Now, I know full well, that this whole subject is distasteful to many men, who say we ought to be cheerful. "We are bid rejoice, why then do you bid us mourn?" I bid you mourn in order that you may rejoice more perfectly. "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted[25]." "They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy." I bid you take up the cross of Christ, that you may wear His crown. Give your hearts to Him, and you will for yourselves solve the difficulty, how Christians can be sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing[26]. You will find that lightness of heart and cheerfulness are quite consistent with that new and heavenly character which He gives us, though to gain it in any good measure, we must for a time be sorrowful, and ever after thoughtful. But I give you fair warning, you must at first take His word on trust; and if you do not, there is no help for it. He says, "Come unto Me, . . . and I will give you rest." You must begin on faith: you cannot see at first whither He is leading you, and how light will rise out of the darkness. You must begin by denying yourselves your natural wishes,--a painful work; by refraining from sin, by rousing from sloth, by preserving your tongue from insincere words, and your hands from deceitful dealings, and your eyes from beholding vanity; by watching against the first rising of anger, pride, impurity, obstinacy, jealousy; by learning to endure the laugh of irreligious men for Christ's sake; by forcing your minds to follow seriously the words of prayer, though it be difficult to you, and by keeping before you the thought of God all through the day. These things you will be able to do if you do but seek the mighty help of God the Holy Spirit which is given you; and while you follow after them, then, in the Prophet's language, "your light shall rise in obscurity, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. And the Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought: and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not[27]." [1] 1 Sam. xxv. 1. [2] Heb. xi. 36-38. [3] Matt. xxiii. 35. [4] Jer. i. 6. [5] Isa. lviii. 12. [6] 1 Cor. x. 5. [7] 2 Tim. iii. 13. [8] Jer. xviii. 18. [9] Ibid. xi. 21. [10] Ibid. xxvi. 16, &c. [11] Ibid. xx. 2. [12] Ibid. xxxii. 3. [13] Ibid. xxxvii. 14. [14] Ibid. xxxviii. 6, 9. [15] Jer. xlii. xliii. [16] Ibid. xxxix. 14. [17] Ibid. v. 3. [18] Ibid. v. 30, 31. [19] Jer. xii. 1-3. [20] Ibid. xv. 10-18. [21] Ibid. xvii. 16,17. [22] Jer. xx. 7-14. [23] 1 Cor. xvi. 13. [24] Eccl. xi. 1, 6. [256] Matt. v. 4. [26] 2 Cor. vi. 10. [27] Isa. lviii. 10, 11. SERMON X. Endurance of the World's Censure. "_And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them; neither be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions; be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house._"--Ezekiel ii. 6.