ground for complaint on his side, who still retains his former sentiments and habits : and we must be prepared to endure unkindness from him, on whom we have inflicted so deep a wound. We must possess our souls in patience ; and labour, by meekness and by love, to win him, whose heart has never submitted to the preached word^.]
To this the most distant prospect of success should be a sufficient inducement —
[Whatever the state of our partner may be, God is able to effect a change : " there is nothing impossible with him :" he can " quicken the dead," and " call forth into existence that which had no being." And great beyond conception is the power of prayer. The person that continues instant in prayer is almost sure to succeed at last. And what if success should be granted, even though it were after years of suffering and of supplication ? would not that be a very abundant recompence for all ? Yes : years of labour would be well repaid by such an issue. And how knowest thou, O husband, or O wife, whether this shall not be the issue of thy prayers ? How knowest thou, whether thou shalt not be the happy instrument of saving thine unbelieving partner? Surely a mere possibility of such an event should be sufficient to call forth our utmost endea- vours ; and we should with patient perseverance hold on to the end, " instructing in meekness him that opposes us, if God peradventure may give him repentance to the acknowledging of the truth ; and he may at last recover himself out of the snare of the devil, by whom he has been led captive at his will^"]
But the questions need not be restricted to those in wedded life : they shew us equally,
II. The duty of persons, in whatever relation they may stand to each other —
Manifold are the relations of civil and social life ; and in all of them, the same concern for the salvation of others becomes us. Such is our duty,
1. In our own families —
[A person at the head of a family should consider all under his roof as committed to his care, to be brought up for God. It was said by God himself, with special approbation, respecting Abraham, " I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, that they shall keep the way of the Lord*^." The same attention will he approve in
^ 1 Pet. iii. 1. <= 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26. ^ Gen. xviii. 19.
176 1 CORINTHIANS, VII. 16. [i960.
us also : and the more we know of the evil of the heart, and of the danger of dying in an unconverted state, the more earnest should we be in the performance of this duty. And what if we be successful in one single instance ; will it not richly repay all the labour we can bestow on this good work ? Even as it respects this present life, what a bond of union exists between a man and his spiritual offspring ! What sweet counsel they take with each other, when going to the house of God as friends, or in the more retired intercourse of domestic life ! But, if we take eternity into the account, what shall we then say? Think of saving an immortal soul ! What an honour! what a joy ! O cease not, any of you, from this good work ; but go on steadily, with much patience, much forbearance, much earnestness, if by any means you may be honoured with " turning one soul from darkness unt light, and from the power of Satan unto God."]
2. In the Church of God—
[The Church is one great family ; amongst whom there is yet very ample occasion for mutual forbearance, and for mutual aid. All who believe in Christ are, in fact, one body ; and every member should take a deep interest in the welfare of the whole. It is to be lamented, that, even in the apostolic age, there were divisions and bitter animosities amongst those who ought to have been united in the bonds of brotherly affection : and so it is at this time. Many, because of a diversity of sentiment on some points, and frequently on points of inferior importance, are really separated from one another moi'e widely than from the unconverted world. But such a disposition ill becomes the family of which Christ is the Head. We should all have but one object in view ; and labour with incessant care so to watch over each other: and we should " become all things to all men, if by any means we may save some^" ]