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SERMON XV.

ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST.

NO. 3.

Phil. iii. 18. 19. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction.

I PROPOSED, from these words, to consider three points: I. There is reason to believe that many professing Christians are the real enemies of the cross of Christ.

II. What are the characteristics of that enmity; or how may they be known to be such; and

III. Why is the fact of their being in the church fitted to excite grief.

The first two points have been considered. The third will occupy our attention at this time; and the enquiry is, why is the fact that there are in the church those who are the enemies of the cross of Christ fitted to excite grief and tears. I observe:

I. In the first place, that their being in the church is a fact fitted to call forth the feelings of tenderness and commiseration-not reproach and harshness of languagefor they are cherishing hopes that will be disappointed, and are exposed to danger that is unfelt. The effect on the mind of Paul was to produce tears, not harsh reproof, not angry denunciation. He saw their situation as one that was to be wept over; and he knew enough of human nature to see that all hope of reclaiming such persons was in the use of the language of kindness and love. Kindness will do what harshness never can; and the love which expresses itself in gushing tears will make its way to the heart, while harsh words would only steel the soul, and confirm it in error.

A similar case occurred in the church at Corinth, and Paul met it in the same manner. Though required by the nature of the offence to proceed to the extremity of Christian discipline, yet it was still with tenderness and tears. "For out of much affliction and anguish of heart,"

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says he, "I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.” 2 Cor. ii. 4.

The same language of tenderness is evinced in the New Testament throughout, in regard to this class of persons. The Saviour's language was uniformly that of tenderness, and pity. He spake with a fearful solemnity of manner indeed; with words which show how much his soul was. impressed with the importance of the subject; yet in his manner and words there is not a particle of harshness. We admit that when the Lord Jesus addressed the hypocrite the man who professed a religion which he knew, he did not practice, we hear the language of severity. "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers," says he, "how can ye escape the damnation of hell!" The age in which he lived was eminently hypocritical; the men with whom he had to deal were many of them false professors. But we are not to infer that this is to be the characteristic of all times, or that men in the church who are strangers to religion, are to be addressed in this manner, by us. The Son of God, knowing the human heart, could speak with unerring certainty of the character of those whom he addressed. But the ministers of religion -themselves imperfect men, and having no right to assume pre-eminence in moral worth above their Christian brethren, will use the language of entreaty, not of denunciation; will seek to melt the heart by a tender setting forth of danger, not to overwhelm it by the denunciations of wrath.

Perhaps we are in danger of erring in regard to the character of those in the church who give no evidence of piety. In churches that are connected with the state; in lands where the obtainment of office or any other important temporal advantage may depend on a profession of religion, many will openly profess it who are influenced solely by a regard to the worldly consideration. But the temptation to this in this land, if it ever exist at all, exists to so inconsiderable a degree as not to call for any special animadversion. The instances re

main yet to occur, probably, where a profession of religion has been assumed in this country for the sake of office ; or where it would contribute to the attainment of

office. Nor is there reason to believe that the profession of religion is often, if ever assumed, because it will clothe a man with additional influence, or will facilitate the acquisition of wealth. The power which a man can wield in the church in this country is too inconsiderable to make it a prize to be purchased by known hypocrisy ; and those who are intent on becoming rich will derive too little advantage from a profession of religion to make it an object to be purchased at the expense of a good conscience. I have been a pastor now more than sixteen years, and it has been my business to observe, as I was able, the lives of those who profess Christianity. And I cannot recall an instance in which I have seen evidence that the profession of religion was assumed, because it would elevate a man to office, or aid him in becoming rich. I have seen instances where it seemed to me, and still seems, that men were deterred from making a profession of religion because there might be apprehension that it would interfere with the hopes of office; or throw around them restraints which they would rather avoid in the acquisition of wealth. The conclusion which has been pressed on my mind has been, that ten men are deterred from making a profession of religion from an apprehension that it would interfere with their worldly interests, for one who professedly embraces Christianity from any hope of honor, or emolument.

