Chapter 7: Religion of Public Opinion face of public sentiment. And they are ready to brand as imprudent, or rash, any man or anything, that goes to stem the tide of public sentiment and turn it the other way.
REMARKS 1. It is easy for persons to take credit for their sins, and make themselves believe certain things are acts of piety, which are in fact only acts of hypocrisy.
They do the things that outwardly pertain to piety, and they give themselves credit for being pious, when their motives are all corrupt and hollow, and not one of them drawn from a supreme regard to God's authority. This is manifest from the fact that they do nothing except where God's requirements are backed up by public sentiment. Unless you aim to do all your duty, and yield obedience in every thing, the piety for which you claim credit is mere hypocrisy, and is in fact sin against God.
2. There is a great deal more apparent piety in the church than there is real piety.
There are many things which sinners suppose are good but which are abominable in the sight of God.
4. But for the love of reputation and the fear of disgrace, how many there are in the church, who would break out into open apostasy.
How many are there here, who know you would break Out into open vice, were it not for the restraints of public sentiment, the fear of disgrace, and the desire to gain the credit of virtue? Where a person is virtuous from a regard to the authority of God, whether public sentiment favor it or frown upon it, that is true piety. If otherwise, they have their reward.
They do it for the sake of gaining credit in the eyes of men, and they gain it. But if they expect any favor at the hand of God, they will assuredly be disappointed. The only reward which he will bestow upon such selfish hypocrites is, that they may be damned.
And now I wish to know how many of you will determine to do your duty, and all your duty, according to the will of God, let public sentiment be as it may? Who of you will agree to take the Bible for your rule, Jesus Christ for your pattern, and do what is right, in all cases, whatever man may say or think? Every one that is not willing to take this ground must regard himself as a stranger to the grace of God. He is by no means in a state of justification.
If he is not resolved upon doing what he knows to be right, let public sentiment be as it may, it in proof positive that he loves the praise of men more than the praise of God.
And let me say to the impenitent sinners present. You see what it is to be a Christian.
It is to be governed by the authority of God IN ALL THINGS, and not by public sentiment, to live not by hopes and fears, but by supreme consecration of yourself unto God. You see that if you mean to be religious, you must count the cost. I will not flatter you. I will never try to coax you to become religious, by keeping back the truth. If you mean to be Christians,