be instrumental to the advancing the Redeemer's kingdom upon earth ? — — ■ — ]
4. Let your sacritices for it be alike welcomed —
[By the cross of Christ, in which St. Paul gloried, " the world was crucified to him, and he unto the world*^:" and he regarded all that it contained, just as a man dying on a cross would regard it. Yea, in his Master's service he was ready to welcome martyrdom as an occasion of self-congratulation and joy°. A noble example ! Seek to imitate it, my beloved brethren ; and instead of repining at any thing ye may suffer for the Gospel's sake, " count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ;" and " rejoice, if ye are counted worthy to suffer for your Lord's sake " ]
And now let me, in conclusion, "speak to you as
my children" —
[Would to God I could say, that " ye have never been straitened in us." Alas ! we are conscious that in our mini- strations we have often been cold and dead. But, on the present occasion, we hope that, in some small degree, we may adopt the Apostle's words ; and, " in recompence for the same," we would add with him, " Be ye also enlarged." Truly, if you had not been " straitened in your own bowels," many, many blessings would have flowed down upon you, which yet have been withheld, because ye were not sufficiently alive to
the importance of the subject propounded to you You
well know, that a vessel with a contracted opening receives but little of the showers of heaven, in comparison of one that presents to them a wide and expanded orifice : and thus it fares with many, who, through prejudice or worldly-minded- ness, have their hearts almost closed to the glad tidings of the Gospel. O that ye might henceforth be enlarged, so as to come with minds fully prepared to receive at God's hands all that his dear Son has purchased for you, and all that his own unbounded mercy is ready to bestow ! Come to the house of God as rebels that have subjected yourselves to God's heavy displeasure. Come as penitents, imploring mercy at his hands. Come as believers, that are persuaded of the fulness of the salvation provided for you in Christ, and of the willingness of God to bestow it on every believing penitent. In a word, Come to hear the testimony of God, in the manner, and in the spirit, that St. Paul went forth to announce it to his hearers. Let but tills feeling be reciprocal, (the Lord grant it may be more and more found in me !) and then we shall not speak in vain, nor will you hear in vain.]
' Gal. vi. 14. g Phil. ii. 17, 18.