■4.  «-i 
 
 ;i 
 
LIBRARY 
 
 OF    TUE 
 
 Theological   Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON,  N.J. 
 
 BR  45  .H84  1821 
 
 Franks,  James  Clarke,  1793- 
 
 1867. 
 On  the  evidences  of 
 
TWENTY    SERMONS 
 
 PREACHED    BEFORE 
 
 THE  UNIVERSITY   OF   CAMBRIDGE, 
 In  the  Year  M.DCCC.XXI. 
 
 AT 
 
 THE   LECTURE 
 
 FOUNDED    BY 
 
 THE    LATE    REV.  JOHN    HULSE, 
 
 of  st.  John's  college. 
 
HULSEAN    LECTURES  for  1821. 
 
 EVIDENCES    OF    CHRISTIANITY, 
 
 AS     THEY    WERE 
 
 MATED    AND   ENFORCED 
 
 IN    THE 
 
 DISCOURSES   OF   OUR    LORD: 
 
 COMPRISING    A    CONNECTED    VIEW 
 OF   THE    CLAIMS    WHICH    JESUS   ADVANCED, 
 
 OF    THE 
 
 '  ARGUMENTS     BY     WHICH    HE     SUPPORTED    THEM, 
 
 AND    OF 
 
 HIS    STATEMENTS    RESPECTING   THE 
 CAUSES,   PROGRESS,   AND  CONSEQUENCES  OF    INFIDELITY. 
 
 Bv  JAMES  CLARKE  FRANKS,   M.  A. 
 
 CHAPLAIN    OF    TRINITY    COLLEGE. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE: 
 
 Printer!  by  J.  Smilh,  Printer  to  the  University  ; 
 
 AND   SOLD    BV     MESSRS.    P.IVINGTON,    AND    .1.   HATCHARD,    LONDON: 
 
 DEIGHTON     «\:    SONS,     NICHOLSON    &    SON,    AND    THE 
 
 OTHER      BOOKSELLERS     IN     CAMBRIDGE: 
 
 AND     PARKER,    OXFORD. 
 
 18  2  1 
 
TO  THE  REVEREND 
 
 CHRISTOPHER  WORDSWORTH,  D.D 
 
 MASTER     OF     TRINITY     COLLEGE, 
 AND     LATE    VICE-CHANCELLOR    OF   THE    UNIVERSITY  ; 
 
 TO    THE 
 
 Very  Rev.  JAMES  WOOD,  D.D. 
 
 MASTER      OF     ST.     JOHN'S      COLLEGE,      AND      OEAN      OF      ELY  ; 
 AND     TO     THE 
 
 Rev.    JAMES    HENRY    MONK,    B.  D. 
 
 PROFESSOR     OF    GREEK, 
 AND    FELLOW    AND    TUTOR    OF    TRINITY    COLLEGE  J 
 
 £urtoibtng  Cru^tre^ 
 
 LECTURE  FOUNDED    BY  THE   REV.  JOHN   HULSE, 
 
 THE     FOLLOWING     LECTURES 
 
 PREACHED  BY  THEIR  APPOINTMENT 
 
 GRATEFULLY      AND      RESPECTFULLY       INSCRIBED 
 
 BY  THE  AUTHOR. 
 
hi 
 
"  CLAUSES  from  the  WILL  of  the  Rev.  JOHN  HULSE, 
 "  late  of  Elworth,  in  the  county  of  Chester,  clerk, 
 "  deceased,  dated  the  twenty-first  day  of  July,  in  the 
 "  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
 "  seventy-seven,  expressed  in  the  words  of  the  Tes- 
 "  tator,  as  he,  in  order  to  prevent  mistakes,  thought 
 "  proper  to  draw  and  write  the  same  himself,  and 
 "  directed  that  such  clauses  should  every  year  be 
 "  printed,  to  the  intent  that  the  several  persons,  whom 
 "  it  might  concern  and  be  of  service  to,  might  know 
 "  that  there  were  such  special  donations  or  endow- 
 "  ments  left  for  the  encouragement  of  Piety  and 
 "  Learning,  in  an  age  so  unfortunately  addicted  to 
 "  Infidelity  and  Luxury,  and  that  others  might  be 
 "  invited  to  the  like  charitable,  and,  as  he  humbly 
 "  hoped,  seasonable  and  useful  Benefactions." 
 
 CLAUSE    I. 
 
 "  And  from  and  after  the  end,  expiration,  or  other 
 determination  of  the  said  term  of  ninety- nine  years,  deter- 
 minable as  aforesaid,  I  give  and  devise  the  same  premises 
 to  and  to  the  use  of  the  University  of  Cambridge  for 
 ever,  for  the  purposes  herein  after  expressed,  that  is  to 
 say,  I  will  and  direct  that  the  clear  rents,  issues,  and 
 profits  of  the  same  premises  in  Newton  and  Middlewich 
 shall  be  divided  into  six  equal  parts,  of  which  four  such 
 
 b 
 
vin 
 
 sixth  parts  shall  be  paid  or  given  to  the  person,  being 
 a  member  of  the  said  University,  to  be  from  time  to  time, 
 under  the  directions  of  this  my  Will,  adjudged  to  the 
 author  of  the  best  Dissertation  on  the  subjects  herein- 
 after for  that  purpose  appointed.  One  other  such  sixth 
 part  shall  be  given  or  paid  every  year,  as  an  augmentation 
 of  his  salary,  and  for  his  own  use,  to  the  person,  being 
 also  a  member  of  the  said  University,  to  be  from  time 
 to  time  appointed  to  the  Lectureship  herein  after  founded, 
 and  who  is  to  preach  annually  twenty  Sermons  agreeably 
 to  this  my  Will." 
 
 CLAUSE   II. 
 
 "  And  I  do  direct  and  declare  that  the  said  term  of 
 one  hundred  years  is  so  vested  in  them  the  said  Ralph 
 Leeke,  John  Smith,  and  Thomas  Vawdrey,  upon  further 
 trust,  that  they,  or  the  survivors,  or  survivor  of  them, 
 or  the  executors,  administrators,  or  assigns  of  such  sur- 
 vivor, do,  and  shall,  by  and  out  of  the  rents  and  profits  of 
 the  premises  in  Clive,  which  shall  arise  previous  to  the 
 determination  of  the  said  term  of  one  hundred  years, 
 and  no  longer,  annually  pay  the  sum  of  sixty  pounds, 
 (exclusive  of  such  augmentation  as  herein  before  and 
 herein  after  is  mentioned,)  on  Saint  John  the  Evangelist's 
 day  following  the  preaching  of  the  twenty  Lectures  or 
 Sermons  herein  after  mentioned,  to  such  learned  and 
 ingenious  Clergyman  in  the  said  University  of  Cambridge, 
 of  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  and  under  the  age  of 
 forty  years,  as  shall  be  duly  chosen  or  elected  at  the  time, 
 and  by  the  persons  herein  after  mentioned  and  appointed 
 for  that  purpose,  as  a  salary  for  preaching  the  before- 
 mentioned  Sermons  or  Lectures,  on  the  days,  and  upon 
 the  subjects  herein  after  more  particularly  mentioned  and 
 prescribed,  on  the  determination  of  the  said  term  of 
 one  hundred  years." 
 
CLAUSE   III. 
 
 "  And  upon  further  trust  that  they  the  said  Ralph 
 Leeke,  John  Smith,  and  Thomas  Vawdrey,  or  the  sur- 
 vivors, or  survivor  of  them,  his  executors,  administrators, 
 or  assigns,  do,  and  shall  pay  and  apply  the  residue  of  the 
 rents,  and  profits  of  the  premises  in  Clive,  which  shall 
 arise  previous  to  the  determination  of  the  said  term  of  one 
 hundred  years,  and  no  longer,  and  which  are  herein  (or  by 
 a  grant  or  rentcharge  of  ten  pounds  per  annum,  dated 
 the  fourth  day  of  November,  one  thousand  seven 
 hundred  and  seventy  three,  by  me  made  and  enrolled  in 
 the  High  Court  of  Chancery,  for  certain  perpetual  cha- 
 ritable uses  in  the  aforesaid  townships  of  Middlewich, 
 and  Sandbach)  otherwise  disposed  of,  to  and  for  the  use 
 of  the  person  and  persons,  who  shall  from  time  to  time 
 preach  the  before  named  twenty  Lectures,  in  augmenta- 
 tion of  the  salary  herein  before  appointed  for  such 
 Lecturer." 
 
 CLAUSE   IV. 
 
 "  And  from  and  after  the  end,  or  other  determination 
 of  the  said  term  of  one  hundred  years,  determinable  as 
 aforesaid,  I  give  and  devise  all  and  every  my  said  mes- 
 suages, lands,  tythes,  and  hereditaments  in  Clive  aforesaid, 
 to  the  said  University  of  Cambridge  for  ever,  for  the 
 purposes  herein  after  mentioned  and  contained,  that  is  to 
 say,  I  will  and  direct  that  the  annual  rents,  tythes,  and 
 profits  thereof  shall  be  divided  into  six  equal  parts  or 
 shares,   and   disposed   of  in  manner  following." 
 
 ee  And  first,  it  was  always  my  humble  and  earnest 
 desire  and  intention,  that  the  following  donation  and  de- 
 vise should  be  founded,  as  much  as  possible,  on  the  plan 
 of  that  profoundly  learned  and  successful  inquirer  into 
 Nature,  and  most  religious  adorer  of  Nature's  God, 
 I  mean   the  truly  great    and  good  (as  well  as  honourable) 
 
Robert  Boyle,  Esquire  ;  who  has  added  so  much  lustre, 
 and  done  equal  service,  both  by  his  learning  and  his  life, 
 to  his  native  country,  and  to  human  nature,  and  to  the 
 cause  of  Christianity  and  truth." 
 
 '*  To  the  promoting  in  some  degree  a  design  so  worthy 
 of  every  reasonable  creature,  I  direct  that  four  parts  out 
 of  six  of  the  last  mentioned  rents,  tythes,  and  profits, 
 to  arise  from  the  premises  (exclusive  of  such  augmenta- 
 tions as  herein  before  and  herein  after  are  mentioned) 
 shall  be  paid,  on  Saint  John  the  Evangelist's  Day  fol- 
 lowing the  preaching  of  the  Lectures  or  Sermons  after- 
 mentioned,  annually  to  such  learned  and  ingenious 
 clergyman  in  the  said  University,  of  the  degree  of  Master 
 of  Arts,  and  under  the  age  of  forty  years,  as  shall  be  duly 
 chosen  or  elected  on  Christmas-day,  or  within  seven  days 
 after,  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  there  for  the  time  being3, 
 and  by  the  Master  or  Head  of  Trinity  College,  and  the 
 Master  of  Saint  John's  College,  or  by  any  two  of  them, 
 in  order  to  preach  twenty  Sermons  in  the  whole  year  : 
 that  is  to  say,  ten  Sermons  in  the  following  spring,  in 
 Saint  Mary's  great  Church  in  Cambridge,  namely,  one 
 Sermon  either  on  the  Friday  morning,  or  else  on  Sunday 
 afternoon  in  every  week,  during  the  months  of  April,  and 
 May,  and  the  two  first  weeks  of  June  ;  and  likewise  ten 
 Sermons  in  the  same  Church,  in  the  following  autumn, 
 either  on  the  Friday  morning,  or  else  on  Sunday  afternoon 
 in  every  week,  during  the  months  of  September,  and 
 October,  and  during  the  two  first  weeks  in  November." 
 
 a  It  is  provided,  in  another  clause  of  the  Will,  that  if  either 
 the  Master  of  Trinity,  or  the  Master  of  St.  John's  be  Vice- 
 Chancellor,  the  Greek  Professor  shall  be  the  third  Trustee. — 
 The  clauses  here  printed  ure  carefully  specified  for  that  purpose 
 by  Mr.  Hulse,  as  well  the  preamble  and  conclusion  of  the  extract, 
 which  is  to  be  made  by  the  Lecturer  in  conformity  to  his  di- 
 rections. 
 
XI 
 
 "  The  subject  of  which  discourses  shall  be  as  fol- 
 loweth  ;  that  is  to  say,  the  subject  of  five  Sermons  in  the 
 spring,  and  likewise  of  five  Sermons  in  the  autumn,  shall 
 be  to  shew  the  Evidence  for  Revealed  Religion  ;  and  to 
 demonstrate,  in  the  most  convincing  and  persuasive  man- 
 ner, the  truth  and  excellence  of  Christianity,  so  as  to 
 include  not  only  the  Prophecies  and  Miracles,  general  and 
 particular,  but  also  any  other  proper  or  useful  arguments, 
 whether  the  same  be  direct  or  collateral  proofs  of  the 
 Christian  religion,  which  he  may  think  fittest  to  discourse 
 upon,  either  in  general  or  particular,  especially  the  col- 
 lateral arguments,  or  else  any  particular  article  or  branch 
 thereof;  and  chiefly  against  notorious  Infidels,  whether 
 Atheists,  or  Deists,  not  descending  to  any  particular 
 sects  or  controversies  (so  much  to  be  lamented)  amongst 
 Christians  themselves  ;  except  some  new  and  dangerous 
 error,  either  of  superstition,  or  enthusiasm,  as  of  Popery 
 or  Methodism,  or  the  like,  either  in  opinion  or  practice, 
 shall  prevail  ;  in  which  case  only  it  may  be  necessary  for 
 that  time  to  write  and  preach  against  the  same." 
 
 "  Nevertheless,  the  Preacher  of  the  ten  Sermons,  last 
 mentioned,  to  shew  the  truth  and  excellence  of  revealed 
 religion,  and  the  evidence  of  Christianity,  may,  at  his  own 
 discretion,  preach  either  more  or  fewer  than  ten  Sermons 
 on  this  great  argument ;  only  provided  he  shall,  in  conse- 
 quence thereof,  lessen  or  encrease  the  number  of  the 
 other  ten  remaining  Sermons,  which  are  herein  after  di- 
 rected to  be  on  the  more  obscure  parts  of  the  Holy 
 Scripture,  in  a  due  proportion,  so  as  that  he  shall,  every 
 year,  preach  twenty  Sermons  on  these  subjects  in  the 
 whole." 
 
 '  And  as  to  the  ten  Sermons  that  remain,  of  which 
 five  are  to  be  preached  in  the  spring,  and  five  in  the 
 autumn,  as  before  mentioned,  the  Lecturer  or  Preacher 
 shall  take  for  his  subject  some  of  the  more  difficult  texts 
 or  obscure  parts  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  ;    such,   I   mean, 
 
xii 
 
 as  may  appear  to  be  more  generally  useful,  or  necessary  to 
 be  explained,  and  which  may  best  admit  of  such  a  com- 
 ment or  explanation,  without  seeming  to  pry  too  far  into 
 the  profound  secrets,  or  awful  mysteries  of  the  Almighty. 
 And  in  all  the  said  twenty  Sermons,  such  practical  ob- 
 servations shall  be  made,  and  such  useful  conclusions 
 added,  as  may  best  instruct  and  edify  mankind." 
 
 "  The  said  twenty  Sermons  to  be  every  year  printed, 
 and  a  new  preacher  to  be  every  year  elected,  (except  in 
 the  case  of  the  extraordinary  merit  of  the  Preacher,  when 
 it  may  sometimes  be  thought  proper  to  continue  the  same 
 person  for  five  or,  at  the  most,  for  six  years  together,  but 
 for  no  longer  term)  nor  shall  he  ever  afterwards  be  again 
 elected  to  the  same  duty.  And  I  do  direct,  that  the 
 expence  of  printing  the  said  Sermons  shall  be  defrayed 
 out  of  the  said  temporary  stipend  or  salary  of  sixty 
 pounds,  with  the  augmentations  first  mentioned,  or  from 
 the  further  provision  hereby  made,  of  the  rents,  tythes, 
 and  profits  afterwards  mentioned,  for  the  said  Lectures  ; 
 and  the  remainder  of  the  same  given  to  him." 
 
 "And  may  the  Divine  blessing  for  ever  go  along  with 
 all  my  Benefactions !  And  may  the  greatest  and  the  best 
 of  Beings,  by  his  all-wise  Providence,  and  gracious  in- 
 fluence, make  thte  same  effectual  to  his  own  glory,  and 
 the  good  of  my  fellow-creatures  ! " 
 
X1U 
 
 "An  ABSTRACT  of  the  heads  or  material  parts"  of  the  WILL 
 of  the  Rev.  John  Hulse,  relative  to  the  two  Scholarships, 
 founded  by  him  in  St.  John's  College,  and  by  him  directed 
 to  be  added  to  the  conclusion  of  the  foregoing-  clauses,  "so 
 that  such  Clergyman,  or  persons,  whom  the  same  may  con- 
 cern, may  know  that  there  are  such  endowments,  of  which 
 they  may  claim  and  take  the  benefit,  under  the  regulations, 
 and  with  the  qualifications,  therein  mentioned." 
 
 The  Scholars  are  to  be  "  Undergraduates  of  St.  John's 
 College,  who  shall  be  born  in  the  county  Palatine  of  Chester." 
 "  Such  Scholar  is  to  be  elected  by  the  Master  and  a  majority 
 of  the  senior  Fellows  of  the  said  College  on  Christmas-day, 
 or  in  the  first  seven  days  after,"  and  candidates  are  to 
 have  the  preference,  in  the  order,  and  with  the  limitations 
 specified  in  the  following  extracts. 
 
 1. — "  The  son  of  any  Clergyman,  who  shall  at  any  time 
 officiate  as  Curate  to  the  Vicar  of  Sandbach ;  or  next  to  him 
 the  son  of  any  Vicar  or  Curate,  who  shall  then  live  and  offi- 
 ciate in  the  parish  of  Middlewich,  as  the  proper  Minister  or 
 Curate  of  Middlewich  ;  or  lastly  of  any  Minister  or  Curate  of 
 the  Chapel  of  Witton,  or  who  shall  reside  and  live  in  the  town 
 of  Northwich  or  Witton,  or  the  adjacent  townships  of  Castle 
 Northwich  and  Winnington,  and  shall  do  the  duty  of  the  said 
 Chapel  as  the  proper.  Minister  of  Witton  (all  of  them  in  the 
 said  county  of  Chester)." 
 
 2.  "  A^nd  in  default  of  such  persons,  then  the  son  of  any 
 other  Clergyman,  who  (that  is  which  son)  shall  be  born  in 
 either  of  the  said  parishes  of  Sandbach  or  Middlewich,  or  in 
 the  said  Chapelry  of  Middlewich,  shall  have  the  preference. 
 And  if  none  shall  be  admitted,  then  the  son  of  any  other 
 Clergyman  shall  be  preferred,  who  (that  is  which  son)  shall  be 
 born  in  the  said  county  of  Chestei*,  and  next  in  any  of  the 
 four  following  counties  of  Stafford,  Salop,  Derby,  or  Lan- 
 caster; or  lastly,  elsewhere  in  any  other  county  or  part  of 
 England,  provided  that  it  shall  appear  that  the  Clergyman 
 who  is  father  to  such  Scholar  is  not,  if  living,  or,  if  dead,  was 
 not  at  the  time  of  his  death  possessed  of  any  spiritual  pre- 
 ferment of  more  than  one  hundred  and  forty  pounds  a  year, 
 clear  income ;  or  whose  income  in  every  respect  shall  not 
 exceed  the  clear  yearly  value  of  two  hundred  pounds  in  the 
 whole." 
 
 *b 
 
\iv 
 
 "  But  if  no  son  of  any  Clergyman,  so  entitled  as  aforesaid, 
 shall  be  elected  into  such  Scholarship,  the  same  shall  be  given 
 to  the  son  of  some  lay  person,  whose  clear  yearly  income  does 
 not,  if  living,  and,  if  dead,  did  not  at  the  time  of  his  death 
 amount  to  more  than  two  hundred  pounds;  and  such  son 
 being  born  in  the  counties  of  Chester,  Stafford,  Salop,  Derby, 
 and  Lancaster,  the  counties  in  that  order  having  a  preference; 
 or  lastly,  elsewhere  in  England." 
 
 "  And  such  Scholar,  whether  the  son  of  a  Clergyman,  or 
 Layman,  to  be  elected  in  manner  aforesaid,  shall  continue  to 
 enjoy  this  my  benefaction  until  he  shall  take,  or  be  of 
 standing  to  take  his  first  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  unless 
 some  other  person,  being  the  son  of  some  of  the  officiating 
 ministers  at  some  of  the  Churches  or  Chapels  before  mentioned, 
 and  otherwise  qualified  as  aforesaid,  and  which  qualification, 
 had  he  been  a  member  of  the  said  College  at  the  time  the 
 party  in  possession  of  the  Scholarship  had  been  elected, 
 would  have  been  entitled  to  the  preference,  shall  be  admitted 
 a  member  of  the  said  College ;  in  which  case  the  Scholar, 
 who  shall  then  be  in  possession,  shall  only  hold  the  same  for 
 that  year;  and  the  other,  with  a  prior  right,  shall  be  elected 
 to  the  same  the  year  following.  And  I  do  appoint  the 
 Master  and  senior  Fellows  of  St.  John's  College  Trustees 
 for  the  said   Scholarships." 
 
 One  third  part  of  the  moiety  of  Mr.  Hulse's  estate  in 
 Sandbach  and  Bradwell  is  appropriated  to  each  Scholar,  after 
 the  death  of  certain  annuitants.  One  only  of  the  Scholarships 
 is  at  present  established. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 Perhaps  it  may  not  be  amiss  that  the  extracts  from  the 
 Will  should  once  be  printed  according  to  Mr.  Hulse's  first 
 intentions.  Future  Lecturers  may  avail  themselves  of  the 
 liberty  given  theiu  in  a  clause  near  the  conclusion  of  his  long 
 and  intricate  Will,  in  which  he  permits  the  Lecturer  to  select 
 and  abridge  the  more  material  parts  of  the  clauses  printed 
 above;  though  he  still  requires  the  insertion  of  those  relating 
 to  the  Hulsean  Scholarships.  The  former  extracts  were 
 ready  to  be  struck  off  when  the  Author  discovered  the  clause 
 ju>-l  mentioned. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The  object  of  this  work  is  so  fully  explained  in 
 the  second  Lecture,  and  the  series  of  subjects  and 
 texts,  which  form  the  table  of  Contents,  will  so 
 clearly  point  out  the  Author's  plan,  that  it  will 
 be  unnecessary  to  detain  the  reader  by  any 
 further  remarks  on  those  topics.  He  deems  it, 
 however,  not  inexpedient,  to  give  some  account 
 of  the  origin  of  the  present  publication,  both  as 
 it  regards  the  form,  in  which  it  has  been  brought 
 before  the  world,  and  the  manner,  in  which  it  was 
 first  suggested  to  his  own  mind. 
 
 The  following  Lectures  were  composed  and 
 delivered  by  the  Author,  in  the  capacity  of  Deputy 
 to  the  Hulsean  Lecturer,  who  was  prevented,  by 
 indisposition,  from  proceeding  to  the  discharge  of 
 his  official  duties,  which  commenced  on  the  first 
 day  of  April  in  the  present  year. — A  notice  being 
 issued   by   the   Trustees   of   the   Lecture,    dated 
 
XIV  PREFACE. 
 
 March  13,  1821,  inviting-  persons  to  offer  their 
 services  to  fulfil  the  provisions  of  Mr.  Hulse's 
 Will,  after  such  consideration  as  the  interval 
 between  the  13th  and  26th  of  March  allowed, 
 though  with  some  hesitation,  the  Author  finally 
 announced  his  willingness  to  undertake  the 
 task.  He  has  now  to  express  his  gratitude  to 
 those  who  entrusted  to  him,  under  such  circum- 
 stances, the  duties  of  the  Hulsean  Lectureship, 
 which  are  certainly  more  arduous  than  those  of 
 any  similar  institution;  yet  he  has  endea- 
 voured to  discharge  them  in  the  best  manner 
 he  could.  But  he  must  now  from  the  press 
 repeat  the  request,  which  he  made  from  the 
 pulpit  in  his  first  Lecture,  that  he  may  obtain 
 such  indulgence,  as  may  be  thought  justly  due 
 to  a  work  of  this  nature,  composed  and  printed 
 in  less  than  nine  months.  It  was  undertaken 
 amidst  numerous  ordinary  engagements,  and  it 
 has  been  pursued  amidst  various  unavoidable,  but 
 unexpected  interruptions,  with  a  detail  of  which 
 it  is  not  necessary  to  trouble  the  reader,  but 
 which  have  caused  the  work  to  appear  without 
 that  careful  revision  of  so  hasty  a  composition, 
 
PREFACE.  XV 
 
 which  would  have  been  exceedingly  desirable. 
 He  could  not,  however,  defer  the  publication  of 
 the  work,  and  can  therefore  only  say, 
 
 "  Emendaturus,  si  licuisset,  erat." 
 
 The  hesitation  of  the  Author,,  with  respect  to 
 the  undertaking-,  was  occasioned  by  the  difficulty 
 which  he  felt  as  to  the  method  and  arrangement 
 in  which  so  extensive  a  subject  should  be  treated. 
 Yet  he  was  exceedingly  desirous  to  avail  himself 
 of  such  an  opportunity  to  bring  it  forward,  since 
 it  had  been  so  highly  satisfactory  to  himself,  and, 
 as  he  thought,  was  likely  to  be  generally  useful. — 
 It  was  first  suggested  to  his  own  mind,  about  two 
 years  ago,  by  reading  to  a  sick  parishioner  the 
 fifth  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel ;  a  complete 
 analysis  of  which  is  included  in  the  following 
 pages.  The  Author  was  at  that  time  much 
 astonished,  and  somewhat  perplexed,  to  find  that 
 it  contained  a  distinct  enumeration  and  summary 
 of  the  principal  arguments  in  favour  of  Christ- 
 ianity. In  his  subsequent  reading  of  the  Gospels, 
 he.  was  even  more  surprised  to  observe  that  they 
 contained,   in   other  parts,   so  much  on  the  same 
 
XVI  PREFACE. 
 
 subject;  and  he  at  length  formed  the  opinion  that 
 a  complete  system  of  evidence  might  be  formed 
 in  the  very  words  of  our  Lord,  and  of  the  Sermons 
 and  Epistles  of  the  New  Testament  \  In  con- 
 sequence of  this,  when  preaching  before  the 
 University  in  December  1820,  he  stated  his 
 conviction  that  a  work  might  be  constructed  upon 
 the  principle  explained  in  the  second  of  the  fol- 
 lowing Lectures,  so  as  to  place  the  subject  of 
 evidence  in  a  point  of  view  more  intelligible,  and 
 more  generally  edifying,  than  the  separate  and 
 abstract  form,  which  it  generally  assumes.  But, 
 although  he  had  even  then  formed  the  design  to 
 bring  the  subject  forward,  when  he  had  fully 
 digested  and  arranged  it,  he  had  not  the  slightest 
 conception  that  he  should  have  done  it  within 
 a  year  from  that  time.  And  when  the  opportunity, 
 of   which    he    has   been    able    to   avail    himself, 
 
 a  It  was  not  until  the  Author  had  delivered  several  of  the 
 Lectures,  that  he  met  with  Dr.  Gerard's  Dissertations  on  subjects 
 relating  to  the  genius  and  the  evidences  of  Christianity.  He  was 
 gratified  to  find  that  so  sensible  a  writer  had  taken  a  view  of  the 
 subject  so  nearly  resembling  that  here  given.  Many  other  works 
 have  also  touched  upon  it,  but  none,  that  the  Author  has  seen, 
 have  completely  and  systematically  exhibited  it. 
 
PREFACE.  wil 
 
 occurred,  it  found  him  still  more  sensible  than 
 ever  of  the  extent,  as  well  as  of  the  importance 
 of  the  subject,  in  consequence  of  another  perusal 
 of  the  four  Gospels  with  a  special  view  to  the 
 consideration  of  it.  He  has  done  what  he  could 
 to  elucidate  it,  as  far  as  they  are  concerned  ;  and 
 all  censure  which  this  work  may  deserve  must 
 be  directed  against  himself.  He  will  contentedly 
 submit,  even  to  incur  the  charge  of  presumption 
 for  having-  ventured  to  undertake  the  following 
 work,  rather  than  that  the  subject  should  suffer 
 in  consequence  of  his  unskilful  management  of  it. 
 If  he  has  treated  it  with  any  tolerable  degree  of 
 success,  he  thinks  that  it  will  appear  that  the 
 subject  of  evidence  is  a  topic  of  scriptural  in- 
 struction, and  that  it  may  be  treated,  if  occasion 
 require,  in  our  parochial  ministrations,  in  a  way 
 which  is  at  once  explanatory  of  Scripture,  satis- 
 factory to  the  believer,  and  applicable  to  practice. 
 
 The  Author  has  only  further  to  request  that 
 the  reader,  whether,  or  not,  he  is  satisfied  with 
 the  statements  and  representations  contained  in 
 this  Volume,  will  at  least  borrow  the  hint  which 
 
Will  PREFACE. 
 
 is  given  in  it,  and  study  for  himself  the  discourses 
 of  our  Lord,  and  the  narrative  which  accompanies 
 and  illustrates  those  discourses.  Those  divine 
 records  will  thereby  receive  a  fresh  light  and 
 importance,  and  he,  who  so  reads  them,  cannot 
 fail  to  receive  both  delight  and  satisfaction  from 
 the  heavenly  and  comprehensive  instructions  and 
 reasonings  of  our  Lord  himself. 
 
 Trinity  College, 
 Dec.  21,  lS'Jl. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Introductory  Lecture  I. 
 
 Human  Frailty  and  Mortality  the  special  Objects  of  God's 
 promised  Mercy.  —  Suitable  provisions  of  the  Gospel, 
 more  especially  as  they  are  noticed  in  the  opening 
 Statements  of  the  Evangelist  St.  John. 
 
 John  i.  12 — 14.  As  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power 
 to  become  the  Sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his 
 name :  which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh, 
 nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.  And  the  Word  was  made 
 flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us,  (and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory 
 as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,)  full  of  grace  and 
 truth p.  1 
 
 Introductory  Lecture  II. 
 
 The  Evangelic  Records  designed,  according  to  St.  Luke 
 and  St.  John,  to  assure  us  of  the  certainty  of  the 
 Gospel,  by  laying  before  us  its  evidence. — Their  suffi- 
 ciency for  that  end.  —  Nature  and  advantages  of  the 
 view  which  they  suggest ;  and  the  plan  of  the  follow- 
 ing Lectures  in  illustration  of  it. 
 
 Luke  i.  1 — 4.  Forasmuch  as  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  set 
 forth  in  order  a  declaration,  of  those  things  which  are  most  surely 
 .  believed  among  us,  even  as  they  delivered  them  unto  us,  which 
 from  the  beginning  were  eye-witnesses,  and  ministers  of  the  word; 
 it  seemed  good  to  me  also,  having  had  perfect  understanding  of 
 all  things  from  the  very  first,  to  write  unto  thee  in  order,  most 
 excellent  Theophilus,   that  thou  mightest  know  the  certainty  of 
 
 those  things,  wherein  thou  hast  been  instructed p.  27 
 
 d 
 
XX  CONTENTS. 
 
 PART   I. 
 
 Lectures    III — V. 
 
 STATEMENTS  OF  JESUS,  RESPECTING  HIS  PRETENSIONS  AND  THE 
 OBJECT  OF  HIS  MISSION,  WHICH  PRECEDED  HIS  ACTUAL  APPEAL 
 TO  THE  EVIDENCES  IN  CONFIRMATION  OF  THEM. 
 
 Lecture   III. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Conference  with  Nicodemus. 
 
 John  hi.  1 — 3.  There  was  a  man  of  the  Pharisees,  named 
 Nicodemus,  a  ruler  of  the  Jews ;  the  same  came  to  Jesus  by 
 night,  and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  we  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher 
 come  from  God ;  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  that  thou 
 doest,  except  God  be  with  him.  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
 him,  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
 he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God p.  53 
 
 Lecture   IV. 
 
 Our  Lord's  teaching  in  Samaria  and  Galilee. — At  what 
 period,,  and  for  what  reason,  he  began  to  argue  in 
 defence  of  his  Mission. 
 
 Matt.  iv.  23.  And  Jesus  went  about  all  Galilee,  teaching  in 
 their  synagogues,  and  preaching  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom,  and 
 healing  all  manner  of  sickness  and  all  manner  of  disease  among 
 the  people p.  82 
 
 Lecture  V. 
 
 The  Occasion  of  the  Discourse  recorded  in  St.  John's 
 fifth  Chapter,  and  the  Persons  to  whom  it  was  ad- 
 dressed.— Illustration  and  Analysis  of  the  first  portion 
 of  it. 
 
 John  v.  17 — 20.  Jesus  answered  them,  My  Father  worketh 
 hitherto,  and  I  work.  Therefore  the  Jews  sought  the  more  to 
 kill  him,  because  he  not  onli/  had  broken  the  sabbath,  but  said 
 also  that  God  was  his  Father,    making   himself  equal  with  God. 
 
 Then 
 
CONTENTS.  XXI 
 
 Then  answered  Jesus,  and  said  unto  them,  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
 unto  you,  The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  himself,  but  what  he  secth 
 the  Father  do :  for  what  things  soever  he  doeth,  these  also  doeth 
 the  Son  likewise.  For  the  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  sheweth 
 him  all  things  that  himself  doeth.  . p.  104 
 
 — 0 — 
 
 PART   II. 
 Lectures  VI— XVII. 
 
 THE   REASONINGS    OF    OUR  LORD    RESPECTING   THE  EVIDENCES    TO 
 WHICH  HE  APPEALED  IN  CONFIRMATION  OF  HIS  CLAIMS. 
 
 Lecture  VI. 
 
 Our  Lord's  recapitulation  of  his  Claims  connected  with 
 a  reference  to  the  presumption  in  their  favour  from  his 
 not  seeking  his  own  Will. 
 
 John  v.  30,  31.  /  can  of  mine  own  self  do  nothing  ;  as  I  hear, 
 I  judge  ;  and  my  judgement  is  just ;  because  I  seek  not  mine 
 own  will,  but  the  will  of  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me.  If  I 
 bear  witness  of  myself,  my  witness  is  not  true p.  129 
 
 Lecture  VII. 
 
 Our  Lord's  reasonings,  on  the  Evidence  arising  from  the 
 witness  of  John,  addressed  to  the  Rulers,  to  the 
 Multitudes,  to  John's  Disciples,    and  to  his  own. 
 
 John  v.  31 — 35.  If  I  bear  witness  of  myself ',  my  witness  is  not 
 true.  There  is  another  that  beareth  witness  of  me  ;  and  I  know 
 that  the  xvitness  which  he  witnesseth  of  me  is  true.  Ye  sent  unto 
 John,  and  he  bare  witness  unto  the  truth.  But  I  receive  not 
 testimony  from  man ;  but  these  things  I  say,  that  ye  might  be 
 saved.  He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light ;  and  ye  were 
 willing  for  a  season  to  rejoice  in  his  light p.  152 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Lecture  VIII. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Appeal  to  his  Miracles  as  attesting  Ms  Divine 
 Mission. 
 
 John  v.  36*.  But  I  have  greater  witness  than  that  of  John;  for 
 the  works  which  the  Father  hath  given  me  to  finish,  the  same 
 works  that  I  do,  bear  witness  of  me,  that  the  Father  hath  sent 
 me p.  1 79 
 
 Lecture  IX. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Appeal  to  his  Miracles  in  proof  of  his 
 Messiahship. 
 
 Matt.  xi.  2 — 6.  Now  when  John  had  heard  in  the  prison  the 
 works  of  Christ,  he  sent  two  of  his  disciples,  and  said  unto  him, 
 Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we  look  for  another?  Jesus 
 answered  and  said  unto  them,  Go  and  shew  John  again  those 
 things  which  ye  do  hear  and  see  ;  The  blind  receive  their  sight, 
 and  the  lame  walk  ;  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  aud  the  deaf  hear ; 
 the  dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached 
 to  them.  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended  in 
 me p.  203 
 
 Lecture  X. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Answer  to  the  Cavil  which  imputed  his  dis- 
 possession of  Demons  to  Satanic  agency.  He  appeals 
 to  that  class  of  his  Miracles  as  indicating  the  establish- 
 ment of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 
 
 Luke  xi.  20.  But  if  I  with  the  finger  of  God  cast  out  devils, 
 no  doubt  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  upon  you p.  227 
 
 Lecture  XI. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Appeal  to  the  Witness  of  the  Father,  by 
 which  he  was  the  subject,  as  well  as  the  worker,  of 
 Miracles. 
 
contents.  xxiii 
 
 John  v.  37,  38.  And  the  Father  himself  which  hath  sent  me, 
 hath,  borne  witness  of  me.  Ye  have  neither  heard  his  voice  at 
 any  time,  nor  seen  his  shape.  And  ye  have  not  his  word  abiding 
 in  you  ;  for  whom  he  hath  sent,  him  ye  believe  not p.  257 
 
 Lecture   XII. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Appeal  to  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment, as  peculiarly  designed  to  testify  of  Him. 
 
 John  v.  39,  40.  Search  the  Scriptures ;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye 
 have  eternal  life  ;  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me.  And 
 ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life p.  286 
 
 Lecture  XIII. 
 
 A  Review  of  the  particular  Instances  in  which  our  Lord, 
 during  his  life,  actually  cites  or  alludes  to  the  Prophe- 
 cies and  Types  of  the  ancient  Scriptures. 
 
 Matt.  xi.   12—14.     From  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist  until 
 
 now  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent 
 
 take  it  by  force.     For  all  the  prophets  and  the  law  prophesied 
 
 until  John.     And,   if  ye  will  receive  it,   this  is  Elias  which  was 
 
 for  to  come *> p.  3 1 1 
 
 Lecture  XIV. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Debates  with  the  Jews.  —  That  recorded  in 
 St.  John's  eighth  Chapter  considered — in  the  course  of 
 which  our  Lord  specifies  the  period  at  which  the 
 Evidence  of  his  Messiahship  would  be  complete  ;  ap- 
 peals to  the  Purity  of  his  Life,  and  of  his  Doctrine ; 
 hints  at  the  Fulfilment  in  him  of  the  Promise  to 
 Abraham  ;   and  asserts  his  pre-existence. 
 
 John  viii.  28,  29,  45— 47.  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them,  When 
 ye  have  lifted  up  the  Son  of  man,  then  shall  ye  know  that  I  am 
 he,  and  that  I  do  nothing  of  myself;  but  as  my  Father  hath 
 
 taught 
 
XXIV  CONTENTS. 
 
 taught  me,  I  speak  these  things.  And  he  that  sent  me  is  with 
 me  :  the  Father  hath  not  left  me  alone ;  for  I  do  always  those 
 things  that  please  him. 
 And  because  I  tell  you  the  truth,  ye  believe  me  not.  Which  of  you 
 convinceth  me  of  sin  ?  And  if  I  say  the  truth,  why  do  ye  not 
 believe  me?  He  that  is  of  God,  heareth  God's  words ;  ye  there- 
 fore hear  them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  God p.  336 
 
 Lecture  XV. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Statement  that  the  Fulfilment  of  his  own 
 Predictions  would  evince  his  Messiahship.  The  manner 
 in  which  he  displayed  and  noticed  his  unlimited  know- 
 ledge of  men  and  things. 
 
 John  xiii.  18,  19-  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen:  but  that  the 
 Scripture  may  be  fulfilled,  He  that  eateth  bread  with  me,  hath 
 lifted  up  his  heel  against  me.  Now  I  tell  you  before  it  come, 
 that,  when  it  is  come  to  pass,  ye  may  believe  that  I  am 
 He p.  362 
 
 Lecture  XVI. 
 
 The  remarkable  Sayings  of  our  Lord,  at  the  time  of  his 
 Apprehension,  on  his  Trial,  and  on  the  Cross,  con- 
 sidered.— His  Institution  of  the  Sacrament  in  Comme- 
 moration of  his  Death. 
 
