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measure, his bitter murmurings and complaints. And what greater support can any man need than to know that he has Christ for his redeeming God, and that after a few more conflicts he shall enjoy him for ever? We do not indeed expect that a person shall always be so elevated by these considerations, as to soar above all sense of his afflictions. But sometimes even this may be enjoyed; and at all times we may hope to "possess our souls in patience, till patience have its perfect work, and we be perfect and entire, lacking nothing." Let the sons and daughters of affliction then have recourse to this remedy: let them labour to attain a thankful sense that they have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son; and then they need not fear but that they shall be strengthened unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. Let them seek an evidence that they are Christ's: let them beg the Holy Spirit to witness to their spirit that they are children of God; and then their trials, however grievous at the time, shall only serve as a boisterous wind, to waft them more speedily to their desired harbour.]

x 1 Thess. iv. 17, 18.

y Col. i. 11, 12.

CCCCLXX.

AGAINST HYPOCRISY.

Job xx. 4-7. Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

PREJUDICE or passion will miserably warp the judgment. It will hide from us what we might know, and cause us to pervert what we do know. Never was this more strongly exemplified than in the friends of Job. Had they calmly considered, they might have comforted him in his affliction; but, by a hasty misapplication of acknowledged truths, they most unjustly and cruelly condemned him. Job had hinted to them the evil and danger of their conduct. And Zophar, irritated at the caution, replies with great severity. His words, however, though mis

a Job xix. 28, 29.

applied, suggest to us two very important truths respecting sinners :

I. Their prosperity is transient

Of sinners, some make no profession of religion, and others a false profession. Each of these characters may enjoy, for a while, great prosperity

[The profane are often exalted to places of dignity and power: they prosper in all their labours for wealth and preferment. They not only despise, but perhaps persecute the godly: they "triumph," as though no evil should ever happen unto them. This the Psalmist saw with deep regret.

Hypocrites also frequently are held in estimation. They are objects of envy to many an humble and contrite soul. They will boast of experiences which might well be coveted; and even attain considerable heights of joy. Their "excellency may mount up to the heavens, and their heads reach unto the clouds."]

But their prosperity will be of short duration

[Death will speedily seize upon the most stout-hearted sinner. Then all, which he gloried in, shall come to an end. None of his "pomp shall follow him," or his "wealth be carried with him." The hypocrite also shall have a period put to his dissimulation: he shall soon appear in his proper character. The all-seeing God will discover the secrets of his heart. Nor is this time at any great distance: in comparison of eternity, the duration of his joy will be "but a moment."] Then will they experience a sad reverse

II. Their ruin will be tremendous

The ungodly will in due time be visited for their offences. They will then "perish;"

1. To their own eternal shame

[Many portions of Scripture appear to us indelicate; but God's representations of sin are surely just, and well calculated to make us nauseate and lothe it. Such is his description of the ways of sinners; and such his declaration respecting their ends. They will perish under circumstances of disgrace and ignominy. Christ will not deign to own them before his Father. The angels will come forth to execute the vengeance

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of God upon them. The saints would even "thrust them out of heaven" if they should seek admittance there'. The damned themselves will insult them with bitter taunts: nor shall they ever cease to be objects of contempt and abhorrence. This is told us in the plainest terms'. Nor, while they retain, as they must, their character, is it possible that their situation ever should be changed m.]

2. To the astonishment of all that knew them

[The question, "Where is he?" refers primarily to the utter extinction of the ungodly; but it may well be considered also as an expression of surprise. The wicked little think where their course will terminate. If the rich man's request had been granted", what reply would his surviving brethren have made so soon as that in the text? The hypocrites also often escape detection in this world. Perhaps they were celebrated, after their departure, as eminent saints. We may conceive that their dearest friends, or their associates in holy exercises, may inquire after them in heaven. What surprise and horror must seize them, when they hear of the doom which the heart-searching God has passed upon themP!] ADDRESS" KNOW YOU NOT THIS?"

Know you not that this has been so from the beginning of the world?

[Does not the word of God assert, that "it shall be ill with the wicked?" Does not the most authentic history in the world prove it to have been so1? Does not conscience itself testify that it shall be so still?]

i Luke xiii. 28.

