and beneficial for them.

For if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heavi ness.-Is. lxi. 3.

Blessed are they that mourn. And how saith Paul, Rejoice in the Lord alway? The joy he is speaking of, is what springs from those tears. For as men's joy for the world's sake hath a sorrow in the same lot with it, even so godly tears are a germ of perpetual and unfading joy. In this way the very harlot became more honorable than virgins, when seized by the fire of the Spirit. That is, being thoroughly warmed by repentance, she was thenceforward carried out of herself by her longing desire toward Christ; loosing her hair, and drenching with her tears his holy feet, and wiping them with her own tresses, and exhausting the ointment. And all these were outward results, but those wrought in her mind were far more fervent than these; which things God himself alone beheld. And therefore every one, when he hears, rejoices with her, and takes delight in her good works, and acquits her of every blame. But if we that are evil pass this judgment, consider what sentence she obtained from that God, who is a lover of mankind; and how much, even before God's gifts, her repentance caused her to reap in the of blessing.

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For much as after a violent burst of rain, there is a clear, open sky; so likewise when tears are pouring down, a calm arises, and serenity, and the darkness that ensues on our sins quite disappears. And like as by water and the Spirit, so by tears and confession are we cleansed the second time; unless we be acting thus for display and vanity for as to a woman whose tears were of that sort, I should call her justly condemnable, more than if she decked herself out with lines and coloring. For I seek those tears which are shed not for display, but in compunction; those which trickle down secretly and in closets, and in sight of no man, softly and noiselessly; those which arise

from a certain depth of mind; those shed in anguish and in sorrow; those which are for God alone; such were Hannah's, for her lips moved, it is said, but her voice was not heard; however, her tears alone uttered a cry more clear than any trumpet. And because of this, God also opened her womb, and made the hard rock a fruitful field.

If thou also weep thus, thou art become a follower of thy Lord. Yea for he also wept, both over Lazarus, and over the city; and touching Judas, he was greatly troubled. And this indeed one may often see him do, but nowhere laugh, nay, nor smile but a little; no one at least of the Evangelists hath mentioned this. Therefore also with regard to Paul, that he wept, that he did so three years, night and day, both he hath said of himself, and others say this of him; but that he laughed, neither hath he said himself anywhere, neither hath so much as one of the saints, either concerning him, or any other like him; but this is said of Sarah only when she is blamed, and of the son of Noe, when from a freeman he became a slave.

And these things I say not to suppress all laughter, but to take away dissipation of mind. For wherefore, I pray thee, art thou luxurious and dissolute, whilst thou art still liable to such heavy charges, and to give a strict account of all that hath been done here? Yes: for we are to give an account both of what we have sinned willingly, and what against our will :—for “whosoever shall deny me," saith he, "before men, him will I also deny before my Father: "-and surely such a denial is against our will; but nevertheless it doth not escape punishment, but of it too we have to give account:—both of what we know, and of what we do not know; "For I know nothing of myself," saith one," yet am I not hereby justified: "--both for what we have done in ignorance, and what in knowledge; "For I bear them record," it is said, "that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge;" but yet this doth not suffice for an excuse for them. And when writing to the Corinthians also, he saith, "For I fear lest, by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

The things then being so great, for which thou art to give account, dost thou sit laughing and talking wittily, and giving thyself up to luxury? Why," one may say, "if I did not so,

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but mourned, what would be the profit?" Very great indeed; even so great, as it is not possible so much as to set it forth by word. For while, before the temporal tribunals, be thy weeping ever so abundant, thou canst not escape punishment after the sentence; here, on the contrary, shouldst thou only sigh, thou hast annulled the sentence, and hast obtained pardon. Therefore it is that Christ discourses to us much of mourning, and blesses them that mourn, and pronounces them that laugh wretched. For this is not the theatre for laughter, neither did we come together for this intent, that we may give way to immoderate mirth, but that we may groan, and by this groaning inherit a kingdom. But thou when standing by a king, dost not endure so much as merely to smile; having then the Lord of the angels dwelling in thee, dost thou not stand with trembling, and all due self-restraint, but rather laughest oftentimes when he is displeased? And dost thou not consider that thou provokest him in this way more than by thy sins? For God is not wont to turn himself away so much from them that sin, as from those that are not awe-struck after their sin.

