e Isai. viii. 14, 15. Luke ii. 34, 35. Matt. xi. 6. f Matt. xi. 21—24.
Learn then,
1. What is the proper object of a Christian's am- bition—
[You should not be content to avoid gross and open sin : you should seek to "glorify your God^:" and if you have not clone this by a course of holy obedience, you should at least endeavour to do it by a course of penitential sorrow, and by a due improvement of those blessings which God has vouch- safed to you in his Gospel h ]
2. What is the proper object of a Christian's hope — [Only walk with God as his redeemed people, and you
shall have all imaginable blessings from your God : as he has said, " The faithful man shall abound with blessings1." Nay more : as for his people of old " he turned the curses of Balaam into blessings to themk," so will he do to you: your trials, your troubles, your losses, your very temptations, shall be the means of weaning you more and more from this world, and perfecting the work of divine grace in your souls1, and bringing you into a state of nearer access to God, and preparing you for higher degrees of glory ; according to that saying of St. Paul, " Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory m." This, brethren, may be your assured hope, if only you will serve your God aright : such " showers of blessings shall be poured out upon you11," and so greatly will God mag- nify himself in your salvation0. Only do you glorify him here, and " he will be glorified in you" to all eternity p.]
e 1 Cor. vi. 20. h Jer. xiii. 15, 16. » Prov. xxviii. 20.
k Neh. xiii. 2. ' Rom. v. 3—5. m 2 Cor. iv. 17.
•> Ezek. xxxiv. 26. ° Phil. i. 20. p 2 Thess. i. 10.