only as being the eternal fountain of light, but as enlightening the world by his doctrines and life.]

"In him," under this character, we are to "believe"

[All that he has spoken respecting his person, work, and offices, together with all his promissory, or threatening declarations, should be received by us without gainsaying, and be relied upon without hesitation.]

"In him" also we ought to "walk”—

[We view earthly things in the light of the material sun; and avail ourselves of its light, every step we take. Precisely thus should we act with respect to Christ," the Sun of Rightousness." We should view sin and holiness, time and eternity, yea, every thing without exception, in the light that HE, by his word and conduct, reflects upon it. Nor should we take any one step in life, without a direct reference to his word as our rule, and his life as our example.]

To render this injunction more impressive, let us

consider

II. The arguments with which it is enforced

There are three topics mentioned in the text, from whence we may urge this important duty:

1. From the shortness of the time that we shall enjoy the light

[The Jews now had the light; but it was to be extinguished within the space of four days. Hence our Lord repeatedly urges this consideration, "Walk, while ye have the light." And how strongly does this argument apply to us! You have the light at present, yea, even greater light than the Jews enjoyed under the ministry of Christ: (for there were many subjects, which he did not fully open; and the things he did utter could not be perfectly understood, till the day of Pentecost; whereas you have Christ exhibited to you in all his glory; and the fulness, the freeness, the suitableness of his salvation constantly set before you.) But how soon may it be removed from you, or you from it! O then, "while ye have the light, believe, and walk, in the light."]

2. From the danger we incur by disregarding the light[If we will not attend to the voice of Christ, a "darkness will come upon us," even "darkness that may be felt." They who never have had Christ preached unto them, are indeed in an awful condition; but by no means so awful as that of those d Rev. ii. 5. Amos viii. 11, 12.

c 1 John ii. 6.

who have despised the Gospel. The darkness of which the text speaks, is judicial, sent them by God as the punishment of their iniquity; and the very light that shines around them, serves only to increase their blindness, and to aggravate their guilt. In this state, "they stumble at the noon-day," and wander, "not knowing whither they go;" till at last they fall into that pit of destruction, where is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth for evermore.

Should not then the dread of such a state lead us to a just improvement of our present privileges?]

3. From the benefit arising to those who rightly improve the light

[By "children of light," we may understand either children of God (who is light) or, truly enlightened persons. In either sense the general import is the same, namely, that, by believing in Christ, we shall attain the knowledge and enjoyment of God. Compare this state with that of those who are in darkness; and how great will this benefit appear!

Shall not then this blessed prospect allure us to embrace the Gospel? Or shall we still prefer sin and misery to holiness and glory?]

APPLICATION

[Let us no longer withstand the solemn warnings and affectionate exhortations of the Lord Jesus; but improve to the utmost this accepted time, this day of salvation.]

e ver. 39, 40.

f 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. 8 Thus υἱοὶ ἀπειθείας is used Ephes. ii. 2. ; and τέκνα κατάρας, 2 Pet. ii. 14. is so translated, as vioì pwròs may be here.

MDCLXXVI.

THE DANGER OF LOVING THE PRAISE OF MEN.

John xii. 42, 43. Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

IT seems astonishing to those who have ever considered the evidences of Christianity, that any one should hesitate to embrace it, or to acknowledge any one of its fundamental truths. But reason is by no means a certain guide, even in the things which come within its proper and legitimate sphere: it is too frequently biassed in its decisions, even when the

person himself is unconscious of any undue influence upon his mind. Evidence does not carry the same conviction to all: one is persuaded, whilst another doubts the prejudices and passions of mankind operate to a great extent, and often leave demonstration itself almost without effect. Hence we find, that all the credentials with which our Lord confirmed his divine mission, were insufficient to produce conviction on the minds of many: as it is said, " Though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him." But by this the Scriptures themselves were fulfilled: for "Isaiah had said, Who hath believed our report; and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?" Yea, he had also declared, that on account of the perverseness and obstinacy with which many resisted the evidence set before them, they should be given over to judicial blindness and obduracy, so as to be incapable of estimating truth aright, or of embracing it when proposed to them". Even when reason is convinced, it does not always carry the affections along with it; but is often constrained to yield to the superior influence of some predominant lust. Thus it was with those spoken of in our text; who believed indeed that Jesus was the true Messiah, yet could not find in their hearts to acknowledge him in that character.

