[Many are convinced that the Gospel is true, and that there is " no other name under heaven but that of Christ, whereby we can be saved." They even envy the state of those who follow Christ ; and wish, if it might be so, to share their lot in the eternal world. But to expose themselves to shame or loss for professing the Gospel, they dare not : their reputa- tion, and their interests, are too valuable to risk in such a way: to " deny themselves, and take up their cross daily and follow Christ," is a requisition which they know not how to comply with. If they might " serve God and mammon" too, and have " communion with Christ and Belial" at the same time, they would stand forth as open friends of the Gospel ; but if they must " follow Christ without the camp," and " forsake all for him," they cannot prevail upon themselves to encounter such difficulties.
This is particularly found amongst those who are held in much estimation in the world. The more eminent and distin- guished any are, the more timidity they manifest. If Agrippa had been only a poor man, he would probably have followed up his convictions, and been altogether persuaded to become a Christian : but his high rank and conspicuous station operated as an insurmountable barrier in his way. And so it is at this clay: the poor embrace the Gospel freely; but the rich and the great and the learned scarcely dare be seen among the followers of the despised Nazarene : and hence it is, that so few of them are called0.]
But this state, though common, is indeed most dangerous —
[In one view it may appear hopeful; because where the judgment is convinced, there is reason to hope that the heart will soon obey the dictates of the understanding: but when once men begin to " rebel against the light," they grieve in a most peculiar manner the Spirit of God, and provoke him to give them up to judicial blindness. True it is, that the struggle between light and darkness is often of long continuance : bui. during all that time the person is in a most pitiable state. He enjoys none of the benefits of true religion : he is a stranger to peace with God, because he does not " cleave to Christ with full purpose of heart :" he has no peace in his own conscience, because he is sensible that he is not upright before God : he has no sense of God's love shed abroad in his heart, no delight in communion with him, no glorious prospects beyond the grave. No: a consciousness that he is not wholly given up to God, eats out all comfort, and fills him rather with painful forebodings of the future judgment. His state is even worse
c 1 Cor. i. 26.