the mean time, what a mighty consolation is it to believers, that, if God "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for them all, how shall he not with him also freely give them all things!" Trouble arises not out of the dust. Every cross they can look on as sent, for some good end, from the Best of Friends, from unerring Wisdom. "For all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." No one thing is left to themselves; all is ordered in number, weight, and measure, by their God: his covenant in Jesus has engaged for every thing for them. This completes their contentment. But the ungodly can have no such consolation.

To apply, then, in brief, this very useful subject to the righteous, and to the wicked.

Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings."-You are born to trouble as well as the wicked. But, see your consolation. Here you have no continuing city, you seek one to come. Through much tribulation you must enter into it. Its bliss you pant after as true bliss. You are interested in it by faith: you have the earnest of it already in your soul, and a promising covenant God engaged" to make all things work together for your good." What remains, but that you lay these considerations together, and, by daily cherishing them, improve them into their happy effect

of a contented mind? It much dishonours Divine grace if God's people go on discontented, fretful, repining, anxious with various cares, and not resigned to their Heavenly Father's will. Always expect trouble in this life, rest hereafter. You have sufficient grounds for learning, with Paul, "in whatsoever state you are, therewith to be content." I have laid open the lesson this day. If you would see still better how he learnt it, study with much prayer the seventh and eighth chapters of Romans. Do not suffer these lessons to

remain useless. prove them into to be content.

Meditate daily on them, impractice, and you will learn

O wicked men! what shall I say to you? There is a heaven, but it is for the righteous, There is an interest in it to be felt in this life by God's people: you are not interested in these things. Some portion of heaven is to be felt in the soul in this life: you have no idea of this. "All things work together for good to them that love God:" this should be no comfort to you, who do not love him. I know not how to exhort you to be content as you are pride, or a natural good-temper, may do something, but nothing on right principles. Repent, and believe the Gospel;" become new creatures; and on this ground learn con

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tentment.

SERMON XV.

PATIENCE DESCRIBED AND COMMENDED.

ECCLES. vii. 8, 9.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

THIS BOOK of Ecclesiastes may well be called the guide of human life. It does not give us a flattering picture of earthly happiness, a picture which is sure to disappoint us upon trial; but it faithfully tells us, that the world is full of vanity and big with misery. There are, however, certain rules, by observing which, those who believe in God through Christ for life everlasting may be much relieved in their passage, and enjoy with gratitude to God the good things of life, without being cast down with its evils. This is one of its rules,-Patience; and the conquest of its opposite evil, anger, or hastiness of spirit. "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of

fools." God, in his infinite wisdom, is carrying on a scheme of amazing goodness through the miserable confusions of the earth. Those, and those only, who believe and love him, and wait for the second coming of his Son Jesus as their grand object, shall see and taste this goodness at the last day, and shall feast upon it thenceforward for ever. Unbelievers, the unconverted, the haters of the Lord, can make no very valuable use of the subject before us, to direct their tempers and practice. They may, and I would to God they might, make use of it to shew them their present miserable, condemned state, that they may repent, believe the Gospel, and be saved. But to those who have faith in Christ as their principle, the text speaks with power; and though the nature of the subject will not lead me so much to attend to the first principles of faith, I desire they may be borne in mind by you all the time. What I have to say is built on them: without them, it is mere morality, a castle in the air.

The "beginning of things" in a Christian's experience, is much the same as in the whole of God's dealings, seemingly weak, mean, and miserable. It was thus with the work of redemption itself. How low and mean, humanly speaking, its beginning! Christ a human infant! in a manger! hunted from his birth, as it were, by a tyrant; carried into Egypt; and the occasion of the death of many infants at

Bethlehem afterwards living poor and despised, and dying betwixt two thieves on a cross! But mark the end! he is raised from the dead; he ascends into heaven; he is King of kings and Lord of lords; he shall judge men and devils; and shall reign for ever. How does this exemplify the declaration, "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof!" It will be so with thee, tempted, weary, distressed Christian. Thy spiritual life began, it may be, with sharp distress and bondage of the law it is still carried on with many a pang of conflict; but, like thy Saviour's, it shall in the end be sweet, and everlastingly glorious. "In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer."

"And the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools."-Discontent and anger are founded in pride. Our foolish reason prescribes to God, He should have ordered affairs with us so and so, in a way more agreeable to our humour. We like not that word, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Believers should know that this is madness and blasphemy:

anger resteth in the bosom of fools." Opposite to this pride of spirit is the patience of spirit here recommended. Wait, endure; let the Lord take his course: he will do so whether