818 TILE irr. 



out new fingers, as I called them, to take a stron- 

 ger liold on its bulwark. Tiiis might be very apt- 

 ly illustrated by the past history of a Church, 

 where faith might have become dead, as regarded 

 a race of individuals ; but where, by that aid from 

 "without which may God in his mercy ever dispose 

 the Slate to extend in the Church ! belter days 

 were provided for ; and the visible branch restored 

 to ils pristine beauty and strength, through failh 

 newly infused into the members, enabling them to 

 cleave wholly to Christ. But my present business 

 is wilh ihe Ivy in ils mature slate, upheld by tlie 

 might of its immoveable supporter — wiih the per- 

 secuted men of whom it is a lively type ; wlio, in 

 the midst of all that renders the present agonizing, 

 and the future terrific, can adapt the language of 

 inspired Paul, "None of these things move me; 

 neither count I my life dear unlo myself, so that I 

 might finish my course wilh joy, and the ministry 

 which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testi- 

 fy the gospel of the grace of God." Herein lies 

 the mystery of that patient endurance, the deep 

 and general silence of which made the very exis- 

 tence of their distress questionable among us. 

 "To testify ihe gospel of the grace of God," was 

 the object and end of all their labours ; and their 

 "willing task it was, after Paul's example, to learn, 

 in vyhnlsoever state they were, therewith to be 

 content — ihey would know both how to be aUased, 



