CHAPTER V.

ONE OF THE SERMONS PREACHED AT HADLEIGH DURING THE CONFERENCE'.

Adversity the trial of Constancy.

"Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”—MATT. xxiv. 12, 13.

In the chapter from which my text is taken, our Saviour sets forth in forcible language the troubles, afflictions, and distresses, which should come upon the earth. His account was, in part, fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem, when the curse was poured out upon the Jews, which they had imprecated on themselves, when they shouted at our Lord's crucifixion, "His blood be on us and on our children." But the description which he has given was uttered in answer to a question of His disciples, "What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" And therefore, although by the expression, "end of the world," nothing more was sometimes meant than the end of that Jewish dispensation; and by our Lord's "coming," His coming to destroy Jerusalem; yet, as there is another more awful coming still looked for, when He shall return in clouds of glory to judge the living and the dead, and another more fearful meaning of "end of the world," namely, that which St. Peter speaks of, when he says, "that the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and all the works that are therein, shall be burned up';" there can be little doubt, but that all that our Lord here says will receive its more complete fulfilment in the times preceding the coming of the day. of judgment. This chapter contains many things worthy our serious consideration; for awful is the thought of those "beginnings of sorrows which our Lord says shall then overspread the world: nation rising against

This Sermon was not written for the Conference only a sentence or two added at the end, on that occasion.

2 2 Pet. iii. 10.

nation; famines, pestilence, and earthquakes; every thing in the natural world in confusion; and in the political also; great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world; when the chain of society shall be broken, and the links which bind man to man no longer have force to restrain them.

Among other things which He states, that which I have chosen for my text well deserves our attention,-" Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." When he says the love of many shall wax cold, His words have a twofold meaning. For He speaks both of their love towards one another, and, more especially, of their love or regard to religion. The effect, or consequence, of all the tumults, and troubles, and confusion, of which he has been telling us, will be, that "the love of many will wax cold." Such an effect is not peculiar to the troubles preceding the end of the world, but in all times of distress the same result follows: "the love of many waxes cold;" it is the natural effect. Indeed, afflictions, of whatever sort, we know are sent to try men, and they succeed in their purpose: they do try men, and prove them; prove what they are made of, and what manner of men they are, both in their relations to God and towards men; to use the expression of St. Paul," the fire (of persecution or affliction) shall try every man's work, of what sort it is"." And the consequence is, that many fail under the trial: "the love of many shall wax cold;” nay, more, according to the words of the Greek, it is not only the love of many, but the love of the many—of most, of the greater part of mankind, that fails and waxes cold in the hour of trial. And the reason is, because nothing at such times can preserve any man from falling, but firm-rooted, high, and fixed principle; and there are only few, comparatively, who are guided by this. And this is true, as was just observed, in regard to men's conduct, both to God and towards one another. For no link to be depended upon can bind man to man, but either individual attachment,—as we read that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul,— -or else the higher principle of Christian charity, which teaches us to love all men as ourselves, for Christ's sake, because they are the children of God. When these two principles are wanting, what a change is frequently to be observed in men's conduct towards one another, according to outward circumstances! Many a man, who, in times of prosperity, has fancied himself possessed of numerous friends, finds himself, in time of adversity, deserted by all, or most. Hence the saying, which is proverbial amongst us, that, “A friend in need is a friend indeed;" and so the wise Son of Sirach observes, "A friend cannot be known in prosperity, and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity. In the prosperity of a man, enemies will be grieved; but in adversity, even a friend will depart. For a while he will abide with thee; but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry. The same man is a friend for his own occasion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble. If thou be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide himself from thy face 1." But when there is true principle, and true affection, adversity produces no change,-or, rather, it

3 1 Cor. iii. 13.

4 Ecclus. xii. 8, 9.

shows still more strongly the depth of the affection; and many a man, in such seasons, has learned to value and think highly of those who before were little esteemed. For men's affections, either towards God, or towards man, may be compared to a stream of water: the deep river makes less noise than the shallow brook; and they, frequently, make most pretensions of affection, who have, in reality, least to boast of. And when men are not united to each other by the principle of generous affection, or Christian feeling of brotherly kindness, but merely by self-interest, the natural consequence of time of trouble is, that such links are burst asunder, and envy, and jealousy, and hatred, and evil passions, succeed in their room; as our Saviour says in the verse before the text, "Many shall be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another."

Let us now consider our Saviour's words in the text, "the love of many shall wax cold," with reference to men's love and zeal for religion; to which, especially, they relate. I say especially, because much of the chapter shows that, in the time of which He is speaking, there will be a persecution of good men, ‚—a persecution of those who not only profess to be the followers of Jesus Christ, but endeavour, in truth and sincerity, to walk according to their profession, ordering their lives according to the rules which Christ has given; and thus drawing upon themselves the hatred of those who are unwilling to do the same, and who feel themselves condemned by the others' better conduct. For it is of the sufferings of true Christians that our Lord is speaking, when He says, "they shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake;" and it is as a consequence of these persecutions that He adds, " because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."

