ENDURANCE OF THE WORLD'S CENSURE.
"" And thou, son of man, be hot af raid of then; neither be af raid of their words, thot,gh briars and thor» be with thee, and thou dost dwell among seor]oions; be ,ot afaid of thei wods, nor be dismaged af their looks, though theg be a rebellious koune.'"
HAT is here implied, as the trial of the Prophet Ezekiel, was fulfilled more or less in the case of ail the Prophets. They were hot Teachers merely, but Confessors. They came hot merely fo unfold the Law, or fo foretell the Gospel, but fo warn and rebuke; nor to rebuke only, but to surfer. This world is a scene conflict between good and evil. The evil not only avoids, but persecutes the good; the good cannot contluer, except by suffering. Good men seem fo fail; their cause triumphs, but their own overthrow is the price paid for the success of their cause. Vhen was it that this conflict, and this character and issue of it, have hot been fulfilled? So if was in the beginning. Cain, for instance, was envious of his brother Abel, and slew
4 Endurance of the lVorlcs Ce¢sure. him. Enoeh walked with God, and was a preaeher of rig, hteousness, and God took him. Ishmael moeked at Isaae; Esau was full of wrath with Jaeob, and resolved fo kill him. Joseph's brethren were tilled with bitter lm.tred of him, debated a.bout killing" him, east him into a. pif, and af last sold him into:Eg)Tt. Afterwards, in like ma.nner, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rose up a.gainst Moses. And, later still, Saul persecuted David; and Ahab and Jezebcl,:Elijah; and the priests and the prophets the Prophct Jeremiah. Lastly, not fo dwell ¢»n other instances, the chief priests and Pharisees, full of envy, rose up against out Lord Jesus Christ, and delivercd Itim fo the hea.then govemor, Pontius Pilate, fo be crucified. So the Apostles, after Itim, and especially St. Paul, vere persecuted by their tierce and revengeful countrymen: and ri'oto the way in which St. Paul speaks on the subject we may infer that it is ever so fo be: "" Ail that will live god]y in Christ Jesus shall surfer persecution:'" or, as he says, after referring to the histo T of Isaac and Ishmael, "' As then he tha.t was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now:" and indeed we see this lhlfilled in its measure before our eyes even at this day. Hence out Sa.viour, to console all who surfer for His sake, graciously says, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of hea.ven ï' 2 Tire. iii. 12. Gal. iv. 29. lIatt, v. 10.
The case seems tobe this: those who do hot serve God with a sinle heart, know they ouht to do so, and they do not like to be reminded that they ought. And when they thll in with any one who does live to God, he serves to remind them of it, and that is unpleasant to them, and that is the first reason why they are anffry with a religious man; the sight of him disturbs them and makes them uneasy. And, in the next place, they feel in their hearts that he is in lnueh better case than they are. They eannot help wishinff—though they are hardly conscious of their own wish—they cannot help wishing that they were like him; yet they have no intention of imitating him, aud this makes them jealous and envious. Instead of being angry with themselves they are angry with him. These are their first feelings: what follows? next they are very lnuch tempted to deny that he is religious. They wish to get the thouffht of him out of their minds. Nothing would so relieve their minds as to find that there were lin religious persons in the world, none better than themselves. Accordingly, they do all they can to believe that he is making a pretence of religion; they do their utmost to find out what looks like inconsistency, in him. They call him a hypocrite and other names. And all this, if the truth must be spoken, because they hate the things of God, and therefore they hate His servants.
