injuries which they themselves had sustained, and gloried in their sufferings as an honour conferred upon them, an honour of which they deemed themselves utterly unworthy.]

2. They persisted unalterably and indefatigably in the path of duty—

[Though they gloried at present in their sufferings, it might have been expected that they would be very cautious of exposing themselves to the increased resentment of their persecutors. But they well knew that Jesus Christ was the only Saviour of the world, and that all must eternally perish who did not believe in him. They therefore lost no time, but instantly resumed their labours both in public and in private. They declared the death of Christ to have been an atonement for sin; they testified of his resurrection and ascension to carry on his work in heaven; and they proclaimed a full, a free, an everlasting salvation to all that would believe in his name. This was the obnoxious doctrine which they were forbidden to preach but they proceeded on this one principle, that they were bound to "obey God rather than men:" and they were determined to suffer the last extremities rather than swerve from the path of duty, or relax their exertions for the instruction and salvation of immortal souls.

But it was not their perseverance that we admire, so much as the spirit and temper with which they conducted themselves. throughout the whole of their trials: they shewed a firmness that was invincible; but without petulance, without anger, without ostentation, without complaint. They acted, not from self-will, but from zeal for their Lord, and love to their fellowcreatures: and their glorying was, not from a proud conceit of being martyrs to their cause, but from a persuasion that to suffer any thing for Christ was the greatest honour that could possibly be conferred on mortal men; since it gave them an opportunity of manifesting their love to Christ, and rendered them conformable to his blessed image.]

Such being the example which they have set us, we would,

II. Recommend it to your imitation

We are required to "be followers of them who through faith and patience now inherit the promises." Therefore let me commend to your imitation, The principle from which they acted, the determination of heart with which they obeyed that principle, their view of the sufferings they were called to endure, and the manner in which they endured them.

That we may all resemble them,

1. Let us get that love to Christ, which was the governing principle in their hearts—

[Without a supreme love to Christ, it is in vain to hope that we shall attain to any eminence in the divine life, or indeed to any real experience of it. We shall never be willing to endure much for him, much less be able to glory in sufferings and shame for his sake, if our hearts do not burn with love towards him from a sense of what he has done and suffered for us. This therefore is the first thing we are concerned to seek after: let us get the knowledge of Christ as our crucified, risen, and exalted Redeemer, and, under the constraining influence of his love, let us devote ourselves entirely to his service.]

2. Let us, like them, be steadfast in our obedience to the will of Christ

[We shall find many things both from within and from without that will endanger our fidelity to Christ. But nothing must be suffered to divert us from the path of duty. We owe allegiance indeed to our governors in all things lawful; but if their commands be opposite to those of God, there can be no doubt whom we are to regard in preference, and to whose authority we must yield obedience. We must therefore arm ourselves equally against the allurements of inward temptation, and the terrors of outward persecution; and have it as an established principle in our hearts, that nothing is, on any account, to interfere with our duty to God.]

3. Let us, instead of dreading the cross, account it an honour to suffer for our Lord

[Sooner or later we must have a cross to bear, if we will be followers of Christ. We may be screened for a time; but "all who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution." Nor should any be ashamed of the cross; but rather, as Moses and all the saints of old, accounted the reproach of Christ to be their honour, and loss for Christ their gain, so should we rejoice and leap for joy, if we be counted worthy to endure any thing for our blessed Lord'. To suffer for him is represented as a special favour conferred on us by God for Christ's sake; a favour equal, if not superior, to the gift of salvation itself. In this light then let us view the cross; and we shall take it up with cheerfulness, and bear it with unshaken constancy.]

4. Let us very especially take heed to our spirit when we are under persecution

a Heb. xi. 26. and x. 34.

b Matt. v. 10-12. 1 Pet. iv. 12-16. e Phil. i. 29.

[It is no easy matter to unite firmness and constancy with meekness and love. We are in danger on the one hand of yielding to intimidation, or on the other hand, of indulging an angry, complaining, ostentatious, or vindictive spirit. It may be well therefore frequently to set before us he examples of our blessed Lord and his Apostles, that we may follow their steps, who returned nothing but blessing for curses, and fervent prayers for despiteful persecutions. The whole of our duty is contained in one short but comprehensive sentence (may God inscribe it on all our hearts!) "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."]

d 1 Pet. ii. 20-23. 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13.

e Rom xii. 21.

MDCCLVI.

THE ZEAL OF MOSES.

Acts vii. 22, 23. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.

