body. He has given us many members ; and has endued every member with faculties suited to its state, and proper for the discharge of its pecuHar office. All the parts have not the powers of the eye or of the ear : but some have a higher, and others a lower, office assigned to them, so as most to conduce to the good of the whole. And thus it is in the body politic ; the whole of which is benefited by a just distribution of powers and offices assigned to the different members : nor has any member any just occasion to complain of its situation or use, since all are necessary to the perfection of the whole, and all subservient to the good of the whole. The collective welfare, rather than its own individual use, should be the ambition and the happiness of every part.]
2. In dependence on his grace —
[In every station we may serve the Lord. Doubtless it is more difficult to maintain our integrity in some situations than in others ; but yet, whatever be our trials, " the grace of Christ is sufficient for us ;" and God has promised that we shall have no temptation without a way to escape, or ability to bearit*^." We should, therefore, not sit down in despair, as though our calling were such as that God could not be served in it. If we cannot do all that we could wish in a way of active service, we may yet bear and sustain his will : and passive obedience is no less acceptable to him than active ; yea, it is in some respects the more acceptable, because it is the more difficult. A man may shut us up in prison, and pre- vent our intercourse with men : but can he intercept our ffight to heaven, or prevent the descent of God into our souls? Can he rob us of the communications of grace and peace, which our heavenly Father has bestowed ? No : we may laugh him to scorn, and defy his utmost efforts. The utmost that he can do is, to kill the body : he cannot, for a moment, touch the soul, or obstruct its happiness. " If God be for us, who can be against us?" Only let God be our refuge and our hope, and no situation under heaven can prevent us from discharging the very offices which he has assigned us, or from drinking deeply of the " streams which refresh and gladden the whole city of God."]
3. In endeavours to promote his glory —
[As God may be served by all, so may he be glorified in all. It matters not what the particular service be to which we are called, if only we endeavour to honour him by it. Ti)e bond-slave honours him as much by a meek submission to his will, as the greatest potentate on earth does by the most
»> 1 Cor. X. 13.