and contempt ; and though something may be gained by pru- dence, or conceded to us on account of our celebrity in learning, there is no religious person that occupies the same place in the estimation of the world that he would do if he were not religious. If our Lord himself was " despised and rejected of menm," and the Apostles were deemed " the off-scouring of all things11," it is in vain for us to expect honour from man0. But are we therefore without honour ? No : our very disgrace, when so procured, is a very high honour, inasmuch as it assi- milates us to Christ p, and is a testimony to us of our fidelity q. But suppose that ignominy had nothing to counterbalance it here, should we have any reason to regret it when Christ " con- fessed us before his Father, and his holy angels ;" and when they who despised us, shall " awake to shame and everlasting contempt1?"]
4. Our interests —
[The laws of the land certainly afford us a very great protection. Nevertheless it is no uncommon thing at this day for children and servants to be called to make very great sacri- fices for the Gospel sake. But be it so : they are forced, like St. Paul, to serve the Lord " in coldness and nakedness," and in a privation of all earthly comforts. But are they eventually "hurt?" What if their spiritual consolations be proportioned to their temporal afflictions ; have they not made a good ex- change ? Is not peace in the bosom incomparably better than money in the purse ? The riches of this world are easily ap- preciated : but those which Christ imparts, are " unsearchable." Their despisers would, at a future day, give all the world for a drop of water only to cool their tongue. How rich then must they be who are drinking living waters eternally at the foun- tain head !]
5. Our happiness —
[Doubtless the godly have grounds of mourning peculiar to themselves : but are they therefore losers in respect of hap- piness ? No : their sorrows, if I may so speak, are sources of joy : they would on no account be without them : they rather regret that they cannot sorrow more : they mourn because they cannot mourn, and weep because they cannot weep : and if at any time they have been enabled to abase themselves before God in dust and ashes, they look back upon such seasons as the most precious in their whole lives. But if they have sor- rows unknown to others, have they not "joys also, with which the stranger intermeddleth not?" Let a promise be applied
m Isai. liii. 3. » 1 Cor. iv. 13.
0 Matt. x. 24, 25. with John. v. 44.
p 1 Pet. iv. 13. 4 Luke xxi. 13. r Dan. xii. 2.