Let us then endeavour to profit by his experience, and consider, from the advice which he gives us in my text,

I. The meaning of his exhortation, "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage;"

II. The promise made to those who follow it" He shall strengthen thine heart."

I. The expression, "wait on the Lord," is rendered in the version of the Prayerbook, "O tarry thou the Lord's leisure."

This explains more clearly the frame of mind recommended, viz. one of faith and patience. This describes the spirit

which we ought to cultivate.

The words

manner in

which follow, describe the which we should act. "Be of good

or, as it stands in the "be strong."

Prayer - book version,

These two qualities should mark the character of every servant of Christ. He should be ready to "wait on the Lord," and to trust His promises, and rely upon His goodness; and he should at the same time be strong and of a good courage,

and walk straightforward in the course of duty. Thus, he will neither run into the false and dangerous notion that faith is everything, and that he has nothing to do but to sit still and blindly trust to fortune, or chance, or the working of events, without taking any active step in his own behalf; nor will he, on the other hand, be presumptuous, and seek to carve out a way for himself, without any reference to God at all. Now, it is useful to examine ourselves by this rule, and consider whether our conduct is under the influence of these two great principles, faith, and courage in following what is right.

Many persons go through life with scarcely any regard to principle whatever, and those, not what the world calls unprincipled men, but rather men who do not take the trouble to think seriously upon the subject of their duty. Do we not see many men who do not seem to regard anything but self from year's end to year's end, or at least who do not ever

think of putting their duty to God in opposition to their own interests? If we look into our own hearts, we shall find that self is enthroned there so deeply, and yet so subtilely, that it is very difficult to detect it where it is, or to say where it is not. Now, you must not think, my brethren-I hope and trust you never do think-because I talk thus plainly about the sins and infirmities which human nature is liable to, that I mean to set up myself as more free from them than other persons. I assure you sincerely that it

is

very far from my feeling; I know how

much need I have to search out my own spirit, but I desire, nevertheless, to discharge my duty as far as in me lies, as a pastor and teacher, according to mine. office; and it is not by learned discourses out of books that this can be done, but by speaking the convictions of the heart, and uttering the observations which a scrutiny into the motives of actions and the secret springs of conduct suggest. It would be easy to speak "smooth things;"

but what profit would the finest sermons in the world be to you, if they did not come home to the conscience and strike the understanding? Do you, then, bear in mind, that what your ministers say in this place, they say, not as "being lords over God's heritage," nor with a view to exalt themselves and condemn you, or the rest of the world; but only to give you matter to think upon-they leave you to make the application for yourselves. Wherefore, when I say that self is the ruling principle of the heart, apart from the influence of the grace of God's holy Spirit, be not offended, but think with yourselves, is it not so? Does not Scripture say so, and does not our own individual experience show that it is true? It was, in fact, to deliver mankind from this bondage of self, which they are wont to worship instead of God, that Jesus Christ came into the world; and the means by which it pleases the Lord to drive out the love and worship of self from the heart of

1 Peter v. 3.

every man, is by introducing into the heart the love and the worship of God, and teaching him by faith to raise his thoughts and affections above the things of this world, to which self is so prone to bind him, and to set them upon "those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God." For this end, the grand lesson which our blessed Lord taught, both by word and by example, was self-denial, and that we should prefer the promotion of God's honour, and man's benefit, to our own personal interests.

Now, the manner in which we should endeavour to show a sincere and hearty desire to follow His precepts, and to imitate His example in this particular, is not by one or two occasional acts of selfmortification-profitable and necessary as they are in themselves-such as almsgiving, fasting, and the like; nor yet by shutting ourselves up from intercourse with the rest of the world, and denying ourselves the society of our fellow-creatures; these, although done with religious