I4¢ Endm.ance of 1/e Iorld's Cezsur«. Aeeordingly, us far as they bave power to do it, they perseeute him, either, as the text implies, with cruel untrue words, or with eold, or tierce, or jealous looks, or in some worse ways. A good man is an offenee to a bad man. The sight of him is a sort of insult; and he is irritated at him, and does him what harm he can. Thus Christians, in former rimes, were put to death by the heathen. As righteous Abel by Cain, as our Lord Jesns Christ, the Son of Goal, by the Jews, as St. Paul too by the heathen; so, ma.ny a.fter him were put to death also, and tha.t by the most cruel torments. It would hot be right to describe the horrible inflictions which the children of God once endured at the lmnds of the children of the flesh; but we bave some allusion to what had taken place in an earlier age, in a passage from St. Paul's Episfle to the Hebrews, from which you may judge of the more cruel trials which Christians aftervards endured. They "had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: thcy were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins; being destitute, afiticted, tormented; (of whom the world was hot worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the eart.h t." Praised be God, we live in rimes when this cannot take place! HitheoEo, at least, He bas guarded us in a Heb. xi. 36—38.
Endurance of the llYorlas Censure. 145 wondérful way. If ny bad man did any serious harm to a religious man, he knows he would incur some punishment from the law of the land. Religious persons are protected in this day from all great persecutions, and they cannot sufficiently be thankful for if. The utmost they can surfer from the vorld is light indeed compared with what men suffered of old time. Yet St. Paul calls even his and their sufferings "out light affliction;" and if their suffering was but light, compared with the glory which was to follow after death, much more is ours light, who cannot undergo persecution, if we would, and at best can only surfer very slight inconveniences from serving God faithfully. And yet, nevertheless, most true is it, that even now, no one can give his mind to God, and show by his actions that he fears God, but he will incur the dislike and opposition of the world; and if is important he should be aware of this, and be prepared for it. ]e must not mind if, he must bear it, and in rime (if God so will) he will overcome it. There are a number of lesser ways in which careless ungod]y persons may annoy and inconvenience those who desire to do their duty humbly and fully. Such, especially, are those, which seem intended in the text, unkind censure, carping, slander, ridicule, cold looks, rude language, insult, and, in some cases, oppression and tyranny. rhoever, therefore, sers about a religious life, must be prepared for these,—must be thankful if they [VIII] L
46 Endurance of lhe IVorld's Censure, clo hOt befMl him; but must hOt be put ou, must hOt think if a strange thing, if they do. Now, my brethren, observe this; in bidding" you endure reproaeh l`or Christ's sake, I ara biddin you nothing" whieh, as a minister of Christ, I do hot wish fo praetise myself. Tay, itis what all ministers of Christ are oblied to praetise; l`or, in all aes, «vlto do you think if is that the world will first attoek and oppose? Christ's ministers, of course. Who is there who ean possibly so offend this bad world, as they whose very offlee is fo remind the world of God and heaven? If all serious persons are disliked by the workl, beeause they brin belote it unpleasant truths, whieh it would fain forger if it eould, this trial surely applies still more to those whose very profession and business itis fo remind men of the truths of religion. A religious man does hot intend to remind his neig'hbours; he g, oes on his own way; but they see him and eannot help bein reminded. They see that he is well-eondueted, sober-minded, and reverent, and eonseientious; Chat he never runs into any exeess; that he never uses bad lanuae; that he is ref#ular at his prayers, regular at Chureh, reg'ul,r t the most Ho!y Saerament; they see ail this, and, whether he will or no, they are reminded of their duty, and, as disliking" tobe reminded, they dislike him who reminds them. But il" this be so in the case eommon men, who wish fo go on in u relig"ious way without making any prol"ession, how do you think it will rare with us, Christ's ministers, whose very duty if is to make a profession? Ævery rhino about a clerg'yman is a warning" to men, or ought tobe, of the next world, of death and judg'ment, heaven and hell. His very dress is a memento. He does not dress like other men. ]:[is habits are a memento. His mode of speech is graver than that of others. His duties too are a mcmento. ]Ie is seen in Church reading, prayers, baptizin,', preaching.; or he is seen teaching children; he is seen in works of charity; or he is secu studying.. IIis lire is given to objects out of sight. All that he does is intended fo remind men that rime ]s short, death is certain, and eternity long'. And, this bcing so, do you think that men, being as they