O my friends, set before you the example of Christ, who was holy, harmless, and undefiled; his life was glorious in holiness: And as it becomes you, so it highly concerns you, to be holy in all manner of conversation. For if you imitate not the life of Christ, you cannot be saved by his death: He came into the world, to redeem you from all iniquity, and to save you from sin and hell; Labour to answer the dignity of your high and holy calling, with a conversation becoming the gospel of Christ: For you are called to glory and virtue. Whatsoever troubles, temptations and tribulations may attend you in your pilgrimage here below, if you be faithful and sincere, you will have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In all your labours and travels on this earth, you may look up with joy for you have a serene heaven over your heads; let Christ be precious to you; open the door of your hearts to him, who is the King of glory: He is oppressed in the hearts of the unclean, but he is exalted and lifted up in the hearts of the faithful: Blessed are they that set him upon his throne in their hearts! O learn of Christ to be meek and lowly: Your humility will exalt Him, and will also exalt you at the last: "Be faithful to the death and you shall receive a crown of life:" Those that have eternal life in their eye, and depend upon Christ alone for salvation, they have laid a sure foundation. All other foundations will come to nothing; they are founded in time, and in time they will come to moulder away: But that city that God is the builder and maker of, that Abraham had in his eye, will never decay, nor moulder away: Let us have this always in our eye, that nothing may intercept our view. "We have here (saith the Apostle) no continuing city; we seek one that is to come." In this world we are as sheep among wolves: "Fear not, little flock, (saith our Saviour,) it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom." If we be the sheep of Christ, we shall follow him: "For his sheep follow him, and know his voice, and a stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they know not the voice of a stranger." "My sheep (saith Christ) hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hands." Here is encouragement for us to labour abundantly in the work of the Lord; "for our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord." Let us, with Moses, "choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;" and "esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; and have respect to the recompense of reward."