XXIII. moves the impression of the word of God, SERM. if any at all be made; and they, who have heard it, profit nothing by it. How many are there, who, on receiving any pious advice from their parents, their graver friends, or their minister, or perhaps on accidentally meeting with it in any good book, are filled with disbelief and contempt, ridicule it as the product of bigotry and superstition, or, if by chance it gain a momentary reception with them (as even with the most abandoned, so irresistible is truth, it sometimes will do) they suffer the great enemy of their salvation, the very next instant, to drive it from their minds. There are but too many of this first class, but they bear no proportion to those of the two next, which are described by our Saviour. For, secondly, we have the seed sown on the rock, by which those are depictured who receive religious instruction with joy; for a while Z 2 SERM. a while believe, but, having no root, in time of temptation fall away. XXIII. Now people of this description are much more common than absolute unbelivers; religion carries with it so much authority, and is so congenial to the nature of man, that the generality, at one time or other of their lives, listen to its dictates with pleasure-confess in their hearts, the source of comfort which might be derived from it -resolve, perhaps faintly, to act in compli ance with its commands, but in time of temptation (when some circumstance hap pens, in which their temporal and eternal interest is at variance,-in which their inclination points one way, and their duty another; when they are required to make some great sacrifice, of their life perhaps, or their character, or their friends, or their property) they fall away, they prefer earth to heaven, they shew clearly, that with whatever delight they at first appeared XXIII. peared to receive religion, it took no root SERM. in their hearts, since they basely and poorly sacrifice it sometimes even to the slightest considerations. The persons chiefly aimed at by our Saviour here were, I believe, those early Christians, whom he foresaw would renounce their faith on the persecutions that would be carried on against them. These persecutions were very dreadful; they extended not only to imprisonment, bonds, stripes, but to death also, and that frequently in the most terrible torments. We of this day can scarce wonder, much less ought we too harshly to censure, if flesh and blood, in some instances, were not able to stand out against such formidable assaults; and yet there were multitudes of every age and sex who resisted unto blood, who willingly, nay joyfully, laid down their lives, rather than abandon the good part which they had chosen. SERM. We (blessed be God for it) live in more quiet times, we are not likely to be called to such hazardous trials of our constancy; we shall scarce be exposed to temptations of this extreme kind; it is therefore the more incumbent upon us to make the trifling renunciations, and to incur the petty dangers to which we may, and most probably shall, even now, be summoned. The world often expects from us one thing, and our religion demands of us another; supposing we comply with the latter, we shall lose, perhaps, some one who may call himself a friend, or we shall injure our fortune, or, what is more likely, we shall fall under the censure of our neighbours; our understanding or our spirit will be called in question; we shall be esteemed singular, affected, and morose, or we shall become, possibly, only a momentary jest to our companions. Terrible discouragements these from doing what God com mands, mands, and what our own hearts dictate! SERM. XXIII. and yet experience may convince us that there are multitudes (alas! too probably, we ourselves are of the number) who are perpetually induced by them, slight as they are, to speak and to act in direct opposition both to their knowledge and their inclination. Perhaps you hope (particularly when the instance appears trifling) that there is more of folly than of guilt in this; but remember, that the more trifling the instance is, the less serious can be your sufferings or danger in not complying with it! remember, likewise, that the gradation from small concessions to great, is easy and precipitate; and remember, above all, the menace of our Saviour, which is directed against those, who, from a foolish regard to the opinion of the world, are induced to act in contradiction to what they know and feel to be right:"Whoever shall be ashamed of me, and |