 John  xviii.  36,  37.  Jesus  answered,  My  kingdom  is  not  of 
 this  world ;  if  my  kingdom  were  of  this  world,  then  would  my 
 servants  fght,  that  I  should  not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews :  but 
 now  is  my  kingdom  not  from  hence.  Pilate  therefore  said  unto 
 him,  Art  thou  a  king  then  ?  Jesus  answered,  Thou  sayest  that 
 I  am  a  king.  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause  came 
 I  into  the  world,  that  I  might  bear  witness  unto  the  truth. 
 Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth  heareth  my  voice p.  387 
 
 Lecture  XVII. 
 
 The  Method  in  which  our  Lord  evidenced  the  Reality  of 
 his  Resurrection,  and  his  reasonings  on  Prophecy  after 
 
 that 
 
CONTENTS.  XXV 
 
 that  event.  —  The  distinguishing  peculiarities  of  the 
 Christian  Faith. 
 
 Luke  xxiv.  44 — 48.  And  he  said  unto  them,  These  are  the  words 
 which  I  spake  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things 
 must  be  fulfilled,  which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in 
 the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms  concerning  me.  Then  opened 
 he  their  understandings,  that  they  might  understand  the  Scrip- 
 tures, and  said  unto  them,  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behoved 
 Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day,  and 
 that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his 
 name  among  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem.  And  ye  are 
 witnesses  of  these  things p.  417 
 
 — 0 — 
 
 PART  III. 
 Lectures  XVIII — XX. 
 
 OUR  LORD'S  NOTICE  OF  THE  REJECTION  OF  HIS  CLAIMS  BY  THE  JEWS; 
 
 AND  OF  THE  CAUSES,  PROGRESS,  AND  CONSEQUENCES  OF 
 
 INFIDELITY. 
 
 Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Notice  of  the  Rejection  of  his  Claims  by  the 
 Jews.  —  He  specifies  some  of  the  moral  Causes  of 
 Infidelity. 
 
 John  v.  40 — 46.  Ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have 
 life.     I  receive  not  honour  from  men.     But  I  know  you,  that 
 
 you  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you.  I  am  come  in  my  Father's 
 name,  and  ye  receive  me  not ;  if  another  shall  come  in  his  own 
 name,  him  ye  will  receive.  How  can  ye  believe,  which  receive 
 honour   one  of  another,  and  seek  not  the  honour  that  cometh 
 
 from  God  only  ?  Do  not  think  that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the 
 Father :  there  is  one  that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses,  in  whom  ye 
 trust.     For  had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed  me ; 
 
 for  he  wrote  of  me.  But  if  ye  believe  not  his  writings,  how. 
 ■shall  ye  believe  my  words .' p.  449 
 
XXVI  CONTENTS. 
 
 Lecture   XIX. 
 
 The  Infidelity  of  the  Jews  in  its  more  advanced  stage 
 noticed  by  our  Lord  with  allusion  to  a  passage  of 
 Isaiah.  —  The  occasion  and  purport  of  his  Remarks; 
 and  a  similar  application  of  the  same  passage  by  the 
 Evangelist  St.  John. — Other  Cautions  and  Directions 
 given  by  our  Lord  respecting  the  Temper  and  Method 
 proper  for  Religious  Inquiry. 
 
 Matt.  xiii.  14 — lo\  And  in  them  is  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of 
 Esaias,  which  saith,  By  hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not 
 understand;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  shall  not  perceive. — 
 For  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are  dull  of 
 hearing,  and  their  eyes  they  have  closed ;  lest  at  any  time  they 
 should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  should 
 understand  with  their  heart,  and  should  be  converted,  and  I  should 
 heal  them p.  475 
 
 Lecture  XX. 
 
 Our  Lord's  Notice  of  Infidelity  in  its  last  and  confirmed 
 stage. — The  Blasphemy  against  the  Son  of  Man,  and 
 that  against  the  Holy  Ghost. — The  demand  of  additional 
 Evidence,  when  that  which  is  offered  has  been  rejected. 
 — Sanctions  with  which  the  Gospel  is  accompanied. — 
 Conclusion. 
 
 Luke  xii.  8 — 10.  Also  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  confess 
 me  before  men,  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  also  confess  before  the 
 angels  of  God:  but  he  that  denieth  me  before  men,  shall  be 
 denied  before  the  angels  of  God.  And  whosoever  shall  speak 
 a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him  ;  but 
 unto  him  that  blasphemeth  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not 
 be  forgiven , p.  500 
 
HULSEAN  LECTURES 
 
 FOR  1821. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY  LECTURE  I. 
 — 0 — 
 
 HUMAN  FRAILTY  AND  MORTALITY 
 THE  SPECIAL  OBJECTS  OF  GOD'S  PROMISED  MERCY. 
 
 SUITABLE    PROVISIONS    OF     THE     GOSPEL, 
 
 MOKE    ESPECIALLY    AS    THEY  ARE    NOTICED  IN  THE  OPENING 
 
 STATEMENTS    OF     THE    EVANGELIST    ST.   JOHN. 
 
LECTURE    I 
 
 St.  John  I.  12—14. 
 
 As  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gate  he  power  to 
 become  the  Sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe 
 on  his  name :  which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor 
 of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man, 
 but  of  God.  And  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and 
 dwelt  among  us,  (and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the 
 glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,)  full 
 of  grace  and  truth. 
 
 He,  who  ffgiveth  to  all  life,  and  breath,  and 
 all  things,  hath  made  from  one  progenitor,  and 
 of  one  blood,  all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell 
 on  the  face  of  the  earth ;  and  will  have  all  men 
 to  be  saved,  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
 the  truth3/'  Yet,  although  all  men  have  sprung 
 from  the  same  original,  partake  of  one  common 
 nature,  and  are  indifferently  the  objects  of  their 
 Creator's  regard,  they  are  variously  distinguished 
 from  each  other.  The  diversities  of  form  and 
 countenance,  station  and  condition,  ability  and 
 pursuits,   are  as  numerous  as  the  individuals   of 
 
 a  Acts  xvii.  25,  26'.     1  Tim.  ii.  4. 
 A  2 
 
4  Lecture  I. 
 
 whom  the  race  is  composed.  These,  however, 
 are  distinctions  of  time  only,  and  of  this  world  ; 
 "  at  the  hour  of  death,  and  in  the  day  of  judg- 
 ment," they  will  have  ceased  for  ever.  But 
 distinctions  co-exist  with  these,  which  in  some 
 respects  are  already  manifested  ;  which  will  here- 
 after be  more  fully  developed,  and  more  completely 
 fixed ;  which  time  cannot  efface,  and  death  cannot 
 destroy ;  which  will  determine  our  destiny  at  the 
 last  decisive  day,  and  continue  with  us  through 
 eternity.  These  important  distinctions  are  such  as 
 respect  our  inner  man  ;  our  moral  and  religious 
 character;  the  state  of  our  affections,  and  soul, 
 and  spirit,  with  reference  to  God,  and  his  favour, 
 and  the  things  unseen. 
 
 To  those  "who  believe  on  the  name  of  the  only 
 begotten  Son  of  God,"  belong  privileges  and  ex- 
 pectations, than  which  none  more  ennobling  and 
 animating  can  be  enjoyed  by  man.  They  derive 
 them  from  the  mercy,  and  receive  them  through 
 the  power  of  God ;  and  the  bliss  and  dignity 
 which  are  hereby  communicated  to  them  in  this 
 world,  are  but  a  foretaste  and  pledge  of  more 
 perfect  blessedness  in  another.  The  same  beloved 
 Apostle  who,  in  the  words  of  our  text,  mentions 
 these  privileges,  and  also  the  wondrous  method 
 in  which  they  were  procured  and  revealed,  in 
 another  part  of  his  writings  exclaims ;  "  Behold, 
 what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed 
 
Lfxture  I.  5 
 
 upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  Sons  of 
 God."  "Beloved,"  he  adds,  "now  are  we  the 
 Sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what 
 we  shall  be."a  It  is,  however,  already  revealed, 
 that  "redemption  through  the  blood  of  Christ 
 has  procured  for  us  the  forgiveness  of  sins."  We 
 know  that  we  were  thus  ic  redeemed,  that  we  might 
 receive  the  adoption  of  sons ;"  and  the  adoption 
 will  one  day  be  perfected,  by  ' c  the  redemption  of 
 our  body"  from  the  power  of  the  grave.  And 
 therefore  "  the  earnest  expectation  of  the  creature 
 waiteth  for  the  manifestation  of  the  Sons  of  God ; 
 when  it  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of 
 corruption,  into  that  glorious  liberty"  of  which 
 the  children  of  God  will  partake,  by  being  "  the 
 children  of  the  resurrection."11 
 
 "  The  hope  thus  set  before  us"  is  one  to 
 which  we  may  "  flee  for  refuge"  amidst  all  the 
 fears,  and  adversities,  and  uncertainties  of  life. 
 And  if  we  are  convinced  that  "grace  and  truth" 
 have  indeed  "come  by  Jesus  Christ;"  and  that 
 he,  as  "  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  the  Word 
 incarnate,  hath  declared  to  us  the  Father;"  then 
 "  though  now  we  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  we 
 may  rejoice  in  him  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
 of  glory." 
 
 a  1  John  iii.   1,  2. 
 
 h  Eph.  i.  7.    Gal.iv.  5.    Rom.  viii.  15 — 23.    Luke  xx.  35,  36. 
 
6  Lecture  1. 
 
 We  purpose,  in  these  Lectures,  to  call  your 
 attention  to  the  striking"  and  satisfactory  manner 
 in  which  the  certainty,   design,  and  importance 
 of  the  Gospel  were  originally  exhibited  to  man- 
 kind.    We  shall  shew  you,  in  our  next  Lecture, 
 that  the  Evangelists,  St.  Luke  and  St.  John,  them- 
 selves  have   directed   us  to  such  a  view  of  the 
 subject.     St.  John  has  also  prefaced  his  narrative 
 with  a  comprehensive  statement  respecting  the 
 divine  and  eternal  glory  of  the  Word,  who  c '  was 
 made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us  full  of  grace  and 
 truth ;"  and  the  retrospective,  present,  and  pro- 
 spective, benefits  of  this  incarnation  of  the  Son  of 
 God.     If,  therefore,  we  devote  this  introductory 
 discourse  to   a  summary  review  of  those  impor- 
 tant truths,  into  the  certainty  of  which  we  are  to 
 inquire,  we  shall,  by  such  a  procedure,  still  fol- 
 low the  guidance  of  the  Evangelists,  and  conduct 
 our  inquiries  upon  the  plan  which  they  suggest 
 to  us. 
 
 The  Gospel  announces  to  us  an  appropriate 
 and  adequate  provision  for  our  necessities,  as 
 sinful  and,  therefore,  as  dying,  creatures.  "  For 
 since  man  was  a  partaker  of  flesh  and  blood, 
 the  deliverer  of  men  likewise  took  part  of  the 
 same ;  that  through  death,  he  might  destroy 
 him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the 
 devil ;  and  deliver  them,  who  through  fear  of 
 death,   were   all  their   lifetime   subject  to  bond- 
 
Lecture  I.  7 
 
 age."a  And  rightly  to  have  meditated  upon  that 
 guilt  and  frailty  of  man,  which  infuses  bitterness 
 into  the  cup  of  life,,  and  sharpens  the  sting  of 
 death,  will  best  teach  us  that  humility  and  grati- 
 tude, with  which  we  ought  to  contemplate  "the 
 exceeding  riches  of  God's  grace,  in  his  kindness 
 toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus.'"5 
 
 That  we  are  frail  and  dying  creatures  is  pro- 
 ved by  universal  and  unvarying  experience.  We 
 are  carried  down  the  stream  of  time ;  and,  like 
 every  other  bubble  that  floats  upon  its  surface, 
 we  also,  in  our  turn,  must  disappear.  Not  only 
 the  fleeting  portion  of  time  during  which  we  our- 
 selves exist,  but  even  the  generation  to  which  we 
 belong,  quickly  passes  away.  The  tolling  bell,  and 
 the  opened  grave,  ever  and  anon  remind  us  of  the 
 unwelcome  truth.  Man,  our  brother,  neighbour, 
 and  friend,  "goeth  to  his  long  home;"  "the  dust 
 returns  to  the  earth  as  it  was,  and  the  spirit  to 
 God  who  gave  it/'  And,  when  we  remember  the 
 judgment  that  comes  after  death,  conscience  re- 
 minds us  of  our  transgressions,  and  suggests  dis- 
 tressing, but  not  groundless,  fears.  For,  by  all 
 that  we  can  discover  of  the  "eternal  power  and 
 Godhead "  of  our  Creator,  by  all  that  we  have 
 been  taught,  or  can  comprehend,  respecting  his 
 character,  we  know  that  he  is  "  glorious  in  holi- 
 
 a  Heb.  ii.  14,  15.  b  Ephes.  ii.  7- 
 
8  Lecture  I. 
 
 ness,"  and  the  "hater  of  iniquity  ;"  "  abundant  in 
 goodness  and  truth/'  and  yet  of  inflexible  justice  ; 
 that  he  "  searcheth  the  hearts  and  trieth  the  reins," 
 and  will  iC  bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with 
 every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether 
 it  be  evil."  If  we  dwell  exclusively  on  the  con- 
 trast exhibited  to  us  between  his  perfections  and 
 our  imperfections,  between  his  glory  and  our 
 degradation,  we  could  scarcely  do  otherwise  than 
 despair.  But  in  order  that  humility  may  be  com- 
 bined with  hope,  we  must  consider  these  truths 
 in  connexion,  as  in  Scripture  we  are  taught  to  do. 
 There  all  that  is  weak  and  frail  in  man  is  put  in 
 immediate  connexion  with  all  that  is  mighty  and 
 glorious  in  his  God.  Man's  sinfulness  and  God's 
 mercy  are  noticed  together,  both  in  the  general 
 declarations  of  his  readiness  to  forgive,  and  also 
 in  the  more  explicit  statements  respecting  the 
 wondrous  and  consolatory  provisions,  which,  by 
 the  incarnation  and  humiliation  of  the  Son  of 
 God,  are  made  for  our  redemption  and  salvation. 
 Hence  we  may  indeed  learn  the  salutary  lesson  of 
 humility  and  self-abhorrence  ;  but  hence  also  may 
 we  be  raised  from  the  debasing  depths  of  despair, 
 and  taught  to  lift  up  the  down  cast  eye,  to  "  be- 
 hold what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed 
 upon  us."  We  are  taught  "  worthily  to  lament 
 our  sins,  and  to  acknowledge  our  wretchedness," 
 in  order  that  the  remedy  provided  for  both  may  be 
 
Lecture  L  9 
 
 worthily  esteemed,,  and  earnestly  sought  •  that  so 
 we  may  obtain  of  "  the  God  of  all  mercy,  perfect 
 remission  and  forgiveness,  through  Jesus  Christ 
 our  Lord.'Ja  Yes,  Christians,  as  "  we  have  none 
 in  heaven  but  God,"  so  "  if  on  earth  we  desire 
 none  in  comparison  of  him  ;"  then  although  our 
 "heart  and  flesh"  may  and  must  "fail,  God  will 
 be  the  strength  of  our  heart,  and  our  portion  for 
 ever."b  Let  the  Psalmist,  in  another  place,  give 
 us  the  assurance  and  the  reason  of  such  a  hope : 
 "Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord 
 pitieth  them  that  fear  him.  For  he  knoweth  our 
 frame ;  he  remembereth  that  we  are  dust.  As 
 for  man,  his  days  are  as  grass ;  as  a  flower  of  the 
 field,  so  he  flourisheth.  For  the  wind  passeth  over 
 it,  and  it  is  gone,  and  the  place  thereof  shall  know 
 it  no  more.  But  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from 
 everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear 
 him ;  and  his  righteousness  unto  children's  child- 
 ren ;  to  such  as  keep  his  covenant,  and  to  those 
 that  remember  his  commandments  to  do  them/'c 
 We  are  taught  to  take  the  same  extensive  and 
 consolatory  view  by  St.  Peter :  "  We  are  born 
 again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible, 
 by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth  and  abideth  for 
 ever.     For  all  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of 
 
 a  Collect  for  Ash- Wednesday.  b  Psalm  lxxiii.  25,  '26". 
 
 c  Psalm  ciii.  13 — 18. 
 
10  Lecture  I. 
 
 man  as  the  flower  of  grass.  The  grass  withereth, 
 and  the  flower  thereof  falleth  away ;  but  the  word 
 of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever.  And  this  is  the 
 word  which  by  the  Gospel  is  preached  unto 
 you."a  Here  the  Apostle  cites  and  explains  the 
 words,  which  Isaiah  ascribes  to  the  voice  crying  in 
 the  wilderness ;  when,  rapt  into  Gospel  times,  he 
 already  seemed  to  hear  it  uttering  the  proclamation, 
 "  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord  ;  that  the  glory 
 of  the  Lord  may  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  may 
 see  it  together." b  Here  then  we  are  approaching 
 to  a  full  discovery  of  the  wondrous  means,  by 
 which  "  God's  people  are  comforted,  their  warfare 
 is  accomplished,  and  their  iniquity  pardoned." 
 Turn  we  then  once  more  for  information  respect- 
 ing this  interesting  matter  to  the  declarations  of 
 the  Apostles  of  Jesus  Christ.  What  says  St.  Paul? 
 "The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus 
 hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death. 
 For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was 
 weak  through  the  flesh,  God,  sending  his  own  Son 
 in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  con- 
 demned sin  in  the  flesh  ;  that  the  righteousness  of 
 the  law  might   be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not 
 
 a  1  Pet.  i.  23—25. 
 
 b  Isai.  xl.  1 — 8.  Throughout  the  remainder  of  the  chapter  the 
 prophet  gives  a  magnificent  description  of  the  divine  attributes, 
 and  applies  them  for  the  consolation  of  mini. 
 
Lecture  I.  ]  j 
 
 after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.  And  if  Christ 
 be  in  you,  the  body  is  dead,  because  of  sin ;  but 
 the  Spirit  is  life,  because  of  righteousness.  But  if 
 the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
 dead  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from 
 the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by 
 his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you."c  We  have  in  these 
 words  a  clear  and  consolatory  description  of  the 
 blessed  fulfilment  of  that  original  promise,  which 
 accompanied  the  sentence  of  death  pronounced 
 upon  our  first  parents  ;  and  which  shewed,  that, 
 even  then,  "  mercy  rejoiced  against  judgment." 
 The  deliverance  then  promised  was  that  "  wisdom 
 of  God  in  a  mystery,  which  God  ordained  before 
 the  world  unto  our  glory  ;"  the  purposes  of  which 
 were  accomplished  by  the  incarnation,  and  ministry, 
 and  sufferings,  of  the  Son  of  God.  This  hidden 
 wisdom  "God  revealed  unto  the  Apostles  by  his 
 Spirit,  that  they  might  know  the  things  which  are 
 freely  given  us  of  God;  which  things  also  they 
 spoke,  not  in  the  words  which  man's  wisdom 
 teacheth,  but  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth."d 
 And  so  instructed  respecting  that  "Lord  of  Glory 
 whom  the  princes  of  this  world  crucified,"  the 
 Evangelist  declared,  in  the  words  of  our  text, 
 "The  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  amon°- 
 us,  (and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the 
 
 c  Rom.  viii.  2—4;   10,  11.  '■'  J  Cor.  ii.  7— J 3. 
 
\2  Lecture  I. 
 
 only  begotten  of  the  Father)  full  of  grace  and 
 truth." 
 
 This  passage  stands  in  the  middle  of  St.  John's 
 introduction  to  his  Gospel;  and  it  is  connected, 
 by  the  two  first  clauses,  with  the  preceding  verses 
 of  that  introduction,  in  which  he  speaks  of  the 
 preexistence  and  dignity  of  "  the  Word  who  was 
 made  flesh/'  and  of  his  reception  in  the  world. 
 The  latter  clauses  of  the  verse  introduce  the  state- 
 ment which  he  then  subjoins  respecting  the  exhi- 
 bition of  his  glory,  and  the  effects  and  purposes 
 of  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh.  The  Evangelist 
 first  states  the  original  cause,  and  then  proceeds 
 to  state  the  effect ;  which  undoubtedly  corresponds 
 to  the  order  of  the  divine  intentions  and  dispen- 
 sations. But  our  limited  conceptions  will  best 
 enable  us,  first  to  consider  the  effect,  and  then 
 to  ascend  to  its  cause  ;  first  to  observe  the  method 
 and  consequences  of  the  Gospel  revelation,  and 
 afterwards  to  advert  to  the  origin  and  dignity  of 
 him  who  was  thus  manifested  in  the  flesh,  which 
 afford  the  fullest,  and  indeed  the  only  adequate, 
 assurance  that  he  is  "mighty  to  save/' 
 
 ' c  The  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among 
 us  full  of  grace  and  truth."  The  phraseology 
 both  of  this  verse,  and  of  the  preceding  ones, 
 can  only  be  reconciled  with  the  supposition  that 
 the  Evangelist  speaks  not  here  of  any  abstract 
 quality,  or  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel ;  but  of 
 
Lecture  I.  13 
 
 a  person ;  and  certainly,  therefore,  of  him  who  was 
 "the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith."  And 
 whether  or  not  he  had  existed  previously  to  his 
 appearance  in  the  world ;  and  whatever  were  the 
 dignity  which  appertained  to  him  in  such  a  prior 
 state ;  yet  that  being-  "  made  of  a  woman/'  he  par- 
 took of  flesh  and  blood;  that  he  "dwelt  among 
 us"  in  the  likeness  of  men,  and  shared  in  all  the 
 affections,  and  infirmities,  and  casualties  of  our 
 common  nature,  was  an  obvious  and  undeniable 
 fact;  upon  the  certainty  of  which  every  other 
 assertion  respecting  him  avowedly  proceeds.  Yet 
 he  spoke  and  acted  as  one  who  had  authority; 
 he  dwelt  among  us  full  of  grace  and  truth,  but  in 
 an  official  character.  He  professed  to  be  sent 
 of  God ;  yet  he  had  not  come  armed  with  venge- 
 ance ;  but  as  one  commissioned  to  offer  for- 
 giveness, "to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was 
 lost :"  He  was  meek  and  lowly  of  heart,  affable  and 
 benignant  in  demeanour.  With  lips  full  of  grace 
 he  invited  the  weary  and  heavy  laden  to  seek  of 
 him  rest  for  their  souls.  By  admonition  and  by 
 promise  he  succoured  the  tempted.  He  encou- 
 raged the  suppliant  to  perseverance  in  prayer. 
 He  animated  the  penitent  with  the  assurance  of 
 pardon.  He  imparted  his  instructions  on  subjects 
 of  high  and  holy  import  with  a  condescension, 
 which  shewed  his  unlimited  benevolence;  with 
 a  readiness  and  calm  confidence,   which  shewed 
 
14  Lecture  I. 
 
 that  he  spake  of  heavenly  things  as  one  familiar 
 Avith  them,  and  of  earthly  things  as  one  who 
 "knew  what  was  in  man."  "  He  spake  as  never 
 man  spake;"  as  one  "in  whom  were  hid  all  the 
 treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge;"  and  to 
 whose  view  "the  abundance  of  the  heart"  of  man 
 was  open.  His  words  flashed  conviction  on  the 
 soul,  for  they  met  both  the  avowed  objections, 
 and  the  secret  surmises,  of  the  gainsayer ;  they 
 were  calculated  to  alarm  the  careless ;  they  were 
 adapted  to  the  fears  and  wants  and  dangers  of 
 the  humble  inquirer.  Thus  did  he  dispel  those 
 mists  of  ignorance  and  error,  which  before  ob- 
 scured the  knowledge  of  him,  "whom  truly  to 
 know  is  everlasting  life." 
 
 "  He  dwelt  among  us,  full  of  grace  and  truth  ; 
 and  we,"  says  the  Evangelist,  "beheld  his  glory, 
 the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father." 
 He  came  not  indeed  in  the  artificial  pomp  of 
 human  glory  and  dignity ;  but  in  mercy  and  ten- 
 derness, majesty  and  omniscience,  wisdom  and 
 power  ;  in  the  bright  effulgence  of  those  perfec- 
 tions which  we  attribute  to  the  Father,  and  which 
 constitute  his  glory.  Those  who  were  with  Jesus 
 most,  saw  more,  not  of  his  infirmity,  but  of  his 
 glory.  At  his  baptism,  by  his  miracles,  at  his 
 transfiguration,  resurrection,  and  ascension  "  he 
 manifested  his  glory"  as  "the  only  begotten  of  the 
 Father." 
 
Lecture  I.  15 
 
 To  the  Apostles  was  also  vouchsafed  a  fuller 
 assurance  and  evidence  of  the  same  truth ;  for 
 they  were  to  "bear  witness,  and  to  shew  unto  the 
 world  that  eternal  life,  which  was  with  the  Father, 
 and  was  manifested  unto  them."  "  Of  his  fulness," 
 says  the  Evangelist,  "have  all  we  received,  and 
 grace  for  grace.  For  the  law  was  given  by  Moses, 
 but  grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ."  The 
 same  grace  which  he  exhibited  in  his  life,  was 
 in  a  more  especial  manner  exercised  towards  his 
 Apostles  after  his  ascension  ;  that  it  might  be 
 evidenced  to  the  world  by  the  illumination  of 
 their  minds,  by  the  importance,  and  suitableness, 
 and  efficacy  of  the  doctrines  they  taught,  and  by 
 the  mighty  works  which  they  wrought  through 
 the  name  of  Jesus,  that  they  were  sanctioned, 
 and  taught,  and  supported  from  above.  His  was 
 the  fulness  of  grace  and  truth  ;  and  "  of  that  fulness 
 they  received  grace"  abundant  in  degree,  increas- 
 ing in  extent,  and  "instead  of"  that  of  the  Old 
 Testament,  which  "though  it  was  glorious,  yet 
 had  no  glory  by  reason  of  that  which  so  far  ex- 
 celled it."  "The  law  given  by  Moses"  was  holy 
 and  divine,  but  it  was  "  the  ministration  of  con- 
 demnation ;"  and  had  only  "the  shadow  of  good 
 things  to  come."  "The  grace"  which  it  left 
 imperfect,  and  "  the  truth"  of  all  that  it  promised 
 and  prefigured,  "came  by  Jesus  Christ;"  who 
 was  "the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every 
 
16  Lecture  I. 
 
 one  that  believeth."  "To know  the  only  true  God 
 and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent/'  is  now 
 declared  to  be  "life  eternal." 
 
 With  a  similar  statement  the  Evangelist  con- 
 cludes his  introduction.  "No  man  hath  seen 
 God  at  any  time ;  the  only  begotten  Son.,  which 
 is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared 
 him."  By  him  are  fully  announced  to  us  the 
 perfect  and  harmonious  attributes  of  the  Father ; 
 the  relations  in  which  we  stand  to  him ;  and  the 
 way  in  which  he  will  shew  mercy,  and  can  be 
 "just,  while  he  justifies  those  that  believe  in 
 Jesus."  The  Evangelist  particularly  specifies  that 
 he  who  hath  "  shewed  us  plainly  of  the  Father/' 
 was  "the  only  begotten  Son  which  is  in  the  bosom 
 of  the  Father ;"  intending,  by  such  a  statement, 
 more  deeply  to  impress  us  with  a  conviction  of 
 the  grace,  and  truth,  and  authority,  of  the  in- 
 carnate Word.  He  declares  to  us  thereby  his 
 antecedent  personal  dignity,  "the  glory  that  he 
 had  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was ; "  and 
 that  "between  him  and  the  Father  was  the  counsel 
 of  peace,"  which  in  due  time  was  testified  by  the 
 preaching  of  the  Gospel.  The  incarnation  of  the 
 Son  of  God  did  indeed  cause  him  to  submit  to 
 a  state  of  humiliation ;  and  it  was  succeeded  by 
 his  "glorification  as  the  Son  of  man,"  as  "the 
 one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,"  as  "the 
 head   over  all  things   to  his  Church."     But  his 
 
Lecture  I.  17 
 
 being  te  crowned  with  glory  and  honour,  because 
 of  the  suffering-  of  death,"  and  his  high  exaltation 
 to  the  throne  of  his  mediatorial  kingdom,  did  not 
 confer  upon  him  a  new  personal  dignity,  but  only 
 one  of  an  official  nature.  It  is  true  that  as  our 
 Saviour,  and  as  the  Christ,  he  received  "  a  name 
 which  is  above  every  name  ;  that  every  tongue 
 should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the 
 glory  of  God  the  Father3."  But  it  was  because 
 he  was  "  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  which  is 
 in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,"  that  he  became  our 
 Saviour  and  intercessor.  In  him,  while  he  taber- 
 nacled among  men,  "  dwelt  all  the  fulness  of  the 
 Godhead  bodily;"  for  he,  of  whom  these  things 
 are  spoken,  was  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh."  The 
 whole  Gospel  of  St.  John  teaches  these  great 
 and  essential  doctrines ;  it  opposes  heresy,  not  by 
 the  refutation  of  error,  but  by  the  establishment 
 of  truth.  And  as,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  intro- 
 duction to  his  Gospel,  the  Evangelist  notices  the 
 incarnation,  glory,  and  success  of  the  Son  of  God; 
 so,  in  the  former  part  of  it,  he  instructs  us  in  what 
 sense  we  are  to  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 
 God.  He  states,  in  the  text,  that  it  was  the 
 "  Word  who  became  flesh ; "  and  in  the  pre- 
 ceding verses  he  manifestly  speaks  of  the  Word 
 as  a  person,  one  also  who   "came  from  God,  as 
 
 a  Phil.  i.  S-r-ll. 
 B 
 
18  Lecture  I. 
 
 he  afterwards  went  to  God."  Which  of  us  will 
 venture  to  say,  that  he  spoke  not  these  things 
 by  the  inspiration  of  that  "Spirit,  which  searcheth 
 all  things,  yea,  even  the  deep  things  of  God  V 
 We  might  acquiesce,  therefore,  in  this  his  tes- 
 timony, even  if  the  words  and  works  of  Jesus, 
 and  all  the  testimony  of  Scripture,  did  not  teach 
 us  the  same. 
 
 "  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the 
 Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God." 
 And  having  thus  declared  his  pre-existence,  his 
 existence  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father  even  at  the 
 creation  of  all  things,  and  his  divinity ;  he  adds 
 the  statement,  that  "  the  same  was  in  the  begin- 
 ning with  God  ;"  lest  while  we  do  "not  confound 
 the  persons,"  we  should  "divide  the  substance." 
 And  again  ;  "  All  things  were  made  by  him,  and 
 without  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  has 
 been  made."  By  him,  by  whose  agency,  as  the 
 Word  of  Jehovah,  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were 
 made,  and  by  whom  Jehovah  revealed  himself  to 
 the  Patriarchs,  and  to  their  chosen  posterity,  by 
 the  same  has  the  world  been  redeemed.  "In  him 
 was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men."  That 
 "light  ever  shined  in  the  darkness"  of  the  heathen 
 world,  "  but  the  darkness  comprehended  it  not." 
 One  "came  for  a  witness,  to  bear  witness  of  the 
 light,"  even  of  "the  true  light  which,  coming  into 
 the   world,   enlighteneth    every    man."      He    was 
 
Lecture  I.  19 
 
 cca  man  sent  from  God  ;  His  name  John."     It  is 
 not  said  of  him  that  "he  was  with  God,  and  was 
 God ;"  for  he  was  but  a  man,  though  sent  of  God. 
 "He  was   not  that  light,    but  was  sent  to  bear 
 witness  of  that  light,  that  all  men   through  him 
 miffht  believe."     He  "  went  before  the  face  of  the 
 Lord  to  prepare  his  ways ;   to  give  knowledge  of 
 salvation    unto   his   people,  by    the    remission    of 
 their  sins  through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God, 
 whereby  the  day-spring  from  on  high  hath  visited 
 usa."     Yet  as  he,  who  "was  in  the  world,  and  by 
 whom  the  world  was  made,  was  not  known  "  by 
 the  Gentile  world ;    so  also,  when  "  he  came  to 
 his   own    home,   even    his    own   household,"   the 
 Jews,  "received  him  not."     For  this  their  infi- 
 delity we  can  fully  account;  but  let  us  not  "fall 
 after  the  same  example  of  unbelief."     We  may 
 safely  confide  in  the  truth  of  that  record,  which 
 announces    to   us,  "that  God  hath    given   to   us 
 eternal   life,    and   that   this   life   is   in  his   Son." 
 And   great   are   the   privileges,    and    consequent 
 blessedness,  which  he   is  empowered  to  bestow. 
 For,  "as   many  as  received  him,   to  them  gave 
 he  power  to  become  the  Sons  of  God,  even  to 
 them  that  believe  on  his  name."     Of  the  nature, 
 and  future  consequences,  of  this  adoption  of  Sons, 
 which  we  receive  through   the  Son  of  God,   we 
 
 ■  Luke  i.  76— 78. 
 B  2 
 
20  Lecture  1. 
 
 have  already  spoken.  And  "if  the  Son  thus  make 
 us  free,  we  shall  be  free  indeed ;"  delivered  here 
 from  the  dominion  of  sin,  and  hereafter  from  "the 
 bondage  of  corruption;"  for  he  who  is  "the  first 
 begotten  from  the  dead,  will  "change  the  body 
 of  our  humiliation,  that  it  may  be  made  conformal 
 to  the  body  of  his  glory  ;  according  to  the  mighty 
 working,  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things 
 unto  himself,"  and  to  "swallow  up  death  in  victory." 
 We  are  thus  begotten  again  unto  a  lively  hope; 
 "  but  not  of  blood,"  says  the  Evangelist ;  for  it  is 
 not  a  blessing  descending  by  natural  inheritance; 
 nor  is  it  confined  to  any  one  favoured  race,  or 
 family,  or  nation.  Nor  does  it  come  "of  the  will 
 of  the  flesh  ;"  for  "  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh 
 is  flesh,"  but  this  is  a  spiritual  generation  to  the  in- 
 heritance of  spiritual  blessings.  Nor  is  it  "  of  the 
 will  of  man;"  his  reason  could  not  have  discovered, 
 his  power  could  not  have  procured,  his  works  of 
 righteousness  could  not  have  deserved  it.  It  is 
 "of  God;"  "  who  according  to  his  own  mercy  hath 
 saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the 
 renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  he  hath  shed 
 upon  us  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
 Saviour ;  that  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we 
 should  be  made  heirs  according  to  the  hope  of 
 eternal  life3." 
 
 a  Titus  iii.  5—7. 
 
Lecture  I.  21 
 
 If,  then,  "God  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken 
 unto  us  by  his  Son,"  we  have  received  through  that 
 merciful  dispensation  a  consolation  for  our  fears, 
 and  a  remedy  for  our  disorders  ;  thence  we  learn 
 that  sin  can  be  forgiven,  and  how  our  weakness 
 may  be  strengthened.  Hope  succeeds  to  despair 
 when  we  contemplate  such  a  provision  for  our 
 frailty  ;  when  we  find  that  God  has  by  "the  Gospel 
 of  his  grace,"  confirmed  all  the  assurances  of 
 mercy  which  he  had  before  given,  supplied  all  that 
 yet  was  lacking,  confirmed  all  that  was  promised, 
 and  brought  in  "an  everlasting  righteousness." 
 These  are  unspeakably  important  truths ;  but  short 
 may  be  the  time  which  remains  to  ourselves,  for 
 securing  the  blessings  which  they  make  known 
 to  us.  The  awful  hour  of  death  is  one  in  which 
 we  shall  fully  learn  the  value  of  the  righteous 
 man's  hope.  It  is  a  season  which  will  so  surely 
 come,  and  which  may  be  so  near,  that  the  con- 
 templation of  it  ought  to  quicken  us  in  the  pursuit 
 of  those  blessings,  which  are  designed  to  deliver 
 us  now  from  the  fear  of  it,  and  hereafter  from 
 its  power.  We  seek  to  impress  upon  you  the 
 certainty  of  death,  that  you  may  consider  its  con- 
 sequences ;  that  you  may  make  the  inquiries  which 
 it  suggests;  that  you  may  realize  the  unseen 
 verities  which  lie  beyond  the  grave,  and  which  are 
 eternal.  We  proclaim  to  you,  with  reference  to 
 eternity,  the  doctrines  of  God's  word,    with   all 
 
22  Lecture  I. 
 
 their  evidence,  their  obligations,  and  their  con- 
 sequences ;  you  hear  them  for  eternity.  The 
 decision  to  which  you  come  respecting  them  is 
 a  decision  for  eternity.  Let  then  our  inquiries 
 ever  be  pursued  with  a  corresponding  seriousness  ; 
 let  the  illusions  of  time  be  dissipated,  and  the 
 fascinations  of  sense  lose  their  power  over  our 
 souls.,  that  we  may  learn  to  walk  by  the  faith 
 of  things  unseen,  though  by  the  sight  of  them 
 we  cannot;  that  we  may  have  our  conversation  in 
 heaven  even  while  we  remain  upon  earth. 
 
 We  have  more  than  once  touched  upon  the 
 old  and  trite  subject  of  death.  But  often  are  the 
 most  important  truths  obvious  and  familiar ;  and 
 therefore  are  they  so,  because  they  are  important. 
 It  is  not,  however,  certain  that,,  because  they  are 
 familiar  to  us,  we  have  duly  profited  by  them.  Let 
 us  then,  in  conclusion,  once  more  renew  the  re- 
 collection of  our  mortality  ;  and  advert  to  the 
 striking  remark  of  Solomon,  "One  generation 
 passeth  away,  and  another  generation  cometh  ; 
 but  the  earth  abideth  for  everV 
 
 Contrast  the  continued  succession  of  the  gene- 
 rations of  men,  with  the  permanency  of  the  earth 
 upon  which  they  live.  Compared  with  their 
 fleeting  existence,  it  may  be  said  to  "abide  for 
 ever."     After   how    short   a    period   do    we    find 
 
 *  Eccl.  i.  1. 
 
