"Finally, Brethren, Farewell."
"Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you." You are exposed to two opposite temptations. 1st to despair of yourself, or, 2d, to presume on your safety. You cannot feel your weakness and vileness too much, when that feeling drives you to Christ. It is one of Satan's subtle delusions, to make us feel that there is no hope for us, because we have been so wicked. Silence this temptation by the thought that Christ came and endured all his sufferings and shame, on purpose to save SINNERS. He saves to the uttermost, and the lively stones which will compose the spiritual temple have been formed by Christ, from the most unlikely materials; and you may be one, as well as the persecutor, who breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the Christians. But you say Paul's case is no comfort to you because you have sinned against more light. Then look at Peter. Though he had seen the Lord's glory on the Mount, and enjoyed proofs of his love which had been given to no one else, excepting James and John, yet he denied, with awful cursing and swearing, that he never knew him. Who can think of the Lord's compassion to Peter, without a melting and a trusting heart? But, on the other hand, think what it is to be a Christian. We are to strike, with intense agonizing earnestness—to run with patience through the whole race, and press forward with eager longing to the mark, which we must reach, to gain the prize. We are to fight against armies of foes: and therefore we must be covered with the whole armor of God. See Eph. vi, 10-18. But while you are a soldier, you must also be a sentinel. Watch against surprise on every side, and remember him who said, to one whose trials were far greater than yours: "My grace is sufficient for thee." Trust as implicitly as if you expected all from God, and, in his strength, labor as earnestly as if you expected all from yourself.