we may meet with, we must " not faint or be weary in well doing," but, " by patient continuance in it," approve ourselves faithful unto death. Sometimes the difficulties will arise from one quarter, and sometimes from another : sometimes they will assume the garb of humility, and make us pretend unfitness for the work we have undertaken. But we must guard against this delusion: it may be true enough, that we are unfit; but that unfitness may proceed from our own sloth and want of spirituality; in which case it is not an excuse for us, but an aggravation of our guilt. We should rise to the occasion : " If the axe be blunt, we should put to the more strength':" and if we feel ourselves beginning to faint, we must entreat of God to " strengthen us with might in our inward man," and to " give us always all-sufficiency in all things." We do not mean by this to encourage any to undertake offices for which they are altogether unfit; but to guard you against " putting your hand to the plough, and looking back again :" for " if any man draw back, my soul, says God, shall have no pleasure in him." Possibly a want of success may be pleaded by us as an excuse : but that is no excuse. If, like Hosea, we were to labour for seventy years with little apparent benefit, it would be no reason for abandoning the Lord's work. " To plant and water," is our part ; " to give the increase," is God's : and whether we have any success or not, our duty is the same, both to Christ our Head, and to all the members of his body. It should be sufficient for us to know, that we have laboured to do the will of God. If we see the fruit of our labours, well ; we have reason to be thankful for it : but, if not, then we must be satisfied with the assurance, that, " though Israel be not gathered, yet shall God be glorious," yea, and our reward also shall be equally great: for "every man shall receive," not according to his success, but " according to his own labour*."]
3. With love and cheerfulness —
[We must do " nothing grudgingly or of necessity ; for God loveth in all things a cheerful giver." It may be that the conduct of those whose benefit we seek, may be less amiable than might be wished. In every department, whether the more public one of preachers, or the more private one of visiting the sick, we may find much perverseness and ingratitude. But our delight must be in our work : we must enter upon it readily, and perform it cheerfully ; and heap coals of fire on the heads of those who render evil for good. By kindness we may remove prejudice and conciliate regard: and by a want of it we may defeat our own most benevolent purposes. Study then a suavity of manner : if called to " speak the truth," speak it
1 Eccl. x. 10. k 1 Cor. iii. 8.