THE RIGHTEOUS ARE SCARCELY SAVED?

"Things of value are not to be procured without difficulty" is a proverb of the ancients. The truth of this is evident in natural things like diamonds and pearls, but it is equally true in relation to things spiritual such as wisdom and virtue. The more of these we possess, the more lovely we are in the eyes of God, angels, and men. These virtues are therefore highly extolled by Solomon (Proverbs 3:13-19). There is Certainly nothing more beautiful, more valuable, or more lovely than those spiritual and heavenly things which are with God in Christ. But, oh, how great the difficulty with which they are to be obtained. It is not to be done without a conflict for 'The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matthew 11:12).

We likewise have impressive illustrations of this truth in the merchant who went and sold all that he had in order to purchase the pearl which he found (Matthew 13:45,46) and in the man who, having found a treasure hid in a field, went and sold all that he had and bought that field (Matthew 13:44). The same great truth is taught by Paul, "Know ye not that they which run a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain" (First Corinthians 9:24). And what is the prize to be contended for? It is the incorruptible crown of glory suspended at the end of the course, the salvation in reserve for the children of God in heaven. This is compared to a crown because victory is there given them over all their enemies, and they are delivered from all conflicts, toil, and pains; but while here upon earth, they find themselves in a vale of tears, a way of tribulation.

This truth plainly appears in a glance at the inspired words which form the text. The Apostle declares that the righteous are saved, although scarcely, that is, with many conflicts and through much difficulty. In the words which immediately precede, Peter had declared the doleful end of the ungodly, unbelieving, and disobedient. But in order to hold up to view the righteous and the wicked in the difference of the states which await them, he declares, in the words of the text, that such shall not be the lot of the former, but that they shall, although scarcely, be saved, while the ungodly and sinner shall perish. Therefore he connects these words with the foregoing by the particle "and" — "And if the righteous scarcely be saved..."

Two subjects here present themselves for consideration:

1. THE STATE OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

   At present we will occupy ourselves with the first part, to wit, that the righteous are scarcely saved, in which Peter shows with what difficulty a child of God attains to salvation. Here three points claim attention:

    

   1. The Persons Who Are Righteous.

   2. What Is Declared Of Them -- That They Are Saved.

   3. The Manner In Which They Are Saved Scarcely.

   We come then immediately to our first consideration:

   1. The Persons Who Am Righteous.

      Among the various honorable titles conferred upon the children of God in His Word is found that of "The Righteous." This is true not only of Moses, Job, Abraham, Zacharias and Elizabeth, and others who are denominated righteous, but of every child of God according to the language of Isaiah 26:2. They are therefore, in their collective capacity, termed "the generation of the righteous" (Psalm 14:5) and "the righteous nation" (Isaiah 26:2). "The righteous" of whom Peter here speaks are not those who are entirely perfect and without sin. Oh, no! For such are not to be found among all the descendants of Adam. Therefore Solomon said, "There is not a just man upon the earth" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Every righteous person must from experience confess this with shame, grief, and sorrow (Proverbs 20:9). This is the sad truth complained of by Paul 'I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me' (Romans 7:21). Such is also the lamentation of the church (Isaiah 64). To be sinless is the prerogative of the Second Adam only "who knew no sin' (Second Corinthians 5:21).

      Nor are "the righteous" here those who are in such thorough compliance with the requirements of the law that it can be said, "Do this and thou shalt live." Oh, no! "For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Romans 3:20). Therefore Job says, "How should man be just with God?" (Job 9:2); and David declared, "If Thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities, 0 Lord who shall stand?' (Psalm 130:3).

      Much less are we to understand by "the righteous" such as justify themselves and regard themselves righteous, as was the case with the Pharisees (Luke 18:9-14). But by "the righteous" we are to understand:

      1. Such sinners as are in themselves ungodly and destitute of that righteousness through which they could stand in the judgment but yet have received the righteousness of the Lord Jesus proffered in the Gospel, through which they stand acquitted at (he divine tribunal from the guilt of their sins and liability to their punishment and are entitled to eternal life.

          

      2. The righteous are such as also conduct themselves agreeably to this righteousness and do what is right and proper according to the law of God and thus are "filled with the fruits of righteousness" (Philippians 1:11).

