are some good works which all may perform : and all should be penetrated with a desire to do what they can. It is by the unwearied exertion of all their powers that the designs of God are to be accomplished, both in the Church and in the world. But, as all are apt to be remiss, all should exhort and animate one another, and, " so much the more as we see the day ap- proaching." The final destruction of Jerusalem was very near at hand when this epistle was written : and that period would be most afflictive to the Church who fled to the mountains, as well as to those who abode in the city : and therefore they all needed to prepare for that trial, and to labour with redoubled zeal for the Lord, whilst an opportunity of serving him was afforded them. And to us also, there is a day of trial near at hand, even the day of death, and of our appearing before God in judgment. Then all our opportunities of serving and honouring God will be terminated for ever. O how diligent then should we be in redeeming the present time, and in labouring whilst it is day ; seeing that the night, when no man can work, is so near at hand ! To impress these thoughts on each other's minds, and to stimulate one another to activity in the consideration of them, is our bounden duty : and what- ever we may imagine about serving God acceptably in secret, whilst we neglect these public and social duties, we shall find ourselves awfully mistaken, when God shall call us to account for " hiding our talent in a napkin."]
Such being our duties to Christ and his Church, let us notice,
III. Our encouragement to perform both the one and the other —
God is faithful to his promises —
[Great, " exceeding great and precious are the promises" which he has given us in his word ; promises suited to every state in which every member can be placed. In the covenant of grace they are all contained, even in that covenant of which Christ is the Mediator and Surety: and " in Christ they are all yea and amen, to the glory of our covenant-God and Father'." Not one of them shall ever fail of accomplishment: for " God is not a man, that he should lie, or the son of man, that he should repent." Indeed " he has confirmed his pro- mises with an oath, that, by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong consolation." The experience of all ages attests this blessed truth, that God is faithful to his promises. Joshua's appeal to all Israel, at the
i 1 Cor. i. 20.
2312.1 STEADFASTNESS IN GOd's SERVICE. 341
close of his long-protracted life and warfare, may be made also to every child of Abraham ; " Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you; and not one thing hath failed thereof^."]
This consideration may well animate us to the performance of all our duties —
[If no promises had been given us, we might well have been discouraged: for who could " engage in such an unequal warfare at his own charges ? " In like manner, if the promises had been less extensive, or less free, we might well despond ; because we could have never merited the performance of them, nor ever have supplied what might be lacking in them. More- over, if there had been any room to question God's fidelity, we should still have been equally far from any solid comfort. But when we find the promises so perfectly free, that all are at liberty to lay hold upon them ; and so full, that they extend to every possible want ; and so sure, that sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than one jot or tittle of them shall fail ; do we not feel encouraged to embrace them, and to rely upon them, and to plead them, and to go forth in the strength of them to serve our God? Is not this one word, " My grace is sufficient for thee," a full warrant for undertaking any service, or for meeting any trial, to which God may call us ? Ma}'^ we not boldly say, " I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me ? "