible way, who yet shall receive from God the strongest tokens of his appro- bation. They perhaps envied the gifts and talents of some more forward professors, and thought themselves unworthy to join in their society : but God, who knew their hearts, said of them, " I know thy poverty ; but thou art rich." He heard the sighs and groans which they uttered from day to day under a sense of their own unworthiness. He treasured up in his phial the tears they shed from a lothing of themselves, and an admiration of their God. He saw how precious the Lord Jesus Christ was to their souls, as their hope, their peace, their strength, their all. They were of no account perhaps amongst their fellow- Chris- tians ; but they were greatly beloved of their God. The more abased they were in their own eyes, the more exalted they were in his. He saw that in their prayers, their fastings, their alms, they sought not glory from men ; and therefore " he in the last day will reward them openly." He will say of them in that day, " I saw thee under the fig-tree :" " if thy talent was small, thou madest a good improvement of it :" thou thoughtest that in " giving thy mite to the sanctuary," thou hadst done nothing; but 1 testify for thee, that " it was more in my sight than all that the rich gave out of their abundance." Yes, Be- loved, as ye desire to serve and honour God, so will God accept and bless you : " He will bring to light the counsels of the heart ; and then shall every man, who was of no account in his own eyes, have praise of God." If then, Brethren, ye be over- looked, or even calumniated and traduced by men, lay it not to heart, but seek to approve yourselves to the heart-searching God. Let man have his day, knowing assuredly that God will have his alsos, and that " his judgment will be according to truth."]
Application —
[Let all now shew what regard they have for God. Let all retire, with a consciousness that God sees them : let them go to their secret chamber, and there implore mercy from him for their past neglect of his presence, and grace that they may henceforth be enabled to " set him always before them," and to " walk in his fear all the day long."]
^ 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4. See the Greek,