en flattering and inconsiderate people load him
with their extravagant commendations; for he sees a thousand faults in
himself which he is much engaged in overcoming, though others perceive
them not. He is conscious of neglecting many an opportunity of doing
good, and of failing to suppress sufficiently many an evil thought;
and though some irreligious people may fancy that he already carries
things too far, as they absurdly term it, yet there is nothing of
which he is himself more sure than that he falls short in every
duty, and especially in those things of which they least see the
importances--in zeal for religion, in the duties of prayer and praise,
and in all the feelings and expressions of gratitude to his Creator
and Redeemer.

But while we are thus describing the amiable character of a Christian,
let it be remarked also, that he meets with various difficulties, and
is exposed to not a few misrepresentations, His virtuous singularity,
for instance, is considered by some, who do not understand his
principles, to be unnecessary preciseness, and is thought to arise
from a conceited or disobliging spirit. His courage in reproving vice,
if unsuccessful, is called, by those whom he reproves, impertinence.
His activity in doing good is not seldom ascribed to forwardness. Even
his extraordinary liberality is accounted for, by those who do not
care to follow his example, by saying that it is mere vanity, or
lavish imprudence. And, above all, his piety is apt to be thought, by
the impious and irreligious, to be mere hypocrisy, or at best a poor,
pitiable sort of weakness.

Thus, then, while the Christian has many peculiar hopes, and joys, and
consolations on the one hand, he experiences many trials and hardships
on the other. Nevertheless, he bears up under them all; many of them,
indeed, appear light to him in comparison of what they seem to other
men, and grow more and more light as he becomes used to them. He goes
on, therefore, cheerful and contented: he labors much, he suffers
much, he renounces much, he contends much in the cause of Christ;
and he does this in every place to which he moves, in every changing
situation and circumstance, and in every season of life through which
he passes.

And now at last, after a long life, death closes in upon him; he looks
with thankfulness back to what is past, and with composure to the
important and decisive hour that is approaching. He trusts, indeed,
not in himself, but in