DISC. unmingled and permanent happiness, that VIII. here we have no abiding city, but expect, and fhould feek after, one to come.

Nothing happens without the providence of God. Known unto him are all his works from the beginning. He created all, he governs all, and to every thing he has given to be what it is. He numbers the hairs of our heads, the leaves of the wood, the grains of fand upon the fhore, and the drops that compose the mighty ocean; each atom, at the creation, was measured and weighed by his eternal wisdom. Acquainted with the ftate and temper of every person, and having the whole chain of events before him, he has prepared a series of them, to detach us, by degrees, from the world and from ourfelves; to train us, by a holy and falutary discipline, for better things; to hew and to polish us, as precious ftones, that shall have place in his celeftial temple. And he has allotted to every man his crofs, his own crofs, that crofs which is proper for him, and beft calculated to effect in him so great

and

VIII.

and beneficent a purpose. Let him firft DISC. confider what it is, and then "take it up, "and bear it." To point out in few words, the manner in which this may best be done, shall employ the remainder of our time.

When our Lord was led forth to be crucified, the Jews, we are told, laid hold on "one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the "country; and on him they laid the cross, "that he might bear it after Jefus." This ftranger feems defigned to appear, upon this occafion, as the representative of us all, exhibiting in his person, thus loaded with the crofs, or a part of it, the very fame inftruction conveyed by our Lord himself in the words of the text; "let him take up his "crofs, and follow me:" we are to follow him, to tread in his steps, and, conformed to his example in fuffering, conform ourselves to it likewise in the manner of bearing thofe fufferings.

The very confideration, that we are following him, will direct us to do it as be

comes

DISC. comes us. Looking unto Jefus, the author VIII. and finisher of our faith, going before us, and suffering fo much for us, himself per

1

fectly innocent, we cannot think it much, that we should suffer fomething, who are in fo many ways guilty. "If these things be "done to the green tree"-if the ax be laid to the root of the verdant and fruitful tree of life itself what fhall be done to the

dry?" what can the faplefs and barren wood expect, but to be for burning and fuel of fire?

When a man groans under the iron rod of oppreffion, or, caft down upon the bed of fickness, feels his bones to be filled with pain, and the multitude of his bones with ftrong pain; when he endeavours to recollect fome paffage of Scripture, wherewith to folace and fupport his weary foul; perhaps there is nothing that will cause more light and comfort to break in upon him, than frequently to repeat and medidate upon that humble acknowlegement, made by the poor penitent from the cross on one fide of

VIII.

his Saviour, and addreffed to his reprobate DISC. companion on the other" Doft not thou "fear God, seeing thou art in the fame con"demnation? And we indeed juftly; for "we receive the due reward of our deeds; "but THIS man hath done nothing amifs. At this thought, Love of the Redeemer will spring up in his mind; and to Love nothing is irksome; it will make "his yoke eafy, and his burden light,"

In every path and every period of life, the cross will meet us; it will be found lying before us by mean compliances, by tranfgreffing or neglecting our duty, we may turn out of the road, and avoid it; through wilful blindness and obftinacy, we may stumble over it, and fall. Our Lord took up his, and bore it while strength remained; let us do likewife,

It fhould be borne in a spirit of fubmiffion and refignation, without complaining or murmuring. "Attend to the rod, and to "him who hath appointed it;" confider well

the

DISC. the latter, and you will entertain right ideas VIII. of the former. "The cup which my Father "hath given me, fhall I not drink it ?”— "Not my will, but thine be done."

Refignation to God fhould be accompanied with meeknefs towards men, who may be the instruments of our sufferings, for they are only inftruments, in the hands of their Maker and ours; and whether the inftruments employed be animate or inanimate, a Christian fees it equally abfurd to discharge his anger against them. "Let him "alone, let him curfe, because the Lord "hath faid unto him, curfe," exclaimed David of Shimei. "Thou couldeft have no

power at all against me, except it were

given thee from above," said a greater than David to his unjust judge. Knowing this, therefore, "when he was reviled, he "reviled not again; when he fuffered, he "threatened not; but committed himself to "him that judgeth righteously." Spotless

с 2 Sam. xvi. 10.

di Pet. ii. 23.

and