mostly are, carcless and irrelig.ious, do you think they like this?:No; and s(ill less, when he goes on fo tèll men of their errors and faults, and, as far as he can, fo restrain them. And so in all ages you will flnd that the world bas resisted and done its utmost to get rid of the preachers of repentance and holiness. If would stone Moses, it cast Daniel into the den of lions, and the three Children into the flery furnace: St.:Paul if beheaded, St.:Peter if crucified, others it burnt, others if tortured even to death. And so it went on for many generations. But af last, as I said just now, religious persons bave by degrees been sheltered by the law of the land from persecution, and Christ's minlsters among them. And the world has got more humane and generous, if hot more religiou; and
148 Esduranc¢ of l]e IIorld's C'nsure. Go8 is sovereign over 11. But though he devil enno perseeute ts, he does wha he ean o oppose us. 8rely this is so; for no one ean look into the many publications of the day, without having proof of if; no one ean go into places where persons meet together for refreshment, or for reeretion, without hearing if; no one ean trvel on the road, without af rimes being witness if. Christ's ministers a.re ealled names, mtrxths are old of them, they are ridieulM; and mea encourage eeh oher fo oppose them, and fo deeeive them. And why? for this simple short reason, beeause they re God's messengers; and men in general do not like o be told of God. The" say that they eould do xvell enough without minisers of Christ; whieh really mens, that they wish o do withou Goal in the world. 8ueh is the portion whieh all we, ministers of Christ, are ealled by our profession; nd therefore, when xve bid you prepare for he opposition of t.he world, we are ealling you t nothing whieh we do hOt bear ourselves. If were well, eould ve, in all things, do first. wht we bid 3o do. There is no tempt,tion or trial xvhieh you h,ve, whieh in its kind we may not bave o endure, or t least would not wish fo endure, so far as if is lawful o wish if. St. Paul said fo certain heathens, "We also are men of like pssions with youL" St. Pmd, nd the Aposfles, and ail Christ's ministers after them, re of one nah:re with other mem They have fo Acts xiv. 15.
go through what other men go through. They surfer pain, sorrow, bereavement, anxicty, dcsolateness, privations; and they have need, as othcr men, of patience, cheerfulness, fifith, hope, contentment, resiguation, firmness, to bear all that cornes on them well. But even more than other men are thcy called on to bear the opposition of the vorld. They bave fo bcar bcing ridiculed, slandered, ill-treated, overreached, dislikcd. All this is not pleasant fo theln na.turally, any more than other people. But they find it must be so; they cannot alter if; and they learn rcsig'nation and patience. This patience and resig'nation then I exhort you to cherish, my brethren, when the world scorns you for your religionl and withal cheerfulness and meekness, that you may bear your cross lightly, and hot gloomily, or sadly» or complaining'ly. For instance, persons may press you to do something" which you know tobe wrong,—to tell an untruth, or to do what is hot quite honest, or to go to companie.s whither you shoukl hOt go; and they may show that they are vexed af the notion of your not complying. Still you must not comply. You must hot do what you feel to be wrong, though you should thereby displease even those whom you wou]d most wish to please. Again: you must hot be surprised, should you find tha you are callcd a hypocrite, and other hard names; you must not mhd it. Aain: you may be jeered at and mocked by your x 5 ° mttrace of tke Vorld's Censure. aequainanee, for being, strict nd reli'ious, for earefully eoming, fo Chureh, kccpin from bad lang'uage, and the like: you mus no eare for if. Again, yon may, perhaps, diseover fo your g'rea vexation, that untruths are told of you by eareless persons behind your baeks, that what you do bas been misrepresented, and that in eonsequcnee number of evil thing are believed about you by the world a. large. Hard though i be, you must not eare for i; remembering" that more untruths were told of our Saviour and His Apostles than can possibly be told of you. Again: you may find that hot only the common run of men believe wbat is said ag-ainst)-ou, but even those with whom you vish fo stand well. But if this happens throug'h your conscientiousness)'ou must hot mind if, but must be cheerful, leaving your case in the hand ot" God, and knowing" that He will bring if out into the lig;ht one day or another, in ttis own g'ood time. Ag'ain: persons may try fo threaten or frighten you into doing" something wrong', but you must not mind that; you must be firm. In many, very man) ways you may be called upon fo bear the ill-usaffe of the world, or fo withstand ifs attempts fo draw you ri'oto God; but you must be firm, and you must hot be surprised that they should be ruade. You must consider that it is your very calling fo bear and fo withstand. This is what you offer fo God as a sort of return for His great mercies fo you.
