2. Those who are conflicting with them —
[" Be strong, and of good courage : for no enemy shall be able to stand before you." Only go forth in faith, and all the Goliaths in the universe shall fall under your hand. God has said, that, " provided you are not under the law, but under grace, sin shall not have dominion over youg." " The grace of Christ, which was sufficient for" Paul, shall be alike suffi- cient for all who trust in ith. A very " worm shall thresh the mountains, and reduce them all to dust1:" and Satan himself, that great enemy, shall be bruised under the feet of all who will withstand him manfully k. The armour provided for us shall not be girt on in vain1. Only go forth in the strength of the Lord Jesus m, and you shall " be more than conquerors through Him that loveth you11."]
e Rom. vi. 14. h 2 Cor. xii. 9. ' Isai. xli. 14 — 16.
k 1 Pet. v. 8, 9. Jam. iv. 7. Rom. xvi. 20. ' Eph. vi. 11. m Eph. vi. 10. n Rom. viii. 37.
Christ's interest in his people.
,, . . Ai Ar> rrn in- r
Mark ix. 41, 42. Whosoever shall give you a cup oj water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, lie shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
THOUGH the Lord requires decision of character, where full information exists ; and therefore says in one place, " He that is not with me, is against me ; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad a ;" yet, in the passage before us, in reference to one who, for want of fuller information, did not follow with his Disciples, he said, " He that is not against us, is on our part." There may be real integrity, where, from peculiar circumstances, there may be little profession : and where integrity of heart is, there will the Lord make due allowance for defects, which, under different circumstances, would provoke his heavy displeasure. The Apostles were, in this respect, but ill-instructed. They would have disallowed a brother altogether,
a Matt. xii. 30.
1435.] Christ's interest in his people. 77
because he came not up to their standard : but our Lord told them, that, however weak his children were, he would reward every benefit conferred upon them, and resent every injury done to them.
Let us consider,
I. The interest which Christ takes in his believing
people —
He completely identifies himself with them, and receives as done to himself whatever is done to them,
1. In a way of good —
[Scarcely any thing can be less than a cup of water : yet, if given to any one because he belongs to Christ, the donor of it " shall not lose his reward." It is necessary that it be given for Christ's sake; else, though it may be an act of hu- manity, it is no act of piety : but given for his sake, it is, and shall be, accepted of him, and be richly recompensed in the day of judgment b ]
2. In a way of evil —
[To " offend" one of his little ones, is to cast a stumbling- block before him, by which he may fall. And this may be done either by temptation or persecution : but, in whatever way it be clone, whether by allurement or menace, it shall be visited with God's wrathful indignation. To " have a mill- stone hanged about one's neck, and to be cast into the sea," would be a fearful judgment: but " a far sorer judgment" awaits the man who endeavours to turn from Christ one of the least of his people, or to impede his progress heavenward0. Christ considers this also as done to himselfd, and will resent it accordingly ]