such 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-arrest thy paffion, for one moment and examine the state of thy mind. Art thou uneasy and distressed under this finful impetuosity? and even when thy natural will seems to go along with it, dost thou not feel a deeper will, that secretly wishes it were otherwise, and prays for deliverance from the temptation? Believe me, thy JESUS is then present, though he he seems " to fleep" within thee. This conflict with nature, will make thee cry aloud to him that " is mighty to "fave." Thy spiritual powers will be roused from their repose; the tempest 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 disguife, was croffing the sea in a little bark, it was suddenly overtaken by a storm, and well nigh swallowed up in the waves. Observing the pilot's courage begin to fail, he proudly called out-Why art thou afraid? Know, timid man! that Cæfar is thy passenger. With infinitely greater propriety may the Christian, 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 i ven be opened for a storm; what though DISCOURSE 1 1 |