Part 180

_First_, To stand a while and examine themselves. For, by what has been said, you may gather one mark, whereby you may judge whether you are christians or not. Were you ever persecuted for righteousness sake? If not, you never yet lived godly in CHRIST our LORD. Whatever you may say to the contrary, the inspired apostle, in the words of the text (the truth of which, I think, I have sufficiently proved) positively asserts, that all who will live godly in Him, shall suffer persecution. Not that all who are persecuted are real christians; for many sometimes suffer, and are persecuted, on other accounts than for righteousness sake. The great question therefore is, Whether you were ever persecuted for living godly? You may boast of your great prudence and sagacity (and indeed these are excellent things) and glory because you have not run such lengths, and made yourselves so singular, and liable to such contempt, as some others have. But, alas! this is not a mark of your being of a Christian, but of a _Laodicean_ spirit, neither hot nor cold, and fit only to be spewed out of the mouth of GOD. That which you call prudence, is often, only cowardice, dreadful hypocrisy, pride of heart, which makes you dread contempt, and afraid to give up your reputation for GOD. You are ashamed of CHRIST and his gospel; and in all probability, was he to appear a second time upon earth, in words, as well as works, you would deny him. Awake therefore, all ye that live only formally in CHRIST JESUS, and no longer seek that honour which cometh of man. I do not desire to court you, but I intreat you to live godly, and fear not contempt for the sake of JESUS CHRIST. Beg of GOD to give you his Holy Spirit, that you may see through, and discover the latent hypocrisy of your hearts, and no longer deceive your own souls. Remember you cannot reconcile two irreconcileable differences, GOD and Mammon, the friendship of this world with the favour of GOD. Know you not who hath told you, that “the friendship of this world is enmity with GOD?” If therefore you are in friendship with the world, notwithstanding all your specious pretences to piety, you are at enmity with GOD: you are only heart-hypocrites; and, “What is the hope of the hypocrite, when GOD shall take away his soul?” Let the words of the text sound an alarm in your ears; O let them sink deep into your hearts; “Yea, and all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, shall suffer persecution.”