1807.1 Paul's vindication before felix. 551
thing is really from God, then we must " hold it fast." We must " not be tossed to and fro, like children, with every wind of doctrine;" nor, on the other hand, must we be deterred from confessing Christ through the fear of man : but we must " hold fast that which we have received, that no man may take our crown d:" we must " hold fast the profession of our faith with- out waveringe." St. Paul had enough to intimidate him, if there were any legitimate reason for yielding to the impressions of fear on such occasions : but " nothing could move him : not even life itself was of any value in his sight," when standing in competition with fidelity to his Loi*d. It was his attachment to Christ that was the real ground of the persecution he now met with ; yet he would not deny his Lord ; but confessed him- self " an heretic," according to their acceptation of the term. Thus should we be steadfast in the faith ; and be willing even to lay down our lives in its defence.]
2. With tenderness of spirit —
[There is a contemptuous way of speaking of the world, in which some professors of religion indulge themselves, which is extremely reprehensible. It is true indeed that the world are both blind and carnal ; but we ought to look well to our own spirit when we take upon ourselves to call them so : for, " who is it that has made us to differ? or what have we that we have not received?" When we think of their blindness and carnality, it should not be in the proud spirit of a Pharisee, " Stand off, I am holier than thou," but with tears, even with floods of tears, on account of their unhappy condition f. We should call to mind our own former blindness, (as Paul does5,) for the humiliation of our own souls, and as an encouragement to seek their welfare. And " we should be ready always to give a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and fearh;" " in meekness instructing them, if God peradven- ture may give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth1" ]
3. With purity of heart —
[This the Apostle particularly specified as the associate of his faith and hopek. To profess a regard for Christian prin- ciples whilst we are regardless of Christian practice, is only to deceive our own souls. Faith and a good conscience are the two pillars on which the fabric of our religion stands: and if either of them give way, the other falls of course1. The world will try our principles by this touchstone : they will say,
d Rev. iii. 11. e Heb. x. 23.
f Luke xix. 41. Ps. cxix. 136. Jer. xiii. 17.
* Actsxxvi. 9— 11. h 1 Pet. iii. 15. ' 2 Tim. ii. 22 — 24.
k ver. 16. l 1 Tim. iii. 9. and i. 19.
o52 ACTS, XXIV. 16. [1808.
•' What do ye more than others?" And truly, when we profess so much higher principles than they, they have a right to expect in us a purer life. Not that they would be justified in rejecting the Gospel, even if every professor of it were to become a Judas: but such is their perverseness, that they will harden themselves more against religion on account of one Judas, than they will esteem it for the piety of a dozen other Apostles. This however is only an additional reason for watchfulness on our part. Whatever may be the conduct of the world, " our duty is to shew them our faith by our works." In this way we may hope at least to do some good : we shall " by well-doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men," and " make them ashamed who falsely accuse our good con- versation in Christ." We may hope too that in some instances we may accomplish more; and " win by our good conversation those who never would listen to the written word." At all events, it is in this way that we must approve ourselves to God, and stand with confidence before him in the day that he shall judge the world.]