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And the time would fail me to tell of the many others who were famed for signal sacrifices in all the days of old. And in our times, the whole family of Christians are constantly struggling with self-denials. It is the great business of their lives. In more irresolute moments we may think our sacrifices and crosses greater than those of others, and may repine at the hardness of our lot. But the trials of Christians are perhaps more equally apportioned than is often imagined. If not, of this we may be sure, they are exactly apportioned to the necessities of each. Could we have a full and particular view of the Church militant, with all its secrets disclosed, we should have a view of a great family dispersed through the world, all in their respective spheres struggling with self-denials. Not one would be found unemployed. We should perceive their struggle to be daily and almost ceascless, and at times each supposing his own trials the most severe. This is the universal conflict of Zion from age to age; a conflict for which we were placed in this vale of tears. We were stationed here, not to rest, but to toil; not to possess our inheritance, but to make sacrifices: and our rest and reward are to come after we "have borne the burden and heat of the day." This is the condition of the whole, immense family of our brethren; and why should we be more exempt or more at ease than they?For shame let us not seek to repose in ignominous sloth, when all our brethren are daily toiling and struggling in their work. Let us not sink under the apprehension that we stand alone in these trials.

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There is abundance of company with us. All who have entered on the heavenly journey stand with The trials of Zion are in a measure common. In view of all these reasons, let us all, as we are called to it, take up our cross and follow Christ. There is no other way to follow him but to the cross, for he went no other way. By that cross let the world be crucified to us and us to the world. We must bear the cross if we would wear the crown. Let us commit all our interests to the divine management, in readiness cheerfully to endure whatever he shall impose who for us agonized in Gethsemane and Golgotha, and to resign whatever he shall require who gave up heaven and life for us. Let us never consent to exchange the trials which he has prepared, for thrones and kingdoms. "By patient continuance in well doing" through all selfdenying scenes, let us "seek for glory and honor and immortality." And it shall "be no grief unto us "nor offence of heart" when we come to stand on the everlasting hills, by the side of the fountain of life, inhaling immortal joys, and looking back on the trials of the wilderness. When we shall receive the high rewards of faith and patience, and find heaven the sweeter for all the deprivations of this life, it will be no grief to us that we renounced the pleasures and portion of the wicked, and continued faithful amidst all sufferings and crosses. the glorious prospects of eternity might smooth down all the ruffles of our impatient minds,-might nerve us with fortitude to meet all the evils with which human life is beset, to bear all with patience,

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and into the hands of God to give up all our interests with filial submission. Let "none of these things move" us, "neither" let us "count" our own "life dear" to us, "so that " we may "finish" our "course with joy." And then "our light affliction which is but for a moment," will work "for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," Finally, let us be supported and encouraged by the affectionate address of the risen Saviour to the church of Smyrna : "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.-Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Amen.

SERMON XIII.

ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD.

GEN. v. 24.

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Enoch was the father of the long lived Methuselah and the great grand father of Noah. It is said of him that he walked with God after the birth of Methuselah, three hundred years. It was a long time for a man to support a holy life and communion with God without any relapse worthy of notice. It is difficult for Christians now to do this for a single day: how remarkable then that he should have done it for the long space of three hundred years. Such approbation did his extraordinary piety gain him, that when the time came for him to leave the world, God translated him, as he afterwards did Elijah, and suffered him not to taste the bitterness of death; perhaps to show mankind what he would have done for them had they never sinned.

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