The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-17


ma before men. him will confess
also before my Father which Is In
heaven. Matt 1882
Let us see what this promise re
CURES OF us in q way OF duty. II
confession: "Whosoeyer CONFESS
eth nue. before men" Three inoa''
ries will serve to explain IT.
First, who is to be confessed? He
that confesseth me-" says the say
ieur. Him therefore we are 10 CON
fess in his being, person. character
Offices. relations, in HIS sufferings
and glory. In his cause. ministers
and Iaema ers. In every thing that
concerns him as he is revealed 10 as
in LIE Scripture Only. IL Is Teees-
sary TO observe. that AS he Oppose
ton TO him is often varying 50 the
duty OF his eonfesscrs VIII vary &C
cordingiy. and the truth se are Pc
culiarly repaired 10 witness must be
determined by the nature and ext
gency OF the call The apostle speaks
Of being established IN the present
truth" Ay which We are to under
stand some doctrine particularly OPP
posed or neglected. and the confrma-
ton and recon mendatiou OF which
is more immediately called for. Ac-
cordingly. therefore, TO the seasons
and places in which we live, we shall
have to testify sometimes in favor
of his divinity and atonement, some
times against elf-righteousness,
sometimes against superstition,
sometimes against enthusiasm and
fanaticism, sometimes against Anti
nomianism, and often, very often,
against mere form of knowledge
or goodness, without the power
thereof
Secondly. before whom are we to
confess him? He that confesseth
ME before men" What men? Cody
men only? II 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: Il 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 rtaieale
onr 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 ii is written.
Il believed. therefore have spoken !:
we also believe, and therefore speak s.
II our testimony does not harmonic
with our convictions and sentiments,
II is worse than nothing, 1t In fypoc--
risy 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 tc
be made
Verbally .--Thus the martyrs con
fessed him; for they would not have
suffered had they hid his righteous
ness within their heart When Peter
and John were forbidden by the
council to speak any more In His
name, they answered, I'VE cannot
seen and heard" We are to glorify
God IN our body. as we'll as In our
spirit. He has given us speech, not
as many use 1t. but TO honor the
giver: and with David we should
pray. Lord. open thou my lips, ant
my mouth shall show forth tbs
praise" We could not be satisfied
with the heart of friend II hi.
tongue was always engaged against
us. or indeed II it we're never EN-
ployed for us. Yea, we should say
the thing IN impossible; II we hat
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 ex.
asperate or to rebuke when II will
call forth more profaneness or OBJ.
sceuity. give not that which IS holy
unto dogs, neither cast We your pearl.
before swine, lest they trample then
under their feet. and turn again and
rend you" "A word" says Solomon
Tt1y spoken. how good is it. It il
like apples of gold in pictures oi
silver" There is zeal which is not
according to knowledge: and wis.
dom ts profitable to direct. Yet We
may err on the side of deficiency az
we'll as excess; and while we shun
imprudence, we may be restrained
by a coward1y fear or shame from
seizing opportunities that present
themselves of speaking usefully
without the violation OF any duty OF
iecorum In life. How many OF these
have we suffered TO pass unimproyed
Lord" would Usher often say
Lord. forgive my sins Of omission
Practically Confession may be
attached To conduct as we'll as to
language; yea, actions, II Is, proven
hiaily said. speak louder than words
minister has two individuals be.
longing 10 his congregation. The
one says little OF him. and less tc
him; but he Is constant In his at
tendance. and bends everything 10
enable him to enjoy what he deems
a privilege as we'll as duty The
other always extols him much, both
before his face and behind his back
but he Is seldom In his place, and
suffers tho most trihing excuses 10
Keep him from what he so admires.
Does not the practice OF the former