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right conversation." As the publication of the gospel drew near, the Almighty exhorts all who should be disposed to receive it, not to suffer their love of praise, or their fear of shame, to make them conceal or dissemble their faith: "Hearken unto me," saith the Lord, "ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings," Isaiah li. 7. When Jesus himself appears and publishes a complete delineation of the tempers of all his faithful followers; that humility, meekness, and zeal for God; that purity and mercy which were to rule in their hearts, and to constitute their essential character; he immediately declares, how insupportable the character, lovely as it is in itself, would prove to men of corrupt minds. He assures his followers therefore, that they are blessed who are slandered and even persecuted for the sake of this righteousness; a righteousness the imitation of his own, therefore both upbraiding and galling to men of partial and superficial virtue.

Now these instructions come strongly in aid of a sense of duty, to love the praise of God, and to seek only that honour that cometh of him. They are of great efficacy to cool the heart, that would otherwise burn for reputation. And whilst christians are only studying to be found approved of God, their eye being thus single; their whole body," according to that gracious promise, Luke xi. 34. " is full of light,"-of the light of truth, holiness, and comfort: in this they enjoy more than a counterbalance to the loss of human praise, more than a recompence for all aspersions cast upon their understanding, choice, and conduct.*

CHAPTER XXXIII.

ON SELF-DENIAL WITH RESPECT TO SHAME, OR LOSS ON ACCOUNT OF RELIGION;-PRIDE OF REASON;-AND SELFRIGHTEOUSNESS.

We have seen the necessity of exercising self-denial with respect to our sensual appetites, with respect also to the * See Prayer the 12th.

inclinations natural to man, for wealth, the occforts of life, and the praise of our fellow-creatures. Bat religion, which teaches us the necessity of self-denial, is itself also the occasion of opening to us a new scene for its exercise. The profession of a higher degree of religion than is common in the world, subjects us to a loss of reputation; to bear which, without being ashamed or hurt, will require no trifling exertion of self-denial. We all naturally follow the custom and fashion of the world around us, and though not fired with the love of fame, we still feel it grievous to be reproached as bigots, fools, or enthusiasts. When therefore we observe that our attachment to scripture principles, in condemnation of corrupt practices and fashionable errors, will render us disagreeable and unfit for the company of the polite; pride will begin strongly to plead within, to dissemble, and not to appear more attached to religion than others; it will be swaying us to seem at least to approve what all the company approves, though we condemn it in our hearts. Therefore,

Sixthly, This Evil Shame in all its workings, must be denied; because nothing can be more base, more encouraging to wickedness, or more destructive to our own souls.

Nothing can be more base than such a dastardly obsequiousness to the opinions of men; since, besides the reigning cowardice it betrays, what a return is this for the inestimable blessing of the knowledge of the truth. Was it for this end, do you think, that God gave to you the knowledge of his truth, to which others are strangers, only that you might shew him the greater indignity, by preferring to his favour your reputation? Was the light of life kindled within you, that you should industriously conceal it, choosing to appear dark in your understanding, rather than bear the censure or ridicule of those, who you well know are enemies to the light, only because their deeds are evil? Were an officer to be found thus ashamed of his king or his service, how must he appear? yet what fidelity does he owe to his king, or what advantages does he receive in his service, worthy to be named with the benefits God pours out upon us? Hence both gratitude and justice require us all, as far as

we know the truth, and our duty towards God, to avow religion, and not to be ashamed of being accounted righteous over-much, by those who neither have, nor can bear, more than the senseless form of godliness.

Indeed, unless we deny ourselves, and in a manner suited to our station in life appear open advocates for the cause of God, we contribute to the increase of wickedness for where there is no opposition, sinners both grow bolder and multiply the faster. What all men either do themselves, or express no abhorrence against in others, it is naturally concluded, can have no great harm in it thus all sense of the necessity of real religion is banished from society, and profaneness, from its general prevalency, loses its guilt in the judgment of men. But such a general prevalency of evil would be prevented, if the appearance of it were resolutely checked by a disapproving silence and cool reserve; or, where age and condition of life authorize it, by an open rebuke. This would serve to keep up the distinction between good and evil; this would remind men of their dependence upon God, and often prove, through divine grace, an effectual monitor to awaken the conscience, and produce a change of sentiments and manners. But if, through a mean fear of injuring our paltry reputation with ungodly men, we refuse to signify, by any of these methods, our sense of God's authority and government, of his hatred to sin, and his love of christian holiness; we are then accessaries to the abounding of iniquity, we become sharers in the guilt, by being tame spectators of the insult offered to our God, and by listening without expressing our disapprobation to the hard speeches which ungodly sinners are wont to speak against him.

