than if he had been altogether destitute of light'1. Every hour that he continues to fight against his convictions, greatly aug- ments his guilte, and insures a heavier condemnation f. The Judge of quick and dead hath told us, " that the man that knew his Lord's will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes."]
If Agrippa's state then was so dangerous, let us inquire,
II. What is that state in which we should all desire to be —
We cannot but admire the address with which the Apostle answered this irresolute king. He had bonds and imprisonments ; but of those he did not wish his bitterest enemies to partake : but of his hopes, his victories, his enjoyments, he wished all to have an equal fruition with himself ; with the exception of his bonds, he heartily prayed that they might be alto- gether in a state like his.
Consider what was the state of the Apostle Paul —
[How clear, how full, how refreshing to his soul, were his views of Christ ! Perhaps no human being was ever so highly favoured in this respect as he. And what effects did these views produce? They filled his soul with a " peace that passed all understanding," and a " joy that was unspeakable and glorified:" they called forth all his powers, both of body and mind, into the service of his Lord. He accounted all that he possessed, as bought with the precious blood of Christ, and therefore as to be used for him alone. To make him known to others was the one end for which he lived: and whatever difficulties or dangers he had to encounter for the sake of Christ, none of them could move him ; yea, rather he gloried in them, and rejoiced that he was counted worthy to contend with them. But who can adequately describe his state ? Who can tell the fervour of his desires after Christ, the zeal he had to pro- mote his glory, the delight he felt in his service, and the assured prospects which he enjoyed of dwelling with Christ for ever ? ]
Such was the state which Paul desired for all his auditors ; and such we should all desire for our- selves—
[We should not be content with any thing short of the attainments that were made by Paul : nay, if we had attained
d John xv. 22. e Jam. iv. 17. f John hi. 19.