2. What we should do if we have already attained that honour —
[Remember that the eyes of all are upon you, and that God's glory in the world is very greatly affected by your con- duct. Any fault in you will soon be noticed by the world. They who pay little regard to the stars that shine in their orbits, will yet be observant enough of a falling star : and, in like manner, they who overlook the radiance of ten thousand saints, will mark with triumph the fall of a professor, and derive from it an argument against all serious religion. Be on your guard then against every thing which may either eclipse your
light, or cause it to shine with diminished splendour
Be earnest also to get forward in your Christian course. The brightest of us emits only as yet the faint gleam of early dawn : " our profiting must continually appear ;" and " our path be as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day ^ " ]
s Prov. iv. 18.
Matt. v. 17, 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the laio
or the prophets ; I am not come to destroy, hut to fulfil. For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot
or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled.
TO have just sentiments on religion is a matter of incalculable importance. Whilst we are mistaken respecting any fundamental truths, we not only lose the benefit and comfort of those truths, but are in danger of rejecting them when proposed to our con- sideration, and enlisting ourselves amongst the avowed enemies of the Gospel. The Jews were almost uni- versally expecting a temporal Messiah. Hence, when our blessed Lord appeared in such mean circum- stances, and inculcated doctrines so opposite to their carnal expectations, the people thought either that he was an impostor who deceived them, or that he was come to subvert and destroy all that had been delivered to them by their forefathers. Our blessed Lord anti- cipated and obviated their objections : " Think not,"