2. How desirable it is to obtain the approbation of
our God —
[If there were no future world, the sense which the right- eous have of God's favour were an ample recompence for all their services. But we must take eternity into our account. We must follow the righteous and the wicked into the presence of their God : we must there see what his favour imports, and what his displeasure : we must there behold the objects of his complacency seated on thrones of glory, and the monuments of his indignation cast into the lake that burnetii with fire and brimstone. We must then contemplate their states as fixed to all eternity ; so that, after millions of ages, the one will have no mitigation of his punishment, and the other no diminution of his bliss. Reflect on this, my brethren, and I shall not need to urge you to serve your God : your own feelings will urge you sufficiently : without any further loss of time, you will flee from the wrath to come, and, with all possible earnest- ness, lay hold on eternal life.]
1 Pet. iii. 13 — 15. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be
followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for
righteousness' sake, happy are ye : and be not afraid of their
terror, neither be troubled ; but sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts.
EVERY kind of argument is urged in the Holy Scriptures to animate and encourage the followers of Christ. Sometimes the present benefit, arising from piety, is proposed as an inducement to walk in the paths of holiness : " He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile : let him eschew evil, and do good ; let him seek peace, and ensue ita." Sometimes a holy life and conversation is recom- mended, by a consideration of the regard which God himself will pay to it, and the approbation of it which he will be sure to express : " For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers : but the face of the Lord is against
a ver. 10, 11.
m 1 PETER, III. 13-15. [2401.
them that do evil." In my text, the approbation of men also is held forth, as in some respects a recom- pence to be hoped for : " For who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good 1 " But, aware that this argument would not always prove valid, the Apostle turns his address to a con- solatory strain ; and encourages the Lord's people with the thought, that if they should not meet with approbation from men, they might yet assure them- selves of abundant support and comfort from their God.
Now, in these words, I wish you to notice, I. The point conceded —
Humanly speaking, it should seem impossible that any should " suffer for righteousness' sake" —
[If wo be " followers of that which is good," and maintain a holy consistency in our conduct, we must, one would think, meet with universal approbation. For we give to no one any occasion for offence : and when we meet with unkindness from others, we render nothing but good in return for it. If per- verse and prejudiced people will speak evil of us, "our good conversation will put them to silence" and " to shame1'." Hence wives are encouraged to hope, that if, unfortunately, they are connected with unbelieving husbands, they may " by their good conversation win" those who would not be won by any thing elsec. At all events, after a season this may be expected, if not at first ; since God has said, that " when a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him d." Hence the question in my text is reasonable, and, one would think, unanswerable.]