          

      3. They are such as are hereupon also justified in their own consciences through their good works and that holy frame of mind of which they are conscious, as a fruit of their uprightness and faith; with whose spirit the Spirit of God beareth witness, that they are the children of God (Romans 8:16).

          

      4. They also show, by their holy lives, that they are righteous and thus are justified in the consciences of others and recognized as such. These are the children of God-believers and such as are in covenant with God. These are spoken of in the text in contradistinction to the ungodly and are "scarcely saved."

       

   2. What Is Declared of Them --That they Are Saved.

      The expression "to save" signifies in general to preserve, to free, to deliver from any evil, and to bring into a state of security and happiness. This may refer either to temporal deliverance as in Matthew 8:25, when the disciples said, ff Lord, save us: we perish;" or to some mortal disease, as in James 5:15, "The prayer of faith shall save the sick;" or to severe persecution and great affliction, Matthew 24:22, Ordinarily, however, in the New Testament it speaks of the salvation of the soul and of eternal life. In the present passage there is no reference to temporal welfare or corporal deliverance, of which the righteous are sometimes partakers-as Noah amidst the waters of the, flood, Lot at the destruction of Sodom, the three companions of Daniel in the fiery furnace, Daniel himself in the den of lions, and Peter in prison. All these were delivered from danger as examples and in accordance with the promise, "The Lord delivereth them out of their afflictions' (Psalm 34:19). "Saved' is here to be understood as a spiritual deliverance, an eternal salvation of body and soul as opposed to damnation (Mark 16:16). As damnation includes in it the highest evil so salvation comprehends in it the highest good, which is communion with God enjoyed by the righteous here in grace and hereafter perfectly in glory. It is that salvation, that great good, which no pen can describe, no tongue express, and of which, therefore, we can but say, "How great is that good, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee" (Psalm 31:19) of which Peter here speaks. This salvation the Apostle here assumes the righteous shall certainly enjoy, and this is so in truth, for to be righteous is the way of salvation.

      1. This appears from the fact that the righteous are acquitted from guilt and exposure to divine wrath and made heirs of eternal life and, thus, saved in hope. Such is the import of the language of Paul, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth" (Romans 8:33). So also David pronounces the man blessed to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works (Psalm 32:2). This is a perfect righteousness which can stand in the divine judgment. Therefore the church exults, saying, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord" (Isaiah 61:10).

          

      2. The righteous are such as are in Christ by faith and are justified in Him; "The just shall live by His faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). Consequently, it is believers who are justified; 'For he that believeth on the Son hath eternal fife" (John 3:26).

          

      3. The righteous are those who are sanctified by the Spirit of God, "who do righteousness" (First John 3-.7), "follow after righteousness" (First Timothy 6:11), and "walk in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord" (Luke 1:6). Inasmuch as without holiness no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14), it necessarily follows that those who are partakers of holiness shall certainly see the Lord.

          

      4. The righteous are likewise godly persons, and godliness has the promise not only of the life that now is, but of that which is to come eternal life (First Timothy 4:8). It is then certain that the righteous are saved, and they only.

       

   3. The Manner In Which they Are Saved -- Scarcely.

      Although the righteous are saved, they are but scarcely saved. The word scarcely is not to be understood as if the righteous could fall from that state and come short of salvation as the Papists and others teach. Scarcely is expressive not of uncertainty but of difficulty, for the salvation of the righteous who are justified by faith in Christ and sanctified by His Spirit is, according to God's promise, secure, certain, and unchangeable (Romans 8:33), since they have been selected from eternity. Therefore Paul says, 'The foundation of God standeth sure, having this sea], the Lord knoweth them that are His" (Second Timothy 2:19). Neither is it to be understood as if the believers were always in doubt and uncertainty with respect to their salvation; as Paul said, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day' (Second Timothy 1: 12); "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Romans 8:38,39). Believers are therefore exhorted to make their calling and election sure.

