For though the love

tians distinguish themselves. of praise be naturally no less sweet to them than to others, yet they have motives sufficient to wean them from seeking it. Jesus Christ, the object of their hope, love, and delight, is present to their mind. They see him not only despised, but outraged, giving his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. Frequent contemplation of this affecting object disposes the mind to bear contempt from the same sort of men who spit upon our Lord. Besides this weighty reason, not to covet the praise of men, who love only what is agreeable to their own false maxims and pursuits, Christians are taught to expect contempt on account of their attachment to Christ, and exhorted neither to be surprised nor discouraged at it.

When all the professing people of God used the same mode of worship, and no opposition was made on account of any supposed innovation in religion, enmity was expressed with great resentment against a truly excellent life. "The wicked seeth the righteous, and gnashing upon them with his teeth. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and bent the bow to slay such as be of upright conversation," Psalm Xxxvii. When the publication of the gospel is foretold, the Almighty exhorts all who should be disposed to obey it not to suffer love of praise, or fear of shame, to make them renounce or dissemble their faith. "Harken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings," Isaiah li. 7. When Jesus himself delineates the graces which adorn and distinguish his faithful followers, viz. humility, meekness, love of righteousness, purity, and mercy, he immediately adds, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you for righteousness sake." For he knew

the character, though a beauteous resemblance of his own, would upbraid men of partial superficial virtue, and gall those of a corrupt life.

These instructions strongly aid a sense of our duty to seek only the honour that cometh from God; and are of great efficacy to cool the heart, which would otherwise burn for reputation. While Christians are thus studying only to be approved of God, their singleness of intention, according to that gracious promise, is rewarded with the light of truth, love, and holiness, in which they enjoy more than a re. compence for the loss of human praise, or the con tempt poured on their understanding, choice, and

conduct.

Further, self must be denied in our enjoyment of lawful comforts. Intemperance, lewdness, covet. ousness, and vain-glory, are in every degree defiling and sinful. Nothing can be urged in their defence by those who believe the Bible, or reason justly. But, after these corruptions of heart are conquered, there remains much exercise for self-denial. Our hearts must be disengaged from temporal blessings, which have no intrinsic worth, that we may receive the benefit they were intended to give, without putting our peace in their power. And considering how very uncertain all outward comforts are, and how impossible it is to secure the enjoyment of them, our interest, no less than duty, requires that we should sit loose to them.

Amongst these lawful comforts, in which self must be denied, our dearest relations are included: for though much love is due to them, and a great tenderness of affection, from whence much pleasure springs, still God alone must possess our chief love. But without a jealous watch, when our affection is tender as it ought to be, it will soon intrench upon what we owe to him, and render us lukewarm,

Excessive love for a husband, wife, or child, will prove as fatal to the soul, and as injurious to God, as excessive love of money, wine, or voluptuousness. It will enslave us to an idol, which we shall studiously seek to please, and be fearful to offend above all things. Our happiness will center in this short-lived. precarious idol, and its removal prove a stroke too heavy to bear with Christian submission. The danger of this inordinate affection with respect to nobler objects than the covetous, aspiring, or lewd pursue, is expressly mentioned in scripture, and self-denial in this instance enjoined. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children," (as much renounce all fondness for them which would hinder faithfulness in my service, and supreme love to my person, as if he hated them), "he cannot be my disciple, his heart cannot be whole with me," Luke xiv.

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St. Paul inculcates the same degree of self-denial respecting our dearest earthly comforts, founding his doctrine on an everlasting reason. Brethren, the time is short; it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep [for the loss of them], as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it; for the fashion of this world passeth away;" 1 Cor. vii. Short-lived as we are ourselves, our best earthly comforts are often still shorter in their duration. Wherefore we act only according to the truth of our condition in obeying God by moderating our affections towards all that are upon the earth. By this means we shall receive the comfort they are able to give, and still enjoy life in a separation from them when that takes place. The unchangeable all-suffi

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cient God will be our treasure, and the failure of the citerns which too may hew out for themselves, will enhance the more to us the fountain of living waters. To comprehend, with a more lively impression, the excellent advantage of being thus disengaged from inordinate affection towards objects very dear to us, look upon the fond mother, stupid and dumb with grief, refusing, like Rachel, to be comforted because her child is gone, and harbouring hard thoughts of the adorable God, who gives and takes away as he pleases. Turn to other objects. Observe the settled melancholy which oppresses them. They have lost, by a sudden stroke, the husband or wife of their youth, in whom they promised themselves years of joy. They see their happiness shivered all in pieces, and by the interment of the idol on which they doated, the whole creation is become to them a desert; the comforts others enjoy in the married state aggravate their anguish, and all their refuge is in the gloomy thought, that death will soon deliver them.

These afflicting scenes, which so often present themselves, prove, no act of duty can be more reasonable or necessary than that of resisting and suppressing all inordinate love towards our dear relations. Who can say they shall not be torn from us in a moment? And then, if we have delighted ourselves in them beyond measure, they will surely pierce us through with many pangs for their loss; pangs which will not only cut us off from heavenly consolations, but fill us with murmurings against God, bringing upon us his heavy displeasure.

SUNDAY XLIV.

CHAP. XLIV.

On evil Shame.

SELF must be denied in overcoming evil shame. We all naturally follow custom and fashion, and, though not fired with love of fame, we still feel it grievous to be reproached as a bigot, a fool, an en thusiast. Wherefore, when men observe that an appearance of seriousness or attachment to scripture principles, in condemnation of corrupt practices and fashionable errors, will make them pass as disagreeable persons, unfit for polite company till they gain more liberal notions, they are afraid of religion. Pride strongly pleads not to come forward as friends to the truth of God, where it is despised, but appear approvers of every thing in the mode, though we condemn it in our heart.

This evil shame must be denied in all its work. ings, because it is base, a great encouragement to iniquity, and destructive to our own souls.

Nothing can be baser than a dastardly obse quiousness to the opinions of men. It not only speaks the dominion cowardice has over us, but it is a most ungrateful return for more knowledge than others have attained. Did God give you this know. ledge, to which thousands are strangers, that you might affront and put the greater indignity upon him, by preferring your own paltry reputation to his favour? that you might appear dark as the world in your understanding, rather than bear ridicule from the foes of truth, only foes because their deeds are