2. How to improve it —
[Let us be ready on all proper occasions to " confess Christ before men." How astonishing is it that any should be. ashamed of Christ, ashamed to acknowledge him as their Lord and Saviour ! What is there to be ashamed of in loving him, serving him, rejoicing in him ? Shall wicked men be so daring as to " glory in their shame," and shall we be so pusil- lanimous as to be ashamed of our glory ? O let it never be : let us, like Peter, confess Christ; and then, like Peter, we shall be confessed by him : and no sooner shall we say to him, " Thou art Christ, my Lord," than he will say, ' Thou art Simon, my servant and my friend.' Even " before his Father and his holy angels will he acknowledge us " as his, and pro- claim us " blessed."]
3. How to secure all the benefits dependent on it — [Opposition we must expect from earth and hell ; but he
will be our succour and defence. He has said, that none shall prevail against us ; and we have only to plead his promise, and rest confidently on his word. Whom did he ever disappoint? " Who ever trusted in him and was confounded?" Who ever
u Matt, xviii. 18. ^ Eph. i. 17, 18. >' "2 Cor. iv. 0.
expected the written word to be accomplished, and did not find God true to his engagements ? No, verily : what has been bound on earth, has been bound in heaven, and what has been loosed on earth, has been loosed in heaven. " Heaven and earth shall pass away ; but not one jot or tittle of his word shall ever fail." In the midst of all our conflicts then we may begin the Apostle's triumphant song^ — and continue it in all our diversified conditions, till we commence " the Song of Moses and of the Lamb" in heaven.]
■^ Rom. viii. .33—39.