superior to their own. How common is it to ascribe every such appearance to weakness or hypocrisy. In the generality of wicked men this is not so properly malice as self-defence. If they should allow the excellence of such a character, it would be condemning themselves out of their own mouths. Their inward reflection, in all probability, is perfectly similar to that of the Pharisees, when Christ asked them, Whether the baptism of John was from heaven, or of men ? 66 They reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say from heaven, he will say unto us, Why did ye not then be lieve him?" In the same manner, should any confess the excellence of a conduct opposite to their own, it would be impossible to avoid saying to them, Why do ye then so sin against light? Every one will see, that this must necessarily hold most strongly in the case of those whose office, or whose work, is of a public nature. They are like a city set on a hill, As their character is most conspicuous, it is, by necessary conse. quence, most useful to the good, and most provoking to the wick. ed. Faithful ministers of Christ, for instance, are the lights of the world, and by their piety and diligence, are a standing reproach to the world lying in wickedness. But, in a particular manner, they must be the objects of the hatred and resentment of those of their own order, who will not follow their steps. This is an evident consequence of the principle above laid down. As their character suffers most by the comparison, their passions must necessarily be most inflamed. Let

a minister of Christ be ever so guarded in his speech, ever so inoffensive in his carriage, ever so distant in reality from injur. ing others; if he be more frequent and more affectionate in preaching, if he is more assiduous in the duties of his function, this must naturally excite the resentment of the lazy, slothful part of his profession. This of itself, is injury enough to those who love their worldly ease, and have more pleasure in the possession of their benefice, than the exercise of their office. Is this surpris. ing? Not in the least. His conduct does indeed molest their quiet: it either forces them to greater diligence, or holds up their real character to light, and exposes them to contempt andscorn.

In order at once to confirm and illustrate this truth, observe that the force and malignity of envy in defaming of characters, is always in proportion to the nearness of the person to whom the character belongs. Distance, either of time or place, greatly abates, if not wholly extin guishes it. Suppose the character of a person drawn, who lived many ages ago, or even at present in a very distant country; suppose him represented as eminent in virtue of every kind, as remarkably diligent, as indefatigably active in doing good; there are few who shew any disposition to call in question the fact, or impute it to sinister motives. But let the same be the apparent character of any man among his contemporaries, and how many are immediately up in arms against him? How implicitly do they believe, and with what pleasure do they spread every idle calumny to his preju

dice? How is his piety immediate ly converted into hypocrisy, his zeal into faction and ill nature, his fervor and diligence into affectation and love of popularity; and, in a word, every valuable quality into that vice, by which it is most commonly or most artfully counterfeited.

That this difference of judgment is entirely owing to the reason I have assigned, will further appear, if you consider, that so soon as a connexion of the same nature happens, by any accidental circumstance to be established, the same invidious resentment immediately takes place against the most distant characters. What inveterate preju. dice do infidels generally show, against the characters of the Scripture saints, and those of the fathers of the Christian church, because the establishment of such characters does necessarily and manifestly infer the overthrow of the cause in which they are embarked. In the mean time, the wise men of the heathen nations are suffered to possess, without contradiction, all the reputation which their countrymen in after-ages have thought fit to bestow upon them. Nay, sometimes to serve a certain purpose, their character is increased and magnified beyond all reasonable bounds. What pains have been taken by those Christians, who patronize the modern inventions and improve. ments in theology, to undermine the characters of the most eminent champions of the ancient faith? What would some persons teach us to believe of Athannasius and Augustine in earlier, Calvin, Luther, and Melancthon in later times? Not that we have

not well attested evidence of their piety and integrity, but that, being of different sentiments from their accusers, the excellence of their character is too good a support to their cause.

2. Another reason why the servants of God are represented as troublesome is, because they will not, and dare not comply with the sinful commandments of men. In matters merely civil, good men are the most regular citizens and the most obedient subjects. But, as they have a Master in heaven, no earthly power can constrain them to deny his name or desert his cause. The reply of Peter and Johu to the Jewish rulers when they were commanded "not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus," was in the following terms, "Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye."* With what invincible constancy and resolution did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to bow before Nebuchadnezzar's golden image ? The case of Daniel was perfectly similar, whom even the king's commandment could not restrain from prayer to God.

When good men are unhappily brought into these circumstances, their conduct is an apparent contradiction to authority.

