Let all of every class search and try themselves, that they may know what answer to give to such inquiries as these. The great High-Priest walketh among the seven golden candlesticks, and observes infallibly the state of every lamp, whether it be burning dimly, or its light be bright2 : and to every one will
r Rev. iii. 15, 16. s Rev. iii. 2. l Rev. ii. If).
« 3 John, ver. 2. * 1 Pet. ii. 2. > ] John ii. 14.
z Rev. i. 14, 20.
he give according to his state before Goda. Let this inquiry then lead you all to diligent examination, and redoubled earnestness in the ways of God : for " we have no greater joy, than that our children walk in truth b :" and " then we live, if ye stand fast in the Lordc."]
a Rev. i. 23. b 3 John, ver. 4. c 1 Thess. hi. 8.
Acts xvi. 14, 15. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us : whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she zeas baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
IN preaching the Gospel to mankind, every minister will not be alike successful ; though every one may expect such a measure of success, as shall be a testi- mony from God to the truth of his declarations, and a seal to the commission with which he has been charged5. More especially may we hope to convert sinners unto God, if we are attentive to the calls of his providence, respecting the proper sphere of our labours. We may, like the Apostles, spread our net wide, and " toil all the night, and catch nothing :" but, if our Lord instruct us where to cast the net, we may hope to enclose a multitude of fishes. The commission given to the Apostles was, to " go and preach the Gospel to every creature :" yet there were particular places to which, at particular times, their attention was more especially directed. St. Paul, after going through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, would have gone into Asia and Bithynia ; but he was forbidden by the Holy Ghost to go there b ; and was instructed by a vision to go over rather into Mace- donia0. There therefore he went ; and there he met with the woman of whom our text speaks ; and was
" Jer. xxiii. 22. <> ver. G, 7. c ver. 9, 10.