It is worthy of observation, that the same person who in the first clause of the text is spoken of as " enduring temptation," in the last clause is characterized as " loving God :" for, in fact, none will suffer for him who do not love him; nor can any love him without being willing to suffer for him. If there- fore we profess love to God and to the Lord Jesus Christ whilst yet we are afraid of bearing the contempt and hatred of an ungodly world for his sake, we only deceive our own souls : for he has plainly told us, that he will consider none as his dis- ciples, who will not take up their cross daily and follow him. He has told us, that, if we are ashamed of him and deny him, he will be ashamed of us and deny us : and that those only who are willing to lay down their lives for his sake, shall ever save them unto life eternal.
I pray you, Brethren, try yoiu' love to the Saviour by this touclistone : and never imagine that it is sincere, unless it will stand this test ] ^
2. We
•> Phil. ii. 17, 18. * Mai. i. 8.
2. We should so apprehend God's promises, as ut- terly to despise men's threats —
[" Exceeding great and precious are the promises which God has given unto them that love him :" nor is it possible for us to be in any situation, wherein he has not made ample pro- vision for our support and consolation. Now these promises are all sure and certain : " they are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus :" nor can so much as one jot or tittle of them ever fail. But look at the threatenings of man ; how empty and vain are they ! The whole universe combined cannot effect the smallest thing without God's special i>ermission: and, if permitted to execute their purposes, how impotent is their rage, when God is pleased to interpose in behalf of his people ! Fire could not hurt the Hebrew Youths, nor lions injure the the defenceless Daniel, nor chains and dungeons confine Peter on the eve of his intended execution. Men, the most potent monarchs not excepted, are no more than an axe or saw in the hand of God, who uses it, or not, according to his own sovereign will, and for the promotion only of his own glory. " Who then art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of a son of man that shall be as grass ; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker?" Besides, suppose man to prevail to the extent of his wishes ; what can lie do ? He can only reach the body : the soul he cannot touch. " Fear not man therefore, who can only kill the body, and after that hath no more that he can do ; but fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell : yea, I say unto you, fear him." And, as God has promised that " our strength shall be proportioned to our day " of trial, let us rest on his word, and hold in utter contempt all the menaces of oiu* most potent enemies'^]
3. We should so realize eternity as to rise superior to all the concerns of time and sense —
[In the view of eternity, all that relates to time vanishes, as the twinkling star before the mid-day sun. If we could sup- pose a man caught up, like the apostle Paul, to the third heavens, and then sent down again to abide a few more years upon earth, what would be liis estimate of those things which so occupy and enslave our carnal minds ? The bawbles of children would not be more contemptible in his eyes than the glittering pageantry of courts: and, though thesufterings which are sometimes inflicted on the saints are heavy, they would be reckoned by him as " not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall ere long be revealed in us." But it is not needfid that we be transported to heaven to this end : we have the whole set before us in the Oracles of God: and, if we