How ready are lordly and oppressive tyrants to style it obstinacy and pride? And when are there wanting slavish and submissive flatterers near every inferior tribunal, to aggravate the crime, and to cry, "If thou let this man go, thou art not Cesar's friend?" It is not to be imagined, indeed, but such as are

*Acts iv. 19.

strangers to true religion, must be greatly provoked at those who will not comply implicitly with their commands. There is a remarkable passage in a letter of Pliny the younger, to the emperor Trajan, which plainly points out the sentiments entertained by many on this subject. He was a man in other matters abundantly humane, and yet hear his own account of his treatment of the Christians when brought to his tribunal. "I asked them if they were Christians; if they confessed, I asked them again threatening punishment. If they persisted, I commanded them to be executed; for I did not at all doubt but, whatever their confession was, their stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy ought to be punished."

There is a love of dominion natural to all men, which is under no control or restraint in

those who are void of religion. This must naturally dispose them to carry on their schemes, and to insist on having them univer. sally complied with. It frets and provokes them, therefore, to find any who will not be subservient to their pleasures. A re. fusal to obey, on a principle of conscience, is expressly setting bounds to their authority, and saying, hitherto shalt thou go, but no further. How few are able to bear this with patience, the history of the world in every age is one continued proof.

Such refusals also, do always reflect some dishonor upon the measures to which they stand in opposition. Whatever any person refuses to do, he, as far as in him lies, represents as wrong and sinful; and, in some respects, unworthy or unfit to be

done.

Thus it comes to be con. sidered not only as withdrawing his own allegiance, but as cor. rupting and seducing others. And no doubt, it tends to draw the attention of the world to the disputed command, and makes some, perhaps, sift and examine what they had before blindly gone into without suspicion. Hence it naturally follows, that whenever such interference happens between human and divine authority, good men must be considered as disorderly and troublesome; and those of them of all others most troublesome, who with the greatest constancy adhere to their duty, or who, with the greatest honesty and boldness, resist and oppose corrupt measures.

3. One other reason why the servants of God are accused as troublesome, is because they are, in many instances, obliged, to bear testimony against the sins of others, and openly to reprove them. Reproof is plainly, of all others, the greatest offence and provocation of the proud, and draws down their heaviest resentment and yet it is often unavoidable. There are some cases in which every Christian without exception, must feel the constraint of this divine law. "Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him.'* Some sins are so flagrant in their nature that, even to witness them with silence, would imply some participation of the guilt. In such cases it is the glory of the poorest and meanest servant of God, to resent the dishonor that is done to his name, and reprove the most exalted sinner.

*Lev. xix. 17.

But this duty, and the odium arising from it, falls most frequently to the share of the prophets and ministers of God, who have received a commission to speak in his name and to plead his cause. The faithful discharge of their duty, includes in it plainness and boldness in reprov. ing sin of every kind. They must assert and maintain the truth, and point out the errors opposite to it, with all their guilty fruits, and all their dreadful consequences. How offensive this to human pride? It must certainly either convince or provoke, reform or inflame. When right eous Lot says, in the mildest terms, to the lustful Sodomites, "I pray you brethren, do not so wickedly," how fierce is the answer? And they said, stand back. And they said again, this one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge."* How many martyrs to truth have there been since the world began ? Without mentioning those in the Old Testament, you see John the baptist lost his life by reproving the incestuous adultery of Herod and Herodias. Our blessed Savior gives the following account of the hatred of the world to him, and the con. trary reception it gave to his temporising brethren, "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." By consulting the history of the gospel you will find, that what gave rise to the conspiracy of the Scribes and Pharisees against him, was his dragging off the mask under which they lay concealed, and discovering the errors of their doctrine, and the licentiousness

* Gen. xix. 9:

When they

of their practice. "perceived that he spake against them,-they took counsel against him to put him to death ;" and accomplished it so soon as they could do it with safety. But there cannot be a better example, or indeed, a more lively and well drawn picture of the effect of plain and just reproof, than in the case of Stephen, when pleading his cause before the Jewish rulers. "Ye stiffnecked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fa thers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just One ; of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth."+ It is plainly for this reason that the apostles, in their prayers for assistance, do almost constantly ask, that they may be endued with a proper degree of boldness and resolution, “And now, Lord, behold their threat. enings; and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word." Many other prayers are to be found in the apostolic writings. which run in the same strain.§

It is very natural for every one at this distance, to imagine, that he could have been in no danger of making such an obstinate resistance to the truth, or persecuting, with such implacable enmity, those who espoused it. But, my brethren, all worldly men, in every age, have still

Acts vii. 51, 52, 54. + Acts iv. 29.
See Eph. vi. 19. 2 Thess. iii. 2