Lecture  I.  23 
 
 nearly  all  those,  amongst  whom  we  used  to  dwell, 
 and  with  whom  we  were  formerly  connected,  dis- 
 placed and  gone ;  and  succeeded  by  others  who 
 have  started  into  existence  since  ourselves !  Nay, 
 how  soon  are  all  the  actors  on  this  busy  scene 
 completely  changed  ;  for  "  there  is  none  abiding." 
 Soon  the  place  that  knoweth  us  now,  shall  know 
 us  no  more  ;  and  others  will  occupy  the  estates 
 which  were  ours,  and  the  dwellings  we  have 
 inhabited.  Our  bodies  are  "  houses  of  clay,  whose 
 foundation  is  in  the  dust,"  and  all  that  we  can 
 call  ourselves  dwells  in  these  frail  tenements.  The 
 works  of  man  often  long  outlive  him.  What  pur- 
 pose do  the  magnificent  ruins  of  the  cities  of  the 
 wilderness,  and  the  massy  piles  that  adorn  the 
 banks  of  the  Nile,  now  serve,  but  to  make  us 
 wonder  at  the  skill  and  diligence  of  those  long- 
 forgotten  people,  of  whose  manners,  history,  and 
 language,  we  have  now  scarcely  any  record  ;  and 
 to  cause  us  profitably  to  muse  on  the  shortness  of 
 human  life,  and  the  instability  of  human  grandeur! 
 But  we  need  not  visit  these  distant  wonders  to 
 have  a  sensible  proof  of  the  same  truth  ;  and  one 
 which  may  perhaps  be  at  once  more  familiar  and 
 impressive.  We  are  here  surrounded  by  some  of 
 those  edifices,  which  are  the  ornament  of  our 
 country,  and  which  excite  and  gratify  the  curi- 
 osity of  the  inquiring  stranger.  They  have 
 served   the    purposes    of  many   generations   that 
 
24  Lecture  1 
 
 are  past;  they  serve  ours  now  ;  and  will  proba- 
 bly continue  to  invite,  receive,  and  instruct,  gene- 
 rations yet  unborn.  And  in  this  place,  assuredly, 
 we  may  most  strikingly  see  how  quickly  one 
 generation  passeth  away,  and  another  cometh ! 
 A  period  of  four  or  five  years  here  almost 
 changes  the  scene.  Those,  who  remove  from 
 hence,  do  indeed  for  the  most  part  go  to  form  a 
 portion  of  the  permanent  population  of  some  other 
 place.  But  what  occasions  the  demand  for  their 
 services  in  this  place  or  in  that,  but  the  removal 
 of  some  of  our  race  by  death?  This  perpetual 
 change,  and  constant  transition,  are  caused  by 
 the  openings  which  death  has  somewhere  made. 
 The  fluctuations  and  varying  features  of  social 
 life  as  certainly  result  from  this  cause,  as  motion 
 in  the  natural  world  from  a  vacuum.  Survey  the 
 permanent  population  of  this  or  of  any  other 
 place,  and  it  will  appear,  that  many  of  those, 
 who,  on  setting  out  in  life  have  little  success 
 and  employment,  in  a  few  years  become  pros- 
 perous, and,  with  their  families,  are  established  in 
 life.  Why?  Because  many  of  their  former  rivals 
 have  been  removed,  and  they  have  succeeded  to 
 their  abodes,  connexions,  and  emoluments.  Thus 
 is  our  prosperity,  nay  even  our  very  means  of 
 subsistence,  derived  from  the  mortality  of  our 
 predecessors  and  ancestors  :  and  that  of  our  suc- 
 cessors and  of  posterity  will  depend  equally  upon 
 
Lecture  I.  25 
 
 ours.  Death  is  the  debt  of  nature;  it  meets  us 
 in  every  time,  place,  and  concern  of  life  ;  so  true 
 is  it,  that  "in  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death," 
 and  that  "  one  generation  passeth  away,  and  an- 
 other cometh." 
 
 When  we  look  round  on  the  great  congrega- 
 tion assembled  in  God's  house,  and  recollect  that, 
 considering  it  collectively,  we  can  assign  the 
 period  within  which  all  of  us  will  have  undergone 
 the  pangs  of  death  ;  we  might  sit  down,  and,  like 
 the  Persian  monarch,  weep  at  the  melancholy 
 reflection,  did  we  not  remember  again,  that  ano- 
 ther generation  will  ere  that  have  gradually  arisen, 
 upon  whom  the  sun  will  shine  as  brightly  ;  for 
 whom  the  earth  will  bring  forth  as  plentifully  ; 
 whose  will  be  all  the  joys  and  cares,  the  comforts 
 and  disappointments  that  we  have  experienced ; 
 and  who  will  share  the  same  bounty  and  protec- 
 tion of  the  same  God.  All  will  be  well  ordered 
 with  respect  to  the  fortunes  and  changes  of  the 
 world  in  general.  But  will  it  be  well  with  us  as 
 individuals  ?  We  know  the  limit  beyond  which 
 we  cannot  survive,  but  we  know  not  within  how 
 small  a  span  of  time  we  have  yet  to  move.  We 
 know  also,  that  whenever  "  the  body  shall  return 
 to  the  earth  as  it  was,  the  spirit  shall  return  to 
 God  who  gave  it;"  to  render  its  account  before 
 him  then,  and  at  the  appointed  day  before  the 
 general  assemblage  of  all  generations.     And  let 
 
26  Lecture  I. 
 
 it  be  remembered  by  us,  that  we  cannot  have  any 
 certainty  that  our  eternal  state  will  differ  from 
 that  which  would  be  assig-ned  to  us  this  day, 
 if  on  this  day  the  decision  were  to  be  made.  We 
 may  live  long ;  but  we  may  cc  wax  worse  and 
 worse,  deceiving  and  being  deceived/'  and  may 
 thus  be  treasuring  up  wrath  against  the  day  of 
 wrath.  We  may  live  long,  and  see  many  days  ; 
 but  our  strength  may  be  brought  down  in  the 
 midst  of  our  journey,  and  our  days  be  shortened. 
 And  who  that  now  has  not  his  loins  girt,  and  his 
 lamp  burning,  can  think  that  he  will  be  ready, 
 if  his  Lord  comes  in  an  unexpected  hour?  How 
 then  should  we  even  now  strive,  and  watch,  and 
 pray,  that  the  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of 
 the  Lord  Jesus !  For  by  every  thought,  word, 
 and  deed,  we  sow  that  seed,  of  which  the  harvest 
 will  then  be  reaped ;  and  as  we  have  sown  to  the 
 flesh  or  to  the  spirit,  we  then  shall  reap  either 
 corruption  or  life  everlasting. 
 
HULSEAN  LECTURES 
 
 FOR    1821. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY    LECTURE  II. 
 
 THE    EVANGELIC    RECORDS    DESIGNED,   ACCORDING   TO   ST.   LUKE    AND 
 ST.   JOHN,   TO    ASSURE    US    OF    THE   CERTAINTY    OF    THE    GOSPEL,    BY 
 
 LAYING    BEFORE    US    ITS     EVIDENCE. THEIR     SUFFICIENCY     FOR 
 
 THAT    END. NATURE    AND   ADVANTAGES    OF    THE    VIEW    WHICH 
 
 THEY    SUGGEST  ;     AND    THE    PLAN    OF    THE    FOLLOWING    LECTURES 
 IN    ILLUSTRATION    OF   IT. 
 
LECTURE   II 
 
 Luke  I.   1 — 4. 
 
 Forasmuch  as  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  set  forth  in 
 order  a  declaration  of  those  things  which  are  most  surely 
 believed  among  us,  even  as  they  delivered  them  unto  us, 
 which  from  the  beginning  were  eyewitnesses,  and  mi- 
 nisters of  the  word ;  it  seemed  good  to  me  also,  having 
 had  perfect  understanding  of  all  things  from  the  very 
 first,  to  write  unto  thee  in  order,  most  excellent 
 Theophilus,  that  thou  mightest  know  the  certainty  of 
 those  things,  wherein  thou  hast  been  instructed. 
 
 We,  as  Christians,  have  been  instructed  in  momen- 
 tous truths;  even  in  all  that  was  taught,  promised, 
 and  effected,  by  a  divine,  incarnate,  suffering, 
 crucified,  and  exalted,  Messiah.  We  have  been 
 baptized  into  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Having 
 been  begotten  again  by  him  to  a  lively  hope,  we 
 have  been  taught  the  articles  of  our  faith,  the 
 commands  of  our  Master,  the  vows  which  are 
 upon  us,  the  obligations  which  accompany  all  that 
 a  Christian  ought  to  know  and  believe  to  his  soul's 
 health.  We  have,  by  our  own  mouths,  ratified 
 the  promises  and  vows  which  were  made  on  our 
 behalf.    We  have  received  those  holy  mysteries, 
 
30  Lecture  II. 
 
 in  the  participation  of  which  we  are  "fed  with  the 
 spiritual  food  of  the  precious  body  and  blood  of 
 our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ."  We  have  thus  become 
 ' '  very  members  incorporate  of  the  mystical  body  of 
 the  Son  of  God  ;"  we  thus  "  shew  forth  the  Lord's 
 death  until  his  coming  again;"  professing  that  we 
 are  "  heirs  through  hope  of  his  everlasting  king- 
 dom;" and  praying  unto  our  God  to  "grant  that,  by 
 the  merits  and  death  of  his  Son  our  Saviour  Jesus 
 Christ,  and  through  faith  in  his  blood,  we  and  all 
 his  whole  Church  may  obtain  remission  of  our 
 sins,  and  all  other  benefits  of  his  passion"."  We 
 have  been  instructed  in  all  these  great  and  con- 
 solatory truths ;  and  we  have  professed  to  believe 
 them.  If  we  have  herein  "  witnessed  a  good  con- 
 fession," and  are  not  "  losing  the  things  which  we 
 have  wrought,"  then  te  believing  with  the  heart 
 unto  righteousness,  confession  will  be  made  by 
 the  mouth  unto  salvation."  Of  this  salvation  we 
 may  entertain  a  good  hope  through  the  promised 
 mercy  of  a  gracious  God.  For  we  have  also  been 
 instructed,  in  the  midst  of  the  fears  and  infirmities 
 of  our  nature,  and  under  the  afflictions  of  this  life, 
 to  ft  commit  the  keeping  of  our  souls  to  God  in 
 well  doing,  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator."  We  have 
 been  instructed,  even  in  the  hour  of  death,  to 
 "  commend  our  Spirits  into  the  hands  of  that  God 
 
 *  Communion  Service. 
 
Lecture  II.  31 
 
 of  truth  who  has  redeemed  them,"  "  in  hope  of 
 eternal  life,  which  he,  who  cannot  lie  has  pro- 
 mised ;"  and  in  the  cheering  and  assured  confi- 
 dence, that  cc  he,  in  whom  we  have  believed,  is 
 able  to  keep  that  which  we  have  committed  to 
 him  until  that  day." 
 
 "  So  we  preach,  and  so  ye  have  believed." 
 When  we  appear  before  you  in  this  sacred  place, 
 and  on  this  holy  day,  we  claim  not  "  to  have 
 dominion  over  your  faith  ;"  but  fain  would  we  be 
 fellow-helpers  of  your  joy,"  by  endeavouring  to 
 convince  you  of  the  value  and  importance  of 
 "those  things  in  which  you  have  been  instructed;" 
 by  faithfully  discharging  "  the  ministry  of  recon- 
 ciliation ; "  and  by  "  testifying,  both  to  small  and 
 great,  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ."  And  while  we  discharge  the 
 ministry  committed  unto  us,  you  also,  by  your 
 attendance  here,  seem  to  say  unto  us,  what 
 Cornelius  expressed  in  words ;  "  Now  therefore 
 are  we  all  here  present  before  God,  to  hear  all 
 things  that  are  commanded  thee  of  God." — We 
 have  already  alluded  to  some  of  those  things, 
 which  are  commanded  us  of  God,  and  in  which  you 
 have  been  instructed  ;  and  we  purpose  so  to  ad- 
 dress you,  that  you  may  not  be  wholly  at  a  loss 
 how  to  ascertain  "  the  certainty  of  those  things  in 
 which  you  have  been  instructed."  It  is  desirable 
 that  we  should  always  "be  put  in  remembrance  of 
 
32  Lecture  II. 
 
 these  things,  even  though  we  know  them,  and 
 are  established  in  the  present  truth ;"  that  we 
 should  be  instructed  in  their  several  uses  and 
 applications,  and  be  reminded  of  their  certainty. 
 It  is  desirable  for  ourselves,  that  we  may  not  "  let 
 them  slip,"  but  "  take  the  more  earnest  heed  to 
 them,"  and  not  cc  neglect  so  great  a  salvation." 
 It  is  desirable  for  the  continual  benefit  of  all  that 
 have  yet  to  learn  these  things,  that  they  also  may 
 see  on  how  solid  a  foundation  the  hope  of  a 
 Christian  is  built. 
 
 The  topic,  which  is  to  form  one  prominent 
 feature  in  the  discourses  of  the  Hulsean  Lecturer, 
 has  been  so  often  and  so  largely  discussed,  that 
 he  cannot,  perhaps,  select  any  department  of  the 
 evidences  for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  abundant 
 and  various  as  they  are,  in  which  he  has  not,  in 
 some  measure,  been  anticipated.  But  it  is  because 
 these  subjects  are  important,  rather  than  because 
 they  are  novel,  that  they  demand  our  attentive 
 investigation.  It  is  from  the  circumstance,  that 
 many  will  listen  to  the  discussion  of  such  topics, 
 who  might  not  have  either  opportunity  or  in- 
 clination to  read  much  respecting  them,  that  the 
 utility  of  preaching  is  to  be  estimated,  both  as  to 
 this,  and  other,  subjects  of  Christian  instruction. 
 The  preacher  may  not  advance  any  thing  sub- 
 stantially new.  But  the  subjects  themselves,  of 
 which  lie  treats,  may  have  hitherto  obtained  only 
 
Lecture  II.  S3 
 
 an  imperfect  attention  from  some  of  those  whom 
 he  addresses ;  and  the  renewed  consideration  of 
 the  same  extensive  and  interesting  subjects  may 
 not  be  without  its  use  with  respect  to  others ; 
 especially  if  the  preacher's  plan,  or  his  method  of 
 illustration,  present  them  in  some  point  of  view 
 in  which  they  have  been  less  generally  con- 
 templated. He  will  probably  select  some  line  of 
 argument,  which  has  already  afforded  satisfaction 
 to  his  own  mind;  which  he  conceives  calculated 
 to  elucidate  the  difficulties,  and  obviate  the  doubts, 
 which  may  suggest  themselves  to  the  mind  of  the 
 serious  inquirer.  And  such  a  view  will,  there- 
 fore, at  least  have  the  recommendation,  that  it  is 
 exhibited  by  one,  who  has  inquired  for  himself  into 
 the  grounds  of  his  belief;  who  is  prepared  to 
 avow  his  own  conviction  of  the  futility  and  false- 
 hood of  all  the  theories  and  objections  of  the 
 infidel;  and  who  is  at  the  same  time  ready  to 
 give  to  every  one,  who  stands  in  the  posture  of 
 a  candid  inquirer,  "  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in 
 him."  With  "  meekness  and  with  fear"  would 
 we  do  this  ;  with  that  meek  and  lowly  heart  to 
 which  alone  God  will  "teach  his  way;"  and  with 
 that  "  meekness  towards  all  men,"  which  re- 
 strains the  bitter  word,  and  the  judgment  of  un- 
 charitableness.  We  are  desirous  also  to  maintain 
 that  ' c  fear  of  God,  which  is  the  beginning  of 
 wisdom ;"    and   which    alone    consists    with    that 
 
 C 
 
34  Lecture  II. 
 
 "  good  understanding/'  which  can  enable  us  to 
 judge  rightly  of  what  professes  to  come  from  him. 
 Nor  must  we  omit  to  cherish  a  fear  respecting 
 ourselves.  Even  when  we  seem  to  have  attained 
 the  fullest  conviction,  we  should  still  bear  in  mind, 
 that  "  he,  that  thinketh  he  standeth,  must  take 
 heed  lest  he  fall;"  and  we  must  also  "  fear,  lest, 
 a  promise  being  left  us  by  God  of  entering  into  his 
 rest,  any  of  us  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it." 
 
 In  such  a  temper  of  mind  let  us  pursue  our 
 inquiries  respecting-  cc  the  certainty  of  those  things 
 in  which  we  have  been  instructed."  For  the 
 present  let  it  suffice,  to  specify  and  explain  the 
 method  which  we  propose  to  adopt.  Perhaps  it 
 may  be  considered  in  some  respects  a  new  one ; 
 not  certainly  new  in  its  principle,  nor  in  the 
 arguments  and  topics  which  we  shall  discuss ; 
 but  yet  perhaps  new  in  the  extent  to  which  we 
 shall  apply  that  principle,  and  in  the  form  and 
 aspect  which  arguments,  already  familiar,  may 
 assume,  when  they  are  so  arranged  and  discussed. 
 We  shall  proceed,  however,  upon  a  principle, 
 which,  though  not  generally  adopted,  is  as  little 
 novel  as  Christianity  itself;  which  the  Apostles 
 themselves  have  taught  us,  at  the  same  time 
 that  they  also  furnish  the  materials  to  which 
 it  is  to  be  applied.  We  propose  to  consider 
 the  New  Testament,  not  only  as  a  directory  in 
 matters    of  Christian  faith  and  practice,   which, 
 
Lecture  II.  35 
 
 if  Christianity  be  from  God,  demands  our  implicit 
 obedience ;  but  as  being  also  a  repository  of  the 
 several  arguments  in  proof  of  the  divine  original 
 of  the  Gospel.  We  contend  that  Jesus  and  his 
 Apostles  have  themselves  appealed  to  the  several 
 evidences  of  the  truth  and  divine  authority  of  the 
 religion  which  they  taught;  and  that,  since  they 
 have  so  stated  them,  and  reasoned  upon  them,  the 
 Christian,  who  understands  the  authorized  records 
 of  his  own  religion,  can  be  as  little  at  a  loss  with 
 respect  to  the  reasons  for  his  belief  in  the  Gospel, 
 as  confessedly  he  ought  to  be,  with  respect  to  the 
 doctrines  which  it  requires  him  to  receive,  and 
 the  precepts  which  it  commands  him  to  obey. 
 
 The  principle  which  I  have  now  briefly  stated, 
 and  which  will  hereafter  be  more  fully  illustrated, 
 will  indeed  apply  to  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
 Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  of  the  Epistolary  writings 
 of  the  New  Testament.  But  the  materials  fur- 
 nished by  the  Evangelists  are  so  abundant,  that 
 we  must  content  ourselves  with  the  endeavour  to 
 embody  and  elucidate  the  arguments  and  reason- 
 ings advanced  in  the  discourses  of  Jesus  himself 
 But  lest  we  should  appear  to  be  proceeding  upon 
 unsafe  or  unwarrantable  grounds,  we  will  now 
 explain  in  what  manner  the  principle  may  be 
 deduced  ;  at  what  period  in  the  Christian  argu- 
 ment we  may  have  recourse  to  it;  and  the  ad- 
 vantages which  it  offers  to  the  inquirer. 
 
 C  2 
 
36  Lecture  II. 
 
 I.  In  the  important  passage,  which  we  read  to 
 you  as  our  text,  and  which  forms  the  preface  to 
 the  Gospel  by  St.  Luke,  the  Evangelist  distinctly 
 asserts,  that  certain  facts  had  occurred  in  his 
 time,  of  which  those,  who  were  eye-witnesses  of 
 them,  had  widely  promulgated  the  knowledge  by 
 oral  instruction ;  that  others  had  committed  that 
 information  to  writing;  and  that  he  also  had 
 deemed  it  expedient  himself  to  undertake  a  similar 
 narrative  for  the  benefit  of  Theophilus ;  with  the 
 design,  that  inasmuch  as  he  had  already  been 
 informed  respecting  these  things  by  word  of 
 mouth,  he  might  now,  by  means  of  an  authentic 
 written  narrative,  further  be  assured  of  the  cer- 
 tainty of  those  oral  instructions,  and  of  the  safety 
 with  which  he  might  rely  upon  the  accuracy  of 
 those  accounts  which  he  had  heard1.  The  matters 
 which  the  Evangelist  relates  are  a  series  of  facts, 
 and  also  a  series  of  discourses  which  were  de- 
 livered upon  the  several  occasions  he  has  specified. 
 Upon  such  facts  and  discourses,  those  who  had 
 been  eye  and  ear-witnesses  grounded  the  whole 
 system  of  Christian  doctrine.  And  the  Evangelist 
 evidently  conceived  that  Theophilus  would  both 
 better  understand  those  instructions,  and  more 
 easily  discover  their  truth,  if  furnished  with  that 
 assistance,   which    a   comprehensive   and   orderly 
 
 a  "Ira   eTTiyvm  trepi  <av  KaT^r/flf/?  A07W1/  rrrjv   AS^AAEIAN. 
 
 v.  4. 
 
Lecture  II.  37 
 
 narrative  of  such  matters  would  afford.  History, 
 of  whatever  kind,  is  chiefly  valuable  because  of 
 the  inferences  which  may  be  drawn  from  the 
 events  and  experience  of  past  ages,  for  our  own 
 practical  direction.  But  never  did  such  conse- 
 quences so  immediately  and  obviously  result  from 
 any  facts,  as  the  doctrines  and  discoveries  of  the 
 Christian  religion  from  the  transactions  and  pro- 
 ceedings by  which  it  was  established.  The 
 religion  itself,  in  all  its  leading-  peculiarities,  prin- 
 cipally consists  in  a  statement  of  the  design  of 
 those  facts,  and  in  the  application  of  this  know- 
 ledge as  the  occasion  and  motive  of  repentance, 
 faith,  and  obedience.  If  then  we  can  be  satisfied 
 that  the  narrative  of  the  facts  is  correct,  we  may 
 employ  it  for  the  purpose  which  the  historians 
 designed  it  to  serve;  and  see  whether  it  justifies 
 the  inferences  drawn  from  those  facts  by  the 
 founder  and  his  followers. 
 
 The  Gospel  of  St.  John  contains  fewer  facts 
 than  the  other  Gospels,  but  a  more  copious  record 
 of  the  discourses  of  Jesus.  He  seldom,  indeed, 
 notices  any  fact,  except  for  the  purpose  of  explain- 
 ing the  occasion  of  our  Lord's  discourses  and 
 reasonings,  and  of  the  debates  which  his  hearers 
 held  among  themselves.  And,  near  the  conclusion 
 of  his  Gospel,  he  tells  us  the  design  with  which 
 he  wrote,  and  points  out  the  inferences  which  he 
 conceives  to  follow  from  what  he  has  recorded : 
 
38  Lecture  II. 
 
 "  Many  other  signs  truly  did  Jesus  in  the  presence 
 of  his  disciples,  which  are  not  written  in  this  book; 
 but  these  are  written,  that  ye  might  believe  that 
 Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  and  that 
 believing  ye  might  have  life  through  his  name5." 
 
 If  then  an  author  has  thus  stated  to  us  the 
 object  of  his  work ;  if  he  declares  his  conviction 
 that  what  he  has  written  directs  us  to  a  certain 
 conclusion ;  we  have  only  to  consider  the  premises 
 upon  which  he  builds  it,  in  order  to  ascertain  its 
 correctness  and  certainty.  The  materials  upon 
 which  to  reason  are  fully  given;  but  the  argument 
 is  not  drawn  out  in  form  by  the  Evangelists  them- 
 selves ;  for  they  have  only  narrated  certain  facts, 
 and  recorded  certain  discourses.  But  those  dis- 
 courses contain  such  arguments,  and  are  connected 
 with  such  facts,  that  if  we  have  reason  to  believe 
 that  they  were  delivered  by  him  to  whom  they  are 
 ascribed,  and  that  the  facts  to  which  they  refer, 
 and  which  are  related  so  circumstantially,  are 
 correctly  related,  then  no  considerate  person  can 
 reasonably  doubt  that  the  Religion  which  we 
 profess  is  from  God;  for  the  Gospel  is  found  to 
 be  its  own  witness,  defender,  and  apologist,  in  the 
 very  contents  of  its  acknowledged  records.  We 
 do  not  say  of  the  Gospel  history,  as  the  Mahometan 
 says  of  the  Koran,  that  it  is  itself  a  miracle,  and 
 
 "  John  xx.  30,  31. 
 
Lecture  II.  39 
 
 that  it  proves  in  that  way  its  divine  original ;  but 
 we  do  say,  that  the  Gospels  supply  us  with 
 materials,  upon  which  we  can  reason  for  our- 
 selves; and  that  the  result  of  every  line  of  argument 
 suggested  by  their  contents  is  uniformly  conclusive 
 in  favour  of  the  divinity  of  the  Religion  which  they 
 teach.  Not  only  do  the  style  and  method,  the 
 temper  and  completeness,  of  the  Gospel  narratives 
 offer  to  an  observing  reader  many  internal  indica- 
 tions of  the  genuineness  and  credibility  of  the 
 records ;  but,  also,  in  the  very  contents  of  those 
 records,  we  find  assistance  in  examining-  the 
 question  with  respect  to  the  external  evidence  of 
 the  Religion  proposed  to  us  therein.  For,  as  will 
 hereafter  appear,  the  discourses  of  Jesus  alone 
 bring  before  us  so  many  of  the  leading"  arguments 
 in  favour  of  the  divinity  of  his  mission,  as  to  be 
 almost  sufficient  of  themselves,  if  rightly  under- 
 stood, and  duly  weighed,  to  establish  the  inquirer 
 in  the  belief  of  Christianity. 
 
 II.  Probably  it  will  be  here  observed^  that  our 
 proposed  inquiry  proceeds  upon  the  assumption, 
 that  the  writings  which  we  employ  are  genuine 
 and  authentic.  It  certainly  does ;  and  yet  we  do 
 not  propose  to  enter  on  that  discussion.  For  we 
 suppose,  that  both  the  genuineness  and  authenticity 
 of  the  Gospel  history  have  been  so  often  investi- 
 gated, and  so  fully  proved,  by  evidence  more 
 complete   and    diversified   than   can   be   brought 
 
40  Lecture  II. 
 
 forward  in  corroboration  of  any  other  history 
 whatever,  that  no  one,  who  has  at  all  qualified 
 himself  to  form  an  opinion,  would  venture  to  deny 
 that  the  question  is  set  at  rest  for  ever.  In  fact, 
 there  is  less  danger  that  we  should  doubt  the 
 authenticity  and  credibility  of  these  documents, 
 than  that  we  should  neglect  to  use  them  as  such ; 
 much  danger  lest  we  should  consider  them  less 
 seriously,  that  we  should  embrace  the  conse- 
 quences which  follow  from  their  truth,  less  reso- 
 lutely, and  less  unreservedly,  than  in  all  sober 
 reason  we  are  bound  to  do.  We  might,  if  it 
 were  indispensably  necessary  for  your  satisfaction, 
 immediately  begin  to  ask  you,  how  you  could 
 account  for  the  establishment  and  propagation, 
 nay  even  for  the  first  publication,  of  Christianity, 
 unless  upon  the  supposition,  that  some  such  facts 
 occurred.  We  might  demand  of  you  an  answer 
 to  Leslie's  celebrated  argument,  from  the  con- 
 tinual observance  of  the  Christian  ordinances; 
 from  their  avowed  object,  and  the  institution  of 
 them  in  the  very  age,  and  at  the  time,  of  the 
 events  which  they  commemorate.  But  we  should 
 do  this  with  the  conviction.,  that  you  would  succeed 
 no  better  than  the  acute  Middleton,  even  though 
 you   also  attempted   it  for  twenty  years a.     We 
 
 a  See  Jones's  Preface  to  Leslie's  Short  and  Easy  Method  with 
 the  Deists,  in  the  edition  published  by  the  Society  for  Promoting 
 Christian  Knowledge. 
 
Lecture  11.  41 
 
 might  challenge  you  to  shew  how  you  can  account 
 for  the  reception  of  these  writings,  at  the  time 
 when  the  verbal  instructions  of  the  declared 
 writers  were  fresh  in  the  recollection  of  those  who 
 heard  them,  nay  even  while  they  were  yet  alive, 
 unless  they  had  been  their  genuine  productions. 
 We  might  remind  you  of  the  opportunities  of 
 accurate  information  which  these  writers  had  en- 
 joyed ;  of  the  improbability  that  the  narrative 
 which  they  committed  to  writing  would  differ 
 from  that,  which  they  constantly  published  by 
 word  of  mouth,  which  they  began  to  declare 
 immediately  after  the  events  had  happened,  in  the 
 very  place  where  they  occurred,  in  the  hearing, 
 and  in  defiance,  of  those,  who  were  interested  and 
 disposed  to  contradict  their  statement.  Such  a 
 contradiction  was  impossible.  For  when  they 
 stated,  that  iC  Jesus  was  a  man  approved  of  God  by 
 miracles,  and  wonders,  and  signs,  which  God  did 
 by  him  in  the  midst  of  them,"  the  Apostles  of  Jesus 
 could  add,  "as  ye  yourselves  also  know/'  They 
 "could  not  but  testify  the  things  which  they  had 
 seen  and  heard  ;"  and  their  testimony  was  incon- 
 trovertible, and  uncontradicted,  except  with  regard 
 to  the  consequences  which  they  deduced  from  the 
 facts,  and  the  system  which  they  promulgated 
 in  the  world,  by  the  command,  and  according  to 
 the  instructions,  of  their  Master  himself.  There 
 have  been  those,  indeed,  who  have  denied  that 
 
42  Lecture  11. 
 
 there  is  any  difference  between  history  and  table ; 
 and  who  therefore  contend,  that  we  can  place  no 
 reliance  upon  the  testimony  which  evinces  the 
 reasonableness  of  our  faith,  and  that  nothing  is 
 certain  but  Metaphysical  truth  \  That  which  they 
 would  substitute  for  Christianity  is  uncertain  in- 
 deed; but  their  very  statement  sufficiently  betrays 
 a  conviction,  that  nothing-,  except  that  which  sub- 
 verts the  credit  of  all  history  whatever,  can  under- 
 mine the  foundation  upon  which  we  ground  the 
 authenticity  of  the  Scriptures;  and  that  he  who  has, 
 in  whatever  method,  retained  or  regained  a  convic- 
 tion of  that  nature,  has  already  entered  on  the  path, 
 which,  if  pursued,  will  assuredly  conduct  him  to 
 a  belief  of  the  divinity  of  the  Gospel.  For,  having 
 been  so  far  disposed  to  allow  the  credibility  of  the 
 Christian  story,  as  to  be  willing,  with  candour  and 
 attention,  to  peruse  its  records,  he  will  perceive 
 that  fC Christianity  was  founded  on  argument"  both 
 by  Jesus  and  his  Apostles.  The  acknowledged 
 reality  and  character  of  certain  facts,  and  the  prior 
 existence  of  certain  prophecies,  form  the  basis  of 
 their  reasonings.  And  the  more  we  consider 
 these  reasonings,  in  connexion  with  the  occasions 
 
 a  See  the  citations  from  a  French  writer,  in  the  Appendix  to 
 Bishop  Van  Mildert's  Boyle's  Lectures,  Vol.  II.  p.  516,  517. 
 His  Lordship  justly  remarks,  that  the  resolution,  "jem'absiiendrai 
 toujours  d'entrer  dans  la  discussion  des  fails,"  "  involves  an  im- 
 plied concession  of  no  small  importance." 
 
Lecture  II.  48 
 
 upon  which  they  were  advanced.,  and  with  refer- 
 ence to  the  circumstances  to  which  they  allude, 
 the  more  decided  will  be  our  conviction  even  of 
 the  credibility  of  those  facts  themselves ;  and  the 
 more  readily  also  shall  we  acquiesce  in  the  con- 
 clusion, that  the  nature  of  those  facts,  the  whole 
 design  which  is  displayed  in  them,  and  the 
 manner  of  its  accomplishment,  bespeak  not  merely 
 the  divine  permission,  but  the  special  intention 
 and  interposition  of  God,  that  he  might  "give 
 witness  of  his  Son." 
 
 III.  You  will  already  have  perceived,  that  we 
 are  not  about  to  discuss  such  questions  connected 
 with  the  evidences  of  our  religion,  as  might  lead 
 us  to  any  depths  of  abstract  reasoning.  Yet  we 
 mean  not  to  undervalue  such.  In  their  place,  for 
 the  refutation  of  objections  which  proceed  upon 
 such  grounds,  and  for  the  satisfaction  of  those, 
 whose  minds  are  harassed  with  difficulties  of  that 
 nature,  such  abstruse  inquiries  have  their  use 
 and  value.  But  the  belief  of  Christianity  does  not 
 result  from  these  only,  or  chiefly.  There  is  a 
 path  which  humbler  minds  may  pursue,  and  which 
 leads  to  the  same  end  by  a  less  intricate  and 
 circuitous  route;  nor  need  the  wisest  and  most 
 discerning;  be  ashamed  to  walk  therein.  Take 
 the  Bible  itself  into  your  hands,  and  inquire  how 
 the  religion  of  Jesus  was  first  offered  to  the  ac- 
 ceptance of  mankind ;    upon   what  grounds,   and 
 
44  Lecture  II. 
 
 with  what  arguments  it  was  then  defended  and 
 enforced.  And  if  you  are  unable  to  shew  that  the 
 faith  of  those,  who  in  that  age  embraced  it,  was 
 irrational,  you  will  feel  obliged  to  allow  the  suf- 
 ficiency of  its  evidence,  and  that  we  can  have  no 
 plea  for  rejecting-  it.  Examine,  indeed,  as  ac- 
 curately as  you  please,  every  objection,  whether 
 of  an  historical  or  metaphysical  nature ;  but  still 
 remember  the  abundance,  the  strength,  and  the 
 consistency  of  the  direct  arguments  in  its  favour; 
 and  beware  how  you  suffer  objections  and  theories, 
 which  in  fact  do  not  interfere  with  that  positive 
 evidence,  to  weaken  its  impression  on  your  mind. 
 I  am  desirous  to  set  before  you,  as  faithfully 
 and  distinctly  as  I  can,  the  evidences  of  Christ- 
 ianity as  they  are  presented  in  the  discourses  of 
 our  Lord,  and  in  the  accompanying  narrative  of 
 the  Evangelists.  We  are  apt  either  wholly  to 
 neglect,  or  imperfectly  to  attend  to,  this  view  of 
 the  subject.  Yet  I  know  not  any  writings,  in 
 which  the  state  of  the  question  is  so  fully,  strik- 
 ingly, and  satisfactorily  exhibited.  It  is,  perhaps, 
 not  too  much  to  assert,  that  the  vindication  of 
 his  mission  by  Jesus  himself  is  such  as  ought 
 to  silence,  if  not  to  reclaim,  the  unbeliever ;  but 
 it  is  undoubtedly  such,  as  affords  an  ever  present 
 and  effectual  means  for  confirming  the  faith  of 
 the  believer.  Almost  every  chapter  of  the  Evan- 
 gelic records  instructs   us,   not  only  in  Christian 
 
Lecture  II.  45 
 
 doctrine,  and  duty,  but  in  those  arguments  and 
 considerations,  which  persuasively  teach  "  the 
 certainty  of  those  things  in  which  we  have  been 
 instructed ;"  and  which  may,  in  an  hour  of  doubt 
 and  temptation,  recall  the  conviction  to  our  minds. 
 A  disposition  too  generally  exists,  to  consider 
 the  question  of  evidence,  as  something  apart  from 
 the  Bible ;  as  something  which  we  ought  to  study 
 before  we  venture  to  make  ourselves  acquainted 
 with  the  Bible.  But  a  knowledge,  a  full  and  ac- 
 curate knowledge,  of  its  contents,  is  necessary, 
 that  we  may  judge  of  the  force  and  application 
 of  any  of  the  arguments  in  favour  of  Christi- 
 anity ;  and  that  we  may  also  ascertain  whether 
 there  is  ground  for  the  several  objections,  which 
 some  have  thought  proper  to  advance.  I  believe 
 that  he,  who  has  carefully  read  the  Scriptures, 
 particularly  in  the  original,  will  find  his  faith  very 
 little  harassed  by  objections  and  cavils ;  for  he 
 will  have  seen  that  they  have  seldom  any  founda- 
 tion, but  in  the  objector's  ignorance  of  the  Bible, 
 or  in  his  misinterpretation  of  it,  or  sometimes,  we 
 fear,  in  wilful  perversion.  So  that  the  objector  is 
 generally  combating  the  phantom  of  his  own  brain  ; 
 and  those  things,  which  the  Scriptures  really 
 narrate,  reveal,  and  require,  still  rest  on  the  same 
 evidence,  and  authority.  We  even  contend,  that 
 the  Scriptures  actually  include  a  statement  of  the 
 evidences  for  the  religion  which  they  teach.     We 
 
4(>  Lecture  II. 
 
 refer  to  our  Lord's  discourses  in  corroboration  of 
 this  remark.  We  would  say  to  the  inquirer, 
 examine  their  connexion  ;  analyze  the  reasonings 
 advanced  in  them  ;  compare  all  that  you  know 
 of  your  own  heart  and  life,  and  all  that  you  have 
 observed  of  human  nature,  with  the  appeals  which 
 are  made  by  our  Lord  to  the  conscience.  And  we 
 confidently  believe  that  he,  who  has  done  this,  will 
 be  previously  fortified  against  the  reasonings  of 
 the  infidel ;  and  will  have  attained  a  conviction  of 
 the  divinity,  wisdom,  and  value,  of  the  Gospel, 
 of  which  it  will  not  be  easy  to  deprive  him. 
 Without  such  a  knowledge  as  that  we  have  been 
 describing,  he  is  not  in  fact  qualified  to  judge 
 aright.  He  may  refuse  to  believe,  but  he  has 
 never  yet  had  sufficient  reason  to  disbelieve ;  he 
 may  hesitate  and  waver,  but  he  has  never  yet 
 taken  the  method  which  can  lead  him  to  a  solid 
 and  considerate  decision. 
 
 We  are  also  apt  to  consider  the  question  of 
 evidence  in  such  a  way,  that  the  affections  are  not 
 warmed,  and  the  heart  remains  unmoved,  even  when 
 with  the  understanding  we  assent  to  truths  and 
 realities  so  unspeakably  important.  We  are  apt 
 to  lose  sight  of  the  nature,  extent,  and  obligations, 
 of  that  into  which  we  are  inquiring ;  and  we  lay 
 aside  the  inquiry,  perhaps,  with  as  little  religious 
 emotion,  as  if  we  had  satisfactorily  settled  some 
 question  of  science,  taste,  or  criticism.     But  this 
 
Lecture  II.  47 
 
 is  not  a  question  of  mere  judgment,  curiosity,  or 
 temporary  interest.  It  inquires  into  the  truth  of 
 a  scheme,  which  embraces  the  concerns  of  time 
 and  eternity,  and  professes  to  provide  for  both  ; 
 but  whose  threatenings  are  as  alarming*  to  the 
 ungodly,  as  its  promises  are  consolatory  to  the 
 faithful.  The  Scripture  continually  puts  us  into 
 a  practical  posture,  summoning  the  whole  man 
 to  give  judgment  on  this  awfully  important  subject. 
 When  it  has  advanced  what  may  justly  convince 
 the  understanding,  it  then  addresses  the  con- 
 science; probes  and  dissects  the  heart,  and  lays 
 open  all  that  hardens,  deludes,  and  defiles  it  ; 
 shews  to  us  what  drags  down  the  affections,  and 
 what  darkens  the  understanding.  These  moral 
 causes  of  unbelief,  which  leave  some  undecided 
 and  inconsistent  as  Christians,  and  which  confirm 
 others  in  infidelity,  are  abundantly  specified  in 
 Scripture.  The  view,  which  we  propose  to  take 
 of  the  evidences,  is  thus  invested  with  a  practical 
 character.  Not  that  the  strict  accuracy  of  our  in- 
 vestigation, and  the  hardihood  with  which  we  ought 
 to  embrace  and  abide  by  the  consequences  of 
 it,  need  at  all  be  diminished  by  an  attention  to 
 such  considerations.  Yet  at  the  same  time,  also, 
 that  we  resolve  carefully  to  scrutinize  the  argu- 
 ments in  defence  of  Christianity,  we  are  bound, 
 both  by  the  nature  of  the  case,  by  reason,  and 
 by  interest,  to  remember  that  eternal  life  is  too 
 
48  Lecture  II. 
 
 important  a  stake  to  be  ventured  either  upon 
 a  mere  cavil,  or  even  a  plausible  objection; 
 much  less  to  be  sacrificed  to  any  of  those  unholy 
 and  temporizing  motives,  which  so  often  give 
 both  existence  and  permanence  to  our  doubts 
 respecting  religious  truth. 
 
