fuch circumstances, where are we to look for Support and Confolation? Knowest thou not, O Christian! that every nature has its will? that the earthly part, which the Apostle calls the law in the members," and the Heavenly Nature, or "the law of the "mind," have each their respective wills, strong and powerful?—When the former, therefore, would hurry thee into fin, and thou feelest thyself carried headlong towards the object of thy unlawful defires, as an horse rusheth to the battle-arreft thy paffion, for one moment-and examine the ftate of thy mind. Art thou uneafy and diftreffed under this finful impetuofity? and even when thy natural will feems to go along with it, doft thou not feel a deeper will, that fecretly wishes it were otherwise, and prays for deli verance from the temptation? Believe me, thy JESUS is then present, though he he feems" to fleep" within thee. This conflict with nature, will make thee cry aloud to him that "is mighty to "fave." Thy fpiritual powers will be roufed from their repofe; the tempeft will be quelled; a calm will be restored; and thou wilt then wonder at thine own fearfulness and want of faith. When Julius Cæfar, in disguise, was croffing the sea in a little bark, it was fuddenly overtaken by a ftorm, and well nigh fwallowed up in the waves. Obferving the pilot's courage begin to fail, he proudly called out-Why art thou afraid? Know, timid man! that Cæfar is thy paffenger. With infinitely greater propriety may the Chriftian, in his darkest moments, address this language to his foul: Fear not, O my foul! JESUS CHRIST is embarked with thee upon the tempestuous ocean. What though the windows of hea "his ven be opened for a storm; what though the fountains of the deep be broken up for a flood; what though thou art oppreffed with desertions from above, and afflictions from beneath; yet that GoD, who "fitteth in heaven, and ruleth "over all," will not caft away "own offspring;" "CHRIST in thee, "the hope of GLORY," will not suffer thee to fink. The waves of ocean fwell, only to set thee nearer to Heaven; the tempeft roars, only to alarm thy fears, and to make thee awaken thy Master. Have confidence, then, in JESUS! Embarked with him, thou shalt escape all the perils of the Voyage of Life, and be landed fafe on the fhore of Eternal Blifs. DISCOURSE |