156 THE HIDI)E14 LIFE OP A CHRISTIAN. (SERM. IL The christian life is no fantastic and visionary matter, that consists in warm imaginations, and pretences to in- ward light and rapture ; it is a real change of heart and practice, from sin to holiness, and a turn of soul from earth toward heaven. It has been dressed up, indeed, like enthusiastic foolery, by the impious wits of men, and .painted for a subject of ridicule and reproach. Thus the saints and holy martyrs have been clad in a fool's- coat, or a bear's-skin, but they are still men, and wise men too ; they have been dressed up like devils, but they are still the sons of God. So secret piety has solid rea- son and scripture still on its side, whatsoever silly scan- dals have been cast upon it ; there is no cause, therefore, to be ashamed of professing it. There is nothing in all the christian life, that a man needs to blush at. We have renounced the hidden things ofdishonesty, knavery, and uncleanness, when we began to be christians, 2 Cor. iv. 2. It is our glory that we are alive to God, and we should be ashamed of nothing that either exercises or maintains this life. None of the duties of worship, none of the practices of godliness, that render religion ho- nourable among men, and make God our Saviour ap- pear glorious in the world, should be neglected by us, whenever we are called to practise or profess them. The effects of this hidden life should not all be secret, though the springs of it are so; for christians are com- manded to make their light shine before men, that others may glorify their Father which is in heaven, v. 14, 15, 16. The lights of the world' must not place them- selves under a bushel, and be contented to shine there useless and alone ; we must give honour to God in pub- lic. And though we are commanded to practise'such secrecy and self-denial in our deeds of charity, as may secure us from all ostentation and pride, yet we must sometimes. make it appear too, that we do good to men, that christianity- may have the glory of it. We must feed the hungry, we must clothe the naked, we must love all nien, even our enemies, and discover to the world that we are christians, by -noble and sublime practices of every virtueand every duty, as far as it is possible, even by the best works, to discover inward religion. [This sermon.may be divided here,
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