God in prayer : and never to let him go, till you have obtained from him the desired blessing. Plead with him for mercy through the Redeemer's blood ; plead with him for a more abundant effusion of his Spirit upon your souls ; plead with him, if he have begun the good work within you, to carry it on, and perfect it to the end. Then shall all these blessings descend upon you, and God be glorified in your everlasting salvation.]
Rom. xvi. 19, 20. / would have you ivise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall braise Satan under your feet shortly.
WHOEVER knows the perverseness of the human mind, must see that it is in vain to hope that any Church under heaven should be long free from the influence of error and contention. What St. Paul said to the elders of Ephesus, when he parted with them at Miletus, must sooner or later be addressed to all who have been long favoured with the ministry of the Gospel, that " grievous wolves will enter in among them, not sparing the flock ; and that even of their ownselves will men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after thema." The Church at Rome was as free from this spirit as any in the apostolic age. Their faith b, and love0, and obedience d, were such as to render them famous through the whole Christian world, insomuch that St. Paul rejoiced greatly on their account6 : yet he judged it necessary to caution them against " those who wished to cause divisions and offences among themf." In prosecution of his purpose he tells them what he wished for in their behalf, namely, that they should be wise unto that which is good, and simple con- cerning evil.
In discoursing on these words, we shall point out — I. The state of mind we should cultivate —
a Acts xx. 29, 30. b Rom. i. 8. c Rom. xv. 14.
d ver. 19. e ver. 19. f ver. 17.