is training and educating you, that God is your Father, and He
is dealing with you as with His sons. For what son is there whom
His Father does not chastise? It is a bitter lesson, no doubt; but
we have deserved it: then let us bear it like men. No doubt it is
bitter: but there is a blessing in it. No chastisement at first
seems pleasant, says the Apostle, but rather grievous: yet
afterwards it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those
who are exercised thereby. Be exercised by it, then. Let God teach
you in His own way, even if it seem a harsh and painful way. We
have had earthly fathers, says the Apostle, who corrected us, and we
gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to
God, the Father of Spirits, and live? For suffering and punishment
is the way to Eternal Life--to that true Eternal Life which is
knowing God and God's love, and becoming like God. As the Apostle
says, God chastens us only for our profit, that we may be partakers
of His holiness. And as king Hezekiah says of affliction, 'Lord, by
_these_ things,' by sorrow and chastisement, 'men live; and in all
these things is the life of the spirit.'

May God give to you, and me, and all mankind, as often as we do
wrong, honest and good hearts to confess our sins thoroughly, and
take our punishment meekly, and trust in God's boundless mercy, in
order that if we humble ourselves under His rod, and learn His
lessons faithfully in this life, we may not need a worse punishment
in the life to come, but be accepted in the last great Day for the
sake of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour.

SERMON XX. THE TRUE GENTLEMAN

1 Cor. xii. 31; xiii. 1. Covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet
shew I unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as
sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

My friends, let me say a few plain words this morning to young and
old, rich and poor, upon this text.

Now you all, I suppose, think it a good thing to be gentlemen and
ladies. All of you, I say. There is not a poor man in this church,
perhaps, who has not before now said in his heart, 'Ah, if I were
but a gentleman!' or a poor woman who has not said in her heart,
'Ah, if I were but a lady!' You see round you in the world
thousands plotting and labouring all their lives long to make money
and grow rich, that they may become (as they think) gentlemen,