SERMON III.

The sin and consequences of being ashamed of Christ.

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.-LUKE ix: 26.

SHAME is a very powerful passion. Its influence over mankind is universal. It entered the world by sin, and it ought to be exercised towards nothing else. But strange to tell, that very weapon which ought to be turned against sin, is now turned against religion itself.

That some should be frightened into a denial of Christ, is not so incredible. But that any should be ashamed of him, whom angels adore, is what we could not have believed without the clearest evidence. But proof is not wanting to establish the fact, that many are now ashamed of Christ. Our Saviour who delivered the warning in the text, was perfectly acquainted with all the secret feelings of the human heart; and sad experience has too often proved the propriety of this solemn warning.

The truth is, the sin is of such a nature, that the sinner is ashamed to confess it. Nor is it incredible that a heart deceitful above all things, should deceive itself. Some may be ashamed of Christ, and yet be ignorant

of the fact.

Circumstances often reveal the secrets of the heart. Many who flattered themselves that they should be pleased with the advent of Christ, found themselves disappointed when he came. The prediction put into the mouths of sinners by the prophet, was fulfilled. "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." "He is despised and rejected of men;-a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid, as it were, our faces from him.”

And thus is it now. Many who have imagined that they should be pleased with a revival of true religion, have found themselves sadly disappointed in the event. It appears so different from what they had expected, that they not unfrequently treat the religion of Christ, as the Jews treated Christ himself. To be deceived in this matter, my hearers, must be fatal; for the Saviour says, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words; of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."

I propose

I. To inquire who are ashamed of Christ.
II. Consider the greatness of the sin.

III. Contemplate the consequences of it.

I. Who are ashamed of Christ?

To be ashamed of Christ, it is not necessary that he should appear among us-that he should walk in our streets, enter our dwellings, and converse with us on the concerns of our souls. It is not necessary that we should point at him the finger of scorn, flee at his reproach, or sneer at his warnings. What is done to his disciples, Christ considers as done to himself. It is a

remarkable fact, that few, if any will dare to condemn the religion of Christ as such. Their method is, to give to piety some other name, and then to load it and its professors with contempt. All, therefore, who despise and ridicule Christians on account of the strictness of their religion, and their conscientious regard to the duties which it enjoins-who call them precise, superstitious and the like, are ashamed of Christ. By whatever name it may be called, the mask will ere long be taken off, and Christ will say to them, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Many think, that had they lived in the days of our Saviour, they should have treated him with the utmost respect. All, however, may have a fair opportunity to manifest their feelings towards Christ, by their treatment to his members.

Another criterion, by which we may test our feelings on this subject, is, to inquire how we treat the commands, invitations, warnings, and threatenings of Christ. "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words," says Christ. Those, then, are ashamed of Christ, and of his words, who are ashamed to be seen reading the Bible. Many who would not be ashamed to be seen reading a romance, would blush to be found searching the Scriptures. No one would blush to be seen perusing a communication from a friend, unless he were ashamed to own an acquaintance with its author. That feeling which leads an individual to neglect, or conceal the Bible, is a sure indication that that individual is ashamed of Christ. Those who despise and reproach others for searching the Scriptures, are, of course, ashamed of Christ, and of his words. And

to regard the good or ill will of such, is to join in heart with the enemies of Christ. It cannot be done without paying greater respect to the enemies of Christ, than to Christ himself. All, therefore, who refuse daily to search the Scriptures, simply through fear of what others will think, or say, are ashamed of Christ, and of his words. The same may be said of all who, from similar motives, violate any of the commands of God-such as the duties of religion in the sanctuary, in the family, or the closet. Those who neglect to offer the morning and evening sacrifice, lest the voice of prayer should be heard in their families; and those who refuse to enter their closets, lest their absence should be noticed; are doubtless guilty of this sin.

Again-Those are ashamed of Christ, who are ashamed to have it known that they are anxious for their souls. Other motives may sometimes operate to lead sinners to wish to conceal their anxiety; but that which is the most common, is the one named in the text. How reluctant are they to converse even with Christian friends-still more reluctant are they to be regarded as anxious by the world. "What will they think? And what will they say?" "Should I become a Christian, I should hardly know what to do with myself. I should not dare profess religion. I am resolved never to let it be known." Such thoughts as these, often pass through the minds of sinners anxious for their souls; and they are sure indications that in heart, they are ashamed of Christ. When questioned respecting their spiritual trouble, they are ashamed to own it. What other reason can be assigned for their unwillingness to disclose the state of their minds? Do they think it wrong for a sinner to feel the strivings of

the Spirit-to see and feel that he is lost? No, my hearers, the reason that they do not disclose their feelings, is not because they think it wrong, or because they think God would be angry with them, if they should tell the truth. The fact is, that though they dread to tell a lie, and dread exposure to the flames of hell, they dread the reproach of wicked companions more than either.

Those who make light of religious anxiety, and labor to divert the attention of others from the concerns of their souls, and drive serious impressions from their minds, are, of course, ashamed of Christ." "Why all

this ado about religion?" "I wonder they will be so foolish." Such thoughts are often in the minds of sinners when their companions become anxious for their souls, and are sometimes expressed; and they prove that those who indulge them, are ashamed of Christ.

Again-Those are ashamed of Christ, who are ashamed to confess him before men. Persons may be willing, and even desirous to profess religion, without possessing it. But those who think they are Christians, and yet neglect to make a public profession, merely to escape the reproach of the world, are ashamed of Christ. Mankind are not ashamed to speak, and act in defense of their friends—especially of those whom they highly esteem.

Christianity admits of no neutrality. "He that is not with me," says Christ, "is against me." All who are ashamed to speak for Christ-to appear in defense of his cause, and to confess him before men, are ashamed of him.

Again-All who are ashamed to celebrate the dying