ons, than the necessity often imposed upon them of acting contrary
to the opinion and wishes of those with whom they have till now been
intimate,--whom they have admired and followed. Intimacies have
already been formed, and ties drawn tight, which it is difficult to
sever. What is the person in question to do? rudely to break them at
once? no. But is he to share in sins in which he formerly took part?
no; whatever censure, contempt, or ridicule attaches to him in
consequence. But what, then, is he to do? His task, I say, is painful
and difficult, but he must not complain, for it is his own making; it
is the natural consequence of his past neglect of God. So much is
plain,--he must abstain from all sinful actions; not converse lightly
or irreverently where formerly he was not unwilling so to do; not spend
his time, as heretofore, in idleness or riot; avoid places whither he
is not called by actual duty, which offer temptation to sin; observe
diligently attendance on church; not idle away the Lord's Day in
vanity, or worse; not add to the number of his acquaintance any
thoughtless persons. All this is quite plain, and in doing this I know
he will incur the ridicule of his companions. He will have much to
bear. He must bear to be called names, to be thought a hypocrite, to
be thought to be affecting something out of the way, to be thought
desirous of recommending himself to this or that person. He must be
prepared for malicious and untrue reports about himself; many other
trials must he look for. They are his portion. He must pray God to
enable him to bear them meekly. He must pray for himself, he must pray
for those who ridicule him. He has deserved ridicule. He has nothing
to boast of, if he bears it well. He has nothing to boast of that he
incurs it. He has nothing to boast of, as if he were so much better
than those who ridicule him; he was once as they are now. He is now
just a little better than they are. He has just begun a new life. He
has got a very little way in it, or rather no way, nothing beyond
professing it; and he has the reproach of the world in consequence of
his profession. Well, let him see to it that this reproach is not in
vain, that he has a right to the reproach. Let him see to it that he
acts as well as professes. It will be miserable indeed if he incurs
the reproach, and yet does not gain the reward. Let him pray God to
perfect in him what He has begun in him, and to begin a