ing, I say, to these circumstances, St. Paul, in the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, places the Christian combatant in the midst of a most august and magnificent theatre, filled with all those great and illustrious characters, enumerated in the preceding chapter, as having overcome, through the power of faith, from the beginning of the world; whose presence should animate and fire him to engage in the contest, with an ambition not to be reprehended, and a spirit altogether invincible.

You will give me leave to conclude with the passage, every expression of which you are now prepared to taste and feel, in its full force and energy.

"Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, " and let us run with patience the race that is set be"fore us; looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher "of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before "him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and " is set down or the right hand of the throne of God. "For consider him that endured such contradiction "of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and "faint in your minds;" think of the hard and bitter conflict, through which he passed; reflect upon his fortitude, and the promise of his grace, and be no more languid and dispirited. "Lift up the hands “which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make

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straight paths for your feet, lest that which is "lame be turned out of the way;" exert in the Christian race those nerves that have been relaxed, and collect those spirits which have been depressed

and dejected: make a smooth and even path for your steps, and remove the impediments which would obstruct and retard your course.—In all the particulars that have been mentioned, and every otherif there be any other-so RUN THAT YE MAY

OBTAIN.

60

DISCOURSE V.

THE CHRISTIAN ARMOUR.

EPHESIANS, VI. 11.

Put on the whole armour of God.

IN the foregoing parts of the epistle, St. Paul had enforced the duties resulting from the various relations of life. These are easily stated, but, as all sadly experience, not so easily performed. An opposition often arises within, excited by our own passions; and there are still more formidable enemies who attack us from without; endeavouring either to prevent us from forming proper resolutions, or from carrying them into execution when formed. Engaged as we are necessarily engaged-in this perilous warfare, what is to be done? We are weak; how shall we become strong? We are without armour, either to defend ourselves, or to resist and put the enemy to flight: from what magazine shall we be provided? These questions are answered at large, and perfectly to satisfaction, in the portion of Scripture, which it shall be the design of the following discourse to explain, being the portion appointed for the epistle of this day.

Finally, my brethren," says the apostle, having finished his scheme of duty, "be strong." If the

sentence closed here, the exhortation would be to little purpose. He who only exhorts a weak man to become strong, only mocks and insults him, unless the means are pointed out by which this change may be effected; unless the source be discovered from whence strength is derived.

But how is this?

"Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his "might." That which was wanting, is now fully supplied. What the power of God's might is, we very well know. Mountains tremble, and rocks melt before it; the sea feels it, and flies; Jordan is driven back. Armies are discomfited, and cut off by a blast, in the night. The world itself was produced by this power in one instant, and may be destroyed in another. All created power, if opposed to that of the Creator, withers and falls like a leaf in autumn, when shaken by the stormy wind and tempest. It is "in the power of this might," that the apostle exhorts us to be strong." "Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder "with a voice like him?" Yet St. Paul would never enjoin us to seek after that which could not be obtained. Our Redeemer is Almighty; he is with us by his Spirit, and his strength is ours. Look at his apostles in their natural state; ignorant and fearful of every thing: view them "endued with power from "on high;" acquainted with the whole counsel of God, and bold to proclaim it through all the nations of the earth. During the persecutions of the church, in her infant state, numbers of the weaker sex, receiving strength and courage from above, in the hour of trial, patiently endured all the torments which the

malice of men and devils could invent.

They tri

umphed gloriously. "Now are they crowned, and "receive palms from the Son of God, whom they "confessed in the world." The promise of assistance in time of need is to us all; to us and to our children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call. From thee, blessed Jesus, we learn our duty: to thee must we look, and to thy all-powerful grace, for strength to perform it. Not in ourselves, but in thee, and in the power of thy might, we are strong. Without thee we can do nothing: with thee we can do all things.

It is this consideration which alone can support us, when we take a view of the enemies whom we must encounter. Attend to our apostle's description of them. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, "but against principalities, against powers, against "the rulers of the darkness of this world, against

spiritual wickedness in high places." The meaning is, that our own desires, carrying us on through the corruption of our nature towards forbidden actions, are not the only enemies with whom we are to contend; that there are others, not the less to be dreaded because we cannot see them; namely, evil spirits, who having been cast out of heaven, are permitted for a while to disturb the earth; to stir up against us either our own passions within, or the passions of other men without us; thus keeping the world in perpetual agitation, as the waves of the sea are driven and tossed by the wind. Such is our state, and the danger of it calls upon us diligently to learn and to practise all the rules which will presently be given us.