of his Father and his holy angels8." " The fearful, no less than the unbelieving," will have their portion in the lake of fire at the last dayh. " If we will not suffer with Christ, we cannot reign with him '." " With the heart man believeth unto right- eousness ; but with the mouth confession is made, and must be made, unto salvation V]
3. From walking worthy of it —
[Whilst the 'principles of the Gospel are by the world at large accounted "foolishness1," the practice enjoined by it is no less offensive to them, on account of its contrariety to all the desires and habits of the carnal mind. Hence they who profess the Gospel are often led into compliances which are unsuitable to their high calling, and dishonourable to their profession. Under the idea of " becoming all things to all men " they belie their consciences, and betray the cause which they are pledged to serve. They forget that Paul's com- pliances were to save others1"1; whilst theirs are only to screen themselves. But this is " to put their light under a bushel," when their duty is "to make it shine before men11." They are " not to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to reprove them0," and, like Noah, to "condemn that world p" which sets itself against the Majesty of heaven. Instead of " following a multitude to do evil," the Christian is to consider himself as set by God to be " a light in the world," that he may " hold forth to others, in the whole of his spirit and conduct, the word of life q." And all who are kept by fear from thus adorning the Gospel, will be numbered amongst hypocrites and dissemblers with Godr. If a den of lions were to be the recompence of our fidelity to God, we are not to be intimidated ; we are not to be ashamed3. The Lord Jesus Christ " endured the cross, and despised the shame" for us1; and we must brave contempt and death in their most terrific forms for him.]
Thus all who are deterred from "following the Lord fully," are, in fact, " ashamed of Christ." But how unreasonable this conduct is, will appear, whilst we shew, II. Why we should not be so —
e Matt. x. 32, 33. and Mark viii. 35, 38. h Rev. xxi. 8.
1 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12. k Rom. x. 10. • 1 Cor. i. 18. .
m 1 Cor. ix. 19 — 23. " To gain the more." Observe how often that is repeated.
n Matt. v. 14—16. ° Eph. v. 11. P Heb. xi. 7.
q Phil. ii. 15, 16. r Gal. ii. 11—13. » Dan. vi. 10.
t Heb. xii. 2.