may be imperfect, and as things may fall out, prejudicial to their purpose, but His are most complete, and always so suitable to His end, that they cannot be bettered. The matter then, of this embassy is unalterable: in that, these ambassadors must be faithful. Faithful, also, in the manner of delivering it; with singleness and diligence. [1.] With singleness, free from by-respects, not seeking their own honour or advantage, but their Master's; abasing themselves where need is, that He may be magnified; never hazarding the least part of His rights for the greatest benefit that could accrue to themselves. The treachery of an ambassador is of all the most intolerable; to deceive under trust. If any who bear the name of God's legates, think to deceive Him, they deceive themselves; He cannot be mocked. They must all appear before His judgment-seat, and be unveiled before men and angels. Knowing, therefore, the terrors of the Lord, let them go about His work with candour and singleness of heart. And [2] with diligence. He that is diligent in his work, shall stand before princes, saith the wise prince. Prov. xxii. 29. The great Prince of Peace shall admit those to stand eminently before him, who are diligent in his embassy of peace. Such are they who make it their meat and their drink, as Christ himself did, who accept all occasions, yea, seek and make occasions, to treat with men for God. That oracle-like preaching of one sermon or two in a year, is, far from this sedulity and instancy in treating, which are requisite in God's ambassadors. The prince of darkness hath more industrious agents than so they compass sea and land to make a proselyte; they hold to it, and are content to lose many a labour, that some one may prosper.

And this may meet with the discontent that some ministers take at their great pains and little success. We see, Satan's ministers can comport with this. Since it is no just exception against God's work, still be in thy business, and refer the issue to thy Master. Wait on God, and do good, saith the royal Psalmist. Psal. xxxvii. 3. Sow thy seed in the morning

and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which will prosper, saith the wise son. Eccl. xi. 6. As the moralist speaks of benefits, a man must lose many words among the people, that some one may not be lost. I am all things to all, saith our Apostle, that I may gain some. 1 Cor. ix. 20. And though in continuing diligent, thy diligence should still continue fruitless to others, to thee it shall not be so. Thy God is a discreet Lord: as He hath not put events into thy hand, He will not exact them at thy hands. Thou art to be accountable for planting and watering, but not for the increase. Be not wanting in thy task, and thou shalt not want thy recompense. Shouldest thou be forced to say with the prophet, I have laboured in vain, and spent my strength for nought, in regard of success, yet, if thou hast laboured, so laboured as to spend thy strength in that service, thou must add with him, Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. Isa. xlix. 4.

4. The last duty recommendable to these ambassadors, is Magnanimity, which is no less needful than the preceding. Many a difficulty and discouragement is to be encountered in this service, and, which is worse, some temptations of prosperity and advancement. If you persist to plead freely for your Master, you shall be the very mark of the world's enmity. What mischief is there, that Christ hath not foretold his disciples to expect at their hands? For Christ circumvents no man to his service; he tells them what they shall meet with: They shall prosecute you through their courts, ecclesiastical and civil; deliver you up to councils, and scourge you in their synagogues, and accuse before governors and kings; (Matt. x. 17.) yea, they shall think they do God good service when they kill you. His own ambassadors. Many mountains are to be climbed in going this embassy, and the rage of many a tempest to be endured. His animis opus est, et pectore firmo. Courage, then, ambassadors of the Most High ! See if you can rise above the world, and tread upon her frownings with the one foot, and her deceitful smilings with the

