what had he as a Christian ? There he was surpassed by none : none ever did more for their Lord than he ; none ever suffered more : yet could he find nothing in himself wherein to trust, and therefore he sought to be found in Christ alone. Thus also must you do : nor, if you refuse to do it, can you ever behold the face of God in peace.]
3. The lukewarm Christian —
[Many, alas! embrace the principles of the Gospel as principles, but never feel that interest in them which the Apostle did. They have suffered no loss for Christ, because they have never manifested such love to him as condemns an ignorant and unbelieving world. Had Noah never built an ark, he would never have been made such an object of derision as he was to the antediluvian world ; and, if Lot had never "vexed his righteous soul with the ungodly deeds" of those who lived in Sodom, he would never have incurred, as he did, their contemptuous displeasure. You too, if you followed the Lord fully, would find, that the offence of the cross is not ceased : but that now, as formerly, " they who are born after the flesh will persecute those who are born after the Spirit." In a word, if you valued and served the Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle Paul did, you would surely be called to make some sacrifices for him : for " all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Deceive not yourselves, my dear brethren : it is not a divided heart that Jesus will ac- cept : you must feel " the constraining influence of his love," and be animated by it to " live to Him who died for you, and rose again." Then only will you be approved of him, when you " give yourselves wholly to him in body, soul, and spirit." The lukewarm follower he will cast off with abhorrence p. And let me ask, Is this unreasonable ? Did he give up the glory of heaven for you ; and will you account much of any sacrifice you may be called to make for him ? Did he endure the curse of the law for you ; and will you grudge to suffer any thing for him ? Be in earnest, then : first, to form a proper estimate of Christ ; and, next, to give up every thing that may stand in competition with him. So shall his right- eousness be yours, and his glory be given you for an everlasting possession.]
p Rev. iii. 16.
2 154. J THE POWER OF Christ's RESURRECTION. 97