Such was the life of that holy man ; and such were the labours in which it was continually occupied. We will now endeavour,
II. To suggest such considerations as obviously arise from them —
But where shall we begin ? or, once begun, where shall we end ? We must of necessity confine our- selves to a few which are of most general utility. Let us see then in these labours of his,
1. The incalculable value of the soul —
[If we were to judge by the conduct of all around us, we should suppose that the soul were of no value : for the
<! ver. ,30. with 2 Cor. xii. 10.
generality of men pay no more attention to their souls than if there were no future state of existence : and of those who profess to care for their souls, how few labour for their welfare with becoming zeal ! If they be called upon to bear some reproach, or to sustain some temporal loss, they are ready to draw back, as though the interests of their souls were not worth tlie sacrifice. They are more terrified at the sneers of a fellow-creature, than at the threatenings of their God ; and more desirous of the applause of man, than of the approbation of their Judge. But look at the Apostle Paul : Did he think so lightly of immortal souls ? Would he have laboured and suffered so much for them, if they were of no more value than men in general account them? Surely, either he was wrong, or we ; if the souls of men desei'ved no more attention than is usually paid to them, he was a foolish and mad enthusiast : but if we may at all estimate their value by his labours for them, then are the world mad, in paying so much attention to worthless vanities, and in so little regarding what is of more value than the whole world. O ye careless ones, whatever be your rank or age, let me expostulate with you on your more than brutish folly ]
2. The vast importance of tile Gospel —
[When we urge on men the necessity of believing in Christ, and of living altogether by faith on him, they reply that there is no need of that entire surrender of ourselves to Christ ; and that to condemn all who will not comply with such requisitions is uncharitable in the extreme. When we urge them also to use all possible means for the conversion of the heathen, they tell us that we may safely leave them to their respective creeds ; and that God is too merciful ever to condemn them. But, if this be true, how can we account for the conduct of the Apostle ? Why did he labour so for the conversion of Jews or Gentiles, if either Jews or Gentiles could be saved in any other way than through faith in Christ? Some labours and so)7ie sufferings we may suppose a man to undergo for the sake of proselyting others to his own opinions; but who would endure all that Paul endured, and that too so continually, and for so long a series of years, if he had not known that the everlasting welfare of men depended on their acceptance or rejection of his message? Know ye then that the record of God, even that record which says, " God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son ; he that hath the Son, hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life ;" that record, I say, is true : and just so many of you as are living simply by faith on Christ, and receiving every thing out of his fulness, are in a state of salvation: but every
2041.1 ST. Paul's zeal illustrated. 619
other person without exception is " under condemnation, and the wrath of God abideth on him."
And here let me caution those who are convinced of this truth, to hold it fast and glory in it, though earth and hell should conspire to turn them from it: for if the Apostles laboured so much and endured so much to impart the know- ledfi^e of it to others, much more should we be in earnest to secure an interest in it for ourselves J