IT was urged against Stephen, that he was an enemy to Moses, and to the laws delivered by him. He, in vindicating himself against this charge, exalts Moses to the uttermost, as the greatest friend of Israel, who, at the peril of his life, and with the loss of all things, effected their deliverance from their bondage in Egypt.

In the hope that God, of his mercy, may raise up from amongst ourselves such friends to Israel, I will endeavour to shew,

I. The use to which Moses applied his distinguished talents

Certainly his talents were of the most distinguished kind

[In point of rank, he was second only to Pharaoh himself, in the whole Egyptian kingdom. Whether the government itself would ever have devolved on him, we cannot say: but, next to Pharaoh, he now possessed the greatest influence, and the most enlarged authority. His acquirements were of the very first order: "he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," who were at that time the most learned people upon earth. Solomon himself, who was wiser than all the

children of the east country, was commended especially by this, that "he excelled all the wisdom of Egypta:" and, consequently, the character here given us of Moses, as "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," is as elevated as any that could be given to mortal man. But to this was added experience, in all the most arduous affairs of state. When it is said, "he was mighty in words and in deeds," we are not to understand it of what he was subsequent to his mission to redeem Israel from their bondage; but of his previous state, whilst he was yet in Pharaoh's court, where he must of necessity find many occasions which called for peculiar wisdom in deliberation, and energy in action. At the same time, he was now in the very prime of life; not so young, as to act with thoughtless indiscretion; nor yet so old, as to be suspected of acting from a weariness of life, or a superstitious hope of meriting somewhat at the hands of God: he was forty years of age; at which time his judgment was fully matured: and, if he had affected worldly pleasures, he was fully capable of enjoying them with the richest zest, and for many years.]

Yet, with all these advantages, how did he employ them?

[Did he enjoy himself as one intent only on his own personal gratifications? No: he felt for the miseries of his oppressed brethren; and determined to interest himself in their behalf. He was aware that such a proceeding must be attended with great sacrifices on his part, and expose him to very imminent dangers. He must of necessity lose his place and situation in the court of Pharaoh; and, in uniting himself to the despised and persecuted Israelites, he could not fail to bring upon himself much reproach and suffering: yet, having weighed, as in a balance, the evils which he must endure against the benefits which he hoped to convey," he refused to be called any longer the son of Pharaoh's daughter; and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt"." The benevolent desire of delivering his people from their oppression having been conceived in his mind, he instantly addressed himself to that good work: and, "seeing one of them injured by an Egyptian, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand." But finding, the next day, that this action had been discovered, and knowing assuredly that, if he should be apprehended by Pharaoh, his life would be sacrificed, "he fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian"." How far the precise mode of carrying his desires into effect

99

a 1 Kings iv. 30. b Heb. xi. 24-26. e Exod. ii. 11–15.

was right, I presume not to judge. It is the desire of delivering his people, and not the mode of his attempting that deliverance, that is the object of my commendation and that is held forth to us, by God himself, as worthy of our highest admiration.]

And now let us consider,

II. The light which his conduct reflects on the general subject of Missions

Methinks it reflects great light,

1. On the need there is of Missions

[The state of the Israelites in Egypt very strongly illustrates the state of mankind at large under the bondage of sin and Satan. Truly "the god of this world" rules over men with most tyrannic sway; "leading them captive at his will," and recompensing with nothing but evil their most laborious exertions. In one respect, the vassals of Satan are in a far worse predicament than they; for they are unconscious of their bondage, and even love their chains. Not only where the darkness of heathenism prevails, but even where the light of Christianity shines, are men enslaved by their lusts and passions; and yet are ready to account their bondage liberty"; unconscious, too, in what that bondage will issue. To the miseries of oppressed Israel, so far at least as the cruel Egyptians could inflict them, death put a happy termination : but the slavery of Satan's vassals is leading them to chains of everlasting darkness. Say, then, whether there be not need for such to be instructed, and encouraged to cast off the yoke with which they are bound? Yes verily and to exert ourselves for the diffusion of such light and liberty is an employment worthy of the most elevated of mankind. No talents can be improved to better purpose than in such acts of benevolence as these.]

2. On the spirit with which they should be undertaken

[Moses regarded all the honours and riches of Egypt as nothing, when put into competition with the service of God, and the benefiting of mankind. Nay, not only did the sacrificing of all earthly comforts appear trivial in his eyes, but even life itself was judged by him as of small value, in comparison of the discharge of his duties to God and man. Now, thus should it be with us. Whatever we possess of earthly distinctions, we should account it of no value, but as it may

d 2 Pet. ii. 19.