But for all this, some are of so senseless a disposition, as even after these words to say, "Nay, far be it from me to weep at any time, but may God grant me to laugh and to play all my days." And what can be more childish than this mind? For it is not God that grants to play, but the devil. At least hear what was the portion of them that played. "The people," it is said, "sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Such were they at Sodom, such were they at the time of the deluge. For touching them of Sodom likewise it is said, that "in pride, and in plenty, and in fullness of bread, they waxed wanton." And they who were in Noah's time, seeing the ark a preparing for so many years, lived on in senseless mirth, foreseeing naught of what was coming. For this cause also the flood came and swept them all away, and wrought in that instant the common shipwreck of the world.

Ask not then of God these things, which thou receivest of the devil. For it is God's part to give a contrite and humbled heart, sober, self-possessed, and awe-struck, full of repentance and compunction. These are his gifts, forasmuch as it is also of these things that we are most in need. Yes, for a grievous conflict is at hand, and against the powers unseen is our wrestling;

against the spiritual wickedness our fight; against principalities, against powers our warfare: and it is well for us, if we are earnest and sober and thoroughly awakened, we can be able to sustain that savage phalanx. But if we are laughing and sporting, and always taking things easily, even before the conflict, we shall be overthrown by our own remissness.

That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.-1 Thess. ii. 12.

GREAT is the honor which God hath put upon us, in calling us to such high and distinguished blessings,-even unto his kingdom and glory. How great, therefore, is the obligation which rests upon us, so to walk, as that God may be honored by us. Hence says the apostle in another place, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." How then shall our walk be worthy of God?

1. To walk worthy of God is to walk in obedience of faith, receiving his glorious gospel, and leaning upon it, laying hold on the covenant which is revealed in it, as on the only hope which is set before us for this is a great acknowledgment of the glory and praise of God, when we trust in him for salvation. Hence the apostle, having shown the glory of Christ above Moses, makes this use of it, that therefore "they should hear his voice, and take heed of an unbelieving heart, in departing from him.' We," saith he, "are to the praise of God's glory, who trust in Christ."

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2. We honor God, in obedience of life and holiness. When, for the honor of the gospel, we can deny ourselves, and dishonor our lusts, and part from all that we had before, as from filth and dross, and express the image of Christ in our conversations. This is indeed the true learning of Christ, when we show forth his life in ours, when we walk as he also walked; when as he was, so we are in this world; when the same mind, judgment, affections are in us whch were in Christ. Thus the faithful are said to honor God, when they sanctify his sabbath, and to glorify him when they bring forth much fruit.

3. We honor God by constancy, and continuance in our faith and obedience: for "standing fast," or persisting immovably in our course without sorrow or repentance, is an argument of our high esteem, and the excellency of our "heavenly calling." Lusts ever bring inconstancy with them, and make the soul like wearied and distempered bodies, never well in any posture or condition. Wicked men flee like bees from one flower to another, from one vanity to another; can never find enough in any to satiate the endless intemperancy of unnatural desires: only the gospel being spiritually apprehended, hath treasures enough for the soul to rest in, and to seek ́ no farther. And therefore falling away from the truth, power, or purity of the gospel, is said to expose Christ to shame, and to crucify him. again. If a man should relinquish the service of some noble person, and apply himself to some sordid master for subsistence, —would not the mouths of men be quickly open, or their minds jealous to suspect that however such a man carries a high name, and there be great expectations from attending on him, yet, in truth he is but a dry master, whom his own servants do so publicly dishonor? So when any men turn apostates from the power and profession of the gospel of Christ, presently wicked men are apt to blaspheme, and to conceive desperate prejudices against our high and holy calling. If any man make a boast of the law, and yet break it, he dishonoreth God the more: for, saith the apostle, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written." So then constancy in Christ's service gives him the glory of an honorable master,— and his law, of a royal law; puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men, who lie in wait to take advantages, that they may blaspheme the name of God, and his doctrine.

4. God is honored in our studying the counsels of his will concerning the kingdom and glory to which he hath called us. St. Paul despised all other knowledge, and shook off every weight, that he might press forward with the more unwearied affection towards so excellent a treasure. Surely, if men had the spirit of the apostle, or of those blessed angels which desire to pry into the gospel of Christ, they would not misspend so much precious time in frothy and fruitless studies, nor waste away the lamp of reason in their bosoms, in empty and unnourishing blazes; but would set more hours apart to look into the