Did hot Christ go through much more for you than you ean possibly be called upon to undergo for I[im? Did He bear the bitter cross who was. sinless, and do you, who are at best so sinful, scruple to bear such poor trials aud petty inconveniences? In conclusion, I will but call your attention to two points, to which what I have said leads me. First; Do hot be too eagcr to suppose you arc illtreated for your religion's sake. hlake as light of matters as you tan. And bewa.re of being scvere on those who lead careless lives, or whom you think or know to be ill-treating you. Do hot dwell on such matters. Turn your mind away from them. Avoid all gloominess. Be kind and gentlc fo those who are perverse, and you will very often, please God, gain thcm over. You should pray for those who lead careless lires, and especially if they are unkind to you. Vho knovs but God may hear your prayers, and turn their hearts, and bring them over to you? Do every thing for them but imitate them and yield to them. This is the true Christian spirit, to be meek and gentle undcr iii-usage, cheerful under slander, forgivlng towards enemies, and silent in the midst of angry tongues. Secondly, I would say, recollect you cannot do any one thing of all the duties I have been speaking of, without God's help. Any one who attempt to resist the world, or to do other good things by his own rength, will be sure to iall. We cat do good thins, but if is when God gives us power fo do them. Therefore we must pray to IIim for the power. W]en we are broug'ht into temptation of any kind, we should lift up our hearts fo God. We should say fo Him, "Good Lord, dêliver us." Our Lord, when He was going, away, promised to His disciples a Comforter instead of Himself; tlmt was God the Holy Ghost, who is still among' us (though we see Him hot), as Christ was with the Apostles. He has comc in order to enlig-hten us, to uide us in the right way, and in the end to bring" us to Christ in hcaven. And He came down, as His naine "Comforter" shows, especially to stand by, and coinfort, and streng'then those who are in any trouble, particularly trouble from irrelig'ious men. The disciples, when Christ went, had fo go throug'h much trouble, and therefore He comfooEed them by the coming" of the Holy and Eternal Spirit, the Third Person in the Blessed OH " Trinity. "These thing's I have spoken unto y, He says, "that in Me ye might hve peace; in the xvorld ye shall hve tribulation, but be of good cheer, I hve overcome the world ." V'hen, then, relig'ious persons are in low spirits, or are. any way grieved ai the ditficulries which the world purs in thelr way, when they earnestly desire to do their duty, yet feel how weak they are, let them recollect that they are "hot their own," but "bought with a price," and the dwelling'-places and temples of the All--acious Spiàt.
Lastly; I am quite sure that none of us, even t]ae best, have resisted the world as we ought to have donc. Our faces have hOt been like flints; we have been afraid of men's words, and dismayed at their looks, and e bave yielded to them attimes against our better j udgment. We have fancied, forsooth, the world could do us some ha.rm while ve kept to the commandments of God. Let us search our consciences; let us look back on our past lives. Let us try to purify and cleanse our hemoEs" in God's sight. Let us try to lire more like Christians, more like children of God. Let us earnestly beg of God fo teach us more simply and clearly what our duty is. Let us beg of Him to give us the heart fo love Him, and true repentance for what is past. Let us beg Him to teach us 2oo to confess Him before men; lest if we deny Him now, He may deny us before the Angels of God hereafter.