have, and embrace the opportunities that are afforded us. Dorcas was limited in her means of doing good ; yet were her exertions so great, that the whole Church at Joppa wept and deplored her loss : and tve also may endear ourselves to multi- tudes, and greatly magnify the Lord, if in our respective places we improve the talents committed to our care.]
2. Endure cheerfully whatever we may be called to suffer for his sake —
[There is a kind of suffering which we should account no suffering at all: we should "mortify our earthly members," and " crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts," and cut off the right hand, or pluck out the right eye, that is an occa- sion of offence to us. But there are other sufferings, which though we may deprecate, we must expect and submit to, saying, " Not my will, but thine be done." Reproaches, persecutions, imprisonments, and death, are, more or less, the portion of all who follow Christ. Doubtless they are not pleasing to flesh and blood : yet, as they may be the means of displaying the power and grace of Christ, we may not only bear them, but even " take pleasure in them." St. Paul cheerfully submitted to them in this view: " We bear about," says he, " in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our bodya:" and, to manifest the importance of that thought, he repeats it almost in the same words in the very next verse. Let us meet our trials in the same way ; and then, as he has told us, His strength shall be perfected in our weakness, and His name be magnified in our obedience.]
Address —
1. The self-indulging world —
[You seem to think your body made only that you might adorn, pamper, and gratify it. What resemblance then have you to the Apostle ? Till you know the true use of the body, and employ it in its only legitimate exercises, you have no pretensions to the Christian character^]
2. The inactive professor —
[St. Paul intimates that there is but one alternative ; you will either " be ashamed," or " magnify Christ with your body :" if by any considerations you are deterred from glorify- ing Christ, you so far renounce all your principles, professions, and expectations : but if you value Christ as you ought, you will live and die for him. Judge which is better for your- selves, and more suitable to your obligations to him.]
a 2 Cor. iv. 10, 11. b Dan. v. 23. and 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.