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LECTURE XLVII.

THE DUTY OF CONFESSING CHRIST.

MATT. X. 34-39.

34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

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These words at first surprise us. Are they the words of Him, whose coming was announced as bringing "peace on earth, good will towards men?" Are they the words of him who "fulfilled what was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets : A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench." And yet he says, I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword.

It was indeed the purpose of his coming to bring peace on earth. He offers peace to man, the most blessed peace, with God; he promotes peace, the most perfect peace, among men. But man's perverseness too often meets the offer of peace with

1 See ch. xii. 17.

rebellion, and where all should be charity, creates dissension. In early times, when a man embraced the gospel, and professed his faith in Christ, the members of his own family were the first to restrain, and afterwards to denounce him. And we cannot doubt but this opposition would be among the most dangerous snares to a man's conscience. Could he presume to be wiser than his parents? Could he forfeit the affection of those dearest to his heart? Thus a man's foes would be they of his own household.

Knowing the force of such influences, Jesus refused permission to the disciple, who, when summoned to follow him, replied, "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father." Had he been trusted among his friends and connexions, the grave in which his father was laid might have been the grave of his own soul, and he might have still remained among them who were "dead in trespasses and sins." And when the case is a case of life or death, nay, of eternal life and eternal death, those feelings must be resisted which in ordinary circumstances we should rather promote and cherish. The authors of our natural life are to be honoured. No one is to be honoured more, except the author of our spiritual, our everlasting being. But the Lord Jesus bears this character, and may justly say,

37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.

38. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

We should say of an army, which turned its back in the day of battle when their commander

led the way against the enemy, and left him to fall alone, that they were not worthy of such a commander. With how much more truth may we say that a man is not worthy of Christ, who abandons him even for the dearest earthly object, or the rarest earthly treasure? Not worthy of him, who for us men and for our salvation descended from the glory which he had with the Father before the worlds were made; not worthy of him, who bore on his own shoulders the cross which was the penalty of our sin. He thought the souls of men so precious, as to purchase them with his own blood. Shall we hold them so vile, as to risk their ruin for any thing which this world contains? How low then must be our sense of the terrors of God's wrath, of the blessings of his favour?

Not only the treasures of this life, but this life itself will be given up, if we are worthy of him who laid down his own life for our sakes.

39. He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Blaspheme Christ, or prepare to die! This was the alternative laid before the apostles and their followers. They often had to choose between the denial of Him on whom their hopes were rested, and death, a cruel death. Our Lord therefore had need to warn them, that life might be saved at too dear a cost; and that to preserve it, they might lose the soul for ever. For this is his meaning, when he says, He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Peter, for instance, when to avoid a present danger he declared

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that he knew not his Lord. He might by such denial of the truth, have found, or saved his life; his earthly days might have been so prolonged. But he might have lost his soul; his everlasting life might have been forfeited. Had he not repented, his Lord would not have owned him "at that day." Stephen, on the other hand, by faithfully protesting against his unbelieving countrymen, lost his earthly life for the sake of Christ: was cut off in the midst of his days. But what, in return, he found, was life eternal. He saw in his last moments the heavens opened as it were to receive him, and the Son standing at the right hand of God to welcome him, and to make good his words, He that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it.

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We, who are not called to the same proof of faith, must yet possess the same zeal and self-devotion. Our readiness must not be less, because we are mercifully spared from trial. If we are not called to die for the sake of Christ, we are called to live to his glory; and to say, with St. Paul, "We thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them." 5

3 Luke xxii. 57.

4 Acts vii. 59.

5 2 Cor. v. 14.

LECTURE XLVIII.

LOVE OF CHRISTIANS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.

MATT. X. 40-42.

40. He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

Hitherto the apostles had heard those instructions which would animate them to zeal and faithfulness in the cause for which they were chosen. The Lord concludes his discourse by giving them what we may call letters of recommendation. Wherever

they went, they were to inquire for worthy characters, and seek admission. And a blessing should attend those who favoured their cause, and treated them in the spirit of Zaccheus: who, when summoned by the Saviour, "Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thine house;" obeyed the call, and "came down, and received him joyfully." The promised blessing was great. He that receiveth you, receiveth me. To entertain as a friend one who comes recommended by a friend, is to entertain that friend. Men so consider it. They resent neglect offered to him, as if offered to themselves; they acknowledge kindness shown him, as if shown to their own persons. On this principle our

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1 Luke xix. 5, 6.

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