270 FA11'H BüILT ON IiNONLLDGH. [DISC. X. trial, for the sake of a Saviour that you have not much acquaintance with ? How could you hold out in this. conflict till the death, ifyou have but little knowledge and little experience of that gospel which proniiseth a crown_ of life ? Would such ignorance as yours is, endure to be plundered and banished ? To be scourged and buffeted ? To be fastened to the chains of a galley slave, or to die by lingering tortures ? Do you think you could bear what our neighbours and brethren in France have endured upon the account of your faith, and yet have no better reason to give for it? You will make but a poor con- fessor or martyr, if you can say no more for christianity that an heathen can say for his national religion ? If you have no more to plead in defence of the blessed Jesus, than a native of Morocco hath for his prophet Maho- met ; a man of Ephesus for his goddess Diana, or a citizen of Athens for his unknown God. Attend therefore to the advice of the apostle Peter, 1 Epist. iii. chap. ver. 14, 15. But and ifye sufferfor righteousness -sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a rea- son of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear And again I would put you in mind how he concludes his second epistle, and what direction he gives even to those who had some good knowledge of christianity ; that you may be secured from the growing apostacy of the age : ver. 17, 18. Ye, therefore, beloved, seeingyou hnow these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness : But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Vith Remark. This doctrine relieves our sorrows at the death of our pious relatives*, for we know to whom they had intrusted their souls. We are; in no pain or jealousy about their eternal state ; for when they leave us and this world, they have parted indeedwith their friends on earth, but it is to dwell with a better friend : for this is the design of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of his power- ful prayer ; John xvii. 24. Father Twill that they also "This sermon was first preached on occasion of the death of a worthy member of our congregation.
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