vifions and Contentions. The great Arian Controversy arofe much about the time that the Empire became Chriftian, and it yielded as fevere Trials to Chriftians, as they had ever before experienced. The Powers of the Empire were fometimes on one Side, and fometimes on the other Side of the Controversy. What Influence it had on the Faith of the World, a Man of very moderate Experience in the World may easily collect, I will not carry this Observation into parti cular Inftances, or bring it any nearer to our own Times, than by reminding you, that every Age has afforded this Trial to Chrif tians; and there always is, and will be, Reafon for Men, who would guard the Since rity of their Hearts, to inquire how far they lean to the World, and court its Favours, by the Opinions which they embrace and profefs under the Appearance of Religion. Whether your Opinion be true or false, yet if you maintain it in Compliment to the World, you know your Reward, the World must pay you: Your Father, who feeth in fecret, has no Reward for fuch Believers. What the Portion of thofe muft be, who are refolved, at all adventures, to be well with the World, and to give no Offence either to the Great or

to

to the Wicked by their Virtue or Religion, our Saviour has plainly told us, Wo unto you, when all Men fhall fpeak well of you.

But farther: Times of Eafe and Profperity, though attended with no other Evil, yet naturally abound in Vice, and a Neglect of the Things pertaining to Salvation: And it is counted a very wife Thing to fit ftill, and give way to the Torrent, and not to create ourselves and others Trouble by opposing a general Corruption: And perhaps it may be wife. But, I beseech you, is it Wisdom towards God, or Wifdom towards the World? Is it feeking that Honour which comes from above, or the Honour which comes from Men? Can you imagine that the Man, who has not Courage enough to venture a little of his Eafe and worldly Tranquillity by expreffing his Refentment at the Corruptions that furround him, would have Refolution enough to expose his Life in a Day of Trial for the fake of the Religion which he profeffes?

Let us examine ourselves on this Head: if we think it an happy Choice to facrifice the Honour of God, and of Religion, to a corrupt Generation, and to fkreen ourselves from the Indignation of the World by a professed Indifference, is it not directly preferring the A a 4 Good

Good-will of Men to the Good-will of God? And can we complain, if we are left to feek our Recompence from the World, whofe Servants we are?

In a word; Whenever Men act in Oppofition to the Truth, or diffemble the Truth in Compliance with the World; when they wink at Iniquity, and make a Way for it to escape with Impunity; when they give Credit to Vice and Irreligion by a profeffed Indifference, and help to establish Iniquity by affecting to feem eafy and contented under the Growth of it; In all these Cases, the Words of the Text belong to them; They receive Honour one of another, and feek not the Honour which cometh from God only.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE XVI.

*****

MARK Viii. 38.

Whofoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my Words, in this adulterous and finful Generation, of him alfo fhall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father, with the holy Angels.

eT the thirty-fourth Verse of this Chapter our Lord, having called the People and his Difciples to him, declares openly to them upon what Terms the Profeffion of the Gospel was to be undertaken. He allures them not by the Hopes of temporal Profperity, nor promises any Countenance or Affiftance from the Great and Powerful; but foretels them of the Evils and Calamities that should

should attend his Followers, and of the Sufferings prepared for them in this Life; against which the Providence of God stands not engaged for their Protection, fince his Will is, that all the Faithful fhould, after the Example of the Author and Captain of their Salvation, be made perfect through Suffering. Whosoever, fays our Lord, will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Crofs, and follow me. How ftrong the Expreffion of denying himself is, and how much it includes, we learn from the next Verfe, where our Saviour himself extends it even to the parting with our Lives for his and the Gofpel's fake: Whosoever will fave his Life, fhall lofe it; but whosoever shall lofe his Life for my fake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it.

You fee, by comparing thefe Paffages together, that the Text immediately relates to the Times of Perfecution, and expreffes the Duty of a Christian to refift even unto Blood in Maintenance of his holy Religion, whenever the Providence of God calls him to fuch Trial. This indeed is not our Cafe at prefent, and therefore I fhall not spend the Time in fortifying your Minds against Terrors, removed, I hope, at a great Distance from us :

But