benefit to their souls: yea rather, inasmuch as it argued light and knowledge, it will only enhance their guilt, and aggravate their condemnation. Let those who are not occupied in a careful imitation of their Lord, and an unreserved obedience to his will, know assuredly, that if, on the one hand, he that believeth shall be saved, so, on the other hand, " the unright- eous shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven."]
3. How great are the obligations of God's people to walk circumspectly !
[The world will judge of the Gospel, not so much by what they hear, as by what they see. Now, though they have no right to act thus, we should be careful not to lay a stumbling-block before them. We should endeavour rather to make a good impression on their minds, and to give them no occasion from our conduct to speak evil of the truth itself. We should shew them by our lives, that their fears respecting the licentious tendency of the Gospel are groundless. By walking as it becometh saints, we should put to silence their ignorant objections, and constrain them to confess, that, how- ever the Gospel may be dishonoured by its friends, or calum- niated by its enemies, it is indeed a doctrine according to godliness.]
1 Tim. vi. 6. Godliness with contentment is great gain.
TO the great dishonour of Christianity, there are many professors, and even preachers of it, who are more intent on promoting their own temporal in- terests, or the interests of their party, than on ad- vancing practical religion in the world. Of such persons St. Paul is speaking in the context : and he enjoins Timothy to withdraw himself from them, as from persons who disgraced the Christian name, by giving reason to people to conclude, that " they sup- posed gain to be godliness." In opposition to such characters, the Apostle reverses that which he had stated as their opinion ; and declares, that though gain was not godliness, godliness was gain, yea, and "great gain," if it were joined "with contentment."
In vindication of this sentiment, we shall shew,