the contending parties. Now we, both ministers and people, are called to " wrestle, not with flesh and blood only, but with all the principalities and powers of hell :" and we have laid down for us, in the inspired volume, rules, to which we must rigidly adhere in all our conflicts. It is not sufKcient that we put forth all our strength: we must put it forth in God's appointed way. For instance : Are we assaulted with evil ? We must " not render evil for evil," but rather " do good to them that hate us ;" and must persevere in this contest even to the end ; " not being overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good." Our blessed Lord has " set us an example," under every species of conflict and of suffering : and we are " to follow his steps." St. Paul, also, is a pattern which we should follow. He was " a man of like passions with us :" and therefore we may hope, that the grace which wrought so powerfully in him will work effectually in us also ; and enable us " to be followers of him, as he was of Christ." A soldier never thinks of following his own mind or will in any thing. He looks to the orders issued by his commander ; and to them he strictly adheres. Thus also must we, having not so much as a thought or wish to follow our own will, but a full deter- mination to conform, in every particular act, and in the whole state and habit of our mind, to the revealed will of God. In a word, " we must strive lawfully," and in the precise way that God has marked out for us : and it is in that way alone that we can hope to have the crown of victory accorded to us.]
3. As husbandmen —
[We all know that the husbandman prosecutes his labours with a patient expectation of a distant, but rich reward. He does not expect the seed to produce a harvest the instant that it has been sown. He looks for many changes of the weather ; and passes through many alternations of hope and fear; but he is sustained, through all, by a humble hope, that, in the end, God will give to him the fruit of his labours. Thus also must we, both ministers and people, go on in the work assigned to us ; and, " by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality." We must not be discouraged because events do not turn out according to our wish or expectation. We must " wait the Lord's leisure ;" and " let patience have its perfect work, that we may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing." *' He that believeth, must not make haste." " Every vision is for an appointed time: and if it tarry, we must wait for it, assured, that it shall come in due season, and not tarry one instant beyond it." God had promised to Abraham to bring his posterity out of Egypt, at the distance of four hundred and thirty years : and had they been kept there one day longer, his promise would