But if neither a sense of gratitude nor a fear of contributing to the propagation of iniquity, can prevail with us to overcome our natural cowardice in the cause of God, let us at least consider the destruction it will bring upon our souls:-let us therefore oppose fear to fear, and weigh the insufferable pain of contempt from God and angels, against the shame of being branded for religion here before men. For immediately after the injunction of that self-denial, without which it is impossible to follow Christ, the trying instance of being content to lose our character

for his sake is pointed out: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and 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 also deny before my Father which is in heaven,”—Mark viii. 38. Matt. x. 33.

Seventhly, Self-denial must be exercised with respect to the fear of suffering for the sake of God and his truth. In the inferior ranks of life all persons are called, more or less, to this exercise, through their necessary dependence upon the rich. For when a person begins business, or enters upon his profession of law, physic, or divinity, how desirable is the favour of the great and opulent to him! to have their smile, to be admitted a guest at their table, is deemed an honour; and whilst their interest procures preferment, their custom brings the tradesman the largest return of gain. Hence a violent temptation arises, to be esteemed no more religious than is agreeable to the rich, or their principal domestics, on whose favour so much depends. Are they therefore profane? every dependent will be tempted to say, why should I appear a friend to godliness? Are they lewd and intemperate? why should I hurt my interest by refusing to join with them in excess of wine, or in lasciviousness, or by appearing to condemn such vile practices? Should conscience remonstrate, self-interest will lead a man industriously to stifle every conviction, afraid of losing the best of his customers, or his only patron, by being offensively religious. Every one knows how much the principal inhabitants in all places keep their inferiors in awe by the tie of worldly gain: and where their example is profane, they spread on every side a dreadful contagion.

In such a situation, christian self-denial displays its energy. The believer will dare to shew a conscientious regard to the law and truth of God in the view of his superiors, though sensible that his conduct will gall and irritate. Fear of poverty will not make him belie his better judgment, or deny his God in order to gain favour with men. And whilst discretion and humility on one hand, set bounds to his advice or reproof, and direct him as to the time and manner of applying them; his fear and

love of God, on the other, will certainly lead him to discover his true character, and his abhorrence of all iniquity.

The weight which eternal things have upon the believer's mind, the sting which he has often felt in his conscience for seeming to approve what God condemns, the express command to make a public profession of godliness, and the disinterested manner in which the Redeemer has suffered to purchase his everlasting salvation, all join their influence, and are of great force to enable him to risk the loss of all things, rather than be ashamed of God and his word.

Now though such an opposition to custom, and to our natural fear of suffering in our worldly circumstances, extremely terrifies the mind of man; yet those who deny themselves, and forsake all, leaving it to God in the way of diligence and truth to provide for them, generally prosper even in this world. And no wonder; for they are heirs of that all-sufficient promise, "Wherefore 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. 18. And if any man, professing himself a christian, dare not thus rely upon God for a temporal provision, when it seems to be endangered by his adherence to duty, it is certain that man can place no trust in his God for eternal salvation; but whilst he makes professions of believing in God, he is an infidel in his heart. Nay further, he entertains an idea of the character of God, such as if any one were to conceive of himself he would esteem most degrading, viz. that God can unconcerned see his own children brought into distress, through a dutiful attachment to him, when all power is in his hand to reward and bless such fidelity. Such a God as this, thou fearful unbelieving professor! thou conceivest the God of heaven and earth to be.

Eighthly, Self-denial must be exercised with respect to the pride of reason, in submitting without disputing to the written word of God. A kind of restraint this no less difficult for men of superior understanding to practise, than for the sensual to be chaste, or the covetous charitable. Yet in requiring such submission to his bare authority,

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