evil? Where must a soldier, ashamed of his king or service, appear? Yet what fidelity does he owe his king, what advantage does he reap in his service, worthy to be named with your ties of duty to the Lord over all, or with the benefits he hath poured out upon you? Both justice and gratitude, therefore, oblige us all, as far as we know the truth, and our duty, to avow both, and not be ashamed of being counted righteous over-much, by men who have nothing more than the senseless form of godliness, if so much as even that.

Besides, till we stand forth advocates for the cause of God and Christian practice, in a manner becoming our condition in life, we contribute to the increase of wickedness. What all men either do themselves, or express no abhorrence of in others, we naturally conclude can have no great harm in it. Thus at length all sense of Christian religion is ban ished from society, and vice and profaneness triumph, all their deformity in the public judgment being lost.

These pernicious evils would be certainly prevented, if the fear of shame and reproach for God's sake, was resolutely vanquished. Inferiors may with modesty express a disapproving silence, or a cool reserve against vice and profaneness; and where age, rank, or condition authorize, open and sharp rebukes of all that is immoral and irreligious are necessary to keep up the distinction of good and evil, duty and transgression.

By this means, men are reminded of their dependence upon God. And often a word spoken in maintenance of his cause is by his grace made effectual to awaken the conscience, and change the heart. But if, from mean self-love and fear of losing favour with worldly men, we refuse by any of these methods to testify our sense of God's authority,

to confess our belief of his truth, hatred of sin, and love of holiness, we become accessories to the abounding of iniquity. For a tame spectator of insults offered to his Maker, and an unconcerned witness of those hard speeches which ungodly sinners are wont to speak against him, will ever be judged by the offenders themselves to join in their sentiments, at least to see nothing detestable in them.

But if neither gratitude for a multitude of mercies from God, nor fear of strengthening and increasing the workers of iniquity, can prevail against our natural cowardice in his cause, we are taught to oppose fear to fear; to weigh against the shame of being reproached by men, the insufferable pain of everlasting contempt from God and angels. For immediately after the injunction of that self-denial, without which it is impossible to follow Christ, the trying instance of losing our character for his sake is pointed out. "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I deny also before my Father which is in heaven," Mark viii. 38.

Not that we must draw back even from severer trials, than loss of character. We must take up our cross, and forsake all, sooner than desert our duty, or renounce our faith. To this trial the far greater part of mankind are constantly called, though the sword of superstition is sheathed, and the burning of heretics is held in general detestation. For men have no less fear of being starved than of being tied to the stake. Now, the dependence all inferior ranks of men have upon the great and opulent, make them conclude they can never prosper without their countenance and favour. When a young man opens his

shop, or enters on the profession of law, physie, or divinity, how desirable to be employed by the rich, or to have their smile, and be admitted as a welcome guest to their table! Who can gain considerably unless in cities of commerce, or rise to eminence in any profession, without their interest? Hence arises a most violent temptation, which very few have integrity and fortitude to withstand; a temptation on no account to be disagreeable to the great and wealthy, or to their principal domestic, by whom so much may be got or lost. Are they therefore profane? Not only the tradesman, but the lawyer, physician, and divine, will be afraid of confessing the faith, or practising the duty of a Christian. Are they lewd and intemperate? How rare to find either tradesman, lawyer, physician, or divine, who will risk his worldly interest by frowning upon their impiety, revelling, lasciviousness, and excess, or dare to utter one word in condemnation of such vile conduct! Against the remonstrances of conscience, self-inter, est will lead a man carefully to avoid displeasing his best customers, his most profitable clients, or pa tients, or perhaps his only patron, who can raise him in the church.

No one can deny, that the principal inhabitants in every place keep the vast multitude of their inferiors in awe; noblemen and gentlemen of large estate keep in awe all who want to make their for tune. And farmers and tradesmen, all who earn their bread under them. And where superiors are earthly and sensual, scarcely will you find their dependents more religious than themselves. This is one of the chief obstacles to the success of the gospel. In this situation, Christian self-denial displays its energy. Every real believer in Christ will dare to shew inviolable regard to the truth and law of God, though certain the rich or great will take offence at him on

that account. Fear of falling, or of want, will not betray him to dissemble, or deny his duty. Whilst on the one hand discretion and humility preserve him from irritating the profane by improper rebuke or forward behaviour, fear and love of God, on the other, will certainly lead him to bear some testimony against such lawless conduct, and such contempt poured on the revelation of peace and truth.

The weight which eternal things have in the believer's mind, the smart he has often felt in his conscience for seeming to approve what he knew God has condemned; the express command that all Christians shall publicly profess their faith, and the sufferings Christ endured to obtain his eternal redemption, join their influence, and fortify his mind sooner to risk the loss of all, than be ashamed of God and his word. And though such an opposition to impious custom (decent, rational, and noble as it is) extremely terrifies man, yet those who are bold to make it, submitting to God in diligence and integrity to provide for them, generally prosper: for they are heirs of the unconquerable promise: "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and I will receive you, and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty," 2 Cor. vi.

And if any man, professing himself a Christian, dare not thus rely upon God for temporal provision, though it seems to be endangered by adherence to his duty, let not that man deceive himself-his profession is like that of the traitors, he is an arrant infidel in his heart, and his actions prove it. Nay, worse than infidelity is chargeable upon him: an horrid idea of God, which, were it entertained by his children and friends of himself, would be a dagger to his heart :-an idea that God can see, and not deliver his own child in distresses brought on him from cor

dial love to his heavenly Father's name, though all power lie in his hands to reward and bless. Such a one, O fearful professor, dost thou conceive the God of heaven and earth to be.

SUNDAY XLV.

CHAP. XLV.

On self-denied Submission of our Understanding to
God's Word.

THIS is a restraint no less difficult for men of superior understanding to brook, than for the sensual to live in chastity, the covetous to be liberal, or the fearful to be bold for God and duty. Yet, in requiring such submission to his naked word, he requires nothing unreasonable, because the objects of faith exceed human comprehension, and at present are revealed only in part. "We preach," saith the apostle, the wisdom of God in a mystery." Therefore, scripture must not be rejected under pretence that it contradicts common sense. Instead of indulging, we must repel that insolent query, How can these things be? For, as ignorant creatures, it is our duty, as Christians our profession, to believe what God has declared. And when his declaration is made, we must shut our eyes against numberless difficulties relating to the manner how things exist, to which human wit and human ignorance may give birth. This is our duty, though mortifying infinitely to men of science, who are arrogant from conceit of their abilitics and penetration. For, how can any