the wonderful inheritance to which they are begotten-and, above all, the security which they possess for the ultimate enjoyment of it-what shall I say? Are they not happy? Or can they be placed in any circumstances whatever (sin only excepted) wherein they are not proper objects of envy to the whole creation? Be it granted, that they are as much oppressed as ever saints were, and as destitute of all earthly comfort; still will I congratulate them from my inmost soul, and bid them exclaim with joy and gratitude," Blessed be God, who hath begotten us again!"---]

2. How pitiable is the condition of the unrege

nerate

[You, alas! have no part or lot in the felicity of God's children. Never having been begotten of him, you have no relation to him, nor any title to his inheritance. Ah! think, then, whose children ye are, and with whom you must take your everlasting portion! I tremble to announce such awful tidings. But I thank God that yet ye may become new creatures: for, as all the saints once were what ye now are, so may ye become what they are. Yes, the word, which is God's great instrument, yet sounds in your ears: and it is as powerful as ever, to convert souls to him. Only receive it into your hearts by faith; and it shall "turn you," as it has unnumbered millions of your fellow-creatures," from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." Only believe in Christ, and you shall instantly become sons of God, and be enabled to look up to heaven as your everlasting inheritance. My dear brethren, "make not light of" this great salvation. Do but think how "ready it is to be revealed," and how certainly it shall be attained by all who believe in Christ. May God now pour out his Holy Spirit upon you all, that not one of you may "receive this grace of God in vain!"]

1 Pet. i. 6,7. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

THE enlightening and converting of souls are the first objects of a minister's attention: nevertheless, the comforting of God's people is also an essential part of his duty. This was the special direction which God gave to the prophet of old: it is a conformity to the Divine Exemplar: it is the fruit of the comforts they themselves receive." St. Peter is a striking pattern of a sympathizing and affectionate pastor. He writes to the Christians who were scattered through divers countries; and begins with setting before them the richest topics of consolation". He shews them the blessed end for which their present troubles are suffered to come upon them— I. The state and condition of God's people

Believers have at all times within themselves a ground of joy: yet they are also frequently oppressed with deep and pungent sorrow. They experience a peculiar and united exercise of these opposite affections.

They "greatly rejoice" in the mercy which has been vouchsafed unto them

[They have been begotten of God to a lively hope of a glorious inheritance: they see that inheritance reserved for them, and themselves kept for it. This cannot but be matter of exceeding joy to them at all times.]

But they are at the same time encompassed with manifold temptations

[They are hated, reviled, and persecuted by the world: they are assailed with "the fiery darts of the devil:" they are harassed with innumerable corruptions in their own hearts.]

Through these temptations they are sometimes "in great heaviness”—

[Grace does not destroy, but only moderates our natural feelings. Christians therefore may be deeply oppressed with grief: not that God will suffer them to continue always in heaviness. Nevertheless he permits them to be in this state occasionally, and "for a season."]

There is" a necessity", that they should undergo trials of this kind

a Isai. xlii. 1. b 2 Cor. vii. 6. c 2 Thess. i. 3, 4. d ver. 3-5.

[God could save them without leaving them to endure any trial; but he "perfected his own Son by sufferings:" he has ordained that the members shall in this respect be conformed to their Head.]

Their temptations, however afflictive at the time, are permitted for their good.

II. The end for which they are suffered to be in that

state

Temptations, of whatever kind they be, are justly called "trials of our faith”—

[No man can exercise the grace of patience, or of contentment, unless he be in a situation that may give rise to impatience or discontent: nor can faith be known to exist in the heart, unless there be some circumstances that give scope for the manifestation of it; but temptations, especially such as produce much grief, can be surmounted only by strong faith. Hence God himself speaks as though he discovered Abraham's grace by means of the difficulties into which he was brought'.] In this view they are "much more precious than the trial of gold”

[Gold, though it stand the trial of the fire, will perish at last; but faith, in its effects at least, will endure for ever. The value and the brightness given to gold by the furnace are not so estimable, as the purity and brightness which our faith derives from affliction.]

Their real worth will not be discerned till the day of judgment

[They will have a different aspect in "the day of Christ's appearing" from what they have now. The benefit resulting from them will be then fully discovered.]

66

They will then be found to the praise and honour of those who endured them"

[Every thing we have done or suffered for Christ will be brought to light: a reward proportioned to our faithfulness. will then be given us. Great sufferings will issue in "an eternal weight of glory".]

They will be declared also to the praise and honour of Christ himself

[Christ is "the author and finisher of our faith :" he will have the glory of carrying his people through their trials.

• Zech. xiii. 9.

f Gen. xxii. 12.

Thus they will issue in the good of the sufferers, and the glory of Christ.]

This is the end for which God permits his people to endure them

INFER

1. How little cause have any persons to question their interest in God's favour on account of their trials, or their grief under them!

[Satan takes advantage of the afflictions of the saints to impress their minds with desponding thoughts: their natural turn of mind, too, sometimes favours such impressions. Even bodily disorder also may concur to deject their souls. But the being in heaviness through temptations is no just ground of doubting our acceptance with God. The persons of whom the Apostle speaks in the text, were most undoubtedly in a converted states. Let not any tempted soul then be desponding or dejected1.]

2. What abundant reason have we to be reconciled to afflictions!

[Afflictions are trying to our frail nature, but they are salutary to our souls'. We shall ere long see the necessity and benefit of each of our sorrows. The praise and honour in which they will issue will make amends for all. Let us then even now account them "precious" let us consider how light they are, when compared with the glory of heaven1: let us only be concerned to possess our souls in patience m.]

They were "begotten again," had "a lively hope," "believed in Christ," "loved him," "rejoiced in him with joy unspeakable," and had "received the salvation of their souls." ver. 3, 8, 9.

1 Pet. i. 8, 9. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

THE world often wonder that Christians do not conform to the vices of the age": and are yet more

a 1 Pet. iv. 4.

surprised, that any should be willing to suffer for the sake of their religion. But every Christian is actuated by a principle of love to Christ; which principle even gathers strength from the opposition it meets with. The Apostle is writing to those who were in heaviness through manifold temptations. He declares, however, that their trials were promoting their eternal good; and that they were supported under them by their attachment to their adorable Redeemer.

In his words we may see,

I. The state of true Christians

Christians cannot be distinguished better by any thing, than by their regard to their Divine Master: 1. They love Christ

[Once, like the ungodly around them, they were enemies to Christ and his cross: they "saw no beauty in him, for which he was to be desired"." But now he is truly precious to their souls: and they claim him as their best friend and portion. This is the character of every true Christian.

If any answer not to this character, they are, and must be, accursed.]

2. They rejoice in Christ

[They have a good hope, if not a full assurance, of an interest in him. They have access to him in their secret duties. They receive strengthening and refreshing communications from him. They rejoice in him, as their faithful and almighty Friend. Their joy in him is "incapable of being fully declared." It is a "glorified" joy, such as the saints in heaven possess k. Every Christian indeed does not experience the same measure of joy; nor is any one at all times alike joyful: but no one is a Christian, who does not esteem the light of the Redeemer's countenance above every other good1.]

That their felicity may be more generally experienced, we proceed to state,

II. The means by which they attain it—

[Many suppose, that if they could have a personal inter

view with Christ, such as Paul was favoured with, they should