declarinf^, before all, and without reserve, " the whole counsel of God '." Nor, though he move in a private sphere, will he be backward to exert his influence, so far as it extends, for the suppression of evil, and for the diffusion of piety througli the world. This indeed will raise up enemies against him : for men will " hate him that reproveth in the gate^." They hated our blessed Lord principally on this account ; as he himself told them : " You, (who countenance its proceedings,) the world cannot hate ; but me it hateth, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil*^." It was this that incensed Ahab against Micaiah : " I hate Micaiah because he doth not speak good concerning me, but evil'. And it was the faithful- ness of John, in reproving Herod's unlawful commerce with his brother Philip's wife, that brought down the vengeance of that prince upon him"^. But, notwithstanding all the odium that such fidelity will bring upon him, the true Christian will exer- cise it as occasion serves, declaring candidly his conviction, that " the broad road of the world leadeth to destruction, and that the narrow way alone will issue in eternal life'."]
From this subject we may clearly see,
1. How much guilt attaches to us all —
[I will not now speak of those who have lived in open and flagrant sin ; though, of course, all that I shall say will apply with double force to them ; but I will speak of those who, though moral and discreet, have not given up themselves un- feignedly to God ; or who grew up to maturity before they fully embraced the Gospel. Look back to your early child- hood : your example even at that time had an influence on your youthful companions ; and said to them, in language which they clearly understood, that there was no occasion for them to seek after God. As you grew up towards manhood, yovir influence became proportionably extended, and propor- tionably more injurious also. Go now to your different com- panions, and to the thousands who, unknown to you, derived from your example encouragement in sin : go, tell them how you regret the injuries you have done, and how anxious you are to repair the evil, by making known to them the way of life and salvation. Thousands, alas ! are gone beyond the reach of any effort, and are already enduring in hell the miseries which you contributed to heap upon them. But of those to whom you may gain access, how many, do you sup- pose, would listen to your advice ? there would scarcely be found one amongst them all that would not laugh in your face, and account you either a fool or mad. King Manasseh, by his
f Acts XX. 27. s Isai. xxix. 21. ^ John vii. 7.
> 1 Kings xxii. 8. ^ Mark vi. 25 — 27. ' Matt. vii. 13, 14.