      But according to the force of the original, "scarcely" here signifies with difficulty. Such is its acceptation in the Greek, and in this sense it is employed in Acts 14:18, "And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them;" i.e. it was only by means of a great effort-by a resolute refusal of the proffered homage and every manifestation of disapprobation, that Paul and Barnabas prevented them from sacrificing to them as gods. Such is also its import in Acts 27:16, "And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat;" that is, we obtained it, but by a desperate effort. Thus we ordinarily speak of any object as scarcely obtained which is secured only by much trouble, labor, and pains. It is also to be understood in this way in our text. The righteous then are saved, but scarcely, that is, with great toil and effort-through many conflicts, afflictions, distresses, extreme agonies, temptations, and chastisements. This the Lord Jesus teaches, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate" (Luke 13:14), where He speaks of the gate which is strait and through which we cannot enter except by striving-through which we must press with violence. Direct your attention also to that remarkable passage found in Matthew 7:13,14. The way of life heavenward is exceedingly narrow, inasmuch as the whole life must be regulated by the law of God which demands a strict and precise service. We are now prepared to perceive how the righteous are scarcely saved.

      1. The righteous are scarcely saved, inasmuch as they must be born again (John 3:3). God cannot save unless He first makes spiritually alive those who are by nature dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Truly, there is need of that same power for the regenerating and recreating of sinners which was requisite for the creation of the whole world; nay, much more; for at the creation there was naught opposed to God, but now all that is in the sinner is enmity against God, 'The carnal mind is enmity against God' (Romans 8:7); therefore, the righteous are scarcely saved.

          

      2. If they are to be saved they must believe and realize that believing is the only work God requires of them (John 6:29). And what does it not require to bring to God one who entertains such exalted imaginations with respect to himself and in all his words and acts behaves as if he were God Himself? What is required to rend proud, high-minded man humble and small in his own eyes and to cause him to prostrate himself before God as a beggar, to lie in the dust as a worm and thus to supplicate His grace? Judas chose the halter rather than believe! Oh! What is not requisite to remove from his false dependence one who builds upon his own righteousness and reposes so securely in it and to drive him thus naked and bereft of all things, out of himself as one helpless, lost, and in a desperate state to Jesus, through Him to be reconciled to God, and by His perfect righteousness only to be rescued from destruction and eternally saved? It is hard to desire Christ and naught but Christ.. It is toilsome the whole day to follow after Christ and not to rest until we find Him. Therefore, if a person believes, the arm of the Lord must be revealed (Isaiah 53:1). Thus Paul says the work of faith is the exceeding greatness of the power of God, "According to the working of His mighty Power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead" (Ephesians 1:19,20); and therefore are the righteous scarcely saved.

          

      3. If they be saved, they must exercise repentance in accordance with Luke 13:3. And what does this act of the soul include? It includes a turning from sin to holiness, from Satan to God, from ourselves and all creatures unto Christ. How great a work this is for one who is so much in darkness, nay is darkness itself, who cannot find the way of life; who is unable and unwilling to return; who is so blinded by self love that he regards his evil heart as good; who so cherishes his delusive hope that he neither can nor Ail] abandon it; who is so caught in the snare of the devil who holds him captive at will; who is a child of wrath and an enemy of God! Oh! What does it not require to arrest such ungodly, heedless sinners in their way and to rouse them from their lethargy? Oh! What does it not require of one who has forgotten and despised God; who has made God his enemy; who has naught to expect but His eternal wrath; to bring him again to God and cause him to realize and enjoy His favor and love? Will not the thought naturally arise in his breast, "How can 1, who am an enemy and hater of God, become reconciled to Him? Should I appear in His holy presence would He not immediately thrust me away and cast me into hell? Could God take delight in saving a sinner such as I?" It is, therefore, a work of great difficulty to cause a sinner to entertain that confidence in God, without which he cannot be led to repentance; thus, he is scarcely saved.

          

      4. If he shall be saved, he must be made holy; for without holiness no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12-.14). And what a work this is! What energy and skill must the Holy Ghost employ to sanctify the elect sinner; for within and without he is wholly unclean and loathsome and from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet there is no soundness in him. Thus he must not only be sanctified in all that he does and leaves undone, yield his members as instruments of righteousness, and to this end forsake all things (cutting off a right hand and plucking out a right eye (Matthew 6), that is, abandoning his dearest bosom sins), but be must be inwardly sanctified, his heart must be changed (entirely transformed), and the image of God impressed upon it. He must be holy in all his motives in order to glorify God in all things. And oh! How great the work to sanctify a heart so habituated to sin, vanity, and folly and to impart to it true wisdom. To effect this, naught less than divine power is adequate; therefore, he is scarcely saved.