 In  endeavouring  to  illustrate  the  remarks, 
 which  have  now  been  offered,  it  will  be  impracti- 
 cable to  review  all  our  Lord's  discourses,  and 
 the  facts  to  which  they  refer,  in  chronological 
 order.  This  would,  indeed,  make  us  more  com- 
 pletely familiar  with  the  way  in  which  the  evi- 
 dences of  Christianity  were  at  first  proposed,  with 
 the  effects  successively  produced,  and  with  the 
 progress  of  the  demonstration ;  but  it  would  lead 
 to  frequent  repetition,  as  well  as  to  a  less  con- 
 densed, and  less  comprehensive,  view  of  the 
 subject.  It  would  perhaps,  therefore,  be  expe- 
 dient to  consider  only  a  few  of  our  Lord's  dis- 
 courses; or  even,  if  such  there  be,  some  single 
 one,  which  brings  the  several  heads  of  evidence 
 together.  Now  such  a  summary  we  find  in  the 
 discourse  recorded  in  the  fifth  Chapter  of 
 St.  John's  Gospel ;  which  contains,  I  believe, 
 more  orderly,  distinctly,  and  fully,  than  any  other, 
 the  leading  arguments  in  behalf  of  our  Lord's 
 mission  and  character.  That  discourse  consists 
 of  three  distinct  portions.  The  first  of  these 
 contains  a  full  and  awakening  statement  of  the 
 
Lecture  II.  49 
 
 pretensions  which  Jesus  advanced,  in  answer  to 
 the  objections  of  the  Jews.,  and  in  arrest  of  the 
 hasty  decision,,  and  murderous  intentions,  which 
 their  rulers  had  adopted,  because  he  had  cured  the 
 impotent  man  on  the  sabbath  day.  The  second  di- 
 vision contains  an  appeal  to  five  important  heads 
 of  evidence  in  support  of  those  pretensions.  In 
 the  third,  our  Lord  states  the  fact  of  the  infidelity 
 of  the  great  body  of  the  Jews;  and  notices,  in 
 a  striking  and  forcible  manner,  several  of  the 
 principles  and  errors,  which  were  tending  to,  and 
 ultimately  produced,  that  result ;  and  which,  being 
 for  the  most  part  common  to  all  mankind,  under 
 the  form  and  modifications  which  their  respective 
 circumstances  produce,  ever  have  been,  and  still 
 are  amongst  ourselves,  the  leading  causes  of 
 avowed,  suppressed,  and  practical  unbelief. 
 
 We  shall  bring  forward  what  we  have  to  offer  to 
 your  consideration,  in  the  order  suggested  by  that 
 discourse;  not  only  entering  upon  a  complete 
 analysis  of  it,  but  also  employing  it  as  a  directory 
 for  the  convenient  arrangement  of  many  other 
 detached  observations,  and  of  the  facts  and  pro- 
 phecies to  which  those  observations  refer.  The 
 first  portion  of  our  Lectures  will  be  occupied  in 
 considering  the  several  statements  which  Jesus 
 made  of  his  pretensions  up  to  the  period  when 
 he  delivered  the  discourse  in  question. — We  shall 
 then  consider  the  appeals  which  from  that  time 
 
 D 
 
50  Lecture  II. 
 
 he  began  to  make  to  the  evidences  in  support 
 of  his  mission  and  character;  collecting  under 
 each  of  the  five  heads  of  evidence  specified  on 
 that  occasion,  what  our  Lord  elsewhere  advanced 
 on  the  same  topics  •  and  afterwards  considering- 
 such  as  are  omitted  in  that  discourse,  so  as  to 
 complete  that  department  of  our  subject. — And 
 lastly,  we  shall  conclude  with  considering  the 
 infidelity  of  the  Jews ;  the  principles  and  dispo- 
 sitions to  which  our  Lord  attributes  a  rejection 
 of  the  Gospel ;  and  the  awful  sanctions  both  of 
 promise  and  of  threatening  with  which  it  is 
 offered  to  our  acceptance. — But  it  may  be  ex- 
 pedient further  to  observe,  that  it  will  often  be 
 necessary  to  enter  upon  a  detailed  explanation  of 
 the  occasion,  upon  which  the  several  arguments 
 were  advanced ;  in  order  that  we  may  place  our- 
 selves, as  nearly  as  possible,  in  the  circumstances 
 of  those  to  whom  they  were  addressed.  And  we 
 may  also  observe,  that  our  Lord's  reasonings 
 upon  evidence  are  scarcely  ever  separated  from 
 the  statement  of  his  pretensions,  and  a  practical 
 appeal  to  the  conscience ;  and  that  the  two  latter 
 topics  are  generally  found  in  connexion  with  each 
 other,  even  when  unaccompanied  by  the  first. 
 
 We  have  been  now  endeavouring  to  shew  you, 
 that  a  full  acquaintance  with  the  contents  of  the 
 Gospel  history  is  as  sufficient,  as  it  is  necessary,  to 
 furnish  just  views  of  "the  certainty  of  those  things 
 
Lecture  II.  51 
 
 in  which  we  have  been  instructed."  But  a  full 
 acquaintance  with  all  that  Scripture  teaches  is 
 requisite,  in  order  that  we  may  rightly  understand 
 the  nature  of  "those  things  in  which  we  have 
 been  instructed,"  and  in  which  many  of  us  are 
 called  to  instruct  others.  '-'  Let,  then  the  word  of 
 Christ  dwell  in  us  richly  in  all  wisdom."  The 
 more  we  contemplate  for  ourselves,  and  exhibit  to 
 others,  the  genuine  doctrines  of  Scripture,  in  the 
 manner  in  which  Scripture  itself  reveals  them,  the 
 better  will  our  teaching  be  understood,  and  the 
 more  will  it  edify.  The  more  shall  we  be  "joined 
 together  in  unity  of  spirit,  by  the  doctrine  of  the 
 Apostles  and  Prophets ; "  the  less  will  heresy  or 
 infidelity  disturb,  and  ignorance  and  immorality 
 darken,  our  Zion ;  and  the  more  shall  we  ffgrow 
 into  a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord." — Revealed  reli- 
 gion is  not  a  metaphysical  theory.  Many  such 
 have  been  made,  and  substituted  for  religion ;  but 
 they  have  been  as  unsatisfactory,  and  as  baseless, 
 as  any  in  philosophy.  Thousands  more  might  be 
 created,  as  fast  as  the  canvas  receives  form  and 
 colour  from  the  painter's  hand.  They  may  speak 
 the  same  things  as  cc  the  law  and  the  testimony  ;" 
 if  they  do  not,  "  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in 
 them."  But  a  knowledge  of  the  real  nature  of 
 Revelation,  of  its  connexion,  and  extent,  and  cir- 
 cumstances, would  banish  all  strange  doctrines 
 and  devices  of  men,  and  would  prevent  the  recur- 
 
 d  2 
 
52  Lecture  II. 
 
 rence  of  the  theoretical  propensity;  just  as  the 
 Newtonian  philosophy  subverts  our  belief  of  the 
 old  philosophical   theories,  and  supplies  us  with 
 one   of  real   knowledge,    because   grounded   on 
 certain   facts.     Thus   the  mind  is  disciplined   to 
 reason,  and  brought  into  a  habit  of  calm  inves- 
 tigation; is  emancipated  from  the  power  of  ima- 
 gination ;  and  is  taught  to  prefer  plain  and  sober, 
 though  it  be  yet  imperfect  truth,  to  the  brightest 
 and  most  complete  vision  that  fancy  ever  conjured 
 up.     And  as  theories  are  not  to  be  adopted  as  our 
 Religion,  so  neither  are  they  a  legitimate  objection 
 to  it;    and  for   the   same   reasons.     The   Gospel 
 comes  with  higher  claims ;   with  facts  which  chal- 
 lenge our  belief;  with  observations  the  truth  of 
 which   all  experience  has  proved,  and  still  does 
 prove ;   with  "  the  witness  of  God  which  he  has 
 given  us  of  his  Son."   Let  us  not  then  ">  make  him 
 a  liar/'  by  rejecting  it;  let  us  not  be  "  moved  away 
 from    the   hope   of  the   Gospel   which    we   have 
 heard;"  but  rather  let  us  gladly  meditate  on  its 
 declarations,    rely   upon    its  promises,    desire   its 
 consolations,  live  in  obedience  to  its  precepts,  and, 
 anticipating  the  prospects  which  it  holds  out  to  us, 
 ec  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God." 
 
HULSEAN  LECTURES 
 
 FOR  1821. 
 
 Part  I. 
 LECTURES   IH  — V. 
 
 STATEMENTS  OF  JESUS,  RESPECTING  HIS  PRETENSIONS  AND  THE 
 OBJECT  OF  HIS  MISSION,  WHICH  PRECEDED  HIS  ACTUAL  APPEAL 
 TO    THE     EVIDENCES    IN     CONFIRMATION    OF    THEM. 
 
LECTURE    TIT 
 
 OUR  LORD  S  CONFERENCE  WITH  NICODEMUS. 
 
 St.  John  III.  1  —  3. 
 
 There  teas  a  man  of  the  Pharisees,  named  Nicodemns, 
 a  ruler  of  the  Jews ;  the  same  came  to  Jesus  by  night, 
 and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  we  know  that  thou  art  a 
 teacher  come  from  God ;  for  no  man  can  do  these  mi- 
 racles that  thou  doest,  except  God  be  with  him.  Jesus 
 answered  and  said  unto  him,  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto 
 thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
 kingdom  of  God. 
 
 To  peruse  the  works  of  the  mighty  masters  of 
 reason,  eloquence,  and  pathos,  with  that  sensibility 
 to  their  beauties,  which  attention  and  reflection 
 alone  can  awaken,  affords  a  pleasure,  at  once  pure 
 in  its  kind,  diversified  in  its  form,  and  salutary  in 
 its  influence.  Those,  however,  who  have  accu- 
 rately studied  the  discourses  of  our  Lord ;  who 
 have  made  themselves  familiar  with  his  manner  of 
 instruction;  who  can  judge  of  the  propriety  of  his 
 remarks  from  a  knowledge  of  that  which  occa- 
 sioned them  ;  and  still  more  those,  who  feel  that 
 interest  in  the  subjects  on  which  he  treats,  which 
 
56  Lecture  III. 
 
 their  importance  is  so  fitted  to  excite ; — all  such 
 will  be  disposed  to  assent  to  the  declaration; 
 " Never  man  spake  like  this  man."  "His  word 
 is  with  power;"  for  "he  knew  what  was  in 
 man."  He  appeals  to  the  conscience  in  a  brief, 
 yet  impressive,  manner.  He  displays  the  attri- 
 bute of  Omniscience,  "  which  understands  long- 
 before  the  thoughts "  of  the  heart ;  manifests  an 
 acquaintance  with  the  intentions  of  his  hearers  ; 
 and  answers  the  doubt,  objection,  and  cavil,  when 
 "  scarce  struggling-  into  birth,"  or,  at  least,  not  yet 
 clothed  in  words.  The  questions  upon  which  he 
 decides,  without  hesitation,  embarrassment,  or 
 ambiguity,  are  such  as  calm  the  fears,  remove  the 
 doubts,  and  answer  the  inquiries,  which  have  in 
 all  ages  exercised  the  sagacity  of  our  fellow  men. 
 He  opens  to  us  the  door  of  hope,  points  out  the 
 objects  of  faith,  and  describes  the  pathway  of 
 obedience.  He  speaks  as  befits  one  who  "  has 
 the  words  of  eternal  life  ;"  with  that  solemnity, 
 which  challenges  our  attention;  with  that  authority, 
 which  evidences  not  the  presumptuous  confidence 
 of  the  conceited  sciolist,  but  the  deep  and  abiding 
 conviction  of  him,  who  cc  speaks  of  what  he  has 
 known,  and  who  testifies  what  he  had  seen." 
 And  as  he  declares  to  us  the  awful  alternative  of 
 either  believing  in  him,  or  of  dying  in  our  sins  ; 
 so  he  also  directs  our  attention  to  those  several 
 facts,  considerations,  and  inquiries,  by  which  we 
 
Lecture  III.  57 
 
 may  be  assured  that  he  "  came  forth  from  God;" 
 and  that  "  no  one  cometh  to  the  Father,  but  by 
 him,  as  the  appointed  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life." 
 We  proposed  to  consider  our  Lord's  discourses 
 with  more  especial  reference  to  the  last  mentioned 
 topic  ;  having  previously  noticed  such  as  inform 
 us  respecting  the  claims  which  he  advanced. — 
 Now  the  earliest  statements  of  our  Lord  respect- 
 ing his  mission  and  character  and  office,  are  both 
 important  in  themselves,  and  also  furnish  a  key 
 for  the  right  understanding  of  his  subsequent 
 discourses.  To  several  of  these,  therefore,  we 
 shall  direct  your  attention  ;  all  of  them  such  as 
 were  delivered  previously  to  any  of  those  reason- 
 ings respecting  the  evidences  of  his  mission,  upon 
 which  he  entered  at  a  more  advanced  period  of 
 his  ministry.  Such  is  the  conference  with 
 Nicodemus;  and  that  with  the  Samaritan  woman, 
 and  some  of  her  countrymen.  Such  also  is  the 
 account  given  by  the  first  three  Evangelists  of 
 the  general  tenor  of  our  Lord's  teaching  in 
 Galilee  ;  and,  more  especially,  the  account  given 
 by  St.  Luke  of  his  discourse  in  the  synagogue  of 
 Nazareth.  Such  also  is  the  opening  portion  of  the 
 discourse  recorded  in  St.  John's  fifth  chapter, 
 which  may,  in  some  measure,  be  considered  a 
 continuation  of  the  discourse  with  Nicodemus. 
 A  cursory  review  of  these  several  discourses  of 
 our  Lord,   will  form  the  first  general  division  of 
 
58  Lecture  III. 
 
 our  Lectures  ;  and  will  introduce  us  to  the  con- 
 sideration of  the  second  portion  of  the  last  men- 
 tioned discourse,  which  contains  our  Lord's  first 
 appeal  to  the  evidences  in  confirmation  of  his 
 claims. 
 
 The  remainder  of  our  time  on  this  day  will  be 
 occupied  by  the  consideration  of  our  Lord's  con- 
 ference with  Nicodemus,  which  took  place  at  an 
 early  period  of  his  ministry.  And  it  will  be  ex- 
 pedient, in  order  to  the  better  illustration  of  our 
 Lord's  remarks  on  that  occasion,  first  to  take 
 some  notice  of  the  circumstances  recorded  by 
 St.  John  in  his  two  first  chapters,  and  of  the 
 particular  observations  with  which  he  introduces 
 his  narrative  of  this  conference. 
 
 Very  shortly  after  his  first  miracle  at  Cana  in 
 Galilee,  Jesus  went  up  to  the  passover  at  Jeru- 
 salem. He  then,  for  the  first  time,  shewed  his 
 zeal  against  the  profanation  of  his  Father's  house, 
 by  the  removal  of  the  traders,  and  their  mer- 
 chandize, from  the  outer  court  of  the  temple. 
 For  the  full  proof  of  his  es  authority  to  do  these 
 things,"  he  referred  to  the  future  sign  of  his 
 resurrection  from  the  dead  :  declaring,  figuratively 
 indeed,  but  in  a  manner  which  the  event  proved 
 to  be  distinctly  and  accurately  prophetic,  that 
 when  they  should  u  destroy  the  temple  of  his 
 body,  he  would  raise  it  up  in  three  days."  Even 
 liis  disciples,  who  had  already  believed  on  him. 
 
Lecture  III.  59 
 
 did  not  understand  this   "  till  after  he  was  risen 
 from  the  dead."     But  in  consequence  of  the  testi- 
 mony of  John   the   Baptist,    of  the   more    than 
 liuman  knowledge  displayed  by  Jesus,  and  of  the 
 manifestation  of  his  glory  by  the  miracle  at  Cana, 
 they   had  already   received    sensible,    intelligible, 
 and  sufficient  evidence^  to  justify  a  belief  in   his 
 prophetic  character ;  even  though  they  did  not  at 
 first  understand  the  purport  of  all  that  he  said, 
 and  the  reason   of  all  that  he  did.    And,  at  this 
 passover,  Jesus  exhibited,  and,  as  it  should  seem, 
 very  publicly,    similar  proofs  of  his  divine  com- 
 mission.    Although  we   are  not  told  the  particu- 
 lars respecting  them,  we  are  fully  apprized  of  their 
 effects  upon  those  who  were  present.    ff  When  he 
 was  in  Jerusalem,  at  the  passover,  in  the  feast- 
 day,  many  believed  on  his  name,  when  they  saw 
 the   miracles    which   he   did."      And   afterwards, 
 "  when  he  was  come  into  Galilee,  the  Galileans 
 received  him,  having  seen  all  the  things  that  he 
 did    at   Jerusalem    at    the    feast  V      But  Jesus, 
 "  knowing   all   men,  and   not   needing  that  any 
 should  testify  of  man,  because  he  knew  what  was 
 in   manb,"    was  well    aware   beforehand,   as   the 
 event  has   fully  shewn   to  us,    that   much   fuller 
 evidence  would  be  necessary  so  to  convince  them 
 of  his  heavenly  mission,  as  to  dispose  them  finally 
 
 *  John  ii.  23.    iv.  45.  b  John  ii.  24,  25. 
 
60  Lecture  III. 
 
 to  receive  him  in  all  his  offices,  and  not  to  be 
 offended  in  him,  because  of  what  he  came  to  do., 
 and  to  teach.  To  such  he  "did  not  commit," 
 or  trust,  "  himself,"  by  a  premature  declaration 
 of  his  office  and  purposes.  But  this  general  rule 
 was  not  without  exception  ;  as  the  case  of  Nico- 
 demus,  and  of  the  Samaritans,  will  shew.  To 
 them  he  made  a  more  explicit  declaration  of 
 himself  than  for  some  time  he  did  to  others,  even 
 than  he  made  to  the  twelve  disciples.  And  the 
 reason  of  this  certainly  was,  that  the  rule,  which 
 prudence,  guided  by  a  divine  knowledge,  led  him 
 generally  to  adopt,  did  not  apply  to  them.  He  acted, 
 in  each  of  these  cases,  according  to  his  accurate 
 knowledge  of  what  was  proper  and  expedient. 
 This  observation,  premised  in  fact  by  the  Evan- 
 gelist himself  before  he  relates  these  incidents, 
 should  be  attentively  borne  in  mind  in  the  con- 
 sideration of  both  of  them  ;  and  we  trust  that  the 
 distinction  between  these  two  cases,  compared 
 with  each  other,  and  also  with  the  general  conduct 
 of  our  Lord  during  his  ministry,  will  appear  from 
 what  we  offer  in  this,  and  a  subsequent,  discourse. 
 This  observation  of  the  Evangelist,  is  indeed  one 
 of  great  importance  ;  for  it  explains  the  principle 
 upon  which  Jesus  acted  throughout  his  ministry. 
 And  as  an  important  rule  for  the  interpretation 
 of  the  Gospels  is  suggested  by  it,  we  must  not 
 lose  siffht  of  it  while  we  endeavour  to  ascertain. 
 
Lecture  III.  61 
 
 from  some  of  our  Lord's  earliest  discourses,  the 
 several  views  in  which  he  places  his  character, 
 and  office. 
 
 We  are  informed,  by  the  Evangelist,  imme- 
 diately afterwards,  that  "  there  was  a  man  of  the 
 Pharisees,  named  Nicodemus,  a  ruler  of  the  Jews, 
 who  came  to  Jesus  by  night,"  and  made  the 
 following  profession  of  his  own  belief,  and  pro- 
 bably that  of  some  others;  together  with  the 
 reasons  upon  which  it  was  founded.  "  Rabbi, 
 we  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God  ; 
 for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  that  thou  doest, 
 except  God  be  with  him."  This  was  a  declara- 
 tion, which  implied  his  full  conviction  of  the 
 reality  of  those  miracles  ;  and  which  shews  that 
 he  drew  from  them  that  inference,  in  the  pro- 
 priety of  which  the  records  of  the  Old  Testament 
 would  abundantly  instruct  him  ;  which  must  ever 
 be  drawn  by  every  unprejudiced  inquirer  from 
 an  evident  and  well-attested  miracle  ;  and  which, 
 indeed,  cannot  consistently  be  set  aside,  except  by 
 subverting  all  reliance  on  human  senses  and 
 human  testimony,  or  by  proving  that  there  is  no 
 God  to  reveal  his  will  to  man.  It  was  not  upon 
 such  grounds  that  the  rulers  and  people  of  the 
 Jews  ever  hesitated  to  admit  the  authority  of  Jesus ; 
 but  because  their  prejudices,  and  fondly  cherished 
 expectations,  were  painfully  counteracted  and  dis- 
 appointed.    The  miracles,  and  some  parts  of  our 
 
62  Lecture  111. 
 
 Lord's  teaching-,  frequently  operated  to  produce 
 a  conviction  in  his  favour,  and  that  apparently 
 deep,  decided,  and  vehement  in  its  character. 
 But  the  current  was  always  arrested  in  its  course, 
 and  ultimately  seemed  to  be  wholly  diverted  in 
 another  direction,  by  his  faithful  and  precise 
 annunciation  at  such  times  of  the  mysterious  and 
 unwelcome  truths,  which  must  be  received  by  all 
 that  would  be  his  disciples.  "  Some  even  of  the 
 rulers  believed  on  him ;"  but  the  temporal  penalties 
 which  the  power  and  unbelief  of  their  brethren 
 would  draw  down  upon  them,  deterred  them  even 
 from  advancing  so  far  as  Nicodemus.  In  him 
 our  Lord  had  a  candid  judge,  and  a  willing- 
 disciple  ;  one  impeded,  as  much  as  his  fellow 
 countrymen,  by  the  peculiar  prejudices  of  a  Jew 
 and  a  Pharisee;  but  who,  amidst  all  the  doubts 
 and  difficulties  which  perplexed  his  mind,  and 
 amidst  all  the  weakness  and  fear  which,  in  some 
 measure,  kept  him  back  from  an  open  acknow- 
 ledgement of  his  faith,  still  retained  that  hardi- 
 hood of  a  candid  and  reasonable  mind,  which 
 resolves,  and  which  sooner  or  later  acts  upon  the 
 resolution,  to  abide  by  truth,  however  unwelcome, 
 which  is  evidenced  to  be  such  by  undeniable  and 
 sufficient  proofs.  He  comes  to  our  Lord  with 
 a  conviction,  and  in  a  temper,  which  he  seems 
 to  have  ever  retained.  He  comes  with  all  his 
 prejudices  strong,  and  with  his  mind  imperfectly 
 
Lecture  111.  63 
 
 apprehending  the  office  of  him,  whom  he  re- 
 spected as  ffa  teacher  come  from  God."  But 
 believing1  him  to  be  such,  he  is  willing  to  learn 
 from  him  "  the  way  of  God  more  perfectly." 
 Jesus,  therefore,  knowing  both  his  imperfect  know- 
 ledge, and  his  desire  of  instruction  ;  and  that  he 
 would  never  employ  it  to  further  the  hasty  and 
 malignant  opposition  of  his  brother  Pharisees, 
 gives  to  such  a  one  an  early,  and  comprehensive, 
 though  at  that  period  to  him  a  difficult,  statement 
 respecting  "  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven."  But  Nicodemus  adopted,  in  all  its 
 bearings,  the  principle  which  he  afterwards  re- 
 commended to  the  Jewish  council,  and  which  it 
 becomes  us  also  to  adopt,  as  claiming  the  assent 
 of  every  impartial  judge  in  this  matter.  "  Doth 
 our  law  judge  any  man,  before  it  hear  him,  and 
 know  what  he  doetha?"  He  observed  the  works 
 and  conduct  of  Jesus,  and  attentively  considered 
 his  instructions.  By  proceeding  in  the  same  way, 
 we  can  judge  upon  grounds  as  reasonable  as  he 
 did ;  and  shall  doubtless,  come  to  the  same  con- 
 clusion respecting  "  Jesus,  who  is  called  Christ." 
 
 The  instructions,  which  our  Lord  gave  in 
 answer  to  the  profession  of  Nicodemus,  connect 
 themselves   immediately  with  the  previous  decla- 
 
 :i  See  John  vii.  51. 
 
64  Lecture  111. 
 
 rations  of  the  Baptist  respecting  the  near  approach 
 of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,,  the  baptism  with  water 
 unto  repentance.,  and  the  predicted  baptism  of  the 
 Spirit.  And  we  may  be  well  assured,  that  one 
 who  was  a  member  of  that  council,  which  sent 
 an  official  deputation  to  John  to  inquire  who  he 
 was,  and  why  he  baptized,  was  well  aware  of 
 the  tenor  and  purport  of  the  Baptist's  instructions. 
 We  cannot,  indeed,  at  all  doubt  it,  when  we 
 consider  the  publicity  of  his  labours,  and  the 
 inquiring  temper  of  Nicodemus.  And  we  may, 
 with  great  probability,  suppose,  that  the  authori- 
 tative act  of  Jesus  in  the  temple,  connected  with 
 his  miracles,  disposed  this  ruler  to  suppose,  that 
 he  was  the  mightier  one  of  whom  John  spoke ; 
 and  either  that  he  was  the  Christ,  or  that  Prophet 
 whom  they  expected.  If  he  had  also  been  informed 
 that  John  had  borne  witness  personally  to  Jesus, 
 he  might  have  already  come  to  the  conclusion, 
 which  others  afterwards  expressed ;  "  John  did 
 no  miracle,  but  all  things  that  John  spake  of  this 
 man  were  true3."  In  some  such  frame  of  mind, 
 however,  he  came  to  Jesus,  and  Jesus  meets  his 
 implied  desire  of  instruction  from  a  divine  teacher, 
 by  unfolding  to  him  more  fully  and  definitely 
 than  John  had  taught  it : 
 
 John  x.  41. 
 
Lecture  III.  65 
 
 1.  The  necessity  of  baptismal  and  spiritual 
 regeneration.,  in  order  to  see  and  enter  into 
 the  kingdom  of  God ;  either  to  understand 
 its  nature  and  provisions,  or  to  enter  upon 
 the  possession  of  its  privileges. 
 
 2.  The  certainty  of  the  mysteries  of  the  king- 
 dom of  heaven,  as  taught  by  the  Son  of  man, 
 who  came  down  from  heaven. 
 
 3.  The  great  and  crowning  event,  which  would 
 lead  to  the  setting  up  of  that  kingdom,  with 
 a  statement  of  its  origin  and  design ;  and  the 
 necessity  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God  in  order 
 to  partake  of  the  blessings  thereby  procured. 
 
 4.  The  condemnation  of  those,  who  disbelieve, 
 and  its  justice  evinced  by  the  motives  which 
 give  rise  to  such  a  rejection. 
 
 I.  The  answer  which  Jesus  gives  to  the  de- 
 claration with  which  Nicodemus  accosted  him, 
 appears,  at  first  sight,  abrupt ;  and  it  is,  in  fact, 
 an  answer  to  something  implied,  rather  than  ex- 
 pressed, in  the  words  of  Nicodemus.  But  if  we 
 bear  in  mind  the  observation  which  the  Evangelist 
 has  premised,  that  Jesus  "  needed  not  that  any 
 should  testify  of  man,  because  he  knew  what  was 
 in  man ;"  and  if  we  remember  also,  that  Nico- 
 demus declared  his  confidence  in  Jesus  as  a  divine 
 teacher,  at  a  time  when  the  Jews  were  expecting 
 the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
 after  the  approach  of  that  kingdom  had  already 
 
 E 
 
66  Lecture  HI. 
 
 been  announced  by  the  Baptist;  it  seems  probable 
 that  he  supposed  that  the  mission  of  Jesus, 
 sanctioned  by  miracles.,  and  superior,  therefore, 
 to  that  of  the  Baptist,  had  reference  to  the 
 kingdom  which  John  had  proclaimed.  And  such 
 indeed  was  the  subject,  in  which  Jesus  was  pre- 
 pared to  instruct  those,  who  allowed  him  to  be 
 ffa  teacher  come  from  God."  He  therefore  im- 
 mediately entered  upon  it  with  Nicodemus;  there- 
 by confirming"  his  suspicions,  and  meeting  his 
 wishes ;  although  he  began  by  a  statement  which 
 was  designed  to  rectify  his  erroneous  conceptions. 
 C(  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man 
 be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
 God." 
 
 A  Gentile,  when  converted  to  Judaism,  aban- 
 doned his  former  principles,  and  began,  as  it 
 were,  a  new  life ;  and  they  themselves  inculcated 
 upon  him  such  a  thorough  revolution  of  senti- 
 ment, and  acknowledged  the  necessity  of  it. 
 But  a  change  of  the  same  nature  was  also  requi- 
 site for  the  Jew,  as  the  very  door  and  entrance 
 into  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  many  incorrect 
 notions,  which  they  had  adopted,  would  be  an 
 insuperable  obstacle,  until  they  were  abandoned, 
 and  replaced  by  others  of  a  wholly  different 
 aspect.  This  Jesus  announced  in  general  terms 
 at  first ;  and  in  words  which  appear  to  refer  only 
 to  obstacles   of   such  a    nature   as  we  have  just 
 
Lecture  III.  6? 
 
 mentioned,  whether,  in  fact,  they  be  Jewish  or 
 Gentile  prejudices.  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
 thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot 
 see  the  kingdom  of  God."  The  verb  (yewr)9ri) 
 being  in  the  past  tense,  both  in  this  verse,  and 
 in  a  subsequent  one,  it  would,  perhaps,  be  more 
 accurately  rendered,  "Unless  any  one  has  been 
 born  (or  rather  begotten)  anew,  he  cannot  see 
 the  kingdom  of  God."  He  does  not  yet  speak 
 of  water  and*  the  Spirit;  nor  does  he  yet  use 
 the  expression,  "enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
 There  seems  reason  to  believe,  that  this  differ- 
 ence of  expression  is  not  merely  casual ;  and  that 
 in  this  proposition  he  does  not  advance  so  far  as 
 in  the  subsequent  one  ;  but  that  he  speaks  only 
 of  the  disposition  to  which  we  have  already  allu- 
 ded, viz.,  a  readiness  to  abandon  all  those  pre- 
 conceived opinions,  which,  as  long  as  we  resolutely 
 abide  by  them,  oppose  the  admission  of  revealed 
 truth ;  and  to  embrace  those  which  bear  the  impress 
 of  divine  authority,  though  they  may  have  been 
 unexpected,  and  are  at  variance  both  with  our  pre- 
 judices, and  inclinations.  This,  in  fact,  seems 
 to  parallel  another  of  our  Lord's  declarations,  in 
 which  he  speaks  of  the  necessity  of  being  "taught 
 of  Goda;"  and  also  that  of  St.  Paul,  in  which 
 he  declares,  that  "no  man,  speaking  by  the  Spirit 
 
 a  John  vi.  45. 
 E  2 
 
68  Lecture  III. 
 
 of  God,  calleth  Jesus  accursed ;  and  that  no  man 
 can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy 
 Ghost  V  The  same  Apostle  also  laments  that 
 the  Jews,  "being-  ignorant  of  God's  righteous- 
 ness, and  going  about  to  establish  their  own 
 righteousness,  have  not  submitted  themselves  to 
 the  righteousness  of  God ;  for  Christ  is  the  end 
 of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that 
 believeth b."  "Christ  crucified  was  to  the  Jews  a 
 stumbling-block,  and  unto  the  Greeks  foolishness  ;" 
 but  he,  who  had  been  begotten  anew  to  more 
 correct  views  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  would  see 
 that  et  Christ  was  the  power  of  God,  and  the 
 wisdom  of  God  ;"  and  thus  seeing  and  believing, 
 would  desire  to  be  "baptized  in  the  name  of 
 Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  that  he 
 might  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost0." 
 
 This  further  step  in  the  way  of  salvation  by 
 the  Gospel,  our  Lord  proceeded  to  explain  to 
 Nicodemus,  who  misunderstood  the  former  state- 
 ment, by  supposing  it  to  speak  of  a  literal  birth. 
 ec  Jesus  answered  and  said,  Except  a  man  be 
 born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter 
 into  the  kingdom  of  God."  The  full  import  of 
 these  words  Nicodemus  certainly  could  not  com- 
 prehend;  but  their  general  tenor  he  might  have 
 
 ;i  I  Cor.  xii.  3.  h  Rom.  x.  3,  4. 
 
 c   1  Cor.  i.  23,  24.     Acts  ii.  38. 
 
Lecture  III.  69 
 
 apprehended,  from  the  passages,  in  which  Moses 
 speaks  of  the  circumcision  of  the  heart,  and  in 
 which  David  prays  for  the  renewal  of  a  right 
 spirit,  and  his  establishment  by  the  free  Spirit  of 
 God,  in  order  that,  "having  been  shapen  in 
 iniquity,  and  conceived  in  sin,  he  might  be  made 
 to  know  wisdom d."  The  same  also  might  he 
 learn  from  many  passages,  in  which  the  prophets 
 connect  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  with  an  allusion 
 to  the  pouring  out  and  sprinkling  with  water,  in 
 order  that  God  might  ce  write  his  laws  upon  their 
 hearts  in  the  latter  days6."  And  more  especially, 
 might  he  have  learnt  the  meaning  of  these  things, 
 if  not,  as  "  the  Teacher  of  Israel,"  yet  as  the 
 disciple  of  the  Baptist,  who  had  accompanied 
 the  preaching  of  the  kingdom  with  the  adminis- 
 tration of  baptism ;.  at  the  same  time  exhorting 
 to  a  repentance  issuing  in  reformation,  and  pre- 
 dicting the  baptism  of  the  Spirit.  We,  at  least, 
 comparing  the  baptismal  doctrine  of  John  with 
 these  words  of  our  Lord,  with  the  remainder 
 of  his  teaching,  with  his  last  commission  to  the 
 Apostles,  and  with  their  practice  and  declarations 
 in  consequence  of  it,  can  surely  be  at  no  loss 
 to  understand  the  meaning  of  our  Lord.     And  we 
 
 d  Deut.  x.  16;  xxx.  6.     Psalm  li.  5—13. 
 e  Isai.  xliv.  3 — 5;  lv.  I.     Jer.  xxxi.  31—34.     Ezek.  xxxvu 
 25—27.     See  also  Numb.  xix.  20. 
 
70  Lecture  III. 
 
 shall  not  surely  doubt,  that,  although  "  to  be  bap- 
 tized  with    water   and   the   Holy   Ghost,    to   be 
 received   into  Christ's   holy  Church,    and    to   be 
 made  lively  members  of  the  same,"  is  assuredly 
 "that  thing,  which  by  nature  we  cannot  have;" 
 yet  that  "  a  means  by  which  we  receive  the  same, 
 and  a  pledge  to  assure  us  thereof,"  is  instituted  in 
 Christ's  Church3.     We,  as  Christians,   have  al- 
 ready been  instructed  to  believe,  that,  "  after  that 
 the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  towards 
 man    appeared,    not    by   works  of  righteousness 
 which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy 
 God  hath  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration, 
 and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost;   which  he 
 hath    shed   upon   us   abundantly    through   Jesus 
 Christ  our  Saviour;   that,  being  justified  by  his 
 grace,  we  should  be  made  heirs,  according  to  the 
 hope  of  eternal  lifeV    This  is  certainly  the  insti- 
 tuted, covenanted,  and  ordinary  way,  in  which  we 
 are  brought  to  "enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  ;" 
 by  which  we  are  enabled  to  walk  therein  as  the 
 sons  of  God,  and  to  grow  in  grace  and  holiness, 
 till  we  are  made  meet,  by  means  of  God's  word, 
 and  the  various  ordinances  of  his  house,  to  be  "par- 
 takers of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light." 
 The  end  for  which  these  doctrines  are  revealed, 
 
 il  Baptismal  Service,  and  Catechism. 
 h  Titus  iii.  4—7. 
 
Lecture  III.  71 
 
 and  these  assistances  provided,  is  undoubtedly 
 this,  "that  we  may  be  sanctified  wholly  ;  and  that 
 our  whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and  body,  may  be  pre- 
 served blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ0."  Our  Lord  obviously  refers  to  this 
 subject,  when  he  says  to  Nicodemus,  "  That  which 
 is  born  of  the  flesh,  is  flesh ;  and  that  which  is 
 born  of  the  Spirit,  is  spirit."  And  it  must  occur 
 to  every  one  who  is  acquainted  with  the  language 
 of  the  New  Testament,  that  a  like  phraseology  is 
 employed  in  many  other  passages ;  perhaps  in 
 almost  all  that  treat  of  the  nature,  and  operation, 
 of  human  depravity ;  and  of  that  "  renovation  in 
 the  spirit  of  our  mind,"  by  which  we  are  ""created 
 anew  in  knowledge,  righteousness,  and  true  holi- 
 ness, after  the  image  of  him  that  first  created 
 usd."  By  our  natural  birth,  we  also,  as  well  as 
 Adam,  are  made  "living  souls;"  but  by  our 
 descent  from  him,  we  also  partake  of  that  ci  fault 
 and  corruption  of  the  nature  of  every  man,  that 
 naturally  is  engendered  of  the  offspring  of  Adam  ; 
 whereby  man  is  very  far  gone  from  original  right- 
 eousness, and  is  of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil, 
 so  that  the  flesh  lusteth  always  contrary  to  the 
 
 c  1  Thess.  v.  23. 
 
 d  See  more  particularly  from  Rom.  vii.  14.  to  the  17th  verse 
 of  the  following  chapter.  1  Cor.  ii.  9 — 16*.  and  hi.  1 — 4.  xv. 
 12—54.  Gal.  v.  13.  to  the  end,  and  vi.  1—8. 
 
72  Lecture  III. 
 
 Spirit1."  The  spirit  of  man,  the  intellectual  and 
 more  exalted  part  of  his  nature,  is,  in  consequence 
 of  the  fall,  so  impaired  and  disordered,  as  to  have 
 lost  its  ascendancy  over  the  body  and  soul,  the 
 inferior  and  merely  animal  part  of  his  frame ; 
 which  in  another  passage  is  called  the  flesh,  with 
 its  affections  and  lustsb."  "  In  our  flesh  dwelleth 
 no  good  thing;"  for  ffwe  see  a  law  in  our  members 
 warring  against  the  law  of  our  mind,  and  bringing 
 us  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  our 
 members;"  so  that  "they  that  are  in  the  flesh 
 cannot  please  God."  "  But,"  adds  the  Apostle, 
 f  ye  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  spirit,  if  so  be 
 that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  youc."  For,  as 
 our  Lord  observes,  "  that  which  is  born  of  the 
 flesh,  is  flesh ;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit, 
 is  spirit."  And  we  must  derive  this  spiritual  life 
 from  "the  second  Adam,  who  was  made  a  quick- 
 ening spirit'1;"  for  he  "  baptizeth  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost6,"  and  has  instituted  the  external  and  visible 
 sign  of  water  in  baptism,  as  a  symbol  of  the  in- 
 ward and  spiritual  grace  of  regeneration  by  the 
 
 a  Article  IX.  On  Original  or  Birth  Sin.  —  A  reference  to 
 the  remainder  of  that  Article  will  further  shew,  how  closely  our 
 Reformers  adhered  to  the  scriptural  representation  of  the  con- 
 stitution of  our  nature,  and  of  the  disorder  which  the  fall  has 
 occasioned. 
 
 b  Gal.  v.  24.  r  Rom.  vii.  18,  23 ;  viii.  8,  9. 
 
 A  1  Cor.  xv.  45.  e  John  i.  33. 
 
Lecture  III.  73 
 
 Holy  Ghost ;   to  be  "  a  means  whereby  we  receive 
 the  same,  and  a  pledge  to  assure  us  thereof." 
 
 He  who  has  observed,  and  duly  considered, 
 this  Scriptural  view  of  the  constitution  of  man,  as 
 consisting  of  "body,  soul,  and  spiritf,"  will  find 
 that  many  passages  have  appeared  obscure,  prin- 
 cipally in  consequence  of  inattention  to  the  uni- 
 formity and  consistency  which  characterises  the 
 language  of  Scripture  on  this  subject.  He  will 
 see  how  the  word  of  God  "pierces  even  to  the 
 dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit-,"  in  its  accu- 
 rate descriptions  of  the  state  of  human  nature;  and 
 how  wondrously  the  blessings  which  it  announces 
 are  adapted  to  the  spiritual  necessities  of  man. 
 A  summary  of  the  design  of  the  Gospel,  as  "the 
 ministration  of  the  Spirit'1,"  and  of  its  necessity 
 in  order  to  the  regeneration  and  salvation  of  man- 
 kind, is  given  by  our  Lord  to  Nicodemus ;  the 
 whole  of  which  we  will  now  cite,  in  the  hope  that 
 the  preceding  remarks  may  have  tended  to  elu- 
 cidate them.  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 
 Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit, 
 he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  That 
 which  is  born  of  the   flesh,   is   flesh ;   and   that 
 
 f  The  original  words  are  vu^a,  ^/v-^rj,  and  nrveufxa  ;  and  <rdpg 
 is  frequently  used,  and  contrasted  with  -rrvevfxa,  as  including  the 
 two  first. 
 
 s  Heb.  iv.  12.  h  2  Cor.  iii.  8. 
 
