shrub in all the woods of Lebanon is as dear to him as the loftiest cedar there : yea, the weaker they are in themselves, the more tenderly he watches over them for good, that he may " display in them the excellency of his own power0," and " perfect his own strength in their weakness1'." Even the least and meanest of them all he regards as " trees of right- eousness, the planting of the Lord ; and in them he is, and will be, glorified*1."
In this then God acts altogether worthy of himself, and shews, that, as he is the Maker of all, so is he the Father, and the Friend of all.]
Application —
Such being the constitution of the Church,
1. Let us all seek to become members of it —
[Are there here any of the higher orders? I would say, give yourselves to the Lord, to serve him with your whole hearts. This is what you must do, if ever you would be happy ; for in the very words before my text you are told, that " the kingdom and nation that will not serve his Church shall perish." Do not imagine that your elevation among men can procure for you any exemption from your duty to God; your dis- tinctions only render your way to heaven more difficult. For persons elevated in society to be humbled and brought upon a level with the poorest of mankind, is no easy matter: but it
must be done O beg of God to accomplish it for you,
by the mighty working of his power !
To you who are of the lower classes I would say, Rejoice, that whilst your fellow-creatures perhaps are ready to despise you on account of the disadvantages under which you labour, God loves you, and made it a distinguishing feature of the Messiah's kingdom, that " the poor should have the Gospel preached to themr." Whatever the rich may imagine, you of the two are more favoured of God than they : for whilst " it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven," " God has chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom8." Labour then to secure this privilege : and, though you have none of the external recom- mendations of " the pine and fir," you need not fear but that God will accept your services, and make you " pillars in his temple that shall go no more out*."]
2. Let us all endeavour to promote the establish- ment of it in the world —
0 2 Cor. iv. 7.
P 2 Cor. xii. 9.
q Isai. lxi. 3
r Matt. xi. 5.
s Jam. ii. 5. N N 2
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