          

      5. He is scarcely saved inasmuch as he must deny himself; "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24); the old man, the flesh with its affections and lusts must be crucified (Galatians 5:24); he must yield his understanding a captive to the obedience of Christ (Second Corinthians 10:5); he must renounce his own will; he must abandon his sinful inclinations, lusts, and pleasures (First Peter 2:11, Ephesians 4:22, 5:11), also reputation, possessions, and friends; nay, be willing for Christ's sake to lose even his life, "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple' (Luke 14:26). How hard this is for a sinner whose heart is a stone, and yet it must take place; therefore, he is scarcely saved.

          

      6. Inasmuch as he must be heavenly minded and willing to part with all that is seen for that which is unseen, if he be saved it must be with difficulty. With Paul he must count all things but dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ (Philippians 3:8). He must despise the favor of men, the treasures, riches, and delights of the world, and seek only those things which are above, where Christ is, thus exalting the Lord , Jesus above ten thousand and so proclaim Him to the world. But oh, the magnitude of such a work! Therefore, he is scarcely saved.

          

      7. He is scarcely saved inasmuch as he must love God above all and his neighbor as himself (Matthew 22:36-40). He must bless them that curse, do good to them that hate, and pray for them that persecute him (Matthew 5:45). But how difficult to love even his enemies; therefore, he is scarcely saved.

          

      8. He is scarcely and with great difficulty saved as regards himself, seeing it is with the greatest difficulty that one who is deadly sick can begin or accomplish any undertaking. No more readily can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard his spots than they can do good who have been accustomed to do evil (Jeremiah 13:23). They are as the dead and contribute nothing to their own restoration to life, so mortally helpless are they. Therefore Paul says, "I am carnal, sold under sin" (Romans 7:14). Therefore, the righteous arc scarcely saved.

          

      9. To this is to be added the fickleness and inconstancy of man, who, when convinced by God, resolves to change his conduct and no more pursue his sins; yet proves unfaithful to his resolutions, and does not continue steadfast and believing, but turns again to folly. Thus is his sorrow like a morning cloud which soon passes away-, and therefore, he is scarcely saved.

          

      10. Scarcely and with great difficulty are the righteous saved inasmuch as God sometimes forsakes them, though not forever, but for a moment; and not entirely, but as regards his sensible and consoling grace. Thus the church complains, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me" (Isaiah 49:14). To this is to be added that the Lord, their light and the strength of their life, at times withholds for a period His wonted assistance; permits them to be subjected to the assaults of their enemies; hides from them His lovely countenance; appears to be angry with them, to write bitter things against them and to act as their enemy, so that it becomes to them a season of complaining and lamenting, of asking and seeking, of conflict and wrestling. This we see in Job (Job 6:24 and 13:24); in David (Psalm 13:2-4); in Asaph (Psalm 77:4-10); and in Heman (Psalm 88:17,18). Of these things an unconverted man knows nothing-nothing of the loss of communion with God and nothing of the sweetness of that communion, since he never enjoyed it. Is it any wonder the righteous are scarcely saved?

           

      11. Scarcely are they saved inasmuch as they are called to endure many temptations and conflicts with Satan, for the devil, their adversary, goes about as a roaring lion (First Peter 5:8). He is dexterous and deceitful and is ever plotting their destruction and laboring to draw them from God. To this end he shoots his fiery darts at them in order to lead them into sin and prevent or mar that which is good. He seeks to fin their minds with blasphemous thoughts in order to sift their faith, to extinguish their love, to weaken their hope and reduce them to despondency and doubt. How they must arm themselves against him can be seen in Ephesians 6:10-18, a task they accomplish with great difficulty.

           

      12. Add to this the world that lies in wickedness (First John 5:19), that is, evil men with their sinful associations who are the instruments of Satan. For what he cannot do himself, he does through them, his organs, for he rules in the children of disobedience and urges them on to the destruction of the godly, now by perfidious flatteries-by representing in such fair colors the beauties, pleasures, honors, and riches of the world to entice their souls; and now by assailing them with vile slanders, invectives, lies, and malicious threats. Thus are the righteous called to suffer much at the hands of the ungodly for Christ's sake (Matthew 5:11, First Peter 2:19,20) and hence pass through evil report and good report; to all this they must rise superior, though with difficulty.

