themselves. Behold them in secret : they read the Scriptures with diligence: they pray over them with earnestness: they set themselves to mortify their evil propensities, and to fulfil their duties both to God and man. Observe them at all times, and you will see, that they are in earnest for heaven. When you go into the fields, and see the husbandman ploughing, manuring, sowing, harrowing, weeding his ground, you will never hesitate a moment to say, that he has the harvest in view. So, see the Christian from day to day, and you will without fail remark, that he has heaven in view, and that he is preparing for a future harvest.]
2. In a patient expectation of the desired end —
[Many months intervene between the seed-time and the harvest: but the husbandman waits with patience. It is some time before the seed springs up from under the clods : but he waits for it, and for " the former rain," which alone can call forth its vegetative powers. Its growth is afterwards impeded by drought : but still he waits for the latter rain, without which the corn can never come to maturity. There may be many alternations of hope and fear : but he commits the matter to the Lord, and waits the destined time, in expectation that God will give him to see, in an abundant increase, the fruit of his labours. So the Christian must wait upon his God : many things he will meet with to try his faith and patience : but he must commit them all to the Lord, not doubting but that God will give him " strength according to his day," and cause " all events to work together for his good." As the husbandman knows that a few months will bring the appointed harvest ; so the Christian knows, that his Lord is quickly coming, and " will not tarry beyond the appointed time :" and for that time he must wait ; fully assured, that the harvest which he shall then reap will amply repay all his cares and all his toil.
This then, Christian, is the pattern you are to follow : you must be " steadfast, and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord ; and then you are assured, that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."]
Learn then from hence,
1. How to estimate your true character —
[The Apostle addresses those whom he is exhorting by the endearing name of " brethren :" for they are all children of one common Father, even of God himself. Now, wherein- soever they differ from each other, they all agree in this : the true child of God is engaged in a work, which demands, and in which he puts forth, all his energies. In it he is occu- pied throughout the year. He consults not the clouds, to know whether he shall plough and sow his ground : he knows