tarry" one moment beyond the fittest time^. If, on the other hand, you are tempted to presumption, and to run uncalled into scenes of bodily or moral danger, remember that, what- ever stress you may lay on garbled extracts from God's word, you cannot hope to be preserved, except in the ways that God himself has prescribed. If, like Israel of old, you go against your enemies unsent, you shall, like them, assuredly, meet with a repulse™. Finally, if, like Demas, you are tempted to apostatize from God, and to prefer the things of this world as your portion, reject the proposal with abhorrence, and, instead of yielding, like him", determine, through grace, to live only for Him, who lived and died for you.]
1 Hab. ii. .3. ^ Deut. i. 42—44. " 2 Tim. iv. 10.
Matt. iv. 18 — 22, AjkI Jesus, ivalking hy the sea of Galilee, saio two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea : for they were fishers. And he saith unto them. Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightivay left their nets, and foUoxoed him. And going on from thence, he saio other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship tvith Zebedee their father, mending their nets : and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
IT has pleased God on many occasions to give marks of his special approbation to persons while they were employed in their worldly callings. David was taken from his father's sheep-folds, when he was appointed to feed and govern the kingdom of Israel. The shepherds were watching over their flocks by night, when a choir of angels announced to them the Messiah's birth. And four of the Apostles were occupied in spreading, or in mending their nets, when the Lord Jesus selected them for his stated and most intimate attendants. We do not mean to say, that a discharge of earthly duties can merit any thing at the hand of God, or that he will have respect to it in that view : but certainly, to fulfil the duties of our respective stations is a service highly pleasing and acceptable unto God ; nor are we ever more likely