           

      13. In addition to this they still have a deceitful, seductive, wicked heart-that evil and depraved nature which continually leads them astray, "For the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9), and 'Thus is every one tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed" (James 1:14). For the heart, which is a sink of iniquity, tends continually to sin, nay, continually sends forth sin; and therefore the heart must be kept diligently (Proverbs 4:23). The old man must be crucified and our members which are upon the earth mortified (Colossians I-.5). The body must be brought into subjection and no provision made for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof (First Corinthians 9:27; Romans 13:4). Hence their wrestling, their watching, their praying against sin, their tears, sorrows, and complaints, with Paul, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24). AU this occasions a constant strife and proves the righteous are scarcely saved.

           

      14. And lastly, are to be mentioned all the afflictions and adversaries which so frequently and grievously assail the righteous, "for many are the afflictions of the righteous' (Psalm 34:20) through which, it is declared, they must enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Who can enumerate all the calamities which they experience in this vale of tears, in person, family, estate, calling, honor, and good name? What sickness, poverty, disquietude, dishonor, violence, slander and persecution they suffer? Scarcely is one evil past before another is experienced, so that enumerable evils compass them about (Psalm 40:13), and how hard this is for the flesh!

      Add to all that deep distress and bitter agony of soul on account of which is the greatest evil they are called to endure; 'The troubles of my heart are enlarged- oh, bring Thou me out of my distresses (Psalm 25:17). Wherefore also the Word of God, speaking of the attainment of salvation, employs all such modes of expression as are significant of toil, labor and concern: as, to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12); to seek (Matthew 6:33); to strive (Luke 13:14)-which forms of speech are drawn from a warrior who has many and mighty foes with whom to contend. Thus also must a child of God, in the work of salvation, strive against enemies so numerous and with violence assault the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 11-2); run in the Christian race (First Corinthians 9:24); follow after perfection (Philippians 3:12); and exercise himself unto godliness (First Timothy 4:7). This last, literally expressed, is wrestling. The similitude is drawn from the combatants in the ancient games and implies the greatest intrepidity, as that of a hero armed from head to foot, that he may prove victorious in the conflict and bear away the crown of life. It is also required that we watch, stand fast in the faith, quit ourselves like men, and be strong (First Corinthians 16:13); fight the good right of faith (First Timothy 6:12); and be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (First Corinthians 15:58).

      All these forms of expression intimate that those who are saved are saved, not easily, but through great conflict and with much effort and wearisomeness; and this by reason of the unworthiness of their best works, the contest between the flesh and spirit, the depravity of their hearts, the narrowness of their way of life, the difficulties attendant upon required duties, the insufficiency of their righteousness, and the strict demands of their righteous Judge.

      Is it true, my hearers, that the righteous are scarcely and with so much difficulty saved? It becomes us then not to esteem salvation so lightly and of such easy attainment. Unless we would directly oppose the Word of God, we must acknowledge salvation to be a quite different thing from what is supposed by most men who yet hope to be saved; for they imagine that it is entirely well with them, and that they shall be saved provided they avoid outward and gross sins, live honest and correct fives, perform the external duties of godliness, and diligently pursue the business of their calling. 0 wretched men! Can that be true godliness and the narrow way of life? No! Oh, No! Outwardly to forsake, sin, pursue virtue, and five correctly is only in accordance with the practice of the heathen, as said the Saviour, "Do not even the Publicans so?" (Matthew 5:47). Although God has expressly declared in His Word that something more is necessary to salvation and that the way to heaven is exceedingly narrow, men, notwithstanding, form so light an opinion of salvation and imagine that they shall so easily acquire it. They do not carefully examine whether they are righteous and are not concerned whether they are in a state of grace and have an interest in Christ, but satisfy themselves with a bare and unfounded persuasion and place dependence upon the external propriety of their conduct. They rely upon the fact that they arc baptized, that they have made confession of their faith, that they partake of the Lords's supper, that they attend the house of God and read His Word, Upon these things, I say, they rely and, in the meanwhile, are groveling as very motes, and this but to acquire some earthly go(4 and entertain not the slightest doubt that they shall be saved. This they regard as certain! But know, 0 vain man, that thou shall not thus attain salvation! These things must indeed be done but are not in themselves sufficient.