74  Lecture  111. 
 
 which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  spirit.  Marvel  not 
 that  I  said  unto  thee,  Ye  must  be  born  again. 
 The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  nearest 
 the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it 
 cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth ;  so  is  every  one 
 that  is  born  of  the  Spirit." 
 
 By  the  comparison  employed  in  the  conclusion 
 of  these  words,  our  Lord  teaches  us,  that  although 
 he,  "  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit/'  cannot  discover 
 the  cause,  or  comprehend  the  mode,  of  the  ope- 
 rations of  the  Spirit,  this  does  not  disprove  their 
 necessity,  or  their  reality;  for  he  can  perceive  their 
 effects.  To  adopt  the  language  of  an  Apostle  on 
 this  subject,  such  an  one  knows  that  the  "  natural 
 man  (\|/vxi/cos-  avtipwiros)  receiveth  not  the  things  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  neither  can  he  know  them, 
 because  they  are  spiritually  discerned3."  He 
 knows  that  there  is  a  "spirit  in  man;  and  that  the 
 inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth  them  under- 
 standingb;"  so  that  "he  that  is  spiritual  judgeth  all 
 things."  He  knows  that  "  if  he  lives  after  the  flesh, 
 he  shall  die;  but  if  through  the  spirit,  he  mortifies 
 the  deeds  of  the  body,  he  shall  live;" — that  "if 
 he  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his  ; 
 and  if  Christ  be  in  him,  the  body  is  dead,  because 
 of  sin,  but  the  spirit  is  life,  because  of  righteous- 
 ness0;" that  "they  that  are  Christ's,  have  crucified 
 
 a  1  Cor.  ii.  14,  1.5.  b  Job  xxxii.  8. 
 
 c  Rom.  viii.  13,  9,  10. 
 
Lecture  III.  75 
 
 the  flesh,  with  the  affections  and  lusts ;" — that 
 ffif  he  walks  in  the  spirit,  he  shall  not  fulfil  the 
 lusts  of  the  flesh d;" — that  fCas  many  as  are  led  by 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  Sons  of  God ;':' 
 — that  "  the  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  their 
 spirit,  that  they  are  the  children  of  God ;  and  if 
 children,  then  heirs  ;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs 
 with  Christ6." 
 
 Thus  comprehensive  and  important  is  this  first 
 and  most  difficult  portion  of  the  discourse  of  ouc 
 Lord  to  Nicodemus.  We  shall  now  do  little  more 
 than  refer  to  the  remaining  parts  of  it ;  especially 
 as  some  of  the  views,  which  they  contain,  will 
 hereafter  come  under  our  notice,  particularly  in 
 the  discourse  delivered  after  the  cure  of  the 
 impotent  man;  which  is  a  continuation  and 
 enlargement  of  some  of  the  statements  made  to 
 Nicodemus. 
 
 II.  Surprised  and  perplexed  by  what  he  had 
 just  heard,  Nicodemus  asked,  "How  can  these 
 things  be  ?  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him, 
 Art  thou  a  master  of  Israel,  and  knowest  not 
 these  things  ?  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  We 
 speak  that  we  do  know,  and  testify  that  we  have 
 seen,  and  ye  receive  not  our  witness.  If  I  have 
 told  you  earthly  things  and  ye  believe  not,  how 
 shall  ye  believe,  if  I  tell  you  of  heavenly  things  ? 
 
 d  Gal.  v.  24,  16.  "  Rom.  viii.  14—17. 
 
76  Lecture  III. 
 
 And  no  man  hath  ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  he 
 that  came  down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of 
 man,  which  is  in  heaven."  As  if  he  had  said,  "  I 
 have  spoken  of  things,  respecting  which  the  oracles 
 of  God,  committed  to  you,  are  by  no  means  silent. 
 I  have  described  them  in  phraseology  which  you 
 yourselves  have  also  employed  upon  a  similar 
 subject.  I  declare  them  from  my  own  knowledge 
 and  observation.  And  yet  you  do  not  seem  dis- 
 posed to  receive  my  witness  respecting  them, 
 though  you  have  had  evidence  that  I  am  a  divine 
 teacher;  and  though  that  evidence  has  induced 
 you  to  think  me  such.  Yet  I  am  sent  to  reveal 
 truths  still  more  sublime.  But  if  ye  believe  not 
 what  I  tell  you  respecting  "earthly  things,"  which 
 relate  personally  to  yourselves,  which  are  attested  by 
 your  own  experience,  and  which  can  be  illustrated 
 by  allusion  to  terrestrial  and  familiar  objects  ; 
 "how  will  ye  believe,  if  I  tell  you  of  heavenly 
 things,"  which  are  so  remote  from  your  apprehen- 
 sions; which  none  ever  yet  knew,  which  none 
 could  ever  communicate,  but  the  Son  of  man.  For 
 no  other  man  hath  ascended  into  heaven,  but  he 
 Acame  down  from  heaven;  for  heaven  is  his  native 
 and  peculiar  abode. 
 
 III.  Having  thus  adopted,  for  the  first  time, 
 the  title  of  the  Son  of  man,  in  a  manner  which 
 clearly  implied  that  he  applied  it  to  himself,  and 
 the  prophetic  usage  of  which  Nicodemus  would 
 
Lecture  III.  77 
 
 probably  recollect",  Jesus  proceeded  further  to 
 instruct  Nicodemus  respecting  the  method  in 
 which  the  Son  of  man  would  accomplish  his 
 mission,  and  alluded,  prophetically,  to  the  closing 
 scene  of  his  life.  He  compared  with  it  the  last 
 miracle  of  the  life  of  Moses,  which  bore  a  typical 
 resemblance  to  it;  thereby  again  stating  respecting 
 the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  man,  what  would  by 
 no  means  be  conformable  to  the  expectations  of 
 a  Jew.  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the 
 wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted 
 up,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
 perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Asserting,  once 
 and  again,  the  necessity  of  faith  in  the  Son  of 
 man,  in  order  to  a  reception  of  the  benefits  of  his 
 mission,  Jesus  yet  more  distinctly  announced  to 
 his  disciple  the  universal  extent  of  the  intended 
 mercy,  the  spiritual  nature  of  the  blessings  which 
 it  conferred,  the  pure  source  from  whence  they 
 flowed,  and  the  divine  original  of  the  Son  of  man, 
 who  was  sent  to  reveal,  and  to  communicate  them. 
 iC  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
 begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him, 
 should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  For 
 God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world,  to  condemn 
 the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  him  might 
 be  saved." 
 
 a  Dan.  vii.  13,  14. 
 
78  Lecture  III. 
 
 The  truths  conveyed  in  these  words  are, 
 indeed,,  familiar  to  our  ears,  and  memories,  and 
 understandings.  They  are  truths  in  which  we 
 have  been  again  and  again  instructed.  We  have 
 need.,  however,,  to  see  to  it,  that,  while  we  do  in 
 words,  and  even  in  our  judgment,  acknowledge 
 their  certainty,  we  do  not  fi  frustrate  the  grace  of 
 God,  and  receive  it  in  vain."  We  have  need  fre- 
 quently to  call  to  mind,  that  as  the  comforts  and 
 prospects  which  they  offer  to  us,  are  great  and 
 eternal,  so  the  end  of  them  "that  obey  not  the 
 truth  in  the  love  of  it,"  and  who  are  not  through  it 
 "transformed  by  the  renewing  of  their  minds,"  is 
 a  fearful  and  a  hopeless  one.  I  know  not  what 
 words  can  more  forcibly  represent  these  things  to 
 us,  more  fully  represent  to  us  the  justice  of  our 
 condemnation,  and  more  powerfully  call  upon  us 
 to  inquire  into  the  real  cause  of  our  unbelief, 
 negligence,  and  disobedience,  than  the  concluding- 
 words  of  our  Lord's  discourse. 
 
 IV.  "He  that  believeth  on  him  is  not  con- 
 demned ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned 
 already,  because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name 
 of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God.  And  this  is  the 
 condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into  the  world, 
 and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light,  because 
 their  deeds  are  evil.  For  every  one  that  doeth 
 evil,  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light, 
 lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved.     But  he  that 
 
Lecture  III.  79 
 
 doeth  truth  cometh  to  the  light;  that  his  deeds  may 
 be  made  manifest,  that  they  are  wrought  in  God." 
 Men  would  fain  attribute  their  unbelief  to  other 
 causes  rather  than  this.  And  there  are,  undoubt- 
 edly, "sinful  desires  of  the  mind/'  as  well  as  "of  the 
 flesh."  There  is  a  perversity  of  understanding, 
 which  can  offer  plausible  apologies  for  error,  both 
 doctrinal,  and  practical.  But  we  fear  that  the 
 cause  specified  in  the  text  is  of  more  general  in- 
 fluence than  meets  the  ken  of  mortal  eye.  Even 
 when  we  endeavour  to  analyze  our  own  principles, 
 we  may  overlook  the  love  of  sin  as  a  primary, 
 though  concealed,  cause,  whether  of  infidelity,  or 
 of  perversion  of  the  truth.  We  must,  then, 
 earnestly  "examine  ourselves  whether  we  be  in 
 the  faith."  We  must  see  "that  the  light  that  is 
 in  us  be  not  darkness ;  for  if  it  be,  how  great  is 
 that  darkness!"  how  impenetrable!  how  dismal! 
 and  how  fatal !  And  the  great  danger  of  such 
 a  situation  is,  not  only  that  we  are  in  darkness, 
 when  we  walk  in  the  paths  of  sin,  but  that  we 
 "  love  darkness  rather  than  light ! "  For  "  light  is 
 that  which  makes  manifest,"  and  the  lamp  of  God's 
 word  shews  us  the  appalling  view  of  our  guilt,  and 
 condemnation,  and  danger.  We  cannot  bear  such 
 a  light,  and  we  therefore  hate  it.  We  will  not 
 come  to  it,  lest  our  deeds  should  be  reproved.  We 
 become,  at  length,  so  habituated  to  our  state,  and 
 so  reluctant  to  change  it,  that  as  soon  might  we 
 
80  Lecture  111. 
 
 suppose  that  one  who  has  been  brought  up  in  the 
 depths  of  a  mine,  or  been  immured  for  years  in 
 the  darksome  dungeon,  can  bear  to  emerge  at  once 
 into  the  light  of  the  midday  sun,  as  that  the  man,, 
 whose  principles  and  conduct  are  inconsistent  with 
 the  dictates  of  religion,  will  readily  subject  them 
 to  the  text  of  that  word  of  God,  which  is  "  a  dis- 
 cerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart." 
 Yet  the  works  of  darkness  are  " unfruitful  works;" 
 and  "  the  end  of  them  is  death  ;"  but,  on  the  con- 
 trary, "reproofs  of  instruction  are  the  way  of  life." 
 Let  us  then  resolve,  to  "  walk  in  the  light  of  the 
 Lord  ;"  and  to  "  prove  what  is  the  good,  and 
 acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God."  Let  us  not 
 defer  this  resolution  ;  lest  our  heart  become  more 
 "hardened  through  the  deceitfulness  of  sin  •"  and 
 we  at  the  same  time  become  so  familiar  with  those 
 truths,  which  ought  to  undeceive,  reform,  and 
 sanctify  us,  as  to  disqualify  them  from  giving,  and 
 ourselves  from  receiving,  the  necessary  instruction 
 and  conviction.  But  if  we  receive  the  word  in  an 
 honest  and  good  heart,  and  press  on  towards  per- 
 fection, we  shall  derive  abundantly  more  satisfaction 
 in  the  conviction,  "that  our  deeds  are  wrought  in 
 God,"  than  ever  the  ways  of  sin  could  afford. 
 And  our  security  will  be  as  great  as  our  happiness. 
 But  those  on  the  contrary,  who  hate  the  light  of 
 truth,  destitute  alike  of  knowledge  to  direct  the 
 steps,  and  of  comfort  to  rejoice  the  heart,  will  walk 
 
Lecture  III.  81 
 
 on  still  in  darkness ;  until  "  their  feet  stumble 
 upon  the  dark  mountains  ;  and  while  they  look  for 
 light,  the  Lord  their  God  turn  it  into  the  shadow 
 of  death,  and  make  it  gross  darkness*." 
 
 a  Jer.  xiii.  16. 
 
 i 
 
LECTURE    IV. 
 
 OUR     LORD  S    TEACHING    IN    SAMARIA    AND    GALILEE. 
 
 AT   WHAT   PERIOD,   AND   FOR   WHAT   REASON,    HE 
 
 BEGAN  TO   ARGUE   IN    DEFENCE  OF  HIS   MISSION. 
 
 Matthew  IV.  23. 
 
 And  Jesus  went,  about  all  Galilee,  teaching  in  their 
 synagogues,  and  preaching  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom, 
 and  healing  all  manner  of  sickness,  and  all  manner  of 
 disease  among  the  people. 
 
 We  know  that  cc  Jesus  of  Nazareth  went  about 
 doing  good ;"  that  he  imparted  health  to  the 
 diseased,  consolation  to  the  distressed,  and  in- 
 struction to  the  ignorant.  As  in  reading  the  his- 
 tory of  the  benevolent  Howard,  so  also  in  perusing 
 that  of  Jesus,  our  admiration  is  mingled  with 
 a  feeling  of  thankful  satisfaction  that  such  an  one 
 has  appeared  among  mortals,  gifted  with  the  dis- 
 position and  the  ability  to  alleviate  te  the  miseries 
 of  this  sinful  world." — But  it  is  not  merely  as 
 a  Philanthropist  that  we  must  contemplate  the 
 character  of  Jesus.  For  at  the  moment  that  we 
 are  sympathizing  in  the  joy  of  those  who  are 
 rejoicing  because  he  has  dried  up  their  tears,  we 
 find  a  claim  presented  to  ourselves  for  somewhat 
 more   than  admiration.      We    find   that    he   has 
 
Lecture    IV.  83 
 
 somewhat  to  declare  to  us,  as  well  as  to  the  im- 
 mediate objects  of  his  more  than  human  benefi- 
 cence. He  has  excited  indeed  a  deep  interest  in 
 our  minds  ;  but  we  perceive  that  his  design  is  not 
 accomplished,  unless  he  can  prevail  upon  us  to 
 recognize  in  himself  the  features  of  a  messenger 
 of  God,  and,  with  unabated  interest,  and  also  with 
 implicit  obedience,  to  listen  to  his  heavenly  doc- 
 trine. And  if,  after  such  a  discovery,  we  manifest 
 a  disposition  to  stifle  the  feelings  of  admiration,  to 
 withdraw  our  confidence,  and  to  retire  from  his 
 presence,  he  suffers  us  not  to  depart,  till  he  has 
 changed  his  tone  of  invitation  into  that  of  solemn, 
 but  affectionate,  warning,  as  to  the  ingratitude, 
 inconsistency,  and  danger,  of  disregarding  his 
 instructions.  We  find  that  we  must  still  follow 
 him,  not  only  for  the  gratification  of  our  benevo- 
 lent feelings  ;  not  only  because  we  can  "  eat  of 
 the  loaves  and  be  filled ;"  nay,  not  only  because 
 we  can  "  see  some  miracle  done  by  him,"  and 
 learn  thereby  that  ci  God  is  with  him ;"  but  that 
 we  may  Ci  labour  for,  and  be  nourished  by,  the 
 meat  which  endureth  unto  everlasting  life,  which 
 he,  as  the  Son  of  man,  shall  give  unto  us  ;  for  him 
 hath  God  the  Father  sealed."  And  if  we  ask, 
 "  What  shall  we  do,  that  we  may  work  the  works 
 of  God  ?"  we  hear  him  declaring,  "  This  is  the 
 work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he 
 hath  sent."     We  naturally  inquire  in  what  cha- 
 
 f  2 
 
84  Lecture  IV. 
 
 racter  he  is  sent ;  and  what  evidence  we  have  to 
 assure  us  that  he  is,  for  purposes  so  important, 
 "  sealed,  sanctified,  and  sent  into  the  world." — 
 Upon  this  principle  we  proposed  to  conduct  our 
 inquiries;  and  taking  occasion  from  the  brief 
 statement  given  in  our  text,  let  us  now  so  far 
 consider  the  detail  of  his  earlier  ministrations,  sub- 
 sequently to  the  discourse  with  Nicodemus,  as  to 
 learn  from  bis  own  lips  what  he  says  of  himself, 
 and  also  "  what  signs  he  shews  that  we  may  see 
 and  believe  him." 
 
 Subsequently  to  the  solemnities  of  the  Passover 
 at  Jerusalem,  and  to  the  conference  with  Nico- 
 demus, Jesus  Went  from  the  city  into  Judea ;  and, 
 because  John  had  then  retired  into  Galilee,  tar- 
 ried there  for  the  space  of  probably  six  or  seven 
 months,  and  baptized.  But  knowing  that  the 
 Pharisees  were  aware,  that  he  had  made  and  bap- 
 tized even  more  disciples  than  John  ;  and  probably 
 apprehending  that  the  Pharisees,  being  jealous  of 
 his  success,  might  follow  the  example  of  Herod, 
 who  had  imprisoned  John  in  Galilee ;  he  left 
 Judea,  and  journeyed  towards  Galilee,  that  he 
 might  labour  in  the  footsteps  of  his  forerunner. 
 ,"  And  he  must  needs  go  through  Samaria." — 
 Thither  let  us  accompany  him,  and  behold  him, 
 wearied  with  his  journey,  sitting  at  the  well  of 
 Jacob,  near  the  city  Sychar.  For  there  shall  we 
 hear  his  heavenly  doctrine,  and  an  explicit  avowal 
 
Lecture  IV.  85 
 
 of  the  character  in  which  he  delivered  it,  at  the 
 well-known  and  interesting-  interview  with  a 
 Samaritan   woman1. 
 
 As  Jesus  sat  by  the  well,  the  woman  came 
 to  draw  water ;  and  Jesus  asked  for  a  draught 
 of  the  water.  The  request  was  received  with 
 an  expression  of  wonder  which  almost  implied 
 a  refusal ;  because  the  mutual  enmity  of  the 
 Jews  and  Samaritans  had  long  prevented  all  in- 
 tercourse of  a  friendly  nature.  But  our  Lord, 
 who  came  to  remove  the  enmity  between  Jew 
 and  Gentile,  and  to  reconcile  them  to  each  other, 
 so  as  to  bring  them  into  one  body  by  his  cross, 
 checked  rather  than  encouraged  her  indulgence  of 
 this  national  animosity ;  and,  borrowing,  as  his 
 custom  was,  an  illustration  from  the  objects  imme- 
 diately before  him,  in  a  gradual  and  familiar 
 manner  he  led  her  to  the  consideration  and  appre- 
 hension of  the  great  truths  in  which  he  designed 
 to  instruct  her. 
 
 "  If,  says  he,  thou  hadst  known  the  gift  of  God, 
 and  who  it  is  that  says  to  thee,  Give  me  to  drink, 
 thou  wouldest  have  asked  of  him,  and  he  would 
 have  given  thee  living  water."  Her  attention  and 
 curiosity  were  excited  by  the  latter  expression, 
 which  seemed  to  allude  to  present  and  sensible 
 things  ;  but  the  first  clause  which  pointed  out  the 
 
 a  John  iv.  5—42. 
 
86  Lecture  IV. 
 
 divine  origin  and  source  of  that,  concerning  which 
 he  spoke,  seems  not  to  have  made  so  strong  an  im- 
 pression.    She  answers  first  to  the  last  clause  of 
 our  Lord's  remark,    "  Sir,  thou    hast  nothing  to 
 draw  with,  and  the  well  is  deep,   from   whence 
 then   hast  thou  that  living  water?"      Being  also 
 unable  to  understand  the  meaning  of  Jesus  in  the 
 preceding  clause,  in  which  he  seemed  to  her  to 
 state  that  he  was  a  greater  one  than  she  supposed, 
 she  added ;    "  Art  thou  greater  than   our  father 
 Jacob,  which  gave  us  the  well,  and  drank  thereof 
 himself,  and  his  children,  and  his  cattle?"     Our 
 Lord  did  not  stay  to  refute  her  probably  unau- 
 thorized claim  to  be  a  descendant  of  Jacob,  but 
 proceeded  to  the   more   important  endeavour  to 
 lead  her  thoughts  to  that  gift  of  God,  of  which 
 she  yet  knew  so  little,  but  of  which  it  was  his 
 desire  to  apprize  her.     (c  Whosoever  drinketh  of 
 this    water    shall    thirst    again ;    but   whosoever 
 drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall 
 never  thirst;  but  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him 
 shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into 
 everlasting  life."    She  evidently  did  not  yet  per- 
 ceive the  drift  of  our  Lord's  remark;  and  therefore 
 with  a  mingled  feeling  of  embarrassment,  astonish- 
 ment, and  incredulity,  she  added,  "  Sir,  give  me 
 this  water,  that  I  thirst  not,  neither  come  hither 
 to  draw." — Jesus  next  proceeded  to  deal  with  her 
 in  a  different  manner  ;  but  we  stay,  for  a  moment, 
 
Lecture  IV.  87 
 
 to  inquire  what  was  the  living-  water  of  which  he 
 spake. 
 
 We  know  that  the  prophets  described,  under 
 this  significant  image,  the  future  spiritual  blessings 
 of  the  Gospel ;  and  that  one  passage  specifies  the 
 particular  blessings  which  were  thereby  intended. 
 cc  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and 
 floods  upon  the  dry  ground  ;  I  will  pour  out  7m/ 
 spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon  thine 
 offspring-11."  Our  Lord  afterwards  used  the  same 
 figure  on  the  last  and  great  day  of  the  feast  of 
 tabernacles,  when  they  drew  from  the  pool  of 
 Siloam,  and  solemnly  offered  and  poured  out 
 water ;  thus,  by  an  observance  apparently  sanc- 
 tioned only  by  tradition,  commemorating  the 
 miraculous  supply  of  water  in  the  wilderness  from 
 the  smitten  rock.  An  Apostle  has  said,  that 
 "  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  rock  which  fol- 
 lowed them,  and  that  rock  was  Christ h."  Accord- 
 ingly Jesus  here  speaks  of  himself  as  having-  the 
 power  to  bestow  this  gift  of  God ;  and  in  the  last 
 day  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  resuming  the 
 subject,  he  cried,  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him 
 come  unto  me  and  drink.  He  that  believeth  on 
 me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly 
 shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."    The  Evangelist 
 
 '  Isai.  xliv.  3 — 5.    lv.  1.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.  Hosea  xiv.  5. 
 b  1  Cor.  x.   1—4. 
 
88  Lecture  IV. 
 
 adds  a  comment  upon  this  beautiful  and  persuasive 
 
 declaration.    "  This  spake  he  of  the  Spirit,  which 
 
 they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive  ;  for  the 
 
 Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet  given,  because  Jesus  was 
 
 not  yet  glorified."     He  adds,  that  "many  of  the 
 
 people,  when   they  heard  this   saying,    said,    Of 
 
 a  truth  this  is  the  Prophet ;   others  said,  This  is 
 
 the  Christ3."     They   knew    the   writings  of  the 
 
 prophets,   and  hence   they  drew  their  inference. 
 
 But  the  Samaritans  probably  received  only  the  five 
 
 books  of  Moses ;  and  yet  our  Lord  proceeded  to 
 
 shew  the  Samaritan  woman,  in  a  manner  suited  to 
 
 her  circumstances,  both  that  he  was  "  a  prophet," 
 
 and  also  that  he  was  "  the  Christ."     And  we  may 
 
 here  remark,  that  only  on  the  day  of  that  interview, 
 
 and  the  two  which  immediately  followed  it,  did  he 
 
 labour  among  the  Samaritans.     Yet  they  believed 
 
 in  him.     And  when  the  Apostles,  in  obedience  to 
 
 our  Lord's  order,  became  "  witnesses  to  him  in 
 
 Samaria,"  and  preached  him  among  them  as  the 
 
 Christ,    they  then   also   "  gave    heed   with    one 
 
 accord  to  the  things  preached  to  them"  by  Philip 
 
 the  deacon.    And  "  when  the  Apostles  heard  that 
 
 Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God,  they  sent 
 
 Peter   and  John,"    who    communicated   to  them 
 
 the  gifts  of  that  Holy  Spirit,  of  which  Jesus  had 
 
 so  long  before  spoken  amongst  them b. 
 
 a  John  vii.  37—43.  b  Acts  viii.  5  — 17. 
 
Lecture  IV.  89 
 
 But  to  proceed  with  our  more  immediate  sub- 
 ject. Jesus  desired  the  woman  "  to  call  her 
 husband/'  and  come  to  him  again.  Her  simple 
 declaration  that  "  she  had  no  husband,"  with  the 
 suppression  of  the  disgraceful  circumstances  which 
 made  her  declaration  true,  gave  occasion  to  Jesus, 
 to  shew  her,  that  he  was  fully  aware  of  those  very 
 circumstances,  of  the  whole  course  of  her  past  life, 
 and  of  her  impure  and  illicit  connection  at  that 
 time.  Astonished  and  confounded,  like  Nathanael, 
 to  whom  our  Lord  displayed  a  knowledge  of  his 
 more  commendable  private  history,  she  confessed 
 her  conviction,  at  length,  that  she  had  not  hitherto 
 appreciated  his  character.  "  Sir,  I  perceive  that 
 thou  art  a  prophet."  But  not  immediately  avail- 
 ing herself  of  this  opportunity  to  ask  the  full 
 import  of  what  that  prophet  had  just  declared  to 
 her,  she  proposed  for  his  decision  the  controverted 
 question,  so  long  debated  between  themselves  and 
 the  Jews,  whether  Gerizim  or  Jerusalem  was 
 "  the  place  in  which  men  ought  to  worship." 
 Our  Lord  decided  this  in  favour  of  the  Jews; 
 instructed  her  further  in  the  true  nature  of 
 worship,  as  always  more  important  than  the  place 
 where  it  was  performed ;  and  assured  her  that 
 shortly  the  very  ground  and  occasion  of  their 
 debate  would  be  removed,  by  the  introduction  of 
 a  spiritual  and  more  extensive  dispensation. 
 "  Woman,  believe  me,    the  hour  comet h,  when 
 
90  Lecture  IV. 
 
 ye  shall  neither  in  this  mountain,  nor  yet  at 
 Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father.  Ye  worship  ye 
 know  not  what ;  we  know  what  we  worship ;  for 
 salvation  is  of  the  Jews.  But  the  hour  cometh, 
 and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers  shall  wor- 
 ship the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth ;  for  the 
 Father  seeketh  such  to  worship  him.  God  is  a 
 spirit;  and  they  that  worship  him  must  worship 
 him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  In  this  intimation  of 
 the  near  approach  of  a  season,  respecting-  which 
 it  had  been  predicted  that  "  in  every  place  incense, 
 and  a  pure  offering-  should  be  offered  unto  the 
 name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts a,"  the  woman  appears 
 to  have  acquiesced ;  for  Jesus  therein  spoke  as 
 a  prophet,  and  she  had  been  convinced  that  he 
 could  justly  claim  that  character.  But  Jesus  had 
 yet  to  announce  to  her  that  he  was  "  more  than 
 a  prophet ;"  that  his  was  that  title  and  character, 
 which  authorized  him,  by  her  own  confession,  to 
 claim  her  ready  and  unreserved  assent  to  his  de- 
 cision of  the  question.  "  The  woman  saith  unto 
 him,  I  know  that  Messias  is  coming- ;  when  he  is 
 come,  he  will  tell  us  all  things. — Jesus  saith  unto 
 her,  I  that  speak  unto  thee  am  he." 
 
 We  have  here  a  declaration,  which,  in  one 
 word,  communicates  to  us  a  knowledge  of  the 
 office  and  character,  to  which  Jesus  laid  claim  ; 
 
 1  Mai.  i.  11. 
 
Lecture  IV.  91 
 
 but  which  he  had  never  before  stated  in  those 
 precise  terms,  nor  afterwards  did,  until  his  last 
 arraignment  before  the  High  Priest.  On  that 
 occasion  he  replied  in  the  affirmative  to  the 
 solemn  cc  adjuration  by  the  most  High  God,  that 
 he  should  tell  them  whether  he  were  the  Christ, 
 or  not/'  If  we  ask  the  reason  of  his  openness 
 on  this  occasion,  and  of  his  reserve  upon  others, 
 we  answer,  that  at  this  time  only,  during  his 
 personal  ministry,  did  he  instruct  the  Samaritans, 
 at  all  other  times,  he  laboured  amongst  Jews. 
 In  Samaria  "the  fields  were  already  white  unto 
 the  harvest;"  and  accordingly,  when  "the  fulness 
 of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  peace"  was 
 preached  unto  them  by  the  companions  of  the 
 Apostles,  then  also  they  "gladly  received  the 
 word."  Yet  as  our  Lord  never  visited  them 
 again  as  a  teacher,  and  also  directed  the  twelve 
 not  to  enter  into  any  city  of  the  Samaritans; 
 so  neither  does  it  appear  that  John  had  preached 
 among  them  as  our  Lord's  forerunner.  He 
 laboured  among  the  Jews  only ;  because  among 
 them  it  was  necessary  that  "  every  valley  should 
 be  filled,  every  mountain  and  hill  be  made  low, 
 the  crooked  made  straight,  and  the  rough  places 
 plain;  before  all  flesh  could  see  the  salvation  of 
 God."  They  had  so  joined  the  notion  of 
 Messiah's  office  as  a  prophet  and  a  priest,  with 
 his  kingly  prerogative,  as  to  make  the  latter 
 supersede,    or    at   least    neutralize,    the    former. 
 
92  Lecture  IV. 
 
 They  were  therefore  dealt  with  in  a  manner, 
 which  these  partial  and  carnal  prejudices  rendered 
 necessary ;  in  order  that,  whether  or  not  they 
 ultimately  recognized  the  real  office  of  the 
 Messiah,  and  received  Jesus  as  that  Messiah, 
 they  might,  at  least,  not  frustrate  the  end,  for 
 which  he  was  manifested.  Had  he  in  so  many 
 words  declared  to  them  that  he  was  the  Messiah, 
 they  were  at  that  time  prepared  to  understand 
 the  term  as  first  and  principally  denoting  not 
 only  a  descendant  of  David,  but  the  heir  of  his 
 temporal  kingdom.  The  mass  of  the  Jewish 
 people  wanted  only  an  avowal  on  his  part  that 
 he  was  the  Messiah,  to  induce  them  resolutely 
 "to  take  him  by  force,  and  make  him  a  king-;" 
 and  to  raise  such  a  tumult  as  would  effectually 
 have  prevented  the  designs  of  the  "prince  of 
 peace,"  if  it  had  been  successful ;  and,  if  it  had 
 been  otherwise,  would  have  prematurely  termi- 
 nated his  own  ministry,  and  perhaps  the  existence 
 of  the  Jews  as  a  nation.  Though  he  was  indeed 
 a  king,  yet  was  his  kingdom  t{  not  of  this  world  ; 
 and  therefore,  when  his  hour  was  come,  his 
 servants  did  not  fight  that  he  should  not  be 
 delivered  to  the  Jews.  To  this  end  he  was 
 born,  and  for  this  cause  he  came  into  the  world, 
 that  he  might  bear  witness  to  the  truth*:" 
 Conformable  to   this  end  was   his  teaching  and 
 
 a  John  xviii.  37. 
 
Lfxture  IV.  93 
 
 conduct,  both  among  the  Samaritans,  and  among 
 the  Jews;  and  among  both,  " every  one,  that 
 was  of  the  truth,  heard  his  voice." 
 
 Among  the  Samaritans,  as  we  have  seen,  he 
 explicitly  declared  himself  to  be  the  Messiah. 
 We  cannot  suppose  it  probable,  that  the  opinion 
 which  the  woman  expressed  respecting  the 
 Messiah,  antecedently  to  the  declaration  of  Jesus, 
 was  peculiar  to  herself,  or  derived  from  any  other 
 source  than  the  common  traditional  notions  of 
 her  fellow-countrymen.  In  fact  she  so  states  it, 
 as  to  imply  that  it  was  the  settled  and  prevalent 
 opinion.  "1  know  that  Messiah  is  coming, — he 
 will  tell  us  all  things."  She  conceived  of  Messiah 
 as  a  divine  teacher;  and  expected  that  the  time 
 of  his  appearance  was  not  far  distant.  Her  fellow- 
 countrymen,  who  "  believed  in  him  not  only 
 because  of  her  word,  but  because  they  heard 
 him  themselves,"  at  the  same  time  that  they 
 expressed  their  firm  conviction  that  he  was  the 
 Christ,  explained  their  notion  of  his  office  as  such, 
 by  the  declaration,  "  we  know  that  this  is  indeed 
 the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  icorld."  Bishop 
 Horsley  has  shewn  at  large,  that  the  five  books 
 of  Moses,  which  alone  they  admitted  as  canonical 
 Scripture,  afforded  sufficient  ground  for  this  their 
 expectation.  But  from  their  use  of  the  term 
 Messiah,  which  they  could  not  derive  from  the 
 Pentateuch,  we  may  suppose  that  they  were  not 
 
94  Lecture  IV. 
 
 unacquainted  with  the  later  prophecies ;  indeed 
 it  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  otherwise,  when 
 we  consider  that  the  Samaritans  lived  in  the 
 very  midst  of  the  Jews,  and  that  there  was  so 
 great  a  similarity  in  the  religious  system  of  the 
 two  nations ;  although  we  allow  that  they  did 
 not  receive  the  prophetic  books  as  canonical 
 Scripture.  Be  that,  however,  as  it  may,  they 
 had  not  abandoned  the  principle,  which  the 
 Pentateuch  ought  to  have  taught  to  the  Jews,  as 
 well  as  to  them,  that  he  that  was  to  come  would 
 be  ffa  prophet,"  and  ffa  blessing  to  all  nations." 
 And  received  in  such  a  character,  Jesus  declared 
 to  the  woman  that  he  was  the  Messiah ;  and 
 other  Samaritans,  to  whom  she  communicated 
 the  intelligence,  heard  him  themselves.  He 
 doubtless  enlarged,  in  their  hearing,  also  upon 
 the  same  truths  which  he  had  declared  to  her, 
 respecting  the  living  water,  the  worship  of  God, 
 and  the  blessings  about  to  be  revealed ;  and 
 probably  contributed  to  the  maturity  and  definite- 
 ness  of  their  expectations  respecting  the  salvation 
 of  the  world,  by  some  such  declarations  as  he 
 had  lately  made  to  Nicodemus ;  who  like  the 
 Samaritans,  had  attained  to  a  conviction,  that  he 
 was  ffa  teacher  come  from  God." 
 
 Comparatively  few  of  those,  whom  our  Lord 
 had  to  instruct  unto  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
 had    either    the    correct   views,    or    the    candid 
 
Lecture  IV.  95 
 
 dispositions,  of  the  Samaritans  and  of  Nicodemus. 
 When,  therefore,  we  follow  Jesus  into  Galilee, 
 where,  until  the  next  passover,  "he  taught  in 
 their  synagogues,  and  proclaimed  the  glad  tidings 
 of  the  kingdom,"  we  do  not  find  that  he  was 
 so  explicit  in  his  declarations.  Yet  it  is  obvious, 
 that  what  he  taught  was  the  same  in  substance, 
 and  preparatory,  "  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it," 
 to  that  final  avowal  of  his  Messiahship,  without 
 which  he  did  not  leave  even  the  Jews,  who  were 
 so  ill-prepared  to  understand  it  aright.  Each  of 
 the  two  first  Evangelists  has  given  us  a  summary 
 of  the  topics,  which  for  a  time  formed  the  subject 
 of  his  discourses  ;  and  St.  Luke  has  handed  down 
 to  us  a  notice  of  some  leading  particulars  in  the 
 remarkable  discourse,  which,  after  some  time, 
 he  delivered  in  the  synagogue  of  his  own  city 
 Nazareth.  We  at  least,  after  having  been 
 acquainted  with  his  previous  statements,  cannot 
 be  at  a  loss  with  respect  to  his  meaning  and 
 design  in  those  annunciations  and  exhortations, 
 which  we  shall  now  very  briefly  notice. 
 
 St.  Mark  relates,  that  Jesus  coming  into 
 Galilee,  "  preached  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom 
 of  God,  saying,  The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the 
 kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand ;  repent  ye,  and 
 believe  the    Gospel  \"     It    will   doubtless   occur 
 
 a  Mark  i.    14,    15.     See   also   Matt.  iv.  17.     Luke  iv.   15. 
 John  iv.  45. 
 
9G  Lecture  IV. 
 
 to  every  one,  who  hears  these  words,  how  similar 
 they  are  to  the  tenor  of  John's  preaching  in 
 Judea,  and  probably,  therefore,  to  his  more  recent 
 preaching  in  Galilee.  Yet  it  is  never  said,  by 
 any  Evangelist,  that  "  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
 kingdom"  were  preached  by  the  Baptist;  for 
 the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel  itself  was  peculiar 
 to  that  office,  to  which  Jesus  was  anointed ;  as 
 he  himself  expressly  stated  shortly  afterwards  in 
 the  synagogue  at  Nazareth.  Both  Jesus  and 
 his  forerunner  announced  the  approaching  esta- 
 blishment of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  urged 
 it  as  a  motive  to  repentance.  But  Jesus  advanced 
 still  further,  when  he  said,  "The  time  is  ful- 
 filled, and  the  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand." 
 We  may  suppose  that  he  enlarged  upon  those 
 "signs  of  the  times,"  which,  when  compared 
 with  the  intimations  given  by  the  prophets, 
 shewed  that  the  season  marked  out  by  them  for 
 the  advent  of  him  whom  they  predicted  had 
 fully  come.  The  kingdom  of  God  was  there- 
 fore not  only  near  at  hand  ;  but  the  glad  tidings 
 of  it,  which  explained  its  nature  and  object,  as 
 well  as  its  approach,  were  then  to  be  proclaimed. 
 Jesus  himself  was  the  anointed  herald,  of  whom 
 John  had  already  said  to  his  disciples,  that  he 
 "spoke  the  words  of  God,  and  testified  that 
 which  he  had  seen  and  heard,  and  that  God  had 
 given  all  things  into  his  hand."     Jesus,  therefore, 
 
Lecture  IV.  9? 
 
 did  not  only  continue  to  urge  the  call  to  repent- 
 ance, but  also  demanded  a  ready  belief  of  the 
 glad  tidings  which  he  proclaimed.  But,  because 
 his  hearers  had  erroneous  views  of  the  nature 
 of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  he  did  not  on  that 
 account  adopt  another  term ;  for  the  term  itself 
 was  perfectly  proper.  It  was  his  principal  aim  to 
 lead  them  to  affix  right  ideas  to  it,  and  to  attend 
 also  to  the  other  characteristics  by  which  the 
 future  dispensation,  and  its  author,  had  been 
 described. 
 
