sin, though he is no longer its slave, and now seldom or never actually commits it; if, I say, he should complain that he is still notwithstanding troubled with the temptation, that the desires arise, though he eventually suppresses them, that evil thoughts spring up within him, though he suffers them not to ripen into wilful transgression; if he should repine at the continuance of this warfare, and despond at being unable, though he defeat the enemy, to conquer him utterly; to such an one I would further unfold, for his consolation and encouragement, the doctrine of the text; to such a case I would still apply these words of the Lord to his Apostle, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weak

And thus I would explain them. This life is not meant for a resting place, even to God's most favoured saints. As long as it endures, so long must your soul undergo both discipline and trial. Be assured, that, throughout this whole process, the grace of God is sufficient to

support your soul. Be aware, that his strength will be more freely imparted, in proportion as you learn to repose your trust in it more freely. Be resigned to the continuance of those assaults from your spiritual enemy, which ever furnish fresh and fresh occasion for the ministration of God's Holy Spirit to your assistance. And abide in hope that your probation is continued, only that in this your state of weakness his strength may be made perfect, only till your soul, by more frequent communion with the source of all power and might, may be prepared to dwell for ever with Him, in the enjoyment of eternal rest.

Such then I conceive is the doctrine of the text that however difficult, however frequent, however long continued, are our temptations, the grace of God, if duly sought, though it will not straightway remove them, will always enable us to withstand them. And further, that they are continued through life, even to the most approved of God's servants, in order to keep in their remembrance a

lively sense of their own weakness, and continually to increase their trust in that divine strength, which thus, and thus only, or thus best, can be made perfect in them.

Such being the plain meaning of these divine words, we shall the more readily apprehend the spirit of the exclamation which they drew from the Apostle; "Most gladly will I therefore glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong." That succession of trials, and those instances of frailty, which to the natural man are a source of painful vexation, become to the Christian in the midst of his godly sorrow, in some sort also a source of joy and glorying. For he knows that if he use them rightly, if, that is, they induce him the more to trust in God's good grace, they will cause the power of Christ to rest upon him. Therefore he takes pleasure in his "infirmities." Every symptom of weak

ness, he finds within him, reminds him that therein the strength of God may be made perfect, fixes in his heart the persuasion that he is of himself unable to do any thing as of himself, and by repeated experience confirms the conviction, that all his sufficiency is of God. Therefore also he takes pleasure in " reproaches." Even this thorn in the flesh, the reproach of others, is to the Christian a source of satisfaction. If the world were all to praise him, he would be in danger of trusting in the world, of seeking the favours of the world, and entrenching himself in the strength of the world's good opinion. But when, as he deserts the course of sin, he is followed by the taunts, the scorn, and the derision of his former companions, who still walk in wickedness; when, I say, all these join against him, he is the more constrained to put his whole trust in God; he is the more encouraged to feel, that in this his solitude and desertion, God is his strength, and to seek with all his heart that God may be his portion for ever. (See Psalm 16. 6.)

Therefore also, as the Apostle proceeds, he takes pleasure in "necessities." Poverty, and all the privations, and mortifications, which accompany it, thus become to the Christian a ground of rejoicing. He knows he is on his way to a better country. He esteems all he meets with here, according as it will help him towards this final object. He knows that Christ has himself pronounced it hard for the rich to enter into the kingdom of heaven. (See Matt. 19, 23, 24.) And he receives therefore with thanksgiving the cross of poverty, as tending to fix his hope more fully on the riches of the life to come. In like manner too, he takes pleasure in "persecutions;" whether they arise from the wanton mischief of others, or be directed against him on account of his religion. And even in

distresses," however frequent however severe, however hard to be borne, he learns to bear all with contentment for Christ's sake, and not only with contentment, but with joy. The bed of sickness, and all the pains to which this mortal body is exposed, bring with them the