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Suppose, for example, that Herod, who "heard John the Baptist gladly and did many things," "instead of being entangled with the pollutions of the world,” and "falling back into perdition," had been turned from the error of his way :-he must have abandoned Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, with whom he was unlawfully living. The history shows us that he was much attached to Herodias, and she to him. Had he insisted upon her leaving him, as the first proof of his faith and repentance, would it not have been denying himself?

The Christian is often obliged to make sacrifices of the same nature, if not of the same degree. He is obliged to forego the society of those with whom he would gladly live, if their heart were set upon righteousness. St. Paul requires that we separate ourselves from any who, though they may be called brethren, live in a way forbidden by the gospel: with “such an one, no, not to eat." Is not this to deny

ourselves?

"2

Again, some opportunity of advantage may be proposed, which cannot be taken without infringing upon duty. It requires that the Lord's day be neglected some dishonesty practised; some gain made unlawfully. On the one side stand the necessities of life, the claims of a family; on the other, conscience; conscience declares that if we thus serve Mammon, we must displease God. To refuse the service of Mammon, and choose the service of God to our present hindrance, is it not to deny ourselves? When the Ephesian disciples, moved by the ministry

1 Ch. vi. 20.

2

1 Cor. v. 11.

of Paul and Silas, renounced the occupation by which they made large gains, brought their magical books, and "burned them before all men," though "the price of them was fifty thousand pieces of silver;"3 -did they not deny themselves? Yet can any Christian do less, who does not prefer the gaining this present world to the saving of his soul?

Still we must not compare the case of the Christian in ordinary circumstances with that of the disciples who were now standing round our Lord. Many of them, like Peter, may be said to have borne the cross through life, to which they were affixed at last. They were daily proceeding to death, bearing their burthen all the while. It is not thus when the church has rest, and the Christian is able to walk "in the fear of God, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost," "no man forbidding him." There will always be need of self-denial; for "the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary one to the other." There will always be crosses to endure; for we contend against enemies who are sure to place them in our way. But if there are seasons of conflict, there are seasons of peace; there are the pleasures of success, when the world, or the flesh, or the devil has been overcome. In the conflict, there is pain; the pain as of those who strive for life; but when the triumph has been obtained, the sacrifice made, there is that " peace which passeth all understanding." Such, for instance, as the Ephesians enjoyed, when having put away their ungodly deeds

3 Acts xix. 18-20.

Acts ix. 31.

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and "works of darkness," they "walked as children of light;" bringing forth" the fruits of the Spirit in all goodness and righteousness and truth;" "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts to the Lord:" "doing the will of God from the heart,' and "submitting themselves one to another in the fear of God." These ways, when sincerely entered on, and resolutely followed, are proved to be the ways of pleasantness ;" and amply repay, even here, "the reproach of the cross," which must be risked, and the pain of self-denial, which must be borne. Still it is a thought which should perpetually "be for a token upon our hand, and for a frontlet between our eyes" in our converse with a dangerous world, "What shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

66

See Ephes. v. 8—24.

6

See Ex. xiii. 16.

LECTURE L.

CONFESSION OF CHRIST REQUIRED.

MARK viii. 38.

38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Our Lord had been foretelling to his disciples the treatment which he was to experience: that he "must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and the chief priests.' Peter took him, and began to rebuke him;" would not bear to believe that such things should happen to him. This gave occasion to the words of warning lately considered; not only must I deny myself, but all who come after me must be prepared to "deny themselves, and take up the cross, and follow me." And now he adds a further warning. Whosoever shall refuse to do this for my sake, and be offended at the thought of suffering, must not expect to be acknowledged as my disciple. The Son of man when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels will be ashamed of those who in their concerns with a sinful world have shown themselves ashamed of him.

1 Supra, 31, 32.

1

92

The same apostle who caused these words to be spoken, gave also the first example of what was meant by them. When he followed Jesus into the high priest's palace, "a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. I do not know the man. He shrunk from owning himself a follower of him, who was now in disgrace and danger, arraigned before the high priest for blasphemy. The Pharisees had before made use ofthis feeling of fear and shame to prevent the acknowledgment of Jesus as the Christ. They said to Nicodemus, "Art thou also of Galilee?" "Are ye also deceived?" So they taunted their officers : -will ye confess yourselves disciples of him, whom none of the rulers or Pharisees have believed in?

To acknowledge one, who is every where spoken against, as a friend or leader, is always a trial of faithfulness. But it was far more than an usual trial, when the confession of Jesus was the sure step towards loss and injury, and often to torture and death. Still it was indispensably needful that Jesus should not only be inwardly believed in, but outwardly acknowledged as the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. As St. Paul has expressed it, "If thou confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." 4

Matt. xxvii. 69-74.

3

John vii. 45-52.

Rom. x. 9.

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