may at any time occur by the carelessness or death of its nurse. Thus our security is not in ourselves, but in our God : if left to ourselves for one moment, we should perish : and all our hope is in the tender care and mercy of our God. The only difference between the child and us is, that its guardian is weak and mortal; whereas ours is the almighty and un- changeable Jehovah, in whose power and fidelity alone our advantage consists.]
2. That the defection of some endangers the sta- bility of others —
[We are easily wrought upon by the influence of bad example. " The mixed multitude in the wilderness fell a lusting," and soon drew after them the whole nation of Israel0. In the Gospels too we have many melancholy instances of the readiness even of good men to follow each other in what is evil. Peter, full of self-confidence, presumed to declare, that " though he should be called to die with his Lord, he would not deny him :" and then we are told, " Likewise also said all the Dis- ciples'1;" so speedily were they led away by his example. On another occasion, we find them all " murmuring and full of indignation" about the expense which had been incurred for the purpose of honouring their Lord : and, when we come to inquire whence it originated, we trace it all to Judas, who was a thief, and wanted to steal the money for his own usee. The instance of Barnabas also, and other Jewish Christians, who were led away by Peter's dissimulation, is precisely in point. Indeed, who that is at all conversant with the Christian world, has not seen, on many occasions, how rapidly a bad spirit in one diffuses itself through a whole Church ? Good instruction and example operate very slowly and partially; but that which is evil spreads apace : " a little leaven will soon leaven the whole lump." It becomes us then to be on our guard against the contagion of evil. Doubtless these apostates thought that they had reason enough to forsake our Lord : but if we were left, like Paul, unsupported and unacknowledged by the whole Christian worldf, it would become us, like him, to maintain our steadfastness, and to " cleave unto Christ with full purpose of heart."]
3. That we ought to watch the first motions and tendencies of our own hearts to evil —
c Numb. xi. 4. d Matt. xxvi. 35.
e One Evangelist mentions only in general terms that " some'" were thus affected : Mark xiv. 4, 5. Another tells us who they were, even all " the Disciples : " Matt. xxvi. 8. And another tells us who was the first instigator, and by what principle he was actuated. John xii. 4—6. * 2 Tim. iv. 16.
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