kind, are for the most part strangers to peace. They are distracted and disquieted, and not unfrequently " filled with envy, and strife, and railings, and evil surmisings," and all manner of unhallowed dispositions y. Their very contentions are for the most part not so much for truth, as for victory. But the man whose heart is established with grace, dwells, as it were, in the higher regions of the air, where he is not subject to those storms and tempests which agitate our lower world. His mind is kept in perfect peace, because it is fixed, trusting in the Lord. He is content to be ignorant of things which God has not revealed ; and to let people entertain different sentiments from himself on matters of doubtful disputation. He knows assuredly, that, vs'hilst his faith in Christ is firm and operative, he cannot materially err; and that " he shall not be ashamed or confounded world without end."]
2. Stability into the life and conversation —
[He leaves others to enter into controversies ; he is con- cerned only about the maintenance of the divine life in his soul. Others are espousing different sentiments, and joining with different parties ; and some are running the whole round of Christian profession, one day holding communion with one Church or people, and another day anathematizing them as heretics and fanatics. But the Christian who is established with grace, moves on in one even tenour, and makes his pro- fiting daily to appear. He grows in grace, he makes visible attainments in holiness, " he runs with patience the race that is set before him." Like the sun in its course, he diffuses blessings all around him : and, having finished his course, he sets, to rise in another hemisphere, where he shall shine with undiminished lustre for ever and ever^]
Address —
L Be not ignorant of the Gospel of Christ — [It is quite a mistake to imagine, that, because there is a great diversity of sentiment upon some points, there is nothing certain : for on the points which are of fundamental import- ance, all true Christians are agreed. They are all agreed, that we are guilty, helpless, and undone : that it is in and through the Lord Jesus Christ alone that any human being can be saved: that we need his righteousness to justify us, and his grace to sanctify our corrupt nature : and that, whatever attainments in holiness any man may reach, he will still be indebted to the free, and sovereign, and undeserved grace of God for all from first to last. Get the knowledge, the practical knowledge of this ; and all will be well. You may clearly see
y 1 Tim. vi. 3—5. ^ Matt. xiii. 43.