This is the general, nay, the constant, effect of a time of trouble and persecution upon the professors of religion. It puts the sincerity of their religion to the test; and those who are not sincere, of course, fail in the day of trial. And so our Lord, at another time, in mentioning the different classes of persons who derive no benefit from religious instruction, speaks of some, "who for a while believe, but in time of temptation fall away 5." Nothing but a firm and well-grounded faith and conviction in matters of religion will enable a man to stand in the evil day; when this is wanting, his religious sentiments are not to be depended upon. For as we have seen that, in the relations between man and man, there are in the world numbers of what may be called fair-weather friends, who, like the insects, buzz and glow in the sunshine, and disappear when storms are abroad; so, in the relations between man and God, there are numbers who may be called fair-weather Christians, whose zeal for religion only lasts till it is put to the proof, and then vanishes away. And this our text tells us is true, not of many, but of most; the love of the many (e. g. of the generality of men) shall wax cold.

Consider by what a variety of different motions those are led who, in a Christian country, profess the Christian religion. Some do it because their fathers did so before them, and they have no other reason; these are

5 Luke viii. 13.

Christians by inheritance. Some because they see others around them professing it, and they like to be in the fashion, and to do as others do; these are Christians by custom. Some because their superiors, and they from whom they look to receive some benefit, do, and they are afraid of losing their favour if they do not; these are Christians through fear of men. Some because they have inquired into, or been instructed in, the matter, and are convinced of the truth and certainty of God's declarations: who, believing all God's goodness towards them-love Him as their Father and their Friend, their Saviour and Protector: and, believing all His power, fear to offend Him, who can destroy both body and soul in Hell; these are Christians in spirit and in truth. Now, it is only such a firm and heartfelt conviction of God's truth, such a deep and real fear and love of Him, that will make any man to live according to his religion. It is only this which can enable a man to resist those daily temptations to sin, of one kind or another, to which we are always exposed; only this which shall enable him to stand upright and true, in the still more grievous trials of persecution and affliction with which, from time to time, God's servants must expect to be proved. For it is only those who, by conviction, have really learned to know the value of their precious souls and how far the next world, which will last for ever, exceeds this, which is about soon to be destroyed; it is only those who are willing to be at cost and pains in their Master's service here, in hopes to be blessed by Him hereafter: and can choose rather to suffer, if it be the will of God, for a time, in company of the faithful few, than to avoid suffering, by denying or betraying their Saviour; it is only these who can abide the test, and not fail when put to the proof. So the noble martyr, St. Paul, asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword"?" Surely not. No earthly considerations can avail to separate from Christ the man whose hopes are fixed in Heaven, and whose heart is filled with the love of his Saviour, God, and Friend. But it is only such that can remain unmoved in the day of trial; and because most men are Christians,-not by heartfelt conviction, but, as we have seen, by inheritance, from custom, or out of fear of men,— therefore it is, that when iniquity abounds, the love of the many waxes cold.

"that

Now hence you may understand the wisdom and charity of our Church, in so frequently imploring God to remove from us, and preserve us from persecutions and afflictions; as in the Collect for Evening Service we are taught to pray, "that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness." And again, in the Litany, we Thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto Thee in Thy holy Church;" in which the Church imitates our blessed Saviour's example, who has taught us daily to pray, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." For although faithful men come out of adversity, like gold out of the fire, of greater worth than before; yet in the stormy sea of persecution, many a frail person makes shipwreck of his

6 Rom. viii. 35.

faith, who, under more favourable circumstances, and in quiet times, might have arrived safely at the desired haven.-" Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."

Let us now consider the profit which we are to derive from these considerations. As we learn from our text, that the effect of troublous times and days of persecution is to overthrow the faith of those whose hearts are not firmly established, by inward conviction, in the love of God; and that no principle but the heartfelt love and fear of Him can make a man to stand in the evil day, let us, in common prudence, make use of the time of peace while it lasts, and, by prayer to God, by the study of His Holy Word, by the practice of holiness, and obedience to His laws, and by attendance on His ordinances, let us strive to have our hearts grounded and settled in our Christian faith, "rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as we have been taught 7;" that so, when the time of trouble and persecution shall arise, we may not then have to seek and ask, why we should continue stedfast in the faith? but may be able, like our blessed Lord, to witness a good confession.

It is for this reason that we endeavour to press upon all committed to our charge, but especially upon the tender minds of the young, by catechetical instruction,—the reason and grounds of our faith: that when scoffing infidels shall tell them, that the book of God's Word is a cunningly-devised fable, they may be able to answer, that they "know whom they have believed 8," and feel in their hearts that the Gospel of Christ is indeed the power of God unto salvation.

You will perceive, that I have spoken of times of trouble, as if they were certainly coming. When things are plainly written, he may run that readeth; and, in truth, a man must needs shut his eyes who does not, in the signs of the times, see much reason to fear that troubles are at hand. Are not all men's minds unsettled, and ill at ease? men betraying one another, and hating one another. All the signs and tokens of evil which marked the days when good King Charles was put to death, are gathering around, and showing themselves again. God keep our nation from a repetition of such sin and misery! But, brethren, it behoves us to prepare for it. Already, indeed, as far as words go, the persecution is begun and, as in all times of trouble, the first mark at which evil men aim, has always been the ministers of religion, so it is now. The ministers of religion are openly reviled and abused, for no other reason but because they are the ministers of religion, and endeavour, in the discharge of their duty, by the ministry of God's Word, to stem the torrent of infidelity and confusion, which is bringing misery upon all around them. The property which the piety of former days gave to support the clergy, and by means of which the poor have the Gospel preached to them without charge, is the object of men's covetousness. Nor let it be supposed that this hatred of order will long be confined to words. Too soon, I fear, many of us may be called upon to put in practice those lessons which the Scriptures teach, of how to suffer persecution. God's will be done in all