with each other for their mutual support. Their conduct in this respect was such as befitted their circumstances, and became their holy profession. Such conduct is extremely useful —
[Those who fear the Lord have the whole world combined against them. They are, however unintentionally on their part, a reproach to the wicked: they exhibit a light, which the un- godly cannot but see : and being actuated by faith, and mani- festing, by the whole of their life and conversation, that their one object is to flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold on eternal life, they, like Noah of old, "condemn the world," who will neither believe, nor endeavour to escape, the impending judgments of their Godb. Hence "the world hateth them, because they testify of it that the works thereof are evil." Nor is it a slight measure of hatred which they incur : on the contrary, from the moment that they begin to walk in the steps of their Lord and Master, they are made to participate all the odium that was cast on him: and they must consider them- selves highly favoured, if they be not called to sacrifice even life itself in the service of their God.
But how shall they endure all these trials? Instead of re- ceiving support from their friends and relatives, they will usually find, that "their greatest enemies are those of their own house- hold." True, it may be said, ' They have a God to go unto ; and he will give them all needful succour.' I acknowledge this ; and readily grant that no effectual succour can be derived from any other quarter : but still we need, on ten thousand occasions, advice and encouragement from one another; and often derive from fellowship with the saints such consolation as bears us up against all the power of our adversaries. Hence it is that so many directions are given us in Scripture, relative to the performance of this duty. We are all considered as mem- bers of one body, every member of which is to extend its regards to the whole, and to supply to those which come in contact with it all the support which it is able to administer0. We are to exhort one another d, and comfort one another e, and to edify one another in every possible wayf. Of the benefit arising from such communications we may judge by the effect produced on the minds of the Apostles, when joined by their Lord in their way to Emmaus: "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures8?" Yes, and thousands have experienced the same blessed consolations and supports from
b Heb. xi. 7. with Prov. xxviii. 4. c 1 Cor. xii. 25. Eph. iv. 16. d Heb. iii. 13. and x. 24, 25. e 1 Thess. iv. 18. and v. 11.
f 1 Thess. v. 14. Col. iii. 10. e Luke xxiv. 32.