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his wrath, and striving with you by his grace when you have most resisted it? Be thankful that you now live to hear his word. Be thankful that you have still hope to make your peace with Him through Christ. Be thankful, and you cannot fail to be content.

Lastly, seek earnestly for a lively hope, for a sober assurance of faith, for a joyful conviction that your sins are forgiven, your forehead sealed for mercy, your name written in the book of life. There is an assurance which is no better than pride and presumption. There is an assurance also which is tempered with humility, and which yields not rash confidence but calm contentment. Such was St. Paul's feeling when he wrote thus to the Corinthians, "We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (2 Cor. 5.1.) Such was the persuasion which he exhorts the Hebrews (10. 22.) to cherish, "Let us draw near with a true heart in

hardships of our journey, if we have a house prepared for us at the end; if we have a friend there waiting to receive us kindly, and that friend be Christ the Son of God? Labour then to be thus assured that Christ is your Saviour, that God is your God, that heaven is your home, prepared through his love for you. Doubt not, but believe. Presume not, but yet believe. Believe humbly, but believe firmly. Believe that you shall not perish everlastingly, believe that you shall inherit a crown of endless glory.

Thus will you best learn with the apostle, in whatsoever state you are, therewith to be content; content in respect of this world's goods, but not in respect of grace. Only in God's good gifts of holiness must you never be contented. Never think yourselves holy enough, humble enough, thankful enough, but pray ever, and crave, and strive, and hunger, and thirst, after right

eousness.

SERMON V.

CHRISTIAN REJOICING.

PHILIPP. 4. 4.

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say,

Rejoice.

I HAVE lately, from this same chapter, preached to you on the duty of Christian contentment. I then endeavoured to shew you in what sense you might say with St. Paul, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (ver. 11.) But besides contentment, the apostle here teaches us the lesson of Christian joy. He teaches us, he teaches all of us, as a Christian privilege," Rejoice in the Lord alway." This joy is somewhat more than contentment. To be content is not to murmur. But to rejoice is more than not to murmur, it is to be right glad. To be content is not to

be persuaded that we have already got the best we could expect. To rejoice, is to be of good cheer, to be in good spirits, to be happy; and in all we say and do, to express that we are happy.

And can this be the duty, this the character of true Christians? Can this be the behaviour of the disciples of one, who was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief?" (Isaiah 53. 3.) Are they not rather, so at least the worldly wise would ask, are not Christians a sad and serious race, do they not, we may ask properly ourselves, weep ever for the heinousness of sin, and mourn for the abundance of it in the world? Undoubtedly a true Christian is serious. Undoubtedly he is often sad. Often is he ready to say with the Psalmist: "Mine eyes gush out with water, because men keep not thy laws." (Psalm 119. 136.) Often is he concerned for his own manifold transgressions; often sorry after that godly sort, which worketh in him "repentance to salvation not to be repented of." (2 Cor. 7. 10.) And therefore has he no part in what the world counts

joy. No interest can he feel in such mirth and revelry as flow from thoughtlessness or intemperance. Little does he like to share in feasts, where the abundance which he would have dispensed to the poor, is wasted in luxury, or displayed in pride. Little will he join in the laughter, which springs from loose jesting, profane words, or idle and unprofitable conversation. In these respects there is little, there is no rejoicing, for the faithful disciple of Christ.

But it follows not that he may not be truly happy. It follows not that he may not shew forth that he is so, in all he says, and does, and feels, and thinks. And this is his rejoicing, the rejoicing in the Spirit. This is his rejoicing, the rejoicing in the Lord. And this is what St. Paul in the text enjoins; "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

To rejoice in the Lord must be in some way then compatible with sorrow for sin. To rejoice in the Lord must be consistent with a self denying and serious life. And yet for all this, it may be a real lively sa

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