which are God's '." He considers himself as called to die unto the world," yea, to be " crucified unto it, and to have it cruci- fied unto him, by the cross of Christ*^." He acknowledges that *' his affections are to be set, not upon things below, but on things above ^ :" and that he has nothing to do in this world but to prepare for a better. Hence, if occasion require, he speaks of himself as running in a race, wrestling for the mastery, and engaged in a warfare. These things he professes, not from vain ostentation, but from necessity ; or rather, he does not so much profess them as do them : and the profession is rather the re- sult of his efforts, than any declaration independent of them. As far as mere profession is concerned, he would rather be silent than talkative : but his life speaks ; and he is content that it should speak, if only it may afford a light which may be instructive and animating to those around him.
But this profession, whether voluntary or not, calls for con- sistency in his conduct, and makes it indispensable for him, whilst calling himself " a child of light and of the day," not to walk as those who are " children of darkness and of the night""."]
4. God's honour is more involved in our conduct than in that of others —
[Others may do what they will, and no one thinks of re- flecting on religion on their account. Nay, even the grossest immoralities may be committed by them, without exciting any surprise, or attracting any notice. But let a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ do any thing amiss, and the whole world hears of it : nor is he alone blamed, who commits the evil con- demned, but all who are connected with him in the same religious society are blamed also ; yea, and all religious persons generally, as being all alike. Even the Gospel itself too is condemned as sanctioning such conduct, and as having a natural tendency to produce it. The general feeling on such an occa- sion is that of exultation and triumph : " There, there, so would we have it"." Had Saul committed the evils which David did, though the act might have been blamed, God's honour would not have suffered. But when David sinned, " the name of God was everywhere blasphemed on his account"."
What an obligation then does this lay on Christians to " walk holily, justly, and unblameably " before men, that " the way of truth may not be evil spoken of through themP!" If there is a "woe unto the world because of the offences " which are committed in the Church, and which harden multitudes in
i 1 Cor. vi. 20. k Gal. vi. 14. i Col. iii. 1.
m 1 Thess. v. 5. » Ps. xxxv. 25. ° 2 Sara. xii. 14.
P 2 Pet. ii. 2.