be in the clay of judgment to see such an one as Rahab, an accursed Canaanite and a harlot, admitted into the kingdom of heaven, and you yourselves cast out! I pray you avail yourselves of the advantages which you enjoy ; and let them not issue in your heavier condemnation. The promise of Christ's coming to judge the world will as surely be fulfilled, as that of his coming to save the world has been. And if you look forward to that event, and to the everlasting separation of the righteous from the wicked, O think " what manner of persons ye ought to be in all holy conversation and godliness ;" and " be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." ]
Christ's persevering diligence.
Heb. xii, 1, 2. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of loitnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin ivhich doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ; tvho for the joy that ivas set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
WHEN we read the history of the Jews as re- corded in the sacred volume, we in general feel no other interest in the events related concerning them, than we do in those which are handed down to us by the historians of Greece and Rome. But, allowing for some local and circumstantial differences, the same things are transacted amongst ourselves ; and the records which we read, may serve as a glass wherein to see all that is now passing in the world. The saints of old, even from righteous Abel to the end of the prophetic age, were called to a life of suffering, and by their sufferings were made perfect. Thus also " must we go through much tribulation in our way to the heavenly kingdom ;" and fill up the mea- sure of sufferings which is allotted us in this vale of tears.
The Apostle having given us a long catalogue of worthies, who had approved themselves faithful unto
2334.] Christ's persevering diligence. 451
death, and had thereby " obtained a good report," exhorts us to follow their example, and more espe- cially the example of our blessed Lord himself.
In this passage are contained, I. An exhortation to run oar race —
All of us are called to " run our race with pa- tience " —
[There is a course marked out for us by God himself: nor can any one err from it, who duly attends to the directions given him in the Holy Scriptures. In this course we are to run. We are not left at liberty to choose a path for ourselves : the race is " set before us," and to that we must strictly ad- here. But we cannot hold on in it without much and continual exertion. Many are the difficulties that obstruct our way : sometimes our path is steep and slippery; and sometimes it is rough and thorny. Often are we wearied in it and ready to faint, before our course is half finished. And not unfrequently they who ought most to aid and encourage us, exert them- selves to the utmost to impede our progress. But our duty is to run our race "with patience;" to hold on till we arrive at the goal, in spite of all our external trials, or inward weak- ness ; and " by patient continuance in well-doing to seek for glory and honour and immortality." To run well for a season will avail us nothing : we must " endure unto the end, if ever we would be saved."]
To this we should be stimulated by the considera- tion of the many witnesses that surround us —
[The saints who have gone before us, having finished their course with joy, are represented as being spectators of our conflicts, and zvifnesses to us that our persevering efforts shall he crowned toith success. In both of these views, the consideration of them is calculated to refresh our spirits, and to quicken our languishing exertions. Conceive " a cloud," or multitude of departed saints, and more especially of those who ran together with us ; conceive them looking upon us with eager solicitude, rejoicing when they behold us rapidly advancing, and ready to weep over us, if at any time they see us on the decline ; conceive them crying out to us, Press for- ward ; remember me ; I once endured the same trials ; I, like you, was ready to faint; but, through grace, I held on: and at last I obtained the prize: hold on then a little longer, and the crown of righteousness is yours ; " be not weary in well- doing ; for in due season you shall reap, if you faint not :" I say, let us dwell on this thought ; and surely, if ever men run- ning in a race were encouraged by the acclamations of their