1 Prov. xiii. 5. Dan. xii. 2. n Luke xvi. 23, 27, 28,

k Isai. xiv. 9-16. m Rev. xxii. 11.

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• They would most probably have exclaimed, Where is he! in hell! lifting up his eyes in torments! Is it really so? We never could have thought it: we had no doubt but that he was happy he seemed to us as worthy and blameless a character as any nor had he himself any doubts but that he was going to heaven.'

p If a Minister is to have those as his "joy and crown of rejoicing," who were truly converted by his ministry, we may, not improperly, suppose a degree of disappointment, if he miss those, concerning whom he had entertained the most sanguine hopes. We may suppose him, upon the first discovery, to say, Where is he! What, HE in hell! I often feared that I myself should go thither; but who would have ever thought that HE should?' The Lord grant that this may never be realized by any of us!

q Isai. iii. 11. Ps. ix. 17.

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r Where are now the antediluvian scoffers, the haughty Pharaoh, the treacherous Judas, the worldly-minded Demas, the heretical Hymeneus? &c.

If you know, do you not consider this?

[Can any thing be more worthy of our consideration? If we have "but a moment," should we not improve that moment? Are we willing to perish in this ignominious and awful manner?]

Let us live no longer in the neglect of religion

[The gratifications of sense can last but for a little time; but the consequences of neglecting God will endure for ever. Surely the care of the soul is the "one thing needful."]

Nor let us rest in a "form of godliness" without experiencing "its power”—

[It will avail us little to deceive our fellow-creatures. The higher we have been in their estimation, the deeper will be our disgrace. Let us then go to Christ for the remission of past sins: let us approve ourselves to him in future, as 66 servants that need not be ashamed," and labour to be "sincere and without offence until his coming again."]

CCCCLXXI.

THE EMPTINESS OF EARTHLY POSSESSIONS.

Job xx. 22. In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits.

MEN universally, by nature, seek their happiness in earthly things: and though they meet with continual disappointment, they will persevere in the same unprofitable course, "spending their money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not." The question, The question, "Who will shew us any good?" is asked by every man: but it is the godly man alone that answers it aright, "Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me." The godly man attains the object of his pursuit: but the ungodly man finds, by bitter experience, that, whatever be the measure of his success in the attainment of earthly things, "in the fulness of his sufficiency he is in straits."

a Haman's state, Esther v. 11-13, may here be opened to advantage.

From these words, I will take occasion to shew what a poor wretched creature a mere worldly man is ; I. As viewed in himself

It is here supposed, that he may not only possess a very large measure of earthly things, but may have a consciousness that his portion is, as it were, "shaken together, pressed down, and running over." Yet, "in the fulness of his sufficiency, he will be in straits;"

1. As it respects his present enjoyments—

and, -Our

[Earthly things, of whatever kind they be, pleasures, riches, or honours, are all, in their nature, empty and unsatisfying in their use, transient and cloying in their effects, productive of trouble and vexationblessed Lord has told us, that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth;" and Solomon, after trying all things to an extent that no other man ever did, has given us his testimony respecting them, that they are" all vanity and vexation of spirit."

2. As it respects his future prospects—

[Every man has a consciousness that there is a future state; and that earthly possessions, so far from advancing our preparation for it, tend rather to divert our attention from it, and to obstruct our progress in the heavenly life. And it is no uncommon thing for a man, in the midst of all his earthly pleasures, to feel them embittered to him, by a consciousness that he is hastening to the eternal world, and is unprepared for it. In fact, though men may, for a season, shake off the thoughts of eternity, they cannot so divest themselves of it in a time of sickness, and in the approach of death, as not to feel exceedingly straitened in their spirit, and to acknowledge that they have been all their days following a phantom, that has eluded their grasp, and disappointed their expectations.]

But, to see him in his true colours, look at him, II. As viewed in contrast with a godly man—

As an ungodly man may possess an abundance of earthly comforts, so may a godly man be reduced to great straits. We can scarcely conceive a more destitute condition than that of Lazarus, or that of those persecuted saints who "wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted,

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