hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus." "The wicked are like a troubled sea, casting up mire and dirt;" but the pure in heart, like a clear fountain, whose waters are unruffled by passion, and unpolluted by earth and sense, reflect from their tranquil bosom the serenity of the heaven which smiles above them, and the glory of the Sun of Righteousness. "Grace be unto us, and peace be multiplied!"

V.

LONG-SUFFERING.

THE Composition of this term might lead some to think, that the apostle intends merely a forbearing and forgiving temper towards those who insult or injure us; and, indeed, the early Christians, exposed as they were to constant persecution and contempt, had great need of such grace; but "long-suffering" means yet more. His idea is exactly expressed by longanimity, or that enduring courage and fortitude derived from confidence in the faithfulness of God, and a sure expectation of final deliverance, which sustains the believer through a long period of labour and trial. It is patience having "her perfect work."

In the days of the apostle, this world offered

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but little inducement to a profession of Christianity, but on the contrary, if for this life only they had hope in Christ, they were of all men the most miserable. Daily threatened with confiscation of their goods, stripes, imprisonment and death, by their enemies without, they were sorely tried by the inconsistent lives and ambitious heresies of some within the church, while in their most zealous attempts to do good, they often met with little or no apparent success. It was, therefore, for the crown of life awaiting them beyond the grave, that they laboured and suffered. They "looked not upon the things which are seen and temporal, but upon those which are not seen and eternal." To encourage them in perseverance, the apostles dwelt much upon the glory which would be revealed at the "appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ," and the joys of heaven, as the recompense of gracious reward.

The afflicted Christians were, however, liable to one or the other of two temptations. They

might be discouraged because of the long delay of their reward, and faint; or they might become impatient, and presumptuously desire to receive it before the time of their rest had come. As the apostle said to the Hebrews, "Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." Hence one of the fruits of the Spirit in the character of the regenerate is "LONG-SUFFERING.'

We are in these days happily delivered from the bloody persecutions which tried the faith of the primitive disciples, yet the world is still a world of sin, and we meet with many temptations to relax our zeal and industry in the Christian life. Few of us are too eager for our heavenly inheritance; alas! our hearts cling too closely to the things of this life; but we are all apt to become restless under trial, and weary of welldoing before the reward is won.

Let us, therefore,

I. Meditate on the excellence of the grace of long-suffering.

II. Consider some of the occasions which specially require its exercise.

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I. The excellence of the grace of long-suffering. It is one of God's own attributes. claimed his own name to be "the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty." By the apostle in Romans, he is called "the God of patience." God is, indeed, infinitely above those disturbances of pain and vexation, to which the finite creature may be subject; yet the restraining of his just anger against the transgressor, and his patient waiting for the execution of his glorious designs, are declared to be excellences of his God-like nature. It would be nothing for him to sweep all the army of sinners into instant death, but he shows the glory of his character in so loving the world, notwith