Now, if this rule, as carried into execution thus, appear exceptionable to any of you, hear it, IL Vindicated —
It may be complained of perhaps,
1. As unnecessary —
[Christianity, it may be said, is a religion of love, and is intended to produce nothing but harmony upon earth. Is not this the description given of its eflfects by the Prophet Isaiah : " The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together ; and a little child shall lead them ?" How, then, shall such enmity be shewn against it, as shall tempt any man to deny his Lord ? It is possible that such an effect might be produced, if it did not improve the characters of men : but its avowed tendency is, to change even the vilest of men into the very image of their God: how, then, can persons so changed become objects of scorn and hatred to those around them? The rule is plainly unnecessary, because there never can be any occasion for the execution of it: Christianity can produce nothing but peace : and therefore the supposition that any should ever be tempted by persecution to deny Christ is alto-
gether vain.
But, specious as this objection is, it is not founded in truth: for though the proper tendency of Christ's religion is to diffuse peace and love, the actual effect of it is the very reverse. " Think not," says our Lord, " that I am come to send peace on earth : I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
b Matt. vii. 21—23.
330 MATTHEW, X. 32—39. [l346.
daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law : and a man's foes shall be they of his own household." ' What ! ' it may be asked, ' was this really the design for which Christ came into the world ? ' No : but this effect is as universal and invariable as if it had been actually designed. And this may easily be accounted for. Wherever the Gospel works effectually on the heart, there a great and visible change is wrought : for the person that obeys it is " turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." This change cannot fail to attract the notice of his neighbours; who are thereby reduced to the alternative of condemning it in the person changed, or of acknowledging the necessity of a similar change in themselves. But, not wishing to experience it themselves, they embrace the other alternative, and reprobate the change as enthusiastic and absurd. If the person so changed stand in any near relation to them, they feel it on that account the more offensive : because the odium attached to it is, in a measure, reflected on themselves ; and the self-condemnation, which they are constrained to feel, is far more acute than if the person exciting it had no connexion with them. Hence parents and relatives are generally amongst the fiercest opposers of such a change ; and " a man's greatest foes are usually those of his own household." Another reason for this is, that as those who are most nearly related to us pos- sess a greater influence over us than others, they are the first persons looked to, to exert that influence, whether of authority or love, for the reclaiming of us from our supposed errors.
Hence then it appears, that the rule is by no means unneces- sary ; since, if the world at large should forbear to shew their hatred of the change, a man's nearest relatives will be sure to lay all kinds of stumbling-blocks in his way, to keep him from confessing Christ, and to lead him to a denial of him.]
2. As unjust —
[It is here taken for granted, that the person rejected by this rule has never been guilty of any flagrant transgression ; and that his only offence has been, that he did not confess Christ so boldly as he ought to have done ; but, on some occa- sions, has rather denied him. Now, can it be supposed, that for such a slight offence as this the Lord Jesus will " deny," and everlastingly reject, " him ?" Impossible: he can never inflict so severe a punishment for so trivial an offence.