November 17

Let us also be concerned to resemble him. Let us be tender-hearted, and concerned to comfort them that are cast down. We cannot do much; but let us do what we can; and be little images of him who is the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, and as rivers of water in a dry place. What is most admirable in us is not our wealth, or splendour, or even talents, but those feelings which render us pitiful and courteous; humane and divine. And these sentiments are best learned in the school of affliction. This is one of the motives that should reconcile us to our trials. We are not detached and unrelated individuals, but parts of a whole whose welfare should be dear to us—and in that we suffer, being tempted, we are able to succour them that are tempted.

NOVEMBER 17.—“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”—Matthew 10:32.

LET us see what this promise requires of us in a way of DUTY. It is confession; “Whosoever confesseth me before men.” Three inquiries will serve to explain it.

First—Who is to be confessed? “He that confesseth me,” says the Saviour. Him therefore we are to confess in his being, person, character, offices, relations; in his sufferings and glory; in his cause, ministers, and members; in every thing that concerns him as he is revealed to us in the Scripture. Only it is necessary to observe, that as the opposition to him is often varying, so the duty of his confessors will vary accordingly; and the truth we are peculiarly required to witness must be determined by the nature and exigency of the call. The Apostle speaks of being “established in the present truth;” by which we are to understand some doctrine particularly opposed or neglected, and the confirmation and recombation of which is more immediately called for. According, therefore, to the seasons and places in which we live, we shall have to testify sometimes in favour of his divinity and atonement, sometimes against self-righteousness, sometimes against superstition, sometimes against enthusiasm and fanaticism, sometimes against Antinomianism, and often, very often, against a mere form of knowledge or godliness, without the power thereof.

Secondly—Before whom are we to confess him? “He that confesseth me before men.” What men? Godly men only? It is an easy thing to confess him before his admirers—But we are to confess him before bad men, before his enemies as well as friends. Before the poor and the vulgar only by whom we are little influenced? Nay: but before the rich, the great—“I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.” Before the ignorant and illiterate only? No: but before the sons of learning and of science, who may pity or ridicule our want of understanding. Before those only who know us, and who would despise us for denying what we profess? No: but before those who are strangers to us, and cannot be aware of our inconsistency.

Thirdly—How are we to confess him before men? The source of the confession is faith; as it is written, “I believed, therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.” If our testimony does not harmonize with our convictions and sentiments,

it is worse than nothing, it is hypocrisy and lies. But though the spring be within, the stream is without; though the one is invisible, the other is to be seen. There are three ways in which our confession of him is to be made.

Verbally. Thus the martyrs confessed him; for they would not have suffered, had they hid his righteousness within their heart. When Peter and John were forbidden by the council to speak any more in this name, they answered, "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." We are to glorify God in our body as well as in our spirit. He has given us speech, not as many use it, but to honour the giver; and with David we should pray, "Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise." We could not be satisfied with the heart of a friend if his tongue was always engaged against us, or indeed if it was never employed for us. Yea, we should say, The thing is impossible; if we had his heart we should have his tongue: "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Here, however, be it observed, that we are not to rush into every company like an armed soldier, or to draw the sword of the Spirit upon every one we meet. We are not bound to exasperate or to rebuke when it will call forth more profaneness or obscenity. "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." "A word," says Solomon, "filly spoken, how good is it! it is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." There is a zeal which is not according to knowledge: and wisdom is profitable to direct. Yet we may err on the side of deficiency as well as excess: and while we shun imprudence, we may be restrained by a cowardly fear or shame, from seizing opportunities that present themselves of speaking usefully, without the violation of any duty or decorum in life. How many of these have we suffered to pass unimproved! "Lord," would Usher often say, "Lord, forgive my sins of omission."

Practically. Confession may be attached to conduct as well as to language: yea, actions, it is proverbially said, speak louder than words. A minister has two individuals belonging to his congregation. The one says little of him, and less to him; but he is constant in his attendance, and bends every thing to enable him to enjoy what he deems a privilege, as well as a duty. The other always extols him much, both before his face and behind his back; but he is seldom in his place, and suffers the most trifling excuses to keep him from what he so admires! Does not the practice of the former decide more than the commendations of the latter? We read of those who profess that they know God, but in works deny him; and of the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. Many, like Ezekiel's hearers, with their mouth show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness: many, like Judas, even while they kiss, betray. We are required to hold forth the Word of life, not only by our tongues, but tempers; not only by our lips, but lives. When we exemplify the holiness and excellency of the Gospel by our deportment in every condition, and especially when we fully discharge every relative duty;

VOL. II.