ficulties, and cheers his mind during the long continuance of an inclement winter, so the prospect of reaping in due season enables the Christian to endure unto the endk. He has never seen the felicity which he pants after ; but he expects assuredly the ultimate possession of it ; and therefore " patiently waits for" the final consummation of all his hopes1.]
3. We are encouraged in our exertions —
[To a man who has heaven in his eye, nothing is impossi- ble. Behold Moses, when at the summit of human grandeur and power : an alternative was before him, " to suffer affliction with the people of God, or to enjoy the pleasures" and honours of the court of Pharaoh : and which did he prefer ? He chose " the reproach of Christ, esteeming it to be greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt." And what guided him to this strange decision? it was hope; "he had respect unto the recompence of the reward"1." In like manner St. Paul " pressed forward with incessant ardour in his heavenly course, forgetting what was behind, and reaching forward to what was before." And, if we inquire into the principle which animated him to such exertions, we shall find that it was precisely that which is mentioned in our text, — the hope and prospect of securing " the prize of his high calling." We may even say that our blessed Lord himself, as a man, was actuated by the same divine principle ; since it was " for the joy that was set before him, that he endured the cross and despised the shame, and rested not till he sat down at the right hand of the throne of Godn." And we too, if we would "run our race with patience," must imitate him in this respect0; we must keep our eye steadily fixed on him, and continue without intermission " looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ p." Then shall we " be steadfast, unmoveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord," when we are convinced in our mind, " that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord0-."]
Address —
1. Those whose hopes are presumptuous —
[There is no man who does not hope that he shall be saved at last. But we ought to be " able to give a reason of the hope that is in usr." If we cannot do this, and a satisfac- tory reason too, our hope is altogether vain and delusive. We have before said, that hope, as well as faith, must, in part at least, be founded on the word of God. Look to it then, that your hope is truly scriptural, and that you seek with all
k Jam. v. 7, 8. ' Rom. viii. 25. m Heb. xi. 24 — 26.
" Heb. xii. 2. ° Heb. xii. 1. p Tit. ii. 11 — 13.
«• 1 Cor. xv. 58. t i Pet. iii. 15. vol. xv. x