      The Spirit of God declares by the mouth of Peter that the righteous are but scarcely saved. Do you expect so easily to secure it? Oh, no! You lamentably deceive yourself and greatly err. The god of this world has blinded your mind and holds you captive in his snare (Second Corinthians 4:4). "While you promise yourself heaven, let me freely assure you that you shall obtain hell. Listen, I pray you, to the declaration of the Author of all truth, 'Not every one that sayeth unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7.21).

2. THE WRETCHED STATE OF THE UNGODLY.

   O careless and unconverted sinners who have no concern respecting the state of your souls and imagine that you will be saved: who, I pray you, persuades you that you will so readily obtain heaven? I entreat you, judge for yourselves. Would not then Peter, without reason, have said that the righteous are but scarcely saved? Would not the Lord Jesus have improperly described the way of salvation as so narrow? If you should be saved in your carnal, vain, worldly, and careless state, and through so superficial a service, it would not be true that we are scarcely saved, but that we are saved without difficulty. Your manner of life is surely not one of strict conformity to divine requirements, and if you can be saved in your carelessness, did not the disciples, martyrs, and the most eminent saints act foolishly in doing so much and living so precisely? These were all greatly concerned respecting their salvation, and is it possible that you can pursue so heedless a course and yet be saved? Oh, let not your deceitful heart lead you astray. Close not so willfully your eyes and persist in 'imagining that you can so easily be saved! Most certainly, believe me, your deceitful heart turns you aside; you feed upon ashes; you are hastening to eternity with a lie in your right hand!

   Must a regenerate Christian daily pour out to God so many ardent prayers and utter so many agonizing supplications, shed so many bitter tears, be so distressed and concerned respecting his sins, find it necessary to strive so manfully against them, and in addition be compelled to endure so many temptations and afflictions; and can you, by one heartless sigh to God and a little superficial service, become an heir of salvation? Oh, no!

   But, do you ask, are there none then saved who do not experience such a conflict? No, none! This conflict is the lot of one, more; of another, less; but there is not one who has not some experience with it. Such an one will, I doubt not, find the workings of his heart described in the foregoing exposition. Let it not be supposed, however, that this conflict is the meritorious cause of the salvation of the righteous. Oh, no! That is to be attributed to pure sovereign grace, but it is the way to salvation, for God leads His children through conflict and conquest. You will possibly say, "If this be so narrow a way, I should dread to enter upon it; for who could always live thus?" But know, 0 man, that it is but for a time, and that the sufferings of this present time are not to be compared with the glory which shall hereafter be revealed to the children of God (Romans 8:18). Is the labor great? The reward is still greater. Is the contest severe? The victory is glorious. Though the battle endure for awhile, the glorious issue is certain. If you desire salvation, let not these things frighten you. Were you but aware what joys are still to be found in the way, you would, with Moses, esteem the reproaches of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt (Hebrews 11:26). It is not at all times a season of distress and difficulty. Oh, no ' ! The anger of the Lord endures but for a moment; in His favor is life; weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).

   Herein the children of God sometimes exult, that they have more joy in their hearts than the ungodly when their corn and their wine are increased (Psalm 4:7); "I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all the riches" (Psalm 119:14). Ask a child of God, and he himself will inform you that in the midst of all his tribulations, he would not barter his condition for thousands of worlds! He would say, 'Though a man gave me all the substance of his house for this love (to be a child of God) I would utterly despise it.'

   Would you not then rather be found in this way? Or will you still continue to pursue your sinful course and imagine you will, notwithstanding, be saved? Do not entertain an expectation! Abandon that soul destroying delusion! No longer deceive yourself with a false hope, but awaken, I beseech you! Awake, ere, to your sorrow, you find it too late and then finally discover that you have deceived yourself, It is certainly cause of astonishment that you can go on so securely and indulge so little fear, while yet the righteous are scarcely saved! Or do you imagine that you are righteous? Tell me, I plead with you, what reason you have for such a supposition? The Pharisees imagined the same but were mistaken.

   There is also a civil righteousness consisting of this: that we live in accordance with the laws of the land, reputably, without injuring or wronging anyone, giving to everyone his own, and doing what is equal and just. These things are indeed good and constitute an honorable man but not a righteous Christian. You must certainly acknowledge that you are by nature, through original and actual sin, deserving of condemnation and that you daily increase your guilt and, therefore, are a child of wrath. In addition, you must know that you are unable to deliver yourself; nay, that you also "will not" because you are an enemy of God.