other. Slight her proffers, and contemn likewise her contempts. There is honour enough in the employment, to cause you to answer all oppositions with disdain. Let it be as impossible to turn you aside from your integrity, as the sun from its course. For that message which you carry, shall be glorious in the end it shall conquer all opposite powers. When you seem exposed in your voyage to the fury of winds and waves, remember what you carry. Cæsarem vehis, et fortunam ejus, as he said; it cannot suffer shipwreck. Let no sufferings dismay you. For a generous ambassador will always account it far more honourable to suffer the worst things for doing the best service he can to his master, than to enjoy the world's best rewards for the least point of disloyalty. And if ever Master was worthy the suffering for, yours is. Happy are you when they persecute you for his sake, as himself hath told, Matt. v. 10. There are honourable examples to look back to— So persecuted they the prophets; and a precious recompense to look forward to-Great is your reward in heaven. Our blessed Redeemer refused no hardships for the working out of this peace, which is your embassy. He knew what entertainment did abide him in the world, what contempts would be put upon him by mankind which he came to redeem; he knew of the full cup of His Father's wrath, that he was to drink for them; yet, resolution arising from love, climbed over all these mountains, and happily conquering all these difficulties, attained the desired end. Worthy ambassadors, follow this generous Leader in promulgating the peace he hath purchased. Tread his steps who endured the cross and despised the shame, and your journey's end shall be suitable to his who is set down at the right hand of the Father. Heb. xii. 2. Well did St. Paul study this copy when he said, I know that bonds abide me every where; but I care for none of these things, so that I may finish my course with joy. Acts xx. 24. The looking over to that great end, is the great means of surmounting the hardest things that intervene. The eying of that much, will

make an undaunted ambassador.

And that this lesson of

courage is very pertinent for them, will appear by Christ's own urging it upon the first legates he sent out, when he dwelt here below: Fear not, saith he, them that can kill the body, &c. Matt. x. 28; where, methinks, he propounds, as the chief incentive of courage to these ambassadors, the joint consideration of those to whom they are sent, and of Him who sends them. For, seriously considered, it must needs be found most incongruous, that ambassadors of God should be afraid to speak to men. Fear not them; the utmost they can do, reacheth no further than the tabernacles of clay. Nor can they touch that without permission: not a hair of their head falls without notice of their Master. But suppose the highest, let them kill the body; thither goes their rage and no further. But fear Him who can kill both body and soul. Fear not, but fear. As this fear hath better cause, so it is the only expelling cause of the other fear. Nothing begets so generous and undaunted spirits as the fear of God: no other fear, none of those base ones that torment worldly men, dare claim room where that fear lodgeth. The only cause of these legates' fears, is the inconsideration of their Master. Would they remember him much, it would ennoble their spirits to encounter the hardest evils of life, and death itself, courageously in his service. Their reward is preserved for them, and they for it; yea, it alone puts them into full possession. For their Master, beyond all kings, hath this privilege; he can not only restore life lost in his service, but, for a life subject to death, yea, a dying life, can give immortality, and, for their sufferings, light and momentary, and eternal weight of glory. Let them be impoverished in his service, it is the best bargain in the world to lose all for him. Let them be scourged and stigmatized for the ignominy of these sufferings, the spirit of glory shall rest upon them. If that Persian prince could so prize his Zopyrus, who was mangled for his service, how much more will this Lord esteem those who suffer so for him! He is the tenderest King over his servants in the world. Those who touch them, touch the apple of his eye. Let his messengers, then, despise

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the worst the world can do against them; yea, let them say of death, as he said of it to his adversaries, Anytus and Melitus, Kill me they may, but they cannot hurt me.

The lessons to those to whom these ambassadors are sent, are: 1st, Do not dishonour them. Remember David and the king of Ammon. No king resents this so much as God: He that despiseth you, despiseth me.

2dly. Slight not their message: know whence it comes. This not discerning of holy things, is the pest of Christians. The Apostle specifieth it in the Lord's body. 1 Cor. xi. 29; it is so in the Lord's word. He condescends, in using earthen creatures, to explain the choicest of heavenly mysteries, and earthen vessels to convey these treasures. And if that which He intended for their advantage, the wretched sons of men make it a stumbling-block, and if they contemn the grace, for the meanness of the persons that are made conveyors and instruments of it, what may they expect?

3dly. Respect even the ambassadors for His sake whom they represent, counting them worthy of double honour. For this is the will of your Lord and their Lord, your King and their King. And to this King immortal, be all honour, and glory, and praise, by all the churches, world without end. Amen.

END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.