utterly have failed. But that self-same day that the period was completed, he brought them forth. So, however long we may have to wait for a successful issue of our labours, we must " never faint or be weary in well-doing;" but must pro- ceed with cheerfulness, assured, that " in due season we shall reap," and '* our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."]
Now then attend, I pray you, to,
II. The injunction given him in relation to them.
First, says the Apostle,
1. " Consider what I say" —
[No good can be hoped for, even from apostolic instruc- tions, if they be not duly and attentively considered. Now then let all of you consider, Hovi vast and arduous are your duties. In the preceding context you have seen how all the offices of a soldier, a wrestler, and a husbandman, are com- bined in you : and, in fact, there is not any office sustained by any man on earth, from the king upon the throne to the meanest slave, that is not concentrated in you. You are called " a royal priesthood :" and if you, every one of you, are " kings and priests unto God," you luay well suppose that every subordinate employment must find its counterpart in you. Conceive, then, all the diversified occupations of all the human race to devolve on you, so far at least as to have their respective energies required at your hands ; and then you will form some notion of the duties to which you are called.
But " consider," also, hoio great and indispensable are your obligations to fulfil them. Ministers, doubtless, are bound by the most solemn ties to " fulfil their ministry ;" not only because they have been most solemnly called to this office, and have pledged themselves to the performance of it, but because the souls of their people will be required at their hands. But every Christian, in his baptism, has consecrated himself to God : and every one, inasmuch as he professes to " have been bought with a price," acknowledges himself bound to "glorify God with his body and his spirit, which are his." Now then, consider this. Consider what that price is with which you have been redeemed, even with the precious blood of your incarnate God ; and is there any service which you will account too arduous to engage in, or any suffering too heavy to endure, for the honour of his name? It was well said by St. Paul, " I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, as your reasonable service:" and truly this is your reasonable service, that, as the burnt-offerings were wholly consumed upon the altar in sacrifice to God, so should every