[It is not easy to say which are more replete with danger to the Christian, the frowns or the smiles of the ungodly world. Their hatred is often difficult to be borne. When persecution arises from those who are nearly related to us, or invested with authority over us, or on whom our temporal interests materially depend ; and more especially when it rages to such an extent that we must forsake all to follow Christ ; it requires much grace to meet the trial aright, and much strength to maintain our stedfastness in the Lord's ways. We are apt to give way to that " fear of man which bringeth a snare." On one occasion, Paul was forsaken by all the Church at Rome, through a fear of participating in his trials c: nor can any man tell how he shall demean himself under such circumstances, till he is actually placed in them.
Sometimes it happens that our friends, instead of using violence, endeavour to divert us from our purpose by kind- ness : and then we feel it ten times more difficult to oppose their wishes : we begin to think that it is better to make com- pliances, and not adhere too strictly to the requisitions of the Gospel. We natter ourselves, that by such means we shall soften their prejudices against religion, and perhaps win them to Christ : but in this way we are in danger of wounding our own consciences, and of relapsing altogether into the ways and spirit of the world. A measure of tenderness and conciliation we highly approve ; but it may easily be carried too far, and bring us to seek that " friendship of the world which is enmity with Godd."]
2. From our own corrupt hearts —
[The heart is naturally carnal ; and it is but in part renewed even in the best of men : " the flesh still lusteth against the Spirit, as well as the Spirit against the flesh e." Paul himself complained that he had " a law in his members warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin which was in his members f." Hence the cares or pleasures of life soon regain an ascendant over us, if we in the least relax our watchfulness against them ; or perhaps, like David, we fall into the grossest crimes. Demas has shewn us how awfully the most distinguished professors of religion may depart from Godg: and in the thorny-ground hearers, we see how all the life of religion may be lost, whilst the outward form of it remains unaltered11. After our Lord's exhortation to his own Apostles, we may see that there is no sin whatever into which we may not fall, if we be for one moment left to the workings of our own evil hearts1. Indeed, independent of any gross sin
c 2 Tim. iv. 16. d Jam. iv. 4. e Gal. v. 17.
f Rom. vii. 23. 8 2 Tim. iv. 10. h Matt. xiii. 22.
' Luke xxi. 3 1.