XVII. continue poor, to leave his family unpro- SER M. vided for, to commit himself to him, who judgeth righteously, and his reward shall be great in heaven. Suppose, again, that a man has a friend, who is as dear to him as life itself, whose friendship to him has been tried on various occasions, without whom from long use he knows not how to live; suppose this friend, however faithful and just to him, to be an infidel, or a libertine, and that he is in danger from the constant intercourse which subsists between them of having his principles perverted, and his morals depraved; what conduct should he observe? he may, he ought to, try all means to reclaim his unhappy friend, but those failing, and finding himself perpetually drawn in by bad company and conversation to do what his conscience condemns, he must, hard as will be the struggle, give up his other self, he must break off the friendship, or be SERM. be content to renounce the favour of a still XVII. nearer friend, his Mediator and Redeemer. These are two instances, out of a multitude which might be mentioned, where great self-denial is necessary; they may serve to shew what is its true nature. And here I must observe, that there is nothing unexpected in these sacrifices, which are demanded of us; our Saviour has not deceived us: he told his first disciples that there were no worldly advantages to be expected from the profession of his religion; but, on the contrary, that it would expose them to various dangers and sundry kinds of deaths; and he likewise gave many intimations of the difficulties through which Christians, in all ages, were to make their way to happiness and immortality. Nor is there any thing unreasonable in them; Christ, the captain of our salvation, went before us-he shewed us the way, through sufferings and death, to life and to XVII. to glory-he endured the cross, and de- SERM. spised the shame, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. He has likewise promised us all needful assistance in our trials: if, therefore, we sincerely endeavour, we may be sure that we shall pass through them victorious: but, above all, he hath held forth to us a most glorious reward for our toils-an happy eternity-passed in the presence of Goda reward which ought to make us count all earthly sufferings as nothing— but as a drop of a bucket, but as the small dust of the balance.' Since, then, self-denial is a duty which is required of all Christians, since it is nothing unreasonable in itself, and what we may all expect to be called upon to exercise, we ought to hold ourselves in continual preparation for it; we ought so to discipline our minds as to have them always ready to give up, with cheerfulness, every plea sure XVII. SERM. sure or advantage which is incompatible with our religion, and to submit with fortitude to every loss or pain which that exacts from us. If we are called on to surrender riches, or to encounter poverty and want, let us consider him who, being Lord of all, had not where to lay his head; who, being rich, for our sakes became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be made rich. If it should happen that we are persecuted for adhering to what our conscience tells us to be right, let us remember and be consoled by our master's benediction- Blessed are ye when men “shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all manner of evil against you falsely, for my name's sake; rejoice, "and be exceeding glad, for great is your "reward in heaven!" To put a still more extreme case, if it should be our lot to be exposed to death itself, for righteousness sake, let us meet it with readiness rather than XVII. than part with our integrity; its pangs SERM, can be but momentary, and, these once over, we shall shine as the stars in the firmament, for ever and ever. And here it is not out of place to observe, that if a Christian withstand all the trials which he meets with, if he deny himself in all the instances in which his virtue is put to the test, he does every thing which is required of him, and he is not to vex himself with scruples of what might have been his falling off if such and such perils had assailed him: I mention this, because I believe it is not uncommon for devout persons of a melancholy temper, when they read or hear of the terrible tortures which the first martyrs to our religion underwent, and shrink with horror and dismay at the idea of them, it is not, I believe, uncommon for them to harrass themselves with apprehensions that, if such trials had fallen to their lot, they should not |