, thou shalt
keep my covenant, thou and thy seed after thee. This is my covenant
which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee: Every
man child among you shall be circumcised. The uncircumcised man child
shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant." ++ An
attendance on the passover was enjoined under the same penalty. The
person who should neglect it, was ordered to be cut off from Israel.
Every rite and ceremony enjoined in the law was obligatory. To neglect
them was to set up the standard of rebellion against God--deny his
sovereignty--his right to give law. Those who persevered in neglect,
after warnings, were no more to be considered as his people.

++ Genesis xvii. 9-14.

Under the gospel dispensation, duties of like import are enjoined, and
under the same penalty. The tokens of belonging to Christ are
commanded. To neglect them is to reject the Savior, and forfeit
the benefits of an interest in him. Among these an open profession of
faith in Christ, is one of the chief. So it was considered by the
apostles, and primitive Christians. They dared not neglect it when it
cost every worldly comfort, and even life. Neither was it a groundless
fear which excited them to so costly a duty. Their Lord, had expressly
declared, that "whoever should be ashamed of him, before an evil and
adulterous generation, he would be ashamed of them before his Father,
and before his angels."

If we attend to our context we shall see that the apostle has here a
special reference to denying Christ in this way--"Remember that Jesus
Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead, according to
my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds;
but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for
the elect's sake, that they may obtain salvation, which is in Christ
Jesus, with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying, for if we be dead
with him, we shall also live with him: If we differ, we shall also
reign with him: _If we deny him, he also will deny us_: If we believe
not; yet he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself."

The apostle persevered though he suffered the loss of all things, and
incurred every indignity and sorrow; and even when he foresaw the loss
of life, in consequence of adhering to the Christian cause and
continuing to preach the gospel. When some who were concerned for
him, would have dissuaded him from adventuring among the enemies of
Christianity