SO God, when he illuminates any soul, expects that the light he has imparted should be diffused for the good of others. But in endeavouring to instruct others, we should consider the time, the manner, the measure of instruction, that will be most likely to ensure success. In particular, we should not press matters when our exhortations are contemned as foolish, or re- sented as injurious. Not that our concern should be about ourselves, as though we feared either the contempt of men, or their resentment ; but we should be afraid of hardening them, and thereby increasing their guilt and condemnation. As to ourselves, we should gladly " suffer all things for the elect's sake :" but for them we should " weep, as it were, in secret places V' and " gladly spend and be spent for them, though the more abundantly we love them the less we be loved." If, indeed, after all our labour, we find that our efforts are only rejected by them with disdain, we may then with propriety leave them to themselves, and, like the Apostles, bestow our attention on more hopeful subjects s. As the priests imparted of the holy food to every member of their families, but gave none of it to dogs, so may you give your holy things to others, and withhold it from those who have shewn themselves so un- worthy of it.]
We will now apply the subject,
1. To those who are strangers to the truth —
[From the indifference which is usually shewn to divine things, it is evident that the value of religious knowledge is but little known. If we could inform persons how to restore their health, or how to recover an estate, or how to obtain any great temporal benefit, they would hear us gladly, and follow our advice with thankfubiess ; but when we speak of spiritual bene- fits, they have no ears to hear, no hearts to understand : they are ready to say to us, as the demoniac to Christ, " Art thou come to torment us before our time ?" But let it not be so with you. Think in what light God represents such conduct^
what regret you will hereafter feel ' and
what augmented punishment you will endure ^ And
may God " open your hearts, that you may attend to the things " that belong unto your peace, before they be for ever hid from your eyes !]
2. To those who know it —
[Whilst we exhort you to be cautious in admonish- ing others, we would caution you also against being soon .
f Jer. xiii. 17. s Acts xiii. 45, 46, 2 Chrou. xxv. 14 — 1(3.
h Prov. xii. 1. and xv. 31, 32. * Prov. v. 12, 13.
^ Matt. X. 14, 15.