 Probably  the  discourse  at  Nazareth  is  only 
 a  specimen  of  the  method  which  he  adopted  in 
 other  places.  But  we  know  that  there,  at  least, 
 he  taught  his  hearers  to  expect  and  seek  after 
 spiritual  blessings ;  and  to  consider  him  as  ap- 
 pointed to  proclaim  the  offer,  and  to  accomplish 
 the  bestowment,  of  them.  Having,  on  the  sab- 
 bath-day, stood  up  to  read  in  the  synagogue  of 
 his  native  city,  he  found  the  place  of  the  prophet 
 Isaiah,  where  it  is  written,  "The  Spirit  of  the 
 Lord  is  upon  me ;  because  he  hath  anointed  me 
 to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  poor ;  he  hath  sent 
 me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach  deliver- 
 ance to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to 
 the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 
 to    preach    the  acceptable  year   of  the  LordV 
 
 a  Luke  iv.  16—22.     Isai.  lxi.  1—3. 
 G 
 
98  Lecture  IV. 
 
 Well  might  Jesus  begin  to  say,  when  he  had 
 closed  the  book,  'fThis  day  is  this  Scripture 
 fulfilled  in  your  ears."  For  never  did  circum- 
 stances more  accurately  correspond  to  prophetic 
 description,  than  the  condescension,  doctrine,  and 
 beneficent  works  of  Jesus  to  these  anticipations 
 of  Isaiah.  I  say,  anticipations;  for  surely  Isaiah 
 cc  spoke  not  these  things  of  himself,  but  of  some 
 other"  and  greater  man  ;  even  of  him,  who  was 
 the  fruitful  and  animating  theme  both  of  himself 
 and  all  the  other  prophets.  From  this  Scripture, 
 therefore,  may  we  begin  and  preach  Jesus  as  the 
 Christ ;  that  is,  as  the  word  signifies,  as  the 
 Anointed  ;  as  him  "  upon  whom  is  the  Spirit  of 
 Jehovah,  because  Jehovah  hath  anointed  him  to 
 preach  the  Gospel  to  the  poor,  and  the  acceptable 
 year  of  the  Lord"  to  those  whom  he,  as  the  Son, 
 can  make  free,  and  translate  them  into  the  glorious 
 liberty  of  the  children  of  God. 
 
 If,  then,  we  listen  to  the  statements,  which  our 
 Lord  and  Master  advanced  respecting  himself, 
 principally  by  applying  to  himself  the  predictions 
 of  the  prophets,  we  cannot  be  ignorant  that  he 
 claimed  a  divine  commission,  as  "  anointed  with 
 the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power,"  to  give  liberty, 
 light,  and  salvation,  to  all  that  feel,  and  lament, 
 and  acknowledge,  the  slavery,  darkness,  and  peril 
 of  sin  ; — that  he  came  in  that  fulness  of  the 
 season  which  God  had   foreseen,   appointed,  and 
 
Lecture  IV.  99 
 
 prepared,  and  which  the  prophets  had  circum- 
 stantially described ; — and  that  he  was  no  other 
 than  the  promised  Messiah,  the  desire  of  all 
 nations,  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  Of  the  cer- 
 tainty of  these  momentous  and  consolatory  truths 
 God  hath,  ffby  many  infallible  proofs/'  "given 
 assurance  unto  all  men ;"  and  it  will  shortly  be 
 our  endeavour  to  point  out  to  you,  and  to  elucidate, 
 several  passages  of  our  Lord's  discourses,  in  which 
 he  appeals  to,  and  enforces,  the  evidences  of  his 
 divine  authority. 
 
 But  allow  me,  before  I  conclude  this  Lecture, 
 to  call  your  attention  to  one  remarkable  circum- 
 stance, with  regard  to  these  appeals  and  reasonings 
 of  our  Lord.  They  were  not  advanced  in  the 
 earliest  part  of  his  ministry  ;  nor  at  all,  until  the 
 opposition  and  objections  of  the  Jews  was  excited 
 against  him  ;  and  scarcely  ever  publicly  but  upon 
 such  occasions.  And  those  particulars,  the  public 
 notice  of  which  was  not  called  forth  in  this  manner, 
 were  pointed  out  to  his  disciples  in  private,  more 
 especially  towards  the  close  of  his  ministry.  But 
 both  at  the  beginning,  and  during  the  whole 
 course,  of  his  ministry,  the  evidences  themselves 
 were  furnished  in  great  abundance.  For  while 
 he  proclaimed  in  their  synagogues  "  the  glad 
 tidings  of  the  kingdom,"  he  also  "  healed  all 
 manner  of  sickness,  and  all  manner  of  disease 
 among  the  people."     But   he   left   these    mighty 
 
 g  2 
 
100  Lecture  IV. 
 
 works,   and   the   other  divine  attestations   to  his 
 mission,  to  speak  for  themselves ;   until  either  a 
 denial  of  his  claims  rendered  it  necessary  to  ap- 
 peal to  them,   or  cavils   against  the  reality  and 
 conclusiveness  of  those  evidences  led  him  to  refute 
 the  objectors.     He  did  not,  like  the  Arabian  im- 
 postor, boldly  claim  a  divine  mission  for  which  no 
 sufficient  proof  appeared  ;  nor  did  he  vauntingly 
 magnify  and  set  off  some  seeming  evidence,  which, 
 without  such  a  special  notice,  might  never  have 
 been   observed.     He  was  too  well  aware  of  the 
 justice  of  his  pretensions,    of  the   publicity   and 
 splendour   of  his    miracles,   of  the    notoriety   of 
 the  prophecies,  and  of  their  manifest  fulfilment  in 
 himself,  to  think  any  such  laboured  and  suspicious 
 proceeding  necessary.     He   was  ready  to  allow 
 that  sufficient  evidence  might  justly  be  expected; 
 and,  accordingly,  one  of  his  earliest  remarks  on 
 this  subject,  was  that  which  he  made  previously  to 
 his    cure  of  the  nobleman's  son  at  Capernaum ; 
 "  Except  ye  see  signs  and  wonders,  ye  will  not 
 believe3."     Signs  and  wonders   he  did  therefore 
 perform  ;   but  I  find  not  that  he  expressly  con- 
 nected his  miracles    with   his   doctrine,  so  as  to 
 argue  with  those  who  saw  the  miracles,  until  he 
 wrought  the  cure  of  the  paralytic b,  for  the  purpose 
 of  proving  his  right  to  say  to  him,  u  Son,  thy  sins 
 
 a  John  iv.  48.  b  Matth.  ix.  4—6. 
 
Lecture  IV.  101 
 
 be  forgiven  thee."  But  it  was  not  until  the  suc- 
 ceeding passover,  that  he  again  thought  it  neces- 
 sary to  argue  with  those  who  saw  and  heard  him  ; 
 and  then  it  was,  that,  being  brought  before  the 
 ruling  powers  for  a  supposed  breach  of  the  sab- 
 bath, he  delivered  that  eloquent  and  comprehensive 
 defence  of  his  mission,  the  whole  of  which  will  be 
 reviewed  in  our  future  Lectures,  and  the  first  por- 
 tion of  which  will  form  the  next  subject  of  our 
 consideration. 
 
 The  subjects  which  have  been  brought  before 
 your  notice  this  day  are  fruitful  in  topics  of  prac- 
 tical instruction.  I  might  take  occasion  to  caution 
 you  against  the  prejudices  and  hardness  of  heart, 
 which  may  lead  you  to  be  offended  in  Jesus,  by 
 setting  before  you  the  unbelief  of  the  people  of 
 Nazareth,  and  that  murderous  attempt,  from  which 
 a  miracle  only  preserved  our  Lord.  I  might  en- 
 large upon  the  warnings  which  he  at  that  time 
 gave  them,  lest,  by  a  just  retribution  for  the  non- 
 improvement  of  religious  privileges,  they  should 
 lose  them,  and  others  only  be  benefited  by  them. 
 1  might  recommend  to  you  the  candour,  the  ear- 
 nestness, and  the  faith  of  the  Samaritans  ;  and 
 shew  what  encouragement  may  be  derived  from 
 observing  the  condescension  which  our  Lord  ma- 
 nifested to  their  infirmities,  and  the  readiness  with 
 which  he  staid  with  them,  and  instructed  them. 
 I    might  exhort  you  to   "ask  of  him,   who  will 
 
102  Lecture  IV. 
 
 freely  give  you  to  drink  of  that  water  of  life,"  by 
 which  the  thirst  after  sin  and  worldly  gratifications 
 is  quenched,  and  the  thirst  after  righteousness 
 satisfied.  I  might  entreat  you  to  listen  to  him, 
 who  preaches  "to  all  nations  the  glad  tidings  of 
 great  joy,  that  unto  them  is  born  a  Saviour,  Christ 
 the  Lord."  And  I  might,  in  fine,  recommend  to  your 
 serious  consideration  that  exhortation  with  which 
 Jesus  accompanied  his  proclamation;  "Repent ye, 
 and  believe  the  Gospel ;"  reminding  you  also  of 
 the  necessity,  the  nature,  and  the  genuine  effects 
 of  such  a  "  repentance  towards  God,  and  of  such 
 a  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ/'  But  time  only 
 permits  me  to  express  an  earnest  desire,  that  none 
 of  these  considerations  may  be  forgotten  in  your 
 private  meditation,  and  that  they  may  be  made  the 
 subjects  of  earnest  prayer.  For  scriptural  know- 
 ledge will  little  profit  us,  unless  we  are  thereby 
 made  "wise  unto  salvation;"  unless  the  things 
 which  "  happened  unto  others  for  ensamples,  and 
 which  are  written  for  our  admonition,"  are  suffered 
 to  operate  for  our  warning,  and  encouragement, 
 and  guidance ;  unless  we  know,  and  also  are  esta- 
 blished in  the  love  and  belief  of  those  truths,  which, 
 in  the  sacred  pages,  have  been  so  clearly  revealed. 
 It  will  little  avail  you  to  receive  the  best  in- 
 structions, and  in  your  judgment  to  be  convinced 
 of  the  certainty  of  them,  unless  "  with  the  heart 
 you  believe  unto  righteousness,  make  confession 
 
Lecture  IV.  103 
 
 with  the  mouth  unto  salvation,"  and  "in  all  things 
 adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  your  Saviour."  "Where- 
 fore, give  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  elec- 
 tion sure ;  for  if  ye  do  these  things,  if  ye  add  to 
 your  faith,  virtue  ;  and  to  virtue,  knowledge  ;  and 
 to  knowledge,  temperance ;  and  to  temperance, 
 patience;  and  to  patience,  godliness ;  and  to  god- 
 liness, brotherly  kindness ;  and  to  brotherly  kind- 
 ness, charity  ;  if  these  things  be  in  you,  and 
 abound,  they  shall  make  you  that  ye  shall  neither 
 be  barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  so  ye  shall  never  fall  ; 
 but  an  entrance  be  ministered  to  you  abundantly 
 into  his  everlasting  kingdom"."  And  soon  will  he 
 accomplish  that  prayer  which  we  offer,  when  we 
 assemble  round  the  opened  grave.  Soon  will  he 
 "accomplish  the  number  of  his  elect,  and  hasten 
 his  kingdom."  Soon  will  the  time  of  his  second 
 coming  be  fulfilled.  Soon  will  each  of  us  be  con- 
 signed to  that  grave,  in  which  we  must  await  the 
 summons  of  that  day.  "  The  kingdom  of  God," 
 with  which  our  final  redemption  shall  draw  nigh, 
 "is  near  at  hand.  Repent  ye  therefore,  and  be- 
 lieve the  Gospel." 
 
 a  2  Pet.  i.  5—11. 
 
LECTURE   V. 
 
 the   occasion    of    the   discourse    recorded    in 
 st.  john's  fifth  chapter,  and  the  persons  to 
 
 whom  it  was   addressed. illustration  and 
 
 analysis  of  the  first  portion  of  it. 
 
 St.  John  V.  17— 20. 
 
 Jesus  answered  them,  My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and 
 I  work.  Therefore  the  Jews  sought  the  more  to  kill 
 him,  because  he  not  only  had  broken  the  sabbath,  but 
 said  also  that  God  was  his  Father,  making  himself 
 equal  with  God.  Then  anszoered  Jesus,  and  said  unto 
 them,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  The  Son  can  do 
 nothing  of  himself,  but  tvhat  he  seeth  the  Father  do: 
 for  what  things  soever  he  doeth,  these  also  doeth  the 
 So?i  likewise.  For  the  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and 
 sheweth  him  all  things  that  himself  doeth. 
 
 In  the  concluding  words  of  our  text  our  Lord 
 commences  that  important  discourse,  which  first 
 suggested  to  the  Lecturer's  own  mind  the  subject 
 to  which  he  has  solicited  your  attention  ;  which 
 guided  him  in  the  formation  of  his  plan  ;  and  the 
 successive  portions  of  which,  in  their  order,  will 
 come  under  review  in  this,  and  in  many  subse- 
 quent Lectures.  Our  first  endeavour  will  there- 
 fore be,  to  explain  the  circumstances  which  called 
 
Lecture  V.  105 
 
 forth  this  enlarged  statement  of  the  claims  of  our 
 Lord ;  especially  as  our  attention  will  thereby  also 
 be  directed  to  some  other  declarations,  which  he 
 made  on  occasions  of  a  like  nature.  For  these 
 several  statements  mutually  illustrate  each  other ; 
 and  also  suggest  some  reflections.,  which  are,  per- 
 haps, peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  day  on  which 
 we  are  assembled1. 
 
 The  discourse  in  question  was  delivered  very 
 shortly  after  the  cure,  which  our  Lord  had  miracu- 
 lously wrought  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  upon  one 
 who,  for  a  period  of  thirty-eight  years,  had  been 
 afflicted  with  an  infirmity,  and  was  then  waiting 
 beside  the  pool,  that,  upon  the  troubling  of  the 
 waters,  he  might  step  in,  and  be  healed.  Jesus 
 not  only  healed  him  immediately,  but  also  directed 
 him  to  take  up  the  bed  on  which  he  lay,  and  to 
 carry  it  thence  to  his  own  house.  This  procedure 
 afforded  a  full  and  public  demonstration  of  the 
 reality  of  the  cure ;  nor  did  the  man  hesitate  to 
 comply  with  the  injunction.  And  when  he  was 
 told,  that,  as  "  it  was  the  sabbath-day,  it  was  not 
 lawful  for  him  to  carry  his  bed,"  because  the  Jews 
 refused,  even  with  superstitious  scrupulosity,  to 
 carry  any  burthen  on  the  sabbath,  the  man  deemed 
 it  a  sufficient  defence  to  answer  ;  "  He  that  made 
 me  whole,  the  same  said  unto  me,   Take  up  thy 
 
 a  This  Lecture  was  delivered  on  Easter-Day. 
 
106  Lecture  V. 
 
 bed,  and  walk."  Yet,  until  he  was  afterwards 
 accosted  by  Jesus  in  the  temple,  he  had  not 
 known  that  it  was  Jesus  who  had  made  him 
 whole ;  because  Jesus  had,  at  the  time,  suddenly 
 "conveyed  himself  away,  a  multitude  being  in 
 that  place."  When  however  he  thus  became 
 acquainted  with  the  person  of  his  benefactor,  c<  he 
 departed,  and  told  the  Jews,  that  it  was  Jesus, 
 which  had  made  him  whole." 
 
 The  Evangelist  then  adds,  that  "  the  Jews  did, 
 therefore,  persecute  Jesus,  and  sought  to  slay 
 him,  because  he  had  done  these  things  on  the 
 sabbath-day."  It  is  very  obvious,  that  this  is  not 
 to  be  understood  of  the  attempts  of  isolated  indi- 
 viduals, much  less  of  any  ebullition  of  popular 
 indignation ;  but  of  a  legal  procedure  commenced 
 against  Jesus,  by  persons  in  authority ;  with 
 whom,  of  course,  it  rested,  to  enforce  that  provision 
 of  the  Mosaic  law,  which  assigned  capital  punish- 
 ment to  a  breach  of  the  sabbath.  A  prosecution 
 was  doubtless  commenced  against  him  by  the 
 Sanhedrim,  upon  the  information  of  the  man  who 
 had  been  cured ;  as  the  original  word,  used  in  this 
 place  by  the  Evangelist,  distinctly  informs  us\  And 
 though  it  is  observed,  that  "  the  Jews  persecuted 
 Jesus,  and  sought  to  kill  him,"  yet  the  same 
 phrase  is   used  in  many   other  passages   of   the 
 
 a  Kai  hid  tovto  'EAIfiKON  ti!i/  '\ii<tovi>  01  'lovSatoi.    V.  l6. 
 
Lecture  V.  107 
 
 Gospels,  where  we  cannot  properly  understand  it 
 of  any  others,  than  of  the  men  in  authority  among 
 the  Jews.  Thus  we  are  told,  that  "  the  Jews  sent 
 priests  and  Levites  from  Jerusalem  to  John,  to  ask 
 him,  who  art  thou  1"  It  belonged  to  the  Sanhedrim, 
 officially,  to  make  such  an  enquiry. — We  are  told 
 that  "  Jesus  would  not  walk  in  Jewry,  because 
 the  Jews  sought  to  kill  him ;"  and  that  though 
 there  was  at  that  time  "  much  murmuring  among 
 the  people  concerning  him,  no  man  spake  openly 
 of  him,  for  fear  of  the  Jews."  And  the  reason  of 
 this  sufficiently  appears,  when  we  read,  that  after- 
 wards "  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  had  given 
 a  commandment,  that  if  any  man  knew  where  he 
 were,  he  should  shew  it,  that  they  might  take 
 him ;"  and  that,  even  at  an  earlier  period,  ' e  the 
 Jews  had  agreed  already,  that  if  any  man  did 
 confess  that  he  was  the  Christ,  he  should  be  put 
 out  of  the  synagogue." — Again  we  are  told,  that 
 "  Caiaphas  was  he  which  gave  counsel  to  the  Jews, 
 that  it  was  expedient  that  one  man  should  die  for 
 the  people."  Caiaphas  was  the  high  priest  that 
 same  year ;  and  we  know  that  the  advice  specified 
 was  given  at  "  a  council  gathered  by  the  chief 
 priests  and  Pharisees"  after  the  raising  of  Lazarus, 
 in  order  to  consider  what  must  be  done  to  prevent 
 the  national  danger,  which  they  thought  likely  to 
 result   from    the   growing   popularity   of  Jesus1'. 
 
 b  John  i.  19.    vii.  1,  13.   ix.  22.    xi.  47—57. 
 
108  Lecture  V. 
 
 There  can,  therefore,  be  no  reasonable  doubt,  that 
 this  discourse  of  our  Lord  was  a  defence  of  his 
 conduct  delivered  before  the  ruling  authorities  at 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 Behold,  Jesus,  then,  having  done  a  miracle,  at 
 which,  as  he  afterwards  observed,  "  they  all  mar- 
 velled*/' summoned  before  the  rulers  of  the  Jews 
 to  answer  for  his  life,  "  because  he  had  done  these 
 things  on  the  sabbath-day."  Afterwards,  when 
 "  he  was  oppressed  and  afflicted,"  and  brought 
 before  the  same  assembly,  he  avowed  himself 
 to  be  the  Christ;  and  having  referred  to  the 
 prophecy  of  Daniel,  respecting  the  future  glory 
 of  the  Son  of  man,  he  assented  to  their  in- 
 ference from  thence,  that  he  thereby  claimed 
 to  be  the  Son  of  God.  At  this  time  he  did  not, 
 in  so  many  words,  declare  that  he  was  the  Christ ; 
 for  Cf  his  hour  was  not  yet  come."  But  he 
 declared,  and  that  fully  and  openly,  his  claim  to 
 those  attributes,  which  their  Scriptures  ascribed 
 to  the  Lord's  anointed  ;  nay,  he  largely  unfolded 
 and  reasoned  upon  them ;  for  this  was  yet  "  the 
 day,  in  which  Jerusalem  might  have  learnt  the 
 things  which  made  for  her  peace,  before  they 
 were  hid  from  her  eyes." — "  My  Father  worketh 
 hitherto,  and  I  work,"  was  all  that  he  at  first 
 answered  to  those   things,    which  they  witnessed 
 
 a  John  vii.  21. 
 
Lecture  V.  109 
 
 against  him ;  and  he  left  the  mysterious  and 
 unhesitating*  assertion  to  work  such  effect  as  it 
 might.  They  conceived  that  he  had  now,  ''"not 
 only  broken  the  sabbath/'  but  spoken  blasphemy. 
 And.,  assuredly,  we  can  put  no  obvious  and  con- 
 sistent sense  upon  the  words,  but  that  which  they 
 put  upon  them,  viz.  that  "  he  called  God  his  own 
 proper  Father,  making  himself  equal  with  God\" 
 For  he  thereby  explicitly  declared,  that  his  own 
 performance  of  miraculous  works  of  mercy  was  to 
 be  placed  in  the  same  rank,  and  was  defensible 
 upon  the  same  grounds,  as  the  daily  exercise  of 
 the  bountiful  Providence  of  the  Father  of  the 
 Universe,  to  whom  every  day  is,  in  this  respect, 
 alike.  If  he  were  not  "  equal  with  the  Father, 
 as  touching  his  Godhead,"  and,  even  as  the  Son 
 of  man,  acting  in  perfect  unison  with  him,  then, 
 according  to  the  injunctions  of  their  law,  they 
 now  justly  "  sought  the  more  to  kill  him,"  on 
 account  of  the  words  which  he  had  spoken.  But 
 if  it  were  otherwise,  then  he  who  was  the  Son  of 
 the  Father,  in  a  sense  in  which  no  other  being 
 is,  could  justly  appeal  to  the  example  of  his  Father; 
 and  he  who  was,  equally  with  him,  Lord  of  the 
 sabbath,  might,  if  need  were,  dispense  with  its 
 observance.    Then  was  he  proved  to  be  authorized 
 
 b  "  iraTepu  "ciov  eAeye  tov  Oeov,  'i<rov  eavrov  ttohov  tw  Qeu. 
 v.  18. 
 
110  Lecture  V. 
 
 to  give  such  a  command  to  the  impotent  man,  in 
 order  to  shew  his  power  over  the  sabbath,  though 
 it  appeared  to  them  a  violation  of  it.  "If  they 
 did  not  believe  him,  they  might  have  believed  the 
 works;"  and  both  this  miracle,  and  all  that  he  had 
 before  wrought,  proved  that  "  the  Father  was  in 
 him,  and  he  in  the  Father."  To  these  works, 
 and  to  the  various  other  evidences  of  his  authority, 
 he  appealed  in  his  discourse  on  this  occasion  ; 
 and  they  could  justify  no  other  conclusion,  than 
 that  the  Father  had  sent  him.  The  rulers,  whom 
 he  addressed,  were  thereby  so  far  silenced,  and 
 convinced,  as  not  to  venture  to  put  him  to  death 
 as  a  blasphemer ;  either  because  they  had  not  yet 
 fully  steeled  their  hearts  against  all  evidence ;  or 
 because  they  feared  the  people,  and  shrunk,  for 
 a  time,  from  the  unhallowed  attempt  to  put  him  to 
 death,  and  thus  fill  up  the  measure  of  their  fathers' 
 crimes. 
 
 At  the  succeeding  feast  of  tabernacles,  when 
 Jesus  referred  to  this  wish  to  compass  his  death, 
 some  of  the  people  seem  to  have  been  aware  that 
 their  rulers  entertained  such  a  design ;  though 
 others  professed,  at  least,  to  be  ignorant  of  it,  and 
 answered,  "  Thou  hast  a  devil ;  who  goeth  about 
 to  kill  thee?"  Jesus  took  occasion  to  remind  them 
 of  this  miracle,  which  he  wrought  at  the  preceding 
 passover,  and  of  his  arraignment  in  consequence 
 of  it ;  and,  then  also,  he  defended  his  conduct  with 
 
Lecture  V.  Ill 
 
 regard  to  the  supposed  breach  of  the  sabbath, 
 though  upon  grounds  somewhat  different.  "Jesus 
 answered  and  said  unto  them,  I  have  done  one 
 work,  and  ye  all  marvel.  Moses  therefore  gave 
 unto  you  circumcision,  (not  because  it  is  of  Moses, 
 but  of  the  fathers,)  and  ye  on  the  sabbath-day 
 circumcise  a  man.  If  a  man  on  the  sabbath-day 
 receive  circumcision,  that  the  law  of  Moses  should 
 not  be  broken  ;  are  ye  angry  at  me,  because  I 
 have  made  a  man  every  whit  whole  on  the  sabbath- 
 day  ?  Judge  not  according  to  appearance,  but 
 judge  righteous  judgment." — The  incident  here 
 referred  to  seems  to  have  been  the  first  instance  of 
 the  disregard  of  the  sabbath  imputed  to  our  Lord. 
 But  it  is  remarkable,  how  many  of  our  Lord's 
 most  signal  miracles  were  wrought  on  the  sabbath- 
 day.  And  we  know  how  frequently  he  thereby 
 gave  umbrage  to  the  Jews,  and  occasioned  both 
 many  of  the  objections,  which  were  expressed  to 
 him  when  present,  and  also  the  insinuations,  which 
 were  circulated  among  the  people  to  his  disadvan- 
 tage. But  we  should  ever  bear  in  mind  the 
 sanction  which  his  conduct  in  this  respect  received 
 from  the  miracles  themselves.  On  one  occasion, 
 when  "the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  watched  him, 
 whether  he  would  heal  on  the  sabbath-day,  that 
 they  might  find  an  accusation  against  him,"  he 
 
 ;i  John  vii.  21 — '24. 
 
112  Lecture  V. 
 
 wrought  a  miracle,  under  circumstances  of  pecu- 
 liar force  and  significancy.  He  commanded  the 
 man  with  the  withered  hand,  publicly  to  stand 
 forth  in  the  midst  of  the  synagogue ;  he  then 
 entered  upon  the  disclosure  of  principles  specially 
 directed  against  their  secret  reasonings,  opinions, 
 and  intentions ;  and  lastly,  by  causing  the  stretch- 
 ing out  of  the  withered  hand  to  be  attended  by 
 the  complete  restoration  of  its  muscular  power, 
 he  did,  indeed,  prove  to  them  that  he,  the  Son  of 
 man,  whom  they  had  summoned  to  their  bar,  was 
 "  Lord  even  of  the  sabbath-day  V  As  such,  he 
 has,  indeed,  connected  with  the  sabbath  a  portion 
 of  "  that  liberty  wherewith  he  maketh  us  free." 
 But  while  we  refuse  to  be  "  entangled  again  in  the 
 yoke  of  bondage,"  let  us  not  break  through  all 
 restraint.  Let  us  remember,  that,  by  establishing 
 the  exceptions,  he  has  proved  the  rule  with  respect 
 to  sabbatical  observances ;  that  we  have  no 
 countenance  from  him  to  venture  beyond  the 
 limits  which  he  has  marked  out ;  and  that  he  has 
 marked  them  so  definitely,  that  "  he  that  runs  may 
 read."  If  any  one  here  present  has  had  doubts  re- 
 specting the  moral  obligation,  and  the  preceptive 
 detail,  of  sabbatical  observances ;  if  any  one's 
 conscience  suggests  that  he  may  be  guilty  as  con- 
 cerning this  thing ;   let  him  peruse,  compare,  and 
 
 a  Luke  vi.    1—11. 
 
Lecture  V.  113 
 
 study,  all  that  our  Lord  did  and  taught  respecting- 
 it,  the  very  copious  records  of  which  form  so 
 prominent  a  feature  in  the  Gospel  history ;  and 
 I  doubt  not  that  he  will  derive  the  fullest  satis- 
 faction, and  the  clearest  light  and  direction,  on 
 a  subject  most  essentially  connected  with  the 
 prosperity  of  personal,  family,  and  national  re- 
 ligion. Our  Lord  has  summed  up  the  whole 
 doctrine  respecting  it  in  two  short  but  expressive 
 apothegms.  Each  of  these  rescues  the  subject 
 from  Pharisaical  superstition,  but  each  also  en- 
 forces the  proper  observance  of  the  great  and 
 original  precept,  which  was  coeval  with  the  crea- 
 tion of  mankind ;  and  the  latter  will  well  prepare 
 us  to  enter  on  the  consideration  of  our  Lord's 
 discourse  before  the  Sanhedrim. 
 
 "  The  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  not  man  for 
 the  sabbath/'  It  is  a  day,  the  observance  of  which, 
 whatever  be  its  use,  cannot  be  supposed  necessary 
 to  the  absolute  and  indefectible  glory  either  of 
 our  Creator,  or  of  our  Redeemer.  Man,  therefore, 
 was  not  created  merely  that  he  might  observe  the 
 sabbath ;  for  it  was  instituted  after  the  time  of 
 man's  creation,  and  because  he  existed;  and  its 
 design  and  utility  result  from  the  relation  between 
 him,  and  his  God.  By  considering,  therefore, 
 both  the  present  circumstances  and  the  future 
 destination  of  man,  let  the  command  be  inter- 
 preted.     It   is   designed"  for  the   full    benefit    of 
 
 H 
 
114  Lecture  V. 
 
 a  creature,  living1  in  this  world  as  a  partaker  of 
 flesh  and  blood ;  surrounded  by  the  present  claims 
 of  time  and  sense,  and  of  social  and  terrestrial 
 connections ;  but  who  also  is  destined  for  a  better 
 world,  for  spiritual  blessedness,  for  an  eternal 
 portion,  for  communion  with  "  the  general  as- 
 sembly and  Church  of  the  first-born  which  are 
 written  in  heaven,  with  God  the  Judge  of  all, 
 with  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and 
 with  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant." 
 Conformable  to  both  these  considerations  must 
 be  our  observance  of  the  sabbath.  Go  and 
 learn  what  this  means,  "  I  will  have  mercy, 
 and  not  sacrifice,"  and  you  will  see  that,  while 
 God  requires  works  of  piety,  he  no  longer  demands 
 them  in  the  particular  form  of  public  prayer  and 
 praise,  if  his  providence  has  either  placed  us  in 
 circumstances  where  the  exercise  of  them  is 
 clearly  impracticable,  or  has  presented  to  us  urgent 
 claims  for  the  performance  of  acts  of  laborious 
 and  persevering  benevolence  to  others.  But  still 
 must  we  be  "  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord ;" 
 though  "  he  that  loveth  God,  must  love  his  brother 
 also,"  and  "  provide  for  him  things  that  are  need- 
 ful for  the  body." — For  go  and  learn  also,  that 
 "  the  sabbath  is  made  for  man;''  that  God  hath 
 blessed  it,  and  sanctified  it,  and  required  that  it 
 be  observed,  and  that  its  holy  design  be  remem- 
 bered.    And   we   shall   then    see,    that   we    must 
 
Lecture  V.  115 
 
 esteem  it  "  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  ho- 
 nourable."— We  shall  then  be  convinced,  that  on 
 this  day  we  must  "  honour  him,  not  doing  our 
 own  ways,  nor  speaking  our  own  words,  but 
 delighting  ourselves  in  the  Lord."  Then,  "  for 
 the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it,"  we  shall 
 be  "  blessed  in  our  deed." 
 
 Let  the  mind  of  a  conscientious  man  be  im- 
 pressed and  directed  by  such  views,  and  he  will 
 be  no  unskilful  casuist  in  this  matter.     This  is, 
 indeed,  a  day  of  rest ;  it  is  a  day  on  which  we  are 
 to  rest  from  our  worldly  employments.     But  it  is 
 so,  principally,   in  order  that  we  may  rest  from 
 worldly  cares,  and  sinful  desires;    that   we  may 
 repose  in  God,  and  diligently  and  earnestly  pre- 
 pare for  an  eternal  sabbath  of  perfect  holiness  and 
 bliss.     It  is  true  also  that  our  Lord  has  conveyed 
 to  us  those  views  of  this  important  subject,  which 
 are  usually  and  rightly  summed  up  in  the  observa- 
 tion, that  works  of  piety,  necessity,  and  charity,  are 
 lawful  on  the  sabbath,  and  not  a  breach   of  its 
 rest.     But  it  were  earnestly  to  be  wished,   that 
 Christians,    while   they  condemn,   as  justly   they 
 may,  a  Judaical  observance  of  the  sabbath,  had 
 not  often  run  into  the  opposite  extreme,  and  used 
 their  Christian  liberty  in  a  manner,  which  their 
 Lord  and  Master  would  have  condemned,  even 
 more   severely  than   that   merely  ceremonial  ob- 
 servance, which  the  erroneous  traditions  of  the 
 Jews  had  recommended  and  sanctioned. 
 
 H  2 
 
1  16*  Lecture  V. 
 
 But  the  most  important  principle  yet  remains  to 
 be  noticed  ;  for  it  declares  to  us  what  we  have  so 
 much  need  to  call  to  mind,  the  sanction  of  the 
 commandment.  —  "  The  Son  of  man  is  Lord,  even 
 of  the  sabbath-day."  I  doubt  not  that  you  have 
 already  referred  this  declaration  to  the  precepts 
 and  decisions  which  we  have  been  reviewing  ; 
 and  to  the  miracles,  with  which  they  were  accom- 
 panied, and  by  which  their  authority  was  esta- 
 blished. I  doubt  not  that  you  have  already  antici- 
 pated the  remark,  that,  as  on  this  day,  the  Son  of 
 man  rose  from  the  dead  ;  and  also,  that  on  that 
 same  day,  which  we,  in  imitation  of  the  Apostles, 
 call  "  the  Lord's  day/'  our  Lord  did,  generally,  at 
 least,  shew  himself  to  his  disciples  after  his  resur- 
 rection ;  that  on  that  day  he  poured  out  the  seven- 
 fold gifts  of  his  Spirit ;  and,  to  his  beloved  disciple, 
 "  being  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day/'  shewed 
 the  things  which  should  be  hereafter.  Therefore 
 do  we,  '  in  imitation  of  the  first  followers  of 
 Christ,  assemble  for  public  worship  on  the  day  on 
 which  our  Saviour  rose,'  that  we  may  thereon 
 "  continue  stedfastly  in  the  Apostles'  doctrine,  and 
 in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers."  But  this 
 authoritative  claim  of  our  Master  and  only 
 Saviour,  has  a  much  more  ancient  original,  and 
 includes  a  much  more  extensive  obligation.  Why 
 was  the  sabbath  instituted  ?  "  Because  that  on 
 the  seventh  day  God  rested  from  all  his  work 
 which  he  created  and  made;  and,  therefore,  blessed 
 
Lecture  V.  117 
 
 that  day,  and  sanctified  it."  And  who  rested  from 
 his  work,  but  he  that  made  the  worlds  ?  And  by 
 whom,  and  for  whom,  were  "  all  things  created, 
 that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  whether 
 visible  or  invisible  ;  and  by  whom  do  "  all  things 
 consist,  but  by  him  who  is  the  image  of  the  invi- 
 sible God,  the  first-born  of  every  creature  ;"  who 
 is  before  all  things,  and,  therefore,  heir  of  all 
 things  ?  And  who  is  he  but  the  Son  of  God  ;  the 
 same  that  is  also  styled  the  Son  of  man  ;  who 
 "  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us,  and  de- 
 clared to  us  the  Father,  whom  no  man  hath  seen 
 or  can  see;"  and  received  of  his  Father  the  pro- 
 mise of  the  Holy  Spirit :  to  whom,  as  the  Son  of 
 man,  is  given,  according  to  prophecy,  dominion, 
 and  glory,  and  a  kingdom ;  and  who  will  one  day 
 come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and  great 
 glory  ?  The  Son  of  man  is,  therefore,  Lord  of 
 the  sabbath,  as  the  Creator  and  upholder  of  the 
 universe  ;  as  the  angel  of  the  covenant  to  his  people 
 in  the  wilderness;  as  the  Mediator  of  the  new 
 covenant;  as  the  first-begotten  from  the  dead;  as 
 the  head  over  all  things  to  his  Church  ;  as  the 
 judge  of  quick  and  dead.  His  is  the  command- 
 ment ;  he  has  imposed,  and  ratified,  and  declared, 
 our  obligations  to  this  reasonable  service  ;  and  to 
 him  we  must  give  account. 
 
 Thus  sacred  is  "  this  day,  which  the  Lord  hath 
 made."     Thus  are  we  bound  to  "  rejoice  and  be 
 
118  Lecture  V. 
 
 glad  in  it."  Thus  intimately  is  it  connected  with 
 all  that  God  has  done  for  man,  and  with  all  that 
 he  has  revealed  of  himself  to  man ;  sanctioned 
 and  recommended,  as  it  is,  by  all  that  is  great  in 
 the  Creator,  merciful  in  the  Redeemer,  and  con- 
 solatory in  the  Sanctifier.  Thus  does  the  ob- 
 servance of  it  rest,  not  merely  on  the  narrow  and 
 slippery  basis  of  human  recommendation,  and  ge- 
 neral expediency,  but  on  the  extensive,  solid,  and 
 immoveable,  foundation  of  divine  and  explicit 
 authority. 
 
 We  have  not  in  this  lengthened  discussion  been 
 wandering  from  the  principal  subject  of  this  day's 
 Lecture.  For  it  has  been  stated  to  you,  that  the 
 sublime  discourse,  to  the  consideration  of  which 
 we  must  now  proceed,  was  a  defence  made  by  our 
 Lord,  against  the  accusation  that  he  had  violated 
 that  sabbath.  We  shall  now,  I  trust,  be  prepared 
 more  fully  to  understand,  and  more  duly  to  appre- 
 ciate, the  exalted  claims  which  he  therein  advances 
 as  the  Son  of  the  Father,  acting  in  his  mediatorial 
 capacity  as  the  Son  of  man  ;  and  which  we  have, 
 in  fact,  already  deduced  in  a  great  measure  from 
 other  parts  of  his  instructions  on  this  subject, 
 compared  with  the  general  tenor  of  Scripture. 
 The  views  which  have  in  this  manner  come  before 
 us,  will  probably  be  thought  to  illustrate  the  words 
 with  which  our  Lord  commenced  his  answer  to  the 
 objections   of   the  Jews,     "  My  Father  vvorketh 
 
Lecture  V.  119 
 
 hitherto,,  and  1  work."  That  remark  clearly 
 shewed  them  what  was  the  nature  of  the  claim 
 which  he  advanced.  And  he  was  so  far  from  recti- 
 fying their  interpretation,  (or  misinterpretation, 
 as  some  would  fain  have  it,)  that  he  proceeded 
 more  fully  to  unfold  his  claim ;  and  to  state  all  its 
 bearings,  circumstances,  and  consequences,  even 
 until  the  consummation  of  all  things. 
 
 "  Then  answered  Jesus,  and  said  unto  them, 
 Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  The  Son  can  do 
 nothing  of  himself,  but  what  he  seeth  the  Father 
 do ;  for  what  things  soever  he  doeth,  these  also 
 doeth  the  Son  likewise.  For  the  Father  loveth 
 the  Son,  and  sheweth  him  all  things  that  himself 
 doeth ;  and  he  will  shew  him  greater  works  than 
 these,  that  ye  may  marvel.  For  as  the  Father 
 raiseth  up  the  dead,  and  quickeneth  them,  even  so 
 the  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will.  For  the 
 Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all 
 judgment  unto  the  Son ;  that  all  men  should 
 honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father. 
 He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son,  honoureth  not  the 
 Father,  which  hath  sent  him." 
 
