Christ Jesus u, and to a real conformity to his image x. Who can think of one of our Lord's chosen Apostles perishing in his sins, and not tremble for himself, lest his very mercies, instead of rescuing him from eternal misery, should only aggravate and increase it?
Beware, then, lest, having been exalted to heaven, like Capernaum, in your privileges, you be cast down to hell for your abuse of them ; and lest, having remained impenitent under blessings which Tyre and Sidon would have improved, your final condemnation become at last proportionably heavier than theirs y.]
2. Examine yourselves as to your inward dis- positions—
[God sees the heart : and by the dispositions of the heart will he judge us in the last day. Now, suppose that our blessed Lord, who in his tender mercy has chosen this whole assembly to enjoy all the means of salvation, should, on inspecting our hearts, pronounce that there was, in the midst of us, one who, notwithstanding all his fair pretences and spe- cious appearances, was a devil ; and suppose that unhappy being were pointed out to us ; with what pity should we look upon him, and how compassionately should we weep over him ! And can we venture to hope, that in such an assembly there is not one who is under the dominion of some secret lust ? If in such a family as our blessed Lord's, where they had such rich instructions, such a bright example, and such motives to serve their God aright, there was, even amongst the small number of twelve, one that was a devil ; is there not reason rather to fear, that, instead of one only being found in the midst of this whole assembly, there may be as many in propor- tion as amongst our Lord's Apostles ; namely, one in every twelve ? O ! what a fearful thought is this ! And is this an uncharitable thought ? Are we all so like to the holy Apostles, that one in twelve may not be supposed to differ from them, if not in outward conduct, yet in the integrity of his heart, and in the entire devotion of his life ? And what if, after all, this proportion should be inverted, and not above one in twelve be found truly dead to sin, and alive unto righteousness, as the holy Apostles were, and ready to lay down their lives for the Lord Jesus ; would not this come nearer to the truth ? Alas ! alas ! I would not be uncharitable : but when I com- pare the mind, the spirit, the entire conduct of you all, with that of the Apostles, I cannot dissemble my fears respecting the testimony which the Lord Jesus, the Judge of quick and
" Phil. iii. 4—9. * Phil. iii. 10, 11. and 1 Cor. xiii. 1—3.
y Matt. xi. 20—24.