inventing false charges against us and coining slanders — to listen to all the malignant virulence of unscrupulous tongues let loose against our character, and know that it is all untrue — this is a cross indeed ! " The words of a talebearer," says Solomon, " are as wounds." (Prov. xviii. 8.) " Deliver my soul," says David, "from lying lips and a deceitful tongue." (Psalm cxx. 2.) All this was a part of the cup which Jesus drank for our sakes. Great indeed was the price at which our souls were redeemed !
Let it never surprise true Christians if they are slandered and misrepresented in this world. They must not expect to fare better than their Lord. Let them rather look forward to it as a matter of course, and see in it a part of the cross which all must bear after con- version. Lies and false reports are among Satan's choicest weapons. When he cannot deter men from serv- ing Christ, he labors to harass them and make Christ's service uncomfortable. Let us bear it patiently, and not count it a strange thing. The words of the Lord Jesus should often come to our minds : " Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you." " Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." (Luke vi. 26. Matt. v. 11.)
Let us observe, lastly, in these verses, what distinct tes- timony our Lord bore to His own Messiahship, and second advent in glory. The high priest asks Him the solemn question, " Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed ?" He receives at once the emphatic reply, "I am : and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."