 These  words  remind  us  of  the  statement  which 
 our  Lord  made  to  Nicodemus,  that  "  he  spoke 
 that  which  he  knew,  and  testified  that  which  he 
 had  seen  ;  for  that  he,  who  alone  had  ascended 
 into  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  man,  which  is  in 
 heaven,    could    testify  of  heavenly   things."     He 
 
120  Lecture  V. 
 
 now  fully  unfolds  to  those,  who  conceived  that 
 his  recent  declaration  was  presumptuously  spoken, 
 the  origin,  object,  and  extent  of  his  commission  as 
 the  Son  of  man ;  of  which  his  authority  over  the 
 sabbath  Avas  but  a  part.  He  announces  his  per- 
 fect acquaintance  with  all  the  counsels  and  pro- 
 ceedings of  the  Father,  in  consequence  of  the 
 love  of  the  Father  to  him.  And  though  he  was 
 now  acting-  in  subordination  to  the  Father,  as  sent 
 by  him  to  execute  a  divine  commission ;  and 
 though  he  "  did  nothing  of  himself,  but  what  he 
 saw  the  Father  do ;"  yet  his  knowledge  was  not 
 more  extensive  than  the  authority  committed  to 
 him.  For  as  "  the  Father  sheweth  him  all  things 
 that  himself  doeth,"  so  also  "  what  things  soever 
 the  Father  doeth,  these  also  doeth  the  Son  like- 
 wise." Hence,  if  such  were  his  authority  and 
 power,  it  was  no  presumptuous  statement  which  he 
 had  advanced,  when  he  said,  cc  My  Father  work- 
 eth  hitherto,  and  I  work."  Nay,  ff  the  Father 
 would  shew  him  greater  works  than  those,"  at 
 which  they  had  already  marvelled,  that  "  they 
 might  marvel"  the  more.  For  though  the  mira- 
 culous works  which  he  had  already  done,  furnished 
 such  evidence  of  his  official  character  and  au- 
 thority, as  ought  to  exempt  him  from  the  charge 
 of  unjustly  asserting  a  claim  to  a  parity  of  opera- 
 tion in  conjunction  with  the  Father;  yet  they 
 would  see  him  "  raise  the  dead  and  quicken  them; " 
 
Lecture  V.  121 
 
 not,  as  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testament,  by 
 external  and  visible  applications,  through  the  in- 
 strumentality of  which  his  Father  then  raised 
 them,  but  evidently  by  his  own  power,  and  at  his 
 own  will. 
 
 But  our  Lord  is  not  here  principally  intending 
 to  speak  of  his  eternal  generation,  of  his  pre-exist- 
 ence,  and  of  his  glory  with  the  Father.  Those 
 doctrines  are  in  other  places  distinctly  revealed, 
 and  they  alone  are  consistent  with  the  statements 
 here  made.  But  Jesus  is  immediately  describing 
 the  authority  and  work  of  the  Son  of  man,  as 
 appearing  among  men  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  to 
 finish  the  work  which  the  Father  gave  him  to  do;  as 
 acting  therefore  in  a  subordinate  capacity,  though 
 in  unison  with  the  Father ;  as  sent  to  ratify  and 
 promulgate  the  new  covenant,  of  which  he  was  the 
 visible  Mediator,  with  the  same  authority,  which 
 belonged  to  those  dispensations  of  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment, which  were  conducted  more  expressly  in 
 the  name  of  the  Father.  Even  then,  indeed,  the 
 Father  was  employing  the  agency  of  the  Son, 
 though  it  was  not,  as  yet,  so  openly  announced. 
 But  now,  as  our  Lord  stated,  and  as  was  evinced 
 both  by  his  past  miracles,  and  by  the  "  greater 
 works"  of  which  he  spoke,  (C  the  Father,  who 
 himself  judgeth  no  man,  had  committed  all  judicial 
 authority  to  the  Son."  And  as  he  now  "  spoke 
 by  his  Son,"  therefore  was  the  Son   to  be  obeyed 
 
122  Lecture  V. 
 
 with  equal  readiness,  and  to  be  received  with 
 equal  honour.  For  the  very  end  and  design  of 
 this  revelation  was,  (e  that  all  men  might  honour 
 the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father;"  a 
 statement,  which,  although  it  applies  to  Jesus 
 appearing  in  the  likeness  of  man,  yet  would  not 
 consistently  be  applicable  to  any  other,  than  to 
 one  who  is  also  the  Son  of  God,  in  a  sense  in 
 which  no  other  son  of  man  is  so.  In  fact,  Jesus 
 announced  all  that  we  have  yet  noticed,  before  he 
 spoke  of  himself  under  any  other  character  than 
 the  Son  of  the  Father;  although  he  afterwards 
 states,  that  "  authority  is  given  to  him  to  execute 
 judgment  also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man." 
 In  fact,  it  was  in  consequence  of  his  becoming 
 incarnate,  and  therefore  visible  to  us,  and  a  par- 
 taker of  our  nature,  that  he  proclaimed  and  pro- 
 cured to  us  the  blessings  of  salvation.  And  there- 
 fore Jesus,  speaking  in  his  own  person,  adds  the 
 words ;  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that 
 heareth  my  word,  and  believeth  on  him  that  sent 
 me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into 
 condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life." 
 This  is  a  declaration  which  Jesus  had  already 
 made  to  Nicodemus;  and  which  apprizes  those, 
 who  admit  the  authority  of  Jesus,  of  the  nature  of 
 the  salvation  which  he  offers,  and  of  the  means  by 
 which  it  is  to  be  obtained. 
 
 Our  Lord  proceeds,  inJthc  same  solemn  manner. 
 
Lecture  V.  123 
 
 to  make  a  further  annunciation.  "  Verily,  verily, 
 I  say  unto  you,  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now 
 is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
 of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall  live.  For  as  the 
 Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the 
 Son  to  have  life  in  himself;  and  hath  given  him 
 authority  to  execute  judgment  also,  because  he  is 
 the  Son  of  man."  The  concluding  words  of  this 
 passage  immediately  introduce  a  reference  to  the 
 general  resurrection.  In  the  former  part  of  it 
 he  refers,  either  to  those  who  were  raised  from 
 the  dead  in  the  subsequent  part  of  his  ministry ; 
 or  to  those  saints  "  which  arose,  and  appeared  to 
 many,  after  his  resurrection ;"  or,  as  is  more 
 closely  connected  with  the  last  verse,  and  more 
 fully  illustrated  by  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment, to  the  raising  of  the  world  from  a  state  of 
 spiritual  death  to  spiritual  life ;  or,  it  may  be,  to 
 all  these,  for  in  all  these  is  it  fully  verified. 
 
 But  I  am  aware  that  there  is  another  and  an 
 awakening  interpretation  of  these  words,  which 
 considers  them  as  parallel  to  several  difficult  and 
 mysterious  passages  in  the  prophetic  writings,  in 
 other  discourses  of  our  Lord,  in  the  Epistles,  and 
 in  the  book  of  Revelation.  I  allude,  of  course,  to 
 the  literal  interpretation  of  the  expression,  (:  the 
 presence  of  the  Lord  Jesus3 ;"  and  to  that  event, 
 
 a  Matt.  xxiv.  3.    1  Cor.  xv.  23.    1  Thess.  ii.  1,9.    iThess.  i.  .9- 
 
124  Lectuke  V. 
 
 or  course  of  events,  which  St.  John  predicts,  by 
 stating-,  that  the  righteous  "  shall  live  and  reign 
 with  Christ  a  thousand  years,  though  the  rest  of 
 the  dead  shall  not  live  again  until  the  thousand 
 years  are  finished."  "  This,"  adds  he,  "  is  the  first 
 resurrection3."  If  any  such  interpretation,  whe- 
 ther literal  or  figurative,  be  correct ;  if  there  is 
 any  consistency  in  the  language  of  prophecy,  by 
 which  we  can  as  yet  attain  to  its  true  interpreta- 
 tion ;  the  event  predicted  is  probably  near,  even 
 at  the  doors,  to  us  who  live  in  these  latter  days. 
 Time  only  can  determine  this.  But,  assuredly, 
 whatever  be  our  views  of  this  matter,  "  blessed 
 and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrec- 
 tion ;  on  such  the  second  death  has  no  power ''." 
 For  we  cannot  doubt,  whether  any  one,  who  does 
 not  now  "  rise  and  walk  in  newness  of  life,"  can 
 have  any  part  or  lot  in  such  blessings.  None  but 
 those,  "  who  do  God's  commandments,"  can  have 
 any  "right  to  the  tree  of  life c ;"  none  else  can 
 look  forward,  with  hope  or  complacency,  to  that 
 awful  and  final  transaction,  of  which  our  Lord 
 next  speaks,  in  words,  respecting  the  interpreta- 
 tion of  which  we  can  entertain  no  doubt. 
 
 cc  Marvel  not  at  this,  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in 
 the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  the 
 voice  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  shall  come  forth ; 
 
 ■  Rev.  xx.  4—6.         b  Ibid.  xx.  6.         c  Jbid.  xxii.  14. 
 
Lecture  V.  125 
 
 they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
 life ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resur- 
 rection of  damnation."  These  are,  indeed,  deci- 
 sive words,  and  they  speak  of  a  decisive  day ;  and 
 we  know  that  cc  God  hath  appointed  a  day,  in 
 which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by 
 that  man,  whom  he  hath  ordained  ;  whereof  he  hath 
 given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath 
 raised  him  from  the  dead."  That  event,  which 
 gives  us  so  certain  and  so  awakening  an  assurance, 
 we  are,  this  day  more  especially,  commemorating. 
 On  this  day  we  are  placed,  as  it  were,  on  another 
 Pisgah,  from  whence  we  can  both  look  back  on 
 scenes  that  are  past,  and  on  scenes  yet  to  come, 
 both  of  which  alike  display  the  wonderful  works 
 of  God,  both  in  mercy  and  in  judgment,  such  as 
 may  attract  the  attention  of  the  dullest  eye,  and 
 arouse  the  feelings  of  the  most  sluggish  heart. 
 On  this  day  we  celebrate  that  event,  which  de- 
 clared the  acceptance  of  the  ransom  paid  for  our 
 redemption,  which  shewed  the  triumph  of  the 
 Saviour  over  sin  and  death,  the  curse  and  the 
 grave  ;  which  has  laid  the  sure  foundation  for  our 
 fondest  hopes,  and  has  made  us  rejoice  in  the 
 clear  promise  and  earnest  of  our  future  inheritance 
 of  ff  the  purchased  possession."  "Thanks,  there- 
 fore, be  unto  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift ;"  for 
 "  he  giveth  us  the  victory,  through  our  Lord 
 Jesus   Christ."     The   sabbath   is    ever   a  joyful, 
 
126  Lecture  V. 
 
 though  a  sacred,  day ;  on  which  we  may  call  to 
 mind  all  that  is  consolatory,  as  well  as  all  that  is 
 awful,  in  Revelation.  For  we  celebrate  it  in 
 commemoration  of  our  Saviour's  resurrection,  by 
 which  he  was  "  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
 with  power."  And  every  argument  which  evinces 
 to  us  the  certainty  of  the  event,  also  demonstrates 
 to  us  the  certainty  of  that  declaration,  that  "  he 
 that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God,  hath  everlasting 
 life ;"  but  also,  on  the  contrary,  that  "  he  that  be- 
 lieveth not,  is  condemned  already,  because  he 
 hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only-begotten 
 Son  of  God."  Though,  therefore,  I  wish  not  to 
 check  the  feelings  of  gratitude  and  cc  triumph  in 
 Christ,"  but  to  encourage  and  excite  them  ;  yet, 
 referring  to  those  last  cited  words  of  our  Lord,  in 
 which  he  speaks  of  his  coming  to  judgment,  I 
 would  say  in  the  language  of  our  excellent  Light- 
 foot,  "  I  shall  leave  it  to  him,  who  hears  and 
 reads  them,  to  make  the  most  feeling  and  dread 
 commentary  upon  them  that  he  can,  towards  the 
 awing  of  his  heart  to  a  preparedness  against  that 
 dreadful  time  when  it  shall  comea." 
 
 a  Lightfoot's  Harmony,  in  loco. 
 
HULSEAN  LECTURES 
 
 FOR    1821. 
 
 Part  II. 
 LECTURES  VI— XVII. 
 
 — 0 — 
 
 THE    REASONINGS    OF    OUR    LORD    RESPECTING     THE     EVIDENCES    TO 
 WHICH    HE    APPEALED    IN    CONFIRMATION    OF    HIS    CLAIMS. 
 
LECTURE    VI 
 
 OUR  lord's  recapitulation  of  his  claims  con- 
 nected WITH  A  REFERENCE  TO  THE  PRESUMPTION 
 IN  THEIR  FAVOUR  FROM  HIS  NOT  SEEKING  HIS  OWN 
 WILL. 
 
 St.  John  V.  30,  31. 
 
 I  can  of  mine  mvn  self  do  nothing;  as  I  hear ,  I  judge; 
 and  my  judgment  is  just ;  because  I  seek  not  mine  own 
 will,  but  the  will  of  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me. 
 If  I  bear  witness  of  myself,  my  witness  is  not  true. 
 
 In  these  words  our  Lord  recapitulates  the  declara- 
 tions made  in  the  opening  of  his  discourse;  and, 
 while  he  in  some  measure  enlarges  them,  he  also 
 passes  on  to  notice  those  considerations,  which 
 evinced  the  justice  of  his  claims,  by  first  stating 
 the  presumption  in  their  favour,  which  his  whole 
 life,  conduct,  and  doctrine,  suggested ;  and  then 
 the  principle  upon  which  plain  and  positive  proofs 
 were  provided  for  their  complete  establishment. 
 The  principle,  to  which  we  here  allude,  is  laid 
 down  in  the  conclusion  of  our  text.  On  a  different 
 occasion,  our  Lord  stated  another,  which  is,  in 
 expression,  the  reverse  of  this ;  which,  therefore, 
 it   will  be    expedient    to    compare    with    it,    in 
 
 I 
 
130  Lecture  VI. 
 
 order  that  the  force  and  application  of  each  may 
 be  ascertained. 
 
 It  being  our  object  to  consider  the  question 
 of  our  Lord's  divine  mission  in  the  precise  point 
 of  view,  in  which  his  own  discourses  present  it, 
 we  shall  proceed  on  this  occasion,  first,  to  prepare 
 the  way  for  our  future  inquiries  by  the  exami- 
 nation of  the  two  principles  which  we  have 
 noticed ;  secondly,  to  consider  the  statements  re- 
 peated, and  enlarged,  in  our  text;  and,  thirdly, 
 the  presumption  therein  also  noticed  in  favour 
 of  the  truth  of  those  statements. 
 
 I.  The  principle  laid  down  in  the  text  is  thus 
 expressed;  "If  I  bear  witness  of  myself,  my 
 witness  is  not  true."  This  is  briefly  and  gene- 
 rally expressed,  without  noticing  the  limitation, 
 which  it  obviously  admits  and  requires.  We  do 
 not,  universally,  conclude,  that  every  testimony 
 so  circumstanced  is  necessarily  false ;  for  we  are 
 continually  acting  on  the  contrary  supposition. 
 But  we  are  satisfied  in  so  acting,  only  when  we 
 are  concerned  with  &  person  of  known  veracity, 
 when  we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  him  in- 
 fluenced by  undue  motives,  and  when  he  is  fully 
 qualified,  in  point  of  information,  to  deliver  a  true 
 testimony  in  the  particular  instance  in  question. 
 But  our  unhappy  experience  of  the  deceit  and 
 falsehood  of  our  fellow  men,  frequently  disposes 
 us  to  receive   such  unsupported   testimony  with 
 
Lecture  VI.  1.11 
 
 caution,  even  in  the  ordinary  affairs  of  private 
 life ;  and,  in  solemn  and  judicial  proceedings,  it 
 is  considered  wholly  insufficient.  In  such  cases 
 we  at  least  suspend  our  judgment,  unless  we 
 have  independent  corroborating  testimony.  And, 
 therefore,  our  Lord,  having  granted  the  equity 
 of  such  a  maxim,  proceeds,  after  having  stated 
 his  record  respecting  himself,  to  specify  some 
 separate  and  independent  testimonies  in  support 
 of  it.  But  if  none  of  them  had  existed,  it  would 
 not  therefore  follow,  that  his  record  was  abso- 
 lutely and  necessarily  untrue.  On  the  contrary, 
 in  this,  as  well  as  in  many  other  cases,  we  must 
 learn  from  the  person  himself  the  claims  which 
 he  advances,  and  then,  having  ascertained  the 
 nature  and  circumstances  of  the  matter  in 
 question,  we  proceed  to  investigate  and  consider 
 that  which  is  offered  in  confirmation  of  it.  Hence 
 the  maxim  is  to  be  interpreted  as  applicable,  not 
 to  the  absolute  truth  of  the  matter  in  debate, 
 but  to  the  grounds  upon  which  we  can  properly 
 judge  of  its  truth,  and  to  the  degree  of  our 
 conviction.  Our  Lord  grants,  that  if  he  bear 
 record  of  himself,  and  can  offer  nothing  more 
 than  his  unsupported  assertion,  his  testimony  is 
 not  true;  that  the  maxim,  in  compliance  with 
 which  they  usually  rejected  such  a  record,  is  just, 
 proper,  and  expedient ;  and,  therefore,  he  ap- 
 pealed and  referred  them  to  the  positive  confir- 
 
 i  2 
 
132  Lecture  VI. 
 
 mation,  which  God  had  vouchsafed  to  supply  for 
 the  satisfaction,  even  of  the  most  scrupulous 
 inquirer.  But,  at  another  time,  when  they  cited 
 this  obvious,  and  to  them  familiar,  maxim,  and 
 wished  to  urge  it  beyond  its  proper  application, 
 he  then  stated  that  the  contrary  maxim  is,  in  some 
 circumstances,  really  admissible,  and  that  it  was 
 so  with  respect  to  himself.  Teaching  in  the 
 temple,  he  declared  himself  to  be  "the  light  of 
 the  world,"  and  stated  the  consequences  of  such 
 a  doctrine.  "  The  Pharisees,  therefore,  said  unto 
 him,  Thou  bearest  record  of  thyself,  thy  record 
 is  not  true.  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them, 
 Though  I  bear  record  of  myself,  yet  my  record 
 is  true  :  for  I  know  whence  I  came,  and  whither 
 I  go ;  but  ye  cannot  tell  whence  I  came,  nor 
 whither  I  go.  Ye  judge  after  the  flesh;  I  judge 
 no  man.  And  yet  if  I  judge,  my  judgment  is 
 true :  for  I  am  not  alone,  but  I  and  the  Father 
 that  sent  me.  It  is  also  written  in  your  law, 
 that  the  testimony  of  two  men  is  true.  I  am 
 one  that  bear  witness  of  myself,  and  the  Father 
 that  sent  me  beareth  witness  of  mea."  Our  Lord 
 here  advances  some  assertions  similar  to  those  in 
 our  text;  and  briefly  alludes  to  one  of  those  in- 
 dependent testimonies,  which,  in  the  subsequent 
 part  of  the  discourse   more   immediately   before 
 
 a  John  viii.  12—19. 
 
Lecture  VI.  133 
 
 us,  he  states  more  fully  and  distinctly.  In  the 
 former  part  of  it,  as  we  have  already  seen,  he 
 is  occupied  in  stating  those  claims,  of  the  cor- 
 rectness of  which  he,  who  thus  advanced  them, 
 had  the  fullest  knowledge,  inasmuch  as  he  could 
 not  but  "know  whence  he  came,"  and,  there- 
 fore, if  we  find  his  words  established  by  the 
 mouth  of  two  or  three  other  witnesses,  how  can 
 we,  upon  any  principles  of  right  judgment,  refuse 
 our  assent  to  them  ?  Nay,  further,  are  we  not 
 often  even  independently  of  collateral  testimony, 
 and  before  we  have  at  all  proceeded  to  examine 
 it,  disposed  to  feel  a  strong  and  justifiable 
 conviction  that  we  may  safely  rely  upon  a  single 
 testimony  ;  a  conviction  which  is  rather  strength- 
 ened and  matured,  than  newly  produced,  by  any 
 additional  confirmation  ?  Do  not  the  general 
 character,  conduct,  and  aims,  of  an  individual, 
 and  also  the  matter  and  manner  of  his  statements, 
 frequently  induce  us  to  confess,  that  there  is 
 a  strong  previous  presumption  in  his  favour, 
 which  recommends  him  to  our  favourable  regard, 
 patient  attention,  and  unbiassed  judgment  ?  Such 
 a  presumption  in  favour  of  our  Lord's  divine 
 mission  and  authority  will  be  suggested  to  every 
 candid  and  serious  inquirer,  who  takes  even  a 
 general  view  of  his  character,  proceedings,  and 
 instructions ;  and  he,  who  has  most  fully  con- 
 sidered these,  will  most  decidedly  entertain  such  a 
 
134  Lecture  VI. 
 
 presumption.  Our  Lord  himself  frequently  no- 
 ticed the  considerations  by  which  it  is  suggested ; 
 and,  in  our  text,  he  adverts  to  it,  in  its  natural  and 
 immediate  connexion  with  what  he  had  previously 
 stated  respecting  his  commission.  In  the  two 
 remaining  divisions  of  this  discourse,  it  will  be  our 
 aim  to  illustrate  each  of  these  topics  in  the  order 
 in  which  they  lie ;  principally  by  citing,  or  allud- 
 ing to,  other  passages  in  our  Lord's  instruction 
 and  history,  which  are  parallel  with  them. 
 
 II.  We  were  to  consider,  secondly,  the  state- 
 ments which  are  repeated,  and  somewhat  enlarged, 
 in  our  text. — It  will  be  remembered,  that,  upon 
 being  arraigned  for  a  supposed  violation  of  the 
 sabbath,  our  Lord  took  occasion,  in  his  defence, 
 to  lay  before  the  Jews  the  whole  extent  of  his 
 commission ;  within  which  that  particular  right,  of 
 acting  as  he  had  done  on  the  sabbath,  though  im- 
 portant and  extensive  in  its  connexion,  was  in  fact 
 included.  He  spoke  of  himself  as  the  Son  of  God, 
 as  if  God  were  his  own  proper  Father ;  but  with 
 reference,  not  so  much  to  his  prior  and  divine 
 glory,  as  to  his  commission  and  authority  as  the 
 incarnate  Mediator,  and  as  invested  with  all  judicial 
 authority,  "  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man."  Hav- 
 ing proceeded  to  state  that  he  was  commissioned 
 to  exercise  that  authority  in  all  its  bearings,  even 
 until  its  last  and  final  exertion,  when  it  would 
 really  and  truly  be  the  judgment  of  all  mankind 
 
Lecture  VI.  135 
 
 at  the  general  resurrection,  he  again  addresses 
 himself  to  the  establishment  of  his  authority,  in 
 answer  to  their  disbelief  of  his  being  invested  with 
 it.  And,  in  the  outset,  while  he  spoke  of  it  as 
 derived  from,  and  exercised  in,  the  name  of  the 
 Father,  he  yet  spoke  of  it  as  unlimited  in  extent. 
 "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  The  Son  can  do 
 nothing  of  himself,  but  what  he  seeth  the  Father 
 do;  for  what  things  soever  he  doeth,  the  same 
 doeth  the  Son  likewise.  For  the  Father  loveth 
 the  Son,  and  sheweth  him  all  things  that  himself 
 doeth/'  After  having  branched  out  this  his  com- 
 mission into  all  its  bearings,  with  reference  to  the 
 performance  of  greater  works  than  he  had  yet 
 done,  and  having  spoken  of  its  final  exercise  in 
 the  day  when  he  shall  appear  no  longer  as  a 
 Saviour,  but  as  a  judge,  he  then,  in  our  text, 
 restates  the  source  whence  he  derived  his  autho- 
 rity to  execute  judgment,  and  the  original  and 
 character  of  that  judgment  itself:  (<  I  can  of  mine 
 own  self  do  nothing ;  as  I  hear,  I  judge ;  and  my 
 judgment  is  just;  because  I  seek  not  mine  own 
 will,  but  the  will  of  the  Father  which  hath  sent 
 me." — The  words  are  few,  but  weighty,  and  im- 
 portant. In  other  parts  of  our  Lord's  instructions 
 we  find  statements,  the  knowledge  of  which  is 
 necessary  to  the  full  understanding  of  this  pas- 
 sage, and  which  fully  elucidate  the  several  particu- 
 lars contained  in  it. 
 
136  Lecture  VI. 
 
 As  "  the  Son  can  do  nothing  of  himself,"  so 
 he  states  that  what  he  heard  of  the  Father  was 
 his  rule  of  judgment,  and  that  the  judgment  ad- 
 ministered according  to  such  a  rule  is  just.  Hear 
 the  following  similar  statements :  "  My  doctrine 
 is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me.  If  any  man 
 will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine 
 whether  it  be  of  God.,  or  whether  I  speak  of  my- 
 self. He  that  speaketh  of  himself,  seeketh  his 
 own  glory  ;  but  he  that  seeketh  his  glory  that 
 sent  him,  the  same  is  true,  and  no  unrighteous- 
 ness is  in  him\"  Our  Lord  declared  to  his  dis- 
 ciples upon  another  occasion  ;  "  I  have  called  you 
 friends ;  for  all  things  that  I  have  heard  of  my 
 Father,  I  have  made  known  unto  you.  If  I  had 
 not  come  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had  not 
 had  sin,  but  now  have  they  no  cloke  for  their  sin. 
 He  that  hateth  me,  hateth  my  Father  alsob." 
 In  his  concluding  prayer,  our  Lord  declares  of 
 his  disciples,  "They  have  kept  thy  word.  They 
 have  known  that  all  things  whatsoever  thou  hast 
 given  me  are  of  thee.  For  I  have  given  unto 
 them  the  words  which  thou  gavest  me  ;  and  they 
 have  received  them,  and  they  have  believed  that 
 
 a  Johnvii.  l6 — 18.  It  was  after  these  words  that  our  Lord 
 referred  to  the  miracle,  which  occasioned  the  discourse  now  under 
 consideration. 
 
 h  John  xv.  15— 21. 
 
Lecture  VI.  137 
 
 thou  didst  send  meV    In   connection  with   the 
 last  clause,,  and  in  illustration  of  the  connection 
 of  the  words  which  Christ  had  heard  of  the  Father, 
 with  the  judgment  of  the  last  day,  we  may  now 
 cite  another  passage  :   "  He  that  believeth  on  me, 
 believeth  not  on  me,  but  on  him  that  sent  me. 
 And  he  that  seeth  me,  seeth  him  that  sent  me. 
 I  am  come  a  light  into  the  world,  that  whosoever 
 believeth  on  me   should  not  abide   in  darkness. 
 And  if  any  man  hear  my  words,  and  believe  not, 
 I  judge  him  not;    for  I  came  not  to  judge  the 
 world,  but  to  save  the  world.    He  that  rejecteth 
 me,  and  receiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one  that 
 judgeth  him ;    the  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the 
 same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day.     For  I  have 
 not  spoken  of  myself,  but  the  Father  which  sent 
 me,   he  gave  me  a  commandment  what  I  should 
 say,  and  what  I  should  speak.     And  I  know  that 
 his  commandment  is  life  everlasting  :    whatsoever 
 I  speak,  therefore,  even  as  the  Father  said  unto 
 me,  so  I  speak d."    We  know  that  our  Lord  de- 
 clared, even  before  Pilate,  that  ffto  this  end  he 
 was  born,  and  that  for  this  cause  he  came  into 
 the   world,   that  he   might  bear  witness  to    the 
 truth."     We  know   also   that   he   declared,   that 
 "  the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto, 
 
 c  Johnxvii.  6 — 8.  d  John  xii.  44 — 50. 
 
138  Lecture  VI. 
 
 but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for 
 many."  And  as  ffthe  Father  loveth  the  Son," 
 so  did  the  Son  declare,  "  Therefore  doth  my 
 Father  love  me,  because  I  lay  down  my  life,  that 
 I  might  take  it  again.  No  man  taketh  it  from 
 me,  but  I  lay  it  down  of  myself.  I  have  power 
 to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have  power  to  take  it  again. 
 This  commandment  have  I  received  from  my 
 Father1." — We  may  now  perceive  the  purport 
 of  our  Lord  when  he  said,  "My  meat  is  to  do 
 the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  his 
 work."  Those  words  were  spoken  when  our 
 Lord  was  at  Samaria,  and  when  he  foresaw,  and 
 was  deeply  interested  in,  the  successful  result  of 
 his  approaching  interview  with  the  people  of  that 
 place.  And  I  would  fain  hope  and  believe,  that, 
 however  little  you  may  be  convinced  by  any 
 reasonings  I  may  have  to  offer,  yet  that,  as  I  have 
 recited  to  you  the  words  of  our  Lord  more  largely 
 than  is  perhaps  usual,  you  may  be  able  to  say 
 with  those  Samaritans,  "Now  we  believe,  not 
 because  of  thy  saying;  for  we  have  heard  him 
 ourselves,  and  know  that  this  is  indeed  the  Christ, 
 the  Saviour  of  the  world."  I  know  not,  indeed, 
 how  I  could  illustrate  the  words  of  our  text  more 
 clearly  than  in  the  manner  I  have  adopted,  or 
 how  I  may  be  likely  more  strikingly  to  exhibit  to 
 
 8  Johnx.  17,  18. 
 
Lecture  VI.  139 
 
 you,  the  claims,  which  he,  "  whom  we  preach/' 
 has  upon  your  reverence,  faith,  and  obedience. 
 And,  before  I  proceed  to  reason  upon  the  argu- 
 ment which  our  text  suggests  to  us,  I  would  cite 
 one  other  passage,  which  at  once  includes  the 
 same  statement,  in  almost  the  same  words,  and 
 which  declares  to  us  what  is  that  will  of  God 
 concerning  us,  which  is  revealed,  accomplished, 
 and  proposed  for  our  compliance,  in  the  Gospel. 
 "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me,"  said  our  Lord, 
 ' c  shall  come  to  me ;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me 
 I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.  For  I  came  down 
 from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own  will,  but  the 
 will  of  him  that  sent  me.  And  this  is  the  Father's 
 will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath 
 given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise 
 it  up  again  at  the  last  day.  And  this  is  the  will 
 of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one  that  seeth 
 the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  everlast- 
 ing life,  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day a." 
 And  may  we  not  truly  remark,  that  "blessed  also 
 are  they,  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  be- 
 lieved;" who  so  receive,  understand,  and  obey, 
 those  things  which  are  written,  that  they  believe, 
 as  indeed  they  have  highest  moral  demonstration 
 to  induce  them  to  believe,  "  that  Jesus  is  the 
 Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  in  order  that,  believing, 
 they  may  have  life  through  his  name." 
 
 b  Johnvi.  37—40. 
 
140  Lecture  VI. 
 
 III.  That,  as  far  as  the  subject  before  us  this 
 day  gives  occasion,  we  may  convince  the  gainsayer, 
 and  assist  the  believer  to  build  himself  more  se- 
 curely on  his  most  holy  faith,  let  us  now  in  the 
 third  place,  proceed  to  consider  that  presumption 
 in  favour  of  the  claims  of  Jesus,  which  he  notices 
 in  the  text,  and  in  many  other  parts  of  his  dis- 
 courses :  ' '  I  seek  not  my  own  will,  but  the  will  of 
 the  Father,  which  hath  sent  me." 
 
 Was  he  not  sent  by  the  Father  ?  Then  must 
 he,  that  thinks  so,  believe,  either  that  he  knowingly 
 palmed  an  imposture  upon  the  world,  and  taught 
 a  cunningly  devised  fable  ;  or  even  that  he  was 
 more  weak  than  wicked,  and  published,  under  the 
 influence  of  delusion  and  enthusiasm,  the  infa- 
 tuated reveries  of  a  heated  fancy.  Yet,  if  the 
 latter  and  more  charitable  supposition  be  adopted, 
 why  do  we  find  so  much  that  is  sublime  and  unde- 
 niable in  theology;  pure,  holy,  and  enlightened, 
 in  morality?  Could  an  enthusiast  surpass  all  the 
 ancient  schools  of  philosophy?  Could  such  a 
 teacher  promulgate  principles,  which  led  even 
 those  who  opposed  the  Christian  system  to  reform 
 their  own ;  which  the  wisest  of  men  still  allow  to 
 be  consonant  with  the  most  improved  dictates  of 
 human  reason  ;  which  have  left  speculation  little 
 exercise  in  religious  and  moral  inquiries,  except 
 in  demonstrating  and  arranging  anew  the  im- 
 portant truths,  which  have  been  revealed,  or  in  the 
 
Lecture   VI.  141 
 
 barren  research  of  useless  curiosities  ;  and  which 
 have  in  such  a  manner  both  advanced  and 
 extended  the  knowledge  of  religious  truth,  that 
 a  large  proportion  of  the  poor  and  unlettered 
 inhabitants  of  Christian  countries,  attain  to  a 
 more  extensive,  more  certain,  and  more  efficacious 
 acquaintance  with  God  and  their  duty,  than  the 
 wisest  Greeks  and  Romans  ?  If,  with  the  Prus- 
 sian monarch,  we  deny  the  great  and  more  myste- 
 rious peculiarities  of  Christianity,  and  reject  all 
 as  a  divine  revelation,  we  cannot  do  less  than 
 value  and  admire,  as  he  is  said  to  have  done,  its 
 morality.  We  cannot  but  admit  the  truth  of  its 
 statements  respecting  morality,  the  unity  and 
 spirituality  of  the  Deity,  and  a  future  life.  But 
 how  can  we  separate  these  portions  from  others, 
 when  inquiring  whether  the  Gospel  is  a  divine 
 revelation?  And  do  not  even  the  more  mysterious 
 parts  of  the  Gospel  doctrine  provide  us  with  a 
 satisfactory  elucidation  of  matters  of  anxious  in- 
 quiry to  sinful,  ignorant,  weak,  dying  mortals  ; 
 with  the  only  information  respecting  them,  on 
 which  we  can  place  any  reliance  ?  All  surely  is 
 delivered  as  claiming  the  same  authority ;  how 
 then  can  we  select  some  as  excellent,  and  con- 
 demn the  other  as  the  dictates  of  enthusiasm  ? 
 
 But  in  what  manner  can  the  charge  of  enthu- 
 siasm be  suggested,  except  by  our  own  reluct- 
 ance to  admit  these  instructions  as  true  ?    And 
 
142  Lecture  VI. 
 
 how  did  the  delusion  of  a  Jew  take  an  aspect  and 
 direction  so  entirely  different  from  all  established 
 opinions  and  prejudices?  And,  if  that  were  the 
 case,  how  are  we  to  account  for  the  absence  of  all 
 the  characteristics  of  enthusiasm  ?  We  find  no 
 vehemence,  pride,  conceit,  or  uncharitableness,  in 
 Jesus.  He  had  none  of  the  impetuosity,  forward- 
 ness, or  haste,  that  we  should  expect  to  have 
 found  in  an  enthusiast.  His  whole  doctrine, 
 though  unfolded  by  degrees,  is  harmonious  and 
 connected ;  and  contains  no  visions  or  rhapsodies. 
 Neither  would  enthusiasm  have  at  all  enabled 
 him  to  verify  ancient  predictions,  or  to  deliver 
 others  respecting  himself  and  his  Church,  which 
 equally  have  been  verified.  He  could  not  have 
 long-  persevered  in  attempting  miracles,  much  less 
 could  he  have  made  others  believe  that  he  wrought 
 them,  unless  they  were  realities.  We  must  then 
 adopt  some  probable  solution.  And  the  supposition 
 that  he  was  sent  from  God,  and  performed  his  will, 
 satisfactorily  explains  the  whole  mystery. 
 
 If  he  were  an  impostor,  and  knowingly  de- 
 ceived others,  then  he  "sought  his  own  will," 
 and  was  influenced  by  some  sinister  inclination, 
 from  which  no  one,  engaged  in  such  a  cause, 
 could  be  free,  but  one  who  had  been  sent  from 
 God,  and  sought  the  will,  and  spoke  the  words, 
 of  him  that  sent  him.  But  such  an  imputation  is 
 so  much  at  variance  with  the  character  and  the 
 
Lecture  VI.  143 
 
 doctrines  of  Jesus ;  with  all  that  he  did,  and  all 
 that  he  omitted  to  do;  that  it  is  in  every  point 
 of  view  improbable.  His  object  could  not  be 
 covetousness ;  for  he  continued  in  a  state  of 
 poverty,  and  made  no  attempts  to  rise  above  it. 
 He  was  so  far  from  courting  the  favour  of  the 
 rich  and  powerful,  that  he  checked  their  dispo- 
 sition towards  himself;  though  he  would  fain 
 have  persuaded  them  to  embrace  the  truths  which 
 he  taught.  He  required  of  the  rich  young  man 
 to  sell  what  he  had,  and  to  give  the  price,  not 
 to  himself,  but  to  the  poor.  We  learn,  inci- 
 dentally, that  Jesus  also  gave  to  the  poor,  even 
 from  his  own  scanty  stock,  which  he  committed 
 to  the  care  of  his  only  faithless  disciple,  and  that 
 knowing  his  character.  And  trifling  indeed  were 
 the  opportunities  which  Judas  had  for  dishonest 
 gain,  since  he  covenanted  to  betray  his  Master 
 for  thirty  pieces  of  silver.  Though  some 
 "  ministered  to  Jesus  of  their  substance,"  yet 
 it  was  never  sufficient  to  provide  him,  even  the 
 ordinary  comforts,  much  less  the  elegancies,  of 
 life.  And  as  he  threw  no  temptations  in  the 
 way  of  the  rich  to  draw  them  to  him  during  his 
 life,  so  neither  did  he  hold  out  any  inducement 
 of  a  gratifying  nature.  For  he  repeatedly  de- 
 clared, and  the  nature  of  what  he  taught  and 
 required  abundantly  tended  to  shew  the  propriety 
 of  the  declaration,  that  "they  that  trust  in  worldly 
 
144  Lecture  VI. 
 
 riches/'  and  therefore,  too  generally,  those  who 
 possess  them,  would  with  difficulty  enter  his 
 kingdom.  Did  we  say  that  he  spoke  of  a  king- 
 dom? We  may  ask,  then,  with  Pilate,  was  he 
 a  King ;  and  did  he  advance  and  forward  such  a 
 claim?  Yes,  but  his  was  not  a  kingdom  like  those  of 
 this  world,  or  that  displayed  "  the  glory  of  them." 
 "If  my  kingdom  were  of  this  world,  then  would 
 my  servants  fight,  that  I  should  not  be  delivered 
 to  the  Jews  ;  but  now  is  my  kingdom  not  from 
 hence."  Neither  did  he  himself  fight,  or  attempt 
 any  political  innovation,  authority,  or  disturbance; 
 nor  did  he  direct,  or  authorize,  his  servants  to 
 do  so.  He  endured,  with  a  patience,  and  a  sub- 
 mission which  he  proposed  as  the  model  to  all  his 
 followers,  contempt,  violence,  and  persecution. 
 Ambition  had  no  share  in  influencing  his  mind, 
 or  directing  his  actions.  He  predicted  the 
 establishment,  not  of  an  earthly,  but  of  a  spiritual, 
 kingdom  ;  and  occupied  most  of  his  time,  labours, 
 and  instructions,  in  teaching  its  nature,  while 
 he  gave  evidence  of  its  authority.  He  did  not 
 profess  to  attain  it  by  triumphs  in  the  field,  in 
 which  he  should  merely  expose  his  life,  but  only 
 by  his  actual  death.  That  death  he  predicted 
 distinctly,  though  figuratively,  to  the  Jews ;  but 
 to  his  own  disciples  openly,  literally,  and  re- 
 peatedly. And  in  the  way  in  which  he  predicted 
 and  expected,  and  for  which  he  prepared,   was 
 
Lecture  VI.  145 
 
 his  kingdom  set  up.  Yet  it  never  offered  any 
 allurement  to  worldly  ambition,  but  included,  in  its 
 nature,  all  that  was  opposed  to  the  desires,  and, 
 in  its  accompaniments  and  transactions,  much  that 
 was  at  variance  with  the  comforts,  and  hopes,  and 
 attempts  of  the  ambitious,  and  even  with  human 
 feelings.  And  Jesus  himself  never  spoke  of  his 
 attainment  of  earthly,  but  of  heavenly,  glory. 
 Had  he  been  an  impostor,  we  may  judge,  with 
 certainty,  what  would  have  been  the  nature  of 
 his  aims ;  and  we  know  also,  that  the  time  at 
 which  he  lived,  the  expectations  of  the  Jews  at 
 that  time,  the  situation  of  his  country,  and  the 
 known  feelings  of  his  countrymen  towards  the 
 Romans,  and  their  hopes  and  disposition  towards 
 himself,  would  have  abundantly  favoured  any 
 such  interested  intentions.  But  he  did  not  act 
 consistently  with  the  adoption  and  furtherance  of 
 any  selfish  design.  Opportunities  offered  for  the 
 gratification  of  such,  beyond  what  his  fondest 
 wishes  could  have  anticipated ;  but  he  never 
 availed  himself  of  them.  He  courted  not  popularity 
 for  its  own  sake ;  he  retired  and  hid  himself 
 when  it  was  tending  to  actions  in  his  favour; 
 he  repelled  it,  and  cooled  its  fervour,  when  of  a 
 more  quiet,  though,  as  he  taught  his  followers, 
 mistaken  character.  He  did  not  shew  himself  to 
 the  world,  as  one  that  sought  to  be  known  openly, 
 in  any  way  which  human  wishes  or  corruptions 
 
 K 
 
146  Lecture  VI. 
 
 could  have  suggested.  He  declared  that  he  ex- 
 pected misrepresentation  and  obloquy  ;  nor  did 
 he  act  as  one  desirous  to  avoid  it  for  its  own  sake. 
 He  did  not  court  it,  yet  neither  did  he  shrink  from 
 it.  He  did  not  seek  his  own  glory,  but  taught,  and 
 exemplified,  meekness  and  lowliness  of  heart. 
 
