for the young man, and his snares for the old: he has something for the depressed, to sink them into despondency; and something for the proud and presumptuous, to push them on to ruin. We have to meet the day in which we live, with its errors and evil customs: and we have to encounter the difficulties peculiar to our individual path -peculiar to the dispensation of Providence under which we are cast. Painful, tedious, and puzzling discouragements, perhaps, make the pilgrim weary because of the way. Difficulties rise up in the family, and difficulties in our profession: there are different things at different times, all of which have a united influence in stopping the Christian Soldier in his course. ButTo him, that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne!

While we are stating the difficulties of the Christian warfare, some one may, perhaps, say, "You alarm me!-What am I, a feeble and helpless creature, to do under such difficulties?"-Of yourself, nothing at all! You are not called to fight in your own strength; nor to carry on this war at your own charge. But, Brethren! attend to this peculiarity of the Gospel: it places things before your eyes in their true colours. An enemy is aiming at the life of your souls; but, when God speaks of victory over him, he speaks of what he promises strength to achieve, provided we war according to his command.

Observe the promise: To him, that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. You are to conquer, as Christ conquered-expecting the Holy Spirit to work in your souls, what it wrought in Him when it raised him from the dead.

In the twelfth chapter of this book, we read, I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for the ac cuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him—but how? I particularly call your attention to the means of their victory-They overcame him, by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.

They overcame BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. Satan might charge guilt on the conscience, and attempt to drive them away in despair: he might tell them there was no hope, and tempt them to cast away their confidence. But they would point to the blood of the Lamb:-to the infinite merit of the atoning Saviour:-to the obedience by which many become righteous:-to the ransom found by God. They might say, If God be for us, who can be against us? He, that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all

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things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb.

They overcame, BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY. While Satan was sowing tares, and trying to confound the truth, they were stedfast in confessing Christ before men. They spake his truths: they held fast these truths: on these they lived, and by them they overcame.

And THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH. As if they should say, "Of what importance is it whether we live or die?

we die unto

If we live, we live unto the Lord; and, if we die, the Lord: the sooner we die, the sooner we shall be glorified-shall begin the praises of God and of the Lamb. Of what value then are our lives to us? Let us take hold of life eternal! Let no man take our crown!"

This conquest proceeds upon a very different principle from every other. It is pursued, and in some degree obtained and enjoyed, in this world; but it has its completion when Christ says, "Well done, good and faithful soldier! thou has fought the good fight! thou hast kept the faith! I have no more for thee to do on earth: come up and take thy crown!" for-To -To him, that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

III. Here is not only a Conflict implied, and a

Conquest mentioned, but a CROWN that shall be bestowed.

In reading the Scriptures, we find some things mentioned historically; and some incidentally, as it were. They are truths, but not truths of prime importance; they do not enter into the life of religion. But there are other truths, which recur again and again, and sometimes several times in the same chapter, because they are of primary value:-they should never be absent from our minds. Is not this exactly our method with our children? While we give them many instructions, those things, which are indispensable, we strive to rivet on their hearts, by continual repetition.

Mark the expression in the text. As we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him, before whom we must all shortly appear; as we are looking for and hasting to the coming of the Son of God-the hope of eternal life, and a crown of glory; our Master meets us on the way, and again and again does he speak of the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls.

Look, for instance, into the second and third chapters. He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches:-To him that OVERCOMETH, will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Again:-He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches:-He, that OVERCOMETH, shall not be hurt of the second death.

Again: He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches :-To him, that OVERCOMETH, will I give to eat of the hidden manna; and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Again: And he, that OVERCOMETH, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron-and I will give him the morning star. Again: He, that OVERCOMETH, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Again: Him, that OVERCOMETH, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name. And again, in the text: To him that OVERCOMETH, will I grant to sit with me, in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

I have shewn you how the blessing is marked and repeated; but if you were to ask me the precise meaning of the terms here employed to shew the eternal weight of reward which awaits the Christian Soldier, perhaps I should say, No matter!-it is enough, that HE the Great Captain of