282 SERMON PREACHED ON THE ISLAND. 
found joy and peace in believing, and a good 
hope, through grace, to enable you to go on 
your way rejoicing.' 
" This, my friends, appears to be the purport 
of that part of the text now under consideration ; 
and, if correct, does it not loudly say to every 
sincere professor ' Up and be doing, that the 
Lord may be with thee ?' Barren fig-trees will 
not be permitted to stand in Christ's vineyard. 
We should be instant, in season and out of 
season, exhorting with all long-suffering, never 
weary of our work of faith and labour of love ; 
but should strive by word and deed to convince 
sinners of their danger, that they may turn from 
their evil ways. Thus doing, we shall comply 
with the commands of our Master, procure for 
ourselves an increase of happiness, and illustrate 
the promise of the Apostle, that ' he which con- 
verteth a sinner from the evil of his ways, shall 
save a soul from death, and hide a multitude 
of sins.' 
"3. Encouragement. ' Let him that is athirst 
come.' 
" It is one of the glorious attributes of the 
Gospel, that a sincere reception of it renders 
null and void all the denunciations of the Law. 
For whosoever has fled to it as ' the shadow 
of a great rock in a dry and weary land/ 
whosoever is subjected to its salutary influences, 
is ' no longer under the law, but under grace.' 
The awakened sinner may write bitter things 
against himself, but to such an one it may be 
said, '" Be of good cheer, He calleth thee.' Jesus 
was fully aware of the obstacles that would arise 