We propose to consider,

I. The conduct they pursued

They had seen the miracles of our Lord, and were persuaded that he was the person spoken of in the prophets yet, because the Pharisees had agreed to excommunicate any who should receive him as the Messiah, they dared not to confess him openly. Now this conduct was exceeding sinful. Of its constituent evils we may notice,

1. The disingenuousness

[The use of knowledge is to direct our ways: for the sake of our practice therefore we should be careful to acquire just sentiments. If our opinions be doubtful, we should try them; b ver. 38-40.

a ver. 37.

if erroneous, renounce them; if true, we should regulate our lives according to them. To act contrary to the convictions of our mind is unworthy of a rational Being. We all know in what a contemptible light that man appears, who for the sake of human applause pretends to religion, whilst the world and sin are predominant in his heart: and equally contemptible is he, who, with the knowledge of the truth in his head, is deterred by the fear of man from yielding to its influence. Indeed the latter species of dissimulation seems the worse of the two, inasmuch as to disclaim what is good, is worse than to express an approbation of it. At all events, it is marked with a decisive testimony of God's abhorrence; "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."]

2. The ingratitude

[The gift of God's only dear Son to die for us is the greatest that God himself could bestow upon us for from that the Apostle infers the unquestionable willingness of God to give us all other things, seeing that all other things together are not to be compared with that. Now to know that God has bestowed that gift upon us, and yet not dare to confess it, is the basest ingratitude that can be imagined And if it be ingratitude towards the Father, so is it also towards the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who voluntarily undertook the great work of our redemption. Reflect a moment on this: think of his pitying our undone condition, and leaving the bosom of his Father, in order that he might assume our nature, and die in our stead What incomprehensible love was this! and what a base wretch must he be, who, believing that Christ has so loved him as to give himself for him, is afraid to confess it openly! To all such persons, well may that indignant expostulation be applied, "Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise?"]

3. The impiety

[Wherein can any man be guilty of more flagrant rebellion against God, than in knowingly and deliberately denying his dear Son? The command of God respecting the submitting to his Son is positive, and enforced with a very awful menace1. What an act of defiance then is he guilty of, who against the convictions of his own conscience denies him! What cruelty also is he guilty of towards his fellow-creatures! Men are influenced greatly by example, especially by the example of those in higher life: the lower classes are ready to suppose that the rich and learned must know better than

c Jam. iv. 17.

d Rom. viii. 32.

f Deut. xviii. 18, 19. with Acts iii. 22, 23.

e Deut. xxxii. 6.

they, and with a blind confidence to embrace or reject sentiments solely on the authority of their opinions. Hence the timid dissembler is the means of deceiving many souls; and involves himself in the double guilt of destroying others together with himself. The man who rejects Christ for want of conviction, will "be beaten with few stripes;" but the man who rejects him contrary to his convictions, will be beaten with many stripes:" the one "dashes himself against a rock that will break his bones;" the other will have "that rock fall upon him, which will grind him to powder."]

That we may be able to account for such strange conduct, let us consider,

II. The principle by which they were actuated—

They acted from a regard for the good opinion of men. But the praise of men runs not in the same channel with the praise of God; and they unhappily gave the applause of man the preference. Now this love of man's applause is,

1. A common principle—

[The moment that we begin to be impressed with a sense of eternal things, we begin to consider, what men will say, if we betray our feelings to the world. Though we should have never paid much attention to the sentiments of others before, we shall now feel the emotions of fear and shame : we shall contrive how we may reconcile the performance of our duties with a conformity to the customs and habits of the world; and shall often strain our conscience to make compliances with the world, in order to escape reproach on account of our singularity. It may be thought that persons who move in a higher sphere should have learned to divest themselves of this principle; but the higher any men are in society, the more they are influenced by the opinions of the world: they set a higher value on man's applause, and feel conscious that their actions are more open to remark. They of whom our text speaks, were "chief rulers:" they conceived that they had much to lose; and they well knew that their rank would not screen them from the assaults of religious intolerance. They might have indulged vices with impunity; those would have been connived at, even by Pharisees themselves; but piety in them would have been an unpardonable offence, which the very refuse of the people would have been forward to resent. But, though this principle is peculiarly operative on the great, it is not confined to them: we all feel it working in our own

Luke xii. 47, 48. h Luke xx. 17, 18. i Rom. ii. 29.