But I have seen many, who, without any violation, as I trust, of that charity which hopeth all things and is kind, seemed to me to be strangers to the transforming and elevating principles of the religion which they profess. In looking at the evidences of piety as laid down with such simplicity in the New Testament, it has been so forcibly impressed on the mind that all those evidences were wanting, that it was impossible not to come to the conclusion that there was an utter mistake in their cherished hopes, and in the profession which they made. To this conclusion, the mind and heart of a pastor will slowly and reluctantly come. But having come to this conclusion, he is guilty of unfaithfulness to the master whom he serves, and to the souls which he would save, if he fails to express his apprehensions, or to tell his

hearers "often," and "even weeping" that "many walk who are the enemies of the cross of Christ, wHOSE END IS DESTRUCTION."

There is nothing more fitted to excite commiseration than this. If we see a son cherishing from year to year a delusive expectation that he will be heir to a great estate; and in the mean time, on the ground of this, making no preparation for the life which he must lead when thrown upon his own resources, our feelings towards him will be those only of pity, and of grief. If we see a man lying on a sick bed with every mark of approaching death, yet clinging to life; if we see the body waste away, and the hectic on the cheek, and hear the admonitory.voice of the physician, and yet see the emaciated sufferer indulging in day-dreams of returning health, we have but one feeling in relation to the deluded man-not of severity but of tenderness; not prompting to rebuke, but exciting to tears. And so when we see an immortal soul cherishing the delusive hope of the "adoption" into the family of God, and of "the inheritance of the saints in light," can there be other than the language of pity? When we hear a man speak of treading the green fields of heaven, of slaking his thirst in the river of life; of reposing beneath the trees ever green in the Paradise above; of wearing the diadem, and of being clothed in the flowing robes of heaven; and then reflect that all this is the language of a lost, and still unransomed soul, is there a heart so hard as to use the language of severity, and are there eyes so unused to pity as to withhold their tears?

If it should be said that it is not reasonable to suppose that, when the delusion is not to be traced to voluntary hypocrisy, a God of mercy will recompense the error with everlasting torments, I ask how it is in other matters? I look at the great principles of the divine administration as they are developed in the world. I ask whether the fact that men are deceived, in the ordinary course of events, will make them safe from suffering, or turn aside the regular penalty of law? I see the man who is cherishing the delusive hope that his worldly affairs are prosperous, and who gives no heed to the admonitions of his friends. He is not benefited by

the cherished delusion, but ruin and bankruptcy come upon him with a step steady as time. I see a young man confident in the vigor of his constitution; unwilling to believe that he endangers his health by a course of dissipation; deceived about the strength of his own principles, and spurning the sober counsel of wisdom and of age. Nor is he benefited by his delusion, but he sinks like others to the woes and curses of the drunkard's grave. I see the pale, emaciated man clinging to life; cherishing the delusive hope that his disease will yet depart from him; and anticipating future days of health, and pleasure. Yet the disease is not stayed by his delusion. It approaches steadily the seat of life. Unawed, unrebuked, unarrested by his delusions, the destroyer is levelling the poisoned shaft, and the man finds the cold damps of death standing upon his brow even while he cherishes the hope of living long. So it is every where. The laws of nature and of God, operate with steady and unchanging power. They hasten to their end. When violated in regard to health, or morals, or property, or salvation, they have a penalty which is not met by self-deception; and which will not be driven back by the sunshine and calm of fancied security. Man must pay the forfeit; and neither in regard to his worldly affairs or to religion, will self-deception turn aside the penalty, or interpose to shield the body or the soul.

II. The existence of such persons in the church is a subject of regret and of tears, from their influence. This I shall illustrate in a few particulars. It is,

(1.) The loss of so much positive strength to the cause of the Redeemer. For it cannot be denied that those of whom I am speaking often embody not a little of the wealth, the talent, and the actual influence of the church. Nor can it be denied that, when this is the case, this very fact gives them a melancholy conspicuity, and prominence. If those who sustain this character possess an influence that spreads far through the political or commercial world; if they have power to excite to energy mighty masses of mind, and that talent is a dead weight on the church, the fact cannot escape the public observation, and be felt in all the interests of the church of Christ. If they whose power is felt most deeply in the commercial

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