The British Pulpit

our Lord, "Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? Or those eighteen upon whom the tower of Selsam fell and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt at Jerusalem ?" In other words, draw no such unrighteous inferences, but go, and "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Persecution, sustained by righteous persons in a righteous cause, is a badge of honour, and a pledge of his love; "for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth; and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

Fifthly Here we have a severe rebuke given to those who are unwilling to suffer for Christ, and are offended when persecution, because of the word, arises. Many will profess Christ, but will not follow him, when the rod of chastizing is raised, and the fire of persecution is lighted. When they behold the palm-branches and the garments spread in his way, and hear the multitude shouting Hosannas, they will join in the throng; but when the swords and the staves appear, their hearts will wax faint, and their yea, yea, become nay, nay! They will basely desert their Master, and, like the disciples, forsake him and fly. So much for a religion built on the sand, which persecution's waves will undermine and destroy. There is much reason to believe that there are many among us who, were persecution to arise for conscience sake, would prefer the good things of this world to the future riches of eternity, if the condition upon which the wealth of the heavenly kingdom was to be attained, was by sufferings. And yet through no other medium will its possession be realized-none of the riches of God be enjoyed. If we will really show ourselves to be Christians, we shall not hesitate to throw ourselves upon the boisterous waters of this troublesome world, assured that those only are the waters over which our vessel must pass to the harbour of eternal calm and safety-that, if steered well, it will reach in security the port, through the good pilot to whom had been confided our bark; and amid every trouble arising from the waves and persecution of the world, we should always bear in mind this awful and impressive saying of our Lord, "Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven!"

Here we may also observe a sharp reproof to the opposers of Christ's kingdom, and the persecutors of its true subjects. They know not what they do, nor consider the heinousness of the sin of which they are guilty. They " resist the Holy Ghost." They affront Christ in heaven-they trample on his jewels-they touch

the apple of his eye, and pierce his side. "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" When the foot was trodden upon the head cried out. And as the sin of persecuting God's people is great, so also is the punishment denounced against it great. Can we suppose that Christ will not avenge the blood of those who die in his cause? Attend to these words, spoken by the angel of the waters concerning such persecutors: "They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy." Numberless are the instances in which God has visibly punished the persecutors of his people, even in this world. The Emperor Diocletian, a cruel persecutor of the primitive Christians, ordered their churches to razed, their Bibles to be burned, and their bodies to undergo the most cruel tortures. What was his end? He became a maniac, and a self-destroyer. How different the end of the saint and the sinner! the persecutor and persecuted for righteousness' sake! The one may find his way through the wilderness of this world rough and rugged, and his path strewed with briers and thorns; he may have to encounter seas of difficulty, and to wade through oceans of blood, before he reaches the heavenly Canaan: but, oh! what a glorious rest! what a blessed calm! what unbounded bliss awaits him in the celestial country! There every thing wears an aspect of serenity-no clouds to obscure, and no sights to dismay his vision-a perfect, undisturbed, settled tranquillity-no enemy to peace to assail-no persecutor to tormentno sorrow to pierce-no pain to afflict-no sin to disturb-no death to torture and alarm him! The tears, which the scenes of humanity caused him to shed on earth, are all wiped from the eyes in heaven : a new song is put into his mouth-the song of Moses and the Lamb, which lips, in sweet harmony with the tongues of angels, warble forth daily; and, in the bosom of his Father and his God, an uninterrupted happiness and an eternal repose are enjoyed. Such honours, such blessedness, have all his saints!

O, who would not aspire after them! Who would not put forth all his powers to possess such privileges, and realize such bliss! Who would not lead the life of a true Christian on earth, that he might be as the angels in heaven! It is in your power to be as they are. But you must imbibe their temper, before you can enter on their services, and on earth do God's will, before you can do it with them in heaven. Then be Christians, not in name, but in reality. Take up the cross, and in the bearing of it, show a mind, which already seems to have caught a portion of theirs in glory. Bear it with

424 THE BEATITUDES: PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE. meekness, and disarm persecution's power by the firm and unwavering spirit with which you support the yoke, and steadfastly maintain the integrity of your Christian principles, in opposition to the sneers, or ridicule, or persecution of an apostate and unbelieving world. Yield not an instant to it, nor deny before men Him who hath bought you with a price-even the price of his own precious blood. Remember the doom of such as thus repudiate the Redeemer: them will he deny before the Father in heaven-in other words, for ever exclude from his presence, and banish from his kingdom. Shun then the ways of such, and tread not in the steps of the ungodly! but be ye followers of those, who, through faith and patience, have sought for, and have obtained the promises. Amen.

INDEX.

ALPHABETICAL ARRANGEMENT OF PREACHERS.

PREACHER.

BAKER, T. B., A.M.

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Pentonville.