 Thus,  both  in  the  nature  of  his  pretensions, 
 and  in  the  means  by  which  he  promoted  and 
 advanced  them,  was  there  an  obvious  and  une- 
 quivocal indication  that  "  he  sought  not  his  own 
 will."  His  were  not  the  artifices  and  measures, 
 which  alone  an  impostor  would  have  employed. 
 He  proceeded  in  a  manner  wholly  different;  and 
 adopted,  in  great  abundance  and  variety,  with 
 all  publicity  and  evidence,  such  means  as  no 
 impostor  could  employ.  Such  were  his  mira- 
 cles, his  acquaintance  with  the  thoughts  and  dis- 
 positions of  his  hearers,  the  accurate  adaptation 
 of  the  events  of  his  life  and  of  his  death  and  of  all 
 that  he  taught,  professed,  and  accomplished,  to 
 the  prophecies,  promises,  types,  and  spirit,  of  all 
 the  writings  of  the  ancient  Scriptures,  and  of  the 
 religious  dispensations  which  they  record.  To 
 pursue  this  train  of  argument  further,  would  lead 
 us  insensibly  to  anticipate  some  subsequent  topics. 
 What  we  have  just  hinted  may  suffice  to  shew, 
 how  high  this  general  presumption  rises;  and 
 how  fully  it  applies  to  the  most  extensive  review 
 of    the    whole    scheme    described    in    Scripture, 
 
Lecture  VI.  147 
 
 though  we  can  only  touch  upon  some  of  the 
 principal  features  even  of  a  more  confined  view. 
 But  as  we  have  endeavoured  to  shew,,  negatively, 
 that  Jesus  did  not  seek  his  own  will,  let  us  now, 
 though  we  have  little  space  left  for  it,  shew  that 
 we  have  a  positive  and  sufficient  presumption, 
 that  he  "sought  the  will  of  the  Father,  which  sent 
 him." 
 
 What  can  we  answer  to  his  own  appeals 
 on  this  subject?  "Me  the  world  hateth,  because 
 I  testify  of  it,  that  the  works  thereof  are  evil. 
 Because  I  tell  you  the  truth,  ye  believe  me  not. 
 Which  of  you  convinceth  me  of  sin?  And  if 
 I  say  the  truth,  why  do  ye  not  believe  me?  He 
 that  is  of  God  heareth  God's  words  ;  ye  therefore 
 hear  them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  God. 
 I  honour  my  Father,  and  ye  do  dishonour  me  ;  and 
 I  seek  not  my  own  glory  ;  there  is  one  that 
 seeketh  and  judgeth.  If  I  honour  myself,  my 
 honour  is  nothing ;  it  is  my  Father  that  honoureth 
 me,  of  whom  ye  say  that  he  is  your  God ;  but 
 ye  have  not  known  him ;  but  I  know  him  ;  and 
 if  I  should  say  I  know  him  not,  I  should  be  a  liar 
 like  unto  you  ;  but  I  know  him,  and  keep  his 
 saying  V — Is  it  not  true,  that  the  works  of  the 
 world  are  evil;  that  depravity  has  formed  a 
 resisting  medium  through   which   even   the   rays 
 
 a  John  vii.  7.     viii.  45 — 55. 
 K  2 
 
148  Lecture  VI. 
 
 of  divine  truth  have  too  often  in  vain  endeavoured 
 to  penetrate  •  and  yet  that  the  mists  of  error  and 
 sin  have  been  dispersed,  and  the  world  enlight- 
 ened,  by  the  Gospel  only  ?    In  what  other  way 
 has  Jesus  seen  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,   except 
 by  bringing-  many  to  righteousness  ?    Has  not  his 
 doctrine  most  eminently  promoted  the  knowledge 
 and  glory  of  God?  Has  it  not  been  received,  and 
 valued,   principally   by  the  friends  and  lovers  of 
 whatsoever  is  holy,  and  just,  and  good?  And  have 
 we  not,   therefore,  the  most  abundant  reason  to 
 acquiesce    in   the  argument   urged  by  our   Lord 
 on  another  occasion,   and   which  we   cited  in  a 
 former  part  of  this   Lecture.     cc  My   doctrine  is 
 not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me.     If  any  man  will 
 do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether 
 it   be   of  God,    or   whether    I   speak  of  myself. 
 He   that   speaketh    of  himself  seeketh    his    own 
 glory  ;  but  he  that  seeketh  his  glory  that  sent  him, 
 the   same   is  true,  and  no  unrighteousness  is  in 
 hima." — We   may  indeed  confidently   deny  that 
 there   was    any   unrighteousness   in  Jesus.     For 
 he  did  himself  illustrate  the  purity  of  his  doctrine 
 by  giving  an  exhibition  of  embodied  virtue,  by 
 doing  all  things  which  pleased  the  Father?  How 
 constant  his  devotion,  how  lively  his  faith  in  God, 
 how  great  his  zeal  for  the  honour  of  his  temple, 
 
 ;l  John  vii.  l6* — 18. 
 
Lecture  VI.  149 
 
 how  strict  his  care  to  "  fulfil  all  righteousness/' 
 by  the  observance  both  of  moral  and  positive 
 precepts !  How  little  did  he  consult  his  own  ease, 
 when  he  endured  fatiguing- journeys  by  day,  and  a 
 houseless  rest  by  night  on  the  mountain  or  on  the 
 sea,  that  he  might  go  about  doing  good  !  How 
 little  can  we  suppose  that  he  was  engaged  in 
 a  pious  fraud,  when  we  consider  that  he  referred 
 to  the  approach,  manner,  and  consequences  of  his 
 death,  as  the  proof  and  completion  of  his  design. 
 Yet  he  could  neither  foresee  nor  control  these, 
 except  he  were  divine ;  and  that  we  should  have 
 had  no  confidence  or  hope  in  him,  if  his  predictions 
 had  failed.  How  could  we  still  further  expatiate 
 on  the  complacency,  with  which  he  looked  forward 
 to  such  a  death,  on  his  patience  and  submission  to 
 the  will  of  his  Father,  when  the  bitter  cup  was 
 put  into  his  hand,  and  when  the  approach  of  the 
 betrayer  '  gave  dismal  note  of  preparation '  for 
 that  trial,  scourging,  and  crucifixion.  Meditate 
 on  his  silence,  meditate  on  his  sayings,  during 
 these  solemn  scenes ;  and  say,  to  what  other  con- 
 clusion can  you  come,  than  that  he  cc  gave  himself 
 for  our  sins,  that  he  might  deliver  us  from  this 
 present  evil  world,  according  to  the  will  of  God, 
 and  our  Father b!"  Say,  whether  this  was  not  he, 
 "whom  the  Father  sanctified  and  sent  into  the 
 
 b  Gal.  i.  4. 
 
150  Lecture  VI. 
 
 world a!"  Say,  whether  it  was  not  "for  the  sake 
 of  his  disciples,  and  of  those  that  should  believe 
 on  him  through  their  word,  that  he  sanctified 
 himself,  that  they  also  might  be  sanctified  through 
 the  truthb!"  Say,  in  short,  whether  this  was  not 
 he  of  whom  David  spake,  for  David  said  it  not  of 
 himself:  "Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  didst  not 
 desire;  mine  ears  hast  thou  opened;  burnt-offering 
 and  sin-offering  hast  thou  not  required.  Then 
 said  I,  Lo,  I  come ;  in  the  volume  of  the  book 
 it  is  written  of  me  ;  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my 
 God  ;  yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart.  I  have 
 not  hid  thy  righteousness  within  my  heart ;  I  have 
 declared  thy  faithfulness  and  thy  salvation.  I  have 
 not  concealed  thy  loving-kindness  and  truth 
 from  the  great  congregation c."  Assuredly  Jesus 
 "  sought  the  will  of  his  Father  that  sent  him." 
 "  By  that  will  we  are  sanctified,  through  the 
 offering  of  his  body  once  for  allV  And  God 
 Cfwilleth  also,  that  all  men  should  be  saved,  and 
 come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ;"  saved 
 through  the  "  one  mediator  between  God  and 
 man,  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  to  be 
 testified  in  due  time6."  Let  us  receive  the  testi- 
 mony thus  given  of  the  Son  of  God.  Him  let  us 
 preach,  and  not  refrain  our  lips  from  declaring, 
 
 *  John  x.  36".  b  John  xvii.  UJ,  20.  c  Ps.  xl.  6—10. 
 
 A  Heb.  x.  10.  e  1  Tim.  ii.  4—6. 
 
Lecture  VI.  151 
 
 to  the  great  congregation,  faith  in  his  name  for 
 the  remission  of  sins.  In  him  let  us  believe,  and 
 him  let  us  obey.  Let  us  follow  the  example  he 
 has  left  us,  and  "  prove  what  is  the  good,  and 
 acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God."  And  "  may 
 the  Lord  direct  our  hearts  into  the  love  of  God, 
 and  into  the  patient  waiting  for  Christ f." 
 
 f  2  Thess.  hi.  5. 
 
LECTURE    VU 
 
 OUR  LORD  S  REASONINGS,  ON  THE  EVIDENCE  ARIS- 
 ING FROM  THE  WITNESS  OF  JOHN,  ADDRESSED 
 TO  THE  RULERS,  TO  THE  MULTITUDES,  TO  JOHN'S 
 DISCIPLES,  AND  TO    HIS   OWN. 
 
 St.  John  V.  31 — 35. 
 
 If  I  bear  witness  of  myself,  my  witness  is  not  true.  There 
 is  another  that  beareth  zcitness  of  me;  and  I  know 
 that  the  zcitness  which  he  witnesseth  of  me  is  true.  Ye 
 sent  unto  John,  and  he  bare  witness  unto  the  truth. 
 But  I  receive  not  testimony  from  man;  but  these  things 
 I  say,  that  ye  might  be  saved.  He  was  a  burning  and 
 a  shining  light ;  and  ye  were  willing  for  a  season  to 
 rejoice  in  his  light. 
 
 These  are  the  words  of  him,  whom  we  revere  as 
 "the  faithful  and  true  witness;"  who  needed  not 
 that  any  should  testify  to  him  either  concerning 
 man,  or  concerning-  himself;  who  knew  full  well 
 man's  original  disposition,  and  necessities  ;  who 
 knew  also  whence  he  himself  came,  all  things  that 
 should  in  this  world  come  upon  him,  and  whither 
 he  went ;  and  whose  record,  even  when  he  bare 
 witness  of  himself,  was  true.     Yet   as   he  came 
 
Lecture  VII.  153 
 
 to  purchase  for  us,  and  to  offer  to  us,  salvation,  he 
 condescended  to  exhibit  to  us  his  heavenly  cre- 
 dentials; and,  in  appealing  to  our  understandings, 
 he  lowers  himself  to  our  capacities,  by  reasoning 
 with  us  upon  our  own  principles.  This  he  did, 
 not  for  his  own  sake,  but  for  ours,  "that  we 
 might  be  saved;"  that  we  might  be  enabled  to 
 recognize  his  divine  commission,  and  become 
 acquainted  with  his  benevolent  designs,  and  "be 
 saved  from  wrath  through  him." 
 
 That  particular  department  of  the  Christian 
 argument,  upon  which  our  Lord  reasons  in  our 
 text,  was  one  peculiarly  adapted  for  the  conviction 
 of  his  contemporaries.  For  they  had  attended 
 personally  on  John's  ministry,  and  had  heard  his 
 testimony  so  soon  afterwards  confirmed  by  the 
 proceedings,  character,  and  doctrine,  of  our  Sa- 
 viour, and  by  the  great  events  of  the  Gospel 
 history.  To  us,  also,  it  is  both  intelligible  and 
 important.  For  we  have  in  the  Gospels  a  record 
 of  the  principal  facts  and  statements  of  John's 
 ministry,  which,  although  concise,  is  yet  suffi- 
 ciently copious  to  supply  us  with  the  materials 
 upon  which  we  may  reason,  so  as  to  come  to 
 a  satisfactory  decision.  And  whether  it  be  our 
 object  to  ascertain  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel, 
 the  nature  and  design  of  the  sacrament  of  baptism, 
 the  method  in  which  the  Gospel  was  promulgated, 
 or  the  evidences  of  its  divine  original,  it  will  be 
 
154  Lecture  VII. 
 
 found  advantageous  in  all  these  cases  to  attend 
 particularly,  and,  if  we  follow  the  plan  of  the 
 New  Testament,  primarily,  to  the  ministry  of 
 John.  By  omitting  to  do  so,  we  shall  have 
 neglected  to  employ  an  important  portion  of  the 
 materials  provided  for  us;  I  had  almost  said, 
 a  portion,  without  a  due  attention  to  which,  we 
 shall  probably  entertain  imperfect,  if  not  erroneous, 
 views.  We  propose  not  only  to  consider,  in  this 
 Lecture,  the  words  of  our  Lord  in  the  text,  but 
 also  to  take  occasion  from  them,  to  embody  and 
 arrange  all  the  discourses,  in  which  our  Lord  refers 
 to  the  witness  of  John,  principally  with  the  view 
 of  leading  his  hearers  to  attend  to  the  evidence 
 which  it  afforded  in  proof  of  his  divine  mission 
 and  Messiahship\     We  shall  notice, 
 
 1.  Those  addressed  to  the  persons  in  authority 
 among  the  Jews,  of  which  our  text  is  one. 
 
 a  The  author  has  not  included  in  this  course  a  particular 
 review  of  the  baptismal  doctrines  and  predictions  of  John,  and 
 of  the  connection  between  the  missions  and  ministrations  of  John 
 and  Jesus,  because,  only  a  few  months  before  the  delivery  of  these 
 Lectures,  he  had  discussed  the  subject  at  large,  as  select  Preacher 
 for  December  1820.  He  has  therefore,  in  this  Lecture,  confined 
 himself  to  the  view  more  immediately  suggested  by  the  text. — The 
 message  of  the  Baptist  to  Jesus  is  more  largely  considered  in 
 Lecture  IX  ;  and  Lecture  XI,  also  takes  some  notice  of  the 
 evidence  arising  from  the  miraculous,  and  other,  circumstances 
 attendant  on  the  births  of  John  and  Jesus. 
 
Lecture  VII.  155 
 
 2.  His  conferences  on  the  same  subject  with 
 the  multitudes,  with  the  disciples  of  John, 
 and  with  his  own  disciples. 
 
 I.  We  have  already  observed,  that  the  dis- 
 course, the  heads  of  which  we  are  examining  in 
 detail,  was  delivered  before  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim. 
 In  the  former  and  concluding  clauses  of  our  text, 
 our  Lord  refers  them,  generally,  to  the  testimony 
 of  John,  as  corroborating  that  which  he  advanced 
 respecting  himself.  Some  of  them,  at  least,  had 
 probably  acquainted  themselves  with  the  general 
 tenor  of  John's  instructions,  by  a  personal  attend- 
 ance as  his  hearers.  At  any  rate,  they  had 
 certainly  heard  it  from  others,  who  had  done  so ; 
 and,  in  fact,  they  were  so  fully  aware,  from  what 
 they  had  thus  heard,  of  his  remarkable  appearance, 
 teaching,  and  proceedings,  and  of  the  attention 
 which  he  had  excited  among  the  people,  who 
 believed  him  to  be  a  prophet,  that  they  had  con- 
 ceived it  necessary  to  send  priests  and  Levites 
 from  Jerusalem,  to  ask  him,  who  he  was,  and  in 
 what  character  he  adopted  such  a  line  of  conductb? 
 It  was,  indeed,  the  acknowledged  duty  and  pre- 
 rogative of  the  Sanhedrim  to  enquire  into  the 
 justice  of  the  pretensions  of  those,  who  assumed  the 
 prophetic  character ;  and  to  this  exercise  of  their 
 public  duty,  our  Lord  specially  refers  in  the  third 
 
 b  John  i.  19—27- 
 
156  Lecture  VII. 
 
 verse  of  our  text  •  and  therefore,  he  addressed 
 those,  who  had  every  qualification,  which  adequate 
 information  could  give,  to  judge  of  his  own  pre- 
 tensions, as  far  as  the  witness  of  John  was  con- 
 cerned in  supporting  them. 
 
 Having  defended  himself  against  the  charge 
 which  they  had  now  brought  against  him,  by 
 claiming  a  divine  commission,  which,  if  admitted, 
 would  fully  justify  his  supposed  violation  of  the 
 sabbath,  and  also  prepare  them  to  judge  aright 
 respecting  all  his  other  proceedings,  he  wishes 
 them  to  consider  the  proofs  of  such  a  commis- 
 sion. Adopting  a  judicial  principle,  in  arguing 
 before  an  official  body,  he  ceased  to  bear  further 
 witness  concerning  himself;  as  they  would  not 
 receive  this  as  true,  unless,  in  his  defence,  he 
 could  support  his  own  assertions  by  other,  and 
 independent,  testimony.  Now  there  was  another, 
 who  had  appeared  as  his  witness;  and  who,  both 
 in  public  and  private,  had  delivered  a  decided, 
 consistent,  and  persevering  testimony  in  his  fa- 
 vour. Jesus  himself  was  fully  aware,  that  the 
 witness  which  John  bore  was  true ;  both  because 
 he  was  fully  acquainted  with  his  own  original 
 and  commission,  and  also  because  he  had  been 
 present  at,  and  immediately  concerned  in,  that 
 visible  communication  of  the  Spirit,  and  that 
 audible  attestation  from  heaven,  which  was  the 
 crowning    evidence    to    convince    John    himself, 
 
Lecture  VII.  157 
 
 that  Jesus  was  the   person,  of  whose  approach 
 and  office  he  had  testified.     Upon  that  evidence, 
 John    had   afterwards   enlarged   to   such   as  had 
 considered  his  previous  instructions.     But  as  our 
 Lord  was  addressing  those,  who  had  themselves 
 taken   the  pains  to  obtain,  officially,  a  statement 
 from  John's  own  mouth ;  he  therefore  more  espe- 
 cially referred  them  to  the   answer  which  John 
 had  given.     "Ye  sent  unto  John;  and  he  bare 
 witness  to  the  truth."     For,  ec  he  confessed,  and 
 denied  not ;   but  confessed,  that  he  was  not  the 
 Christ;"    "  neither  Elias,"  at  least  in  person,  and 
 for  the  purposes  which  they  expected  Elias  to  fulfil ; 
 "neither  that  prophet,"  nor  a  prophet  at  all  in  the 
 sense  in  which  they  looked  for  a  prophet  to  appear 
 among  them,  by  rising  from  the  dead.     When  a 
 definite    answer    was    demanded   from    him,    he 
 referred    them   to   that    prophecy    of   Esaias,    of 
 which  their  own  interpretation,  was  in  the  main, 
 correct ;   and  explicitly  declared,  that  his  was  the 
 voice  of  him,  that  was  to  cry  in  the  wilderness, 
 "Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord."     In  this  he 
 manifestly  implied,  that  his  office  only  authorized 
 him  to  bear  testimony  to  another;    that  he  was, 
 therefore,  to  be  compared  to  "a  sound,  which,  as 
 soon  as  it  has  expressed  the  thought  of  which  it 
 is  the  sign,  dies  into  air,  and  is  heard  no  more3." 
 
 a  Fenelon,  cited  by  Bishop  Home  in  his  Considerations  on  the 
 Life  and  Death  of  John  the  Baptist. 
 
158  Lecture  VII. 
 
 Whether,  therefore,  they  considered  the  prophecy, 
 and  its  usual  interpretation  ;  or  the  express  testi- 
 mony of  John ;  they  could  not  have  rightly  con- 
 sidered, nor  could  they  finally  decide  upon,  his 
 witness,  unless  they  looked  out  for  another,  whose 
 way  he  prepared,  and  whose  forerunner  he  was. 
 Of  such  a  one,  greater  than  himself  in  office, 
 power,  and  dignity,  he  expressly  spoke  to  them  ; 
 of  one,  who  when  John  testified  this,  had  already 
 taken  his  station  among  them,  but  whom  they  had 
 then  not  known  ;  one,  who  was  to  come  after 
 him,  but  who  existed  before  him,  and  who  was  to 
 be  preferred  to  him  ;  one  whose  office  was  more 
 extensive  than  his  own,  which  merely  authorized 
 him  to  baptize  with  water3. — We  may  consider 
 Jesus  as  demanding  of  them,  in  the  words  of  our 
 text,  whether  these  things  had  been  duly  con- 
 sidered? They  had  known,  or  might  have  known, 
 or  might  easily  ascertain,  that  John  had  pointed 
 out  Jesus,  personally  and  expressly,  as  him  of 
 whom  he  had  spoken.  If  he  were  so,  the  question 
 assumed  an  important  aspect,  and  was  of  exten- 
 sive connexion.  Here  was  a  declaration  of  the 
 approach  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  a  claim  to  the 
 office  of  its  herald,  and  precursor ;  and  a  specifica- 
 tion of  the  person,  whose  approach  was  to  be  thus 
 preceded  and  prepared.     They  had,  therefore,  to 
 
 :'  John  i.  26,  27- 
 
Lecture  VII.  159 
 
 meet  this  great  question,  to  consider  these  exten- 
 sive claims.  If  they  neglected  to  do  this,  they 
 would  incapacitate  themselves  for  judging  in  a 
 comprehensive  and  sufficient  manner;  and  would, 
 probably,  in  consequence  of  their  narrow  and 
 partial  views,  again  object,  as  they  were  now 
 doing,  against  some  supposed  breach  of  the  law, 
 or  apparently  hasty  statement,  while  they  were 
 wholly  inattentive  to  the  miracles  wrought  pre- 
 viously, and  at  the  time;  and  though  they  had 
 never  fully  comprehended,  or  duly  considered, 
 the  extent  and  purport  of  his  claims.  Hence 
 they  would  be  likely,  both  to  blaspheme  against 
 the  Son  of  man,  who  was  now  personally  preach- 
 ing the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  amongst  them,  and 
 also  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  of  which  John  spake, 
 and  who,  though  not  yet  given,  was  hereafter  to 
 be  given.  Now  our  Lord  never  required  of  any, 
 that  they  should  have  made  advancements  beyond 
 the  information  and  evidence  which  had  been 
 communicated  to  them.  He  was  satisfied  with, 
 and  commended,  those,  who  were  not  far  from 
 the  kingdom  ;  who  were  willing  to  judge  im- 
 partially of  what  had  come  before  them  ;  and 
 who,  although  some  doubts  and  difficulties  re- 
 mained, were  willing  to  suspend  their  judgment, 
 and  not  hastily  to  exaggerate  such  doubts,  so  as  to 
 dismiss  all  further  inquiry.  All  would  in  due 
 season  be  set  before  them  ;  so  much  already  had 
 
160  Lecture  VII. 
 
 been  exhibited,  that  it  ought  to  arrest  their  atten- 
 tion, and  to  claim  their  serious  investigation.  It 
 remained  with  themselves  to  make  a  proper  and 
 successful  use  of  what  had  been  advanced,  and 
 of  what  was  yet  in  reserve.  John  had  long  ago 
 borne  witness  to  the  truth,  and  Jesus  was  now 
 himself  declaring  his  office  and  authority.  Not 
 that  he  himself  received  the  testimony  from  man, 
 but  he  had  "  received  from  his  Father  a  command- 
 ment, what  he  should  speak/'  and  perform.  They 
 might  derive  this  assurance,  not  from  his  words 
 only,  but  from  other  sources.  And  these  things 
 he  declared  to  them,  "  that  they  might  be  saved." 
 If  they  refused  to  hear  and  consider  them,  theirs 
 was  the  danger,  and  the  responsibility  rested  with 
 themselves. 
 
 But  our  Lord  went  on  further  to  remind 
 them,  that,  if  they  finally  rejected  the  testimony  of 
 John,  they  were  in  a  measure  self-condemned. 
 He  was  the  burning  and  the  shining  light  of  that 
 age  and  country;  the  excellence  of  his  instructions, 
 and  their  success  and  beneficial  tendency,  they 
 could  not  deny  ;  even  they  themselves,  "  for  a 
 season,  were  willing  even  exceedingly  to  rejoice 
 in  his  light."  Thus  had  they  themselves,  both 
 felt  and  virtually  confessed,  his  prophetic  charac- 
 ter. Some  of  them  might  even  have  been  of  the 
 number  of  those  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  who 
 came   to   his   baptism.     But  they    were   by   him 
 
Lecture  VII.  l(jl 
 
 warned,  reproved,  and  convicted.  They  found 
 that  he  proclaimed  not  that  which  they  wished 
 and  expected ;  they  saw  that  he  would  not  be 
 subservient  to  their  carnal  and  temporizing  po- 
 licy ;  they  saw  their  influence,  authority,  and  in- 
 terests, at  stake;  they  felt  their  prejudices  attacked 
 and  exposed ;  they  were  offended  and  alarmed  ; 
 and  therefore  their  joyful  hailing  of  him  who  pro- 
 claimed the  approach  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
 their  reverence  for  his  character,  and  their  admi- 
 ration of  his  instructions,  were  succeeded  by  a 
 sullen  neglect,  enmity,  and  contempt.  The  fact 
 is  several  times  explicitly  and  publicly  stated  by 
 our  Lord a ;  and,  in  one  passage,  which  we  have 
 yet  to  notice,  to  persons  in  authority,  at  a  time, 
 and  in  consequence  of  an  incident  in  our  Lord's 
 ministry,  of  leading  importance.  You  will  readily 
 suppose,  that  we  allude  to  the  question  pro- 
 posed to  our  Lord,  after  he  had  entered  Jerusalem 
 in  the  lowly  triumph  described  by  Zechariah, 
 and  had  a  second  time  purged  the  Gentiles'  court 
 of  the  temple.  "By  what  authority  doest  thou 
 these  things;  and  who  gave  thee  this  authority b?" 
 The  conversation  which  followed  this  question, 
 places  the  connexion  between  John's  testimony, 
 and  our  Lord's  mission,  in  a  very  clear  point  of 
 
 aMatt.  xi.  16-—19;  xvii.  .0—13.  Lukevii.  29,30;  xvi.  14—17. 
 b  Matt.  xxi.  23.     Mark  xi.  28.     Luke  xx.  1,2. 
 
 L 
 
162  Lecture  VII. 
 
 view ;  though  it  is  not  always  rightly  represented 
 by  the  commentators. 
 
 The  question  was  proposed  by  the  "  chief 
 priests,  and  the  scribes,  and  the  elders  of  the 
 people,"  under  whose  cognizance  our  Lord's  pro- 
 ceedings certainly  fell.  He  answered  by  proposing 
 another  question.  "  I  will  also  ask  you  one  thing, 
 which  if  you  tell  me,  I  in  likewise  will  tell  you  by 
 what  authority  I  do  these  things.  The  baptism  of 
 John,  whence  was  it?  of  heaven,  or  of  men?"  that 
 is,  was  it  of  divine,  or  of  human  authority?  Now 
 their  answer  was,  that  "they  could  not  tell,"  and 
 Jesus,  therefore,  refused  to  tell  them  "  by  what 
 authority  he  did  these  things."  They  had  declined 
 to  answer  his  question,  or  rather  they  had  openly 
 declared  their  inability  to  answer  it.  Now  this 
 implied,  either  that  they  still  allowed  that  John's 
 baptism  possibly  might  be  of  divine  appointment ; 
 or  that  they  had  not  come  to  an  official  decision  ; 
 or  that  they  did  not  think  themselves  concerned  to 
 do  so.  The  fact  was,  as  we  are  fully  informed  in 
 other  places,  that  they  rejected  John's  baptism, 
 and  refused  to  allow  its  divine  authority.  But 
 they  reasoned  with  themselves,  that  if  they  should 
 say  thus  publicly  that  it  was  of  men,  the  people, 
 who  were  fully  persuaded  that  John  was  truly 
 a  prophet,  would  raise  a  tumult,  and  stone  them. 
 Their  personal  safety,  therefore,  prevented  an 
 avowal   of  their  disbelief.    Nor  could  they  make 
 
Lecture  VII.  163 
 
 a  declaration,  which  would  coincide  with  the  pre- 
 possessions of  the  people,  without  a  virtual  re- 
 cantation of  the  opinions,  which  in  their  conduct, 
 at  least,  they  had  hitherto  avowed  ;  without  a  vio- 
 lation of  consistency,  as  it  regarded  the  past,  an 
 imprudent  committal  of  themselves  for  the  future, 
 and  a  liability  to  be  subjected  to  the  unanswerable 
 reproof  of  Jesus,  "  Why  then  did  ye  not  believe 
 him?" 
 
 Yet  this  was  not  an  evasive  question,  proposed 
 in  order  to  bring  them  into  this  dilemma ;  though 
 it  is  too  generally  so  represented,  or  is  left  imper- 
 fectly explained.  It  was  the  most  proper  answer 
 which  could  have  been  made,  as  a  few  brief  re- 
 marks will  shew.  It  reminded  them  of  the  words 
 of  our  text,  judicially  spoken  before  them  ;  which, 
 had  they  been  duly  considered,  might  have  led 
 them  to  a  right  knowledge  of  the  source  and 
 nature  of  the  authority  of  Jesus.  And  it  also 
 reproved  them,  because  they  neither  admitted  the 
 authority  of  John,  nor,  because  of  their  unworthy 
 fear  of  the  people,  did  they  disabuse  them  of  what 
 they  conceived  an  erroneous  opinion  ;  though,  as 
 the  guardians  of  religion,  and  the  judges  of  pro- 
 phetic claims,  they  ought,  officially,  to  have  done 
 one  or  the  other.  By  declining  to  give  any  defi- 
 nite answer  to  our  Lord's  inquiry,  they  left  him 
 no  opportunity  of  entering  on  such  a  line  of 
 argument,   as  would   have  evinced  his  authority 
 
 L  2 
 
164  Lecture  VII. 
 
 to  do  these  things;  yet  he  clearly  taught  them 
 that  the  question,  to  which  he  required  an  an- 
 swer, was  a  previous  question,  the  decision  of 
 which  would  lead  to  an  easy  solution  of  their  own. 
 — You  will  perhaps  ask,  why  did  not  our  Lord 
 take  some  other  line  of  argument?  I  might  an- 
 swer, and  the  answer  would  be  sufficient,  that  our 
 Lord  knew  what  was  in  man  ;  and  we  might, 
 with  satisfaction,  acquiesce  in  the  conviction,  that 
 in  this,  as  well  as  in  other  instances,  he  did  all 
 things  well.  But  we  can  answer  more  fully,  and 
 state,  that  his  question  related  to  the  very  point  of 
 evidence  which  it  was  in  this  instance  proper  to 
 consider.  He  had  entered  Jerusalem  in  pro- 
 cession, as  the  meek  and  lowly  King  of  Zion, 
 amidst  the  repeated  acclamation,  "  Hosannah  to 
 the  Son  of  David !  Blessed  be  the  King  of  Israel, 
 that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  !"  This  was 
 a  visible  accomplishment  of  the  prediction  of 
 Zechariah.  Was,  then,  the  authority,  which  Jesus 
 claimed  in  the  temple,  conformable  to  the  divine 
 purposes,  and  to  the  intimations  of  prophecy? 
 Assuredly  it  was.  It  was  designed,  as  to  its  ob- 
 ject, to  effect  the  removal  of  the  desecrating  traffic, 
 that  was  carried  on  in  the  house  of  his  Father. 
 It  was  designed  to  espouse  the  cause  of  the  Gen- 
 tiles, that  the  outer  court  might  be  restored  to 
 them,  and  that,  according  to  prophecy,  the  house 
 of  God  might  be  made  "  a  house  of  prayer  for  all 
 
Lecture  VII.  165 
 
 nations*."  That  the  Messiah  should  thus  actually 
 come  in  suddenness,  and  to  the  confusion  of  trans- 
 gressors, to  vindicate  the  honour  of  the  house  of 
 God,  as  "  the  Lord  of  the  temple/'  and  "  greater 
 than  the  temple,"  was  an  especial  subject  of  pro- 
 phecy ;  and  it  was  foretold  in  immediate  connexion 
 with  the  prediction  of  that  Messenger,  whom  John 
 declared  himself  to  be.  For  although,  when  ques- 
 tioned by  the  priests  and  Levites,  he  cited  the  words 
 of  Isaiah ;  yet  a  passage  of  Malachi,  in  which  he 
 is  also  mentioned,  specifies  the  same  reason  for  his 
 mission,  and  also  connects  it  with  the  appearance 
 of  the  Lord,  whom  the  Jews  expected,  in  the 
 temple.  "  Behold,  I  send  my  messenger,  and  he 
 shall  prepare  the  way  before  me ;  and  the  Lord, 
 whom  ye  seek,  shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple, 
 even  the  messenger  of  the  covenant,  whom  ye 
 delight  in. — And  he  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi, 
 and  shall  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they 
 may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteous- 
 ness. Then  shall  the  offering  of  Judah  and  Jeru- 
 salem be  pleasant  unto  the  Lord,  as  in  the  days  of 
 old. — And  all  nations  shall  call  you  blessed ;  and 
 ye  shall  be  a  delightsome  land,  saith  the  Lord  of 
 
 a  Isai.  lvi.  6",  7.  Mede  observes,  in  his  sermon  on  this  subject, 
 that  "  the  place  alleged  (by  our  Lord)  to  avow  the  fact,  speaks 
 of  Gentile-worshippers,  not  in  the  words  to??  edvea-i  only,  but  in 
 the  whole  body  of  the  context."     Works,  p.  46. 
 
166  Lecture  VII. 
 
 hosts3." — By  attending-  to  the  various  and  con- 
 nected transactions  thus  predicted  respecting  John 
 and  Jesus,  we  at  once  discover  the  propriety  of 
 our  Lord's  conduct  on  this  occasion,  and  the  evi- 
 dence in  vindication  of  his  authority,  which,  under 
 such  circumstances,  he  pointed  out  as  forcibly  by 
 declining  any  further  statement,  as  if  he  had  en- 
 tered on  a  detail  of  the  argument.  If  the  authority 
 of  the  precursor  were  admitted,  it  involved  the 
 admission  of  his  own;  if  they  had  really  so  little 
 considered  the  former  question,  as  to  be  yet  unde- 
 cided, they  then  avoided,  or  hastily  passed  over, 
 the  proper  and  sufficient  evidence  which  was  yet 
 open  to  their  consideration. 
 
 But,  though  they  were  afraid  to  encounter  our 
 Lord's  arguments,  and  sought  to  avoid  them,  he 
 left  them  not  unreproved  and  unwarned.  In  three 
 parables, — that  of  the  obedient  and  disobedient 
 sons,  who  were  requested  to  work  in  their  father's 
 vineyard, — that  of  the  wicked  husbandmen, — and 
 that  of  the  wedding  garment,  —  he  exposed  the 
 guilt,  impotency,  and  danger  of  their  unbelief, 
 and  also  predicted  their  approaching  murderous 
 rejection  of  himself,  their  forfeiture  of  the  bless- 
 ings of  the  kingdom,  and  the  transfer  of  them  to 
 the  Gentiles,  whose  cause  he  had  been  espousing1, 
 and  who  would   bring  forth   the   proper   fruits. 
 
 a  Mai.  ii.  1,  3,  4,  12. 
 
Lecture  VII.  167 
 
 They  saw  the  purport  of  the  parables ;  they 
 writhed  under  their  severe  correction  ;  they  could 
 not  refrain  from  deprecating-  the  accomplishment 
 of  his  predictions  ;  yet  they  proceeded,  even  with 
 increased  eagerness,  in  the  furtherance  of  their 
 bloody  designs. 
 
 Of  the  first  parable  he  made  an  express  appli- 
 cation, which  it  will  be  expedient  to  notice  with 
 reference  to  our  subject.  He  obtained  from  them 
 a  confession,  that  the  son  who  first  refused,  but 
 "  afterwards  repented  and  went"  into  the  vine- 
 yard, "  did  the  will  of  his  father."  And  he  then 
 answered,  <c  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that  the  pub- 
 licans and  the  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God 
 before  you.  For  John  came  unto  you  in  the  way 
 of  righteousness,  and  ye  believed  him  not ;  but 
 the  publicans  and  the  harlots  believed  him.  And 
 ye,  when  ye  had  seen  it,  repented  not  afterwards, 
 that  ye  might  believe  him3."  Our  Lord  here 
 notices  the  excellence  of  John's  character,  and  the 
 efficacy  of  his  instructions.  Such  a  consideration 
 they  ought  not  to  have  neglected.  They  had 
 been  reminded  of  it  in  our  text,  and  themselves 
 must  have  felt  it,  when  they  beheld  the  salutary 
 effects  produced  by  John's  labours,  upon  those 
 whom  they  themselves  had  yet  been  unable  to 
 reform,    even   if  they  had    indeed   attempted    to 
 
 *  Matt.  xxi.  31,  3:. 
 
168  Lecture  VII. 
 
 do  it.  Yet  this  had  not  induced  them  to  re- 
 trace their  steps,  but  had,  perhaps,  operated 
 to  strengthen  their  prejudices. — The  same  princi- 
 ple applied,  and  still  applies,  to  our  Lord's  in- 
 structions, as  well  as  to  those  of  the  Baptist.  They 
 are  intelligible  to  those,  who  have  neither  leisure 
 nor  capacity  for  philosophical  research,  or  sys- 
 tematic morality.  The  same  Gospel,  which  is 
 preached  to  the  rich  and  learned,  is  preached  also 
 to  the  poor  and  illiterate.  By  one  and  the  same 
 Gospel  must  both  be  instructed,  edified,  and  saved. 
 Let  us,  then,  value  the  wisdom  and  sublimity  of 
 its  design  and  contents ;  let  us  also  admire  its 
 universal  adaptation  and  utility ;  and  let  neither 
 the  pride  of  station,  nor  the  prejudices  of  learning, 
 nor  the  vulgarity  of  a  poor  man's  religious  observ- 
 ances, his  uncouth  phraseology,  and  his  imperfect, 
 and  often  mistaken,  opinions,  prevent  the  serious 
 examination,  and  cordial  acceptation,  of  the  same 
 truths,  which  reform,  edify,  and  comfort  him. 
 For  they  were  not  intended  to  remedy  the  dis- 
 advantages of  station,  and  the  defects  of  education, 
 excepting  only  so  far  as  holiness  here,  and  happi- 
 ness hereafter,  may  thereby  be  affected. 
 
 Such  were  our  Lord's  reasonings  and  state- 
 ments, in  connexion  with  the  witness  of  John,  as 
 delivered  to  the  ruling  authorities  of  the  Jews. 
 We  have  now  only  to  notice  the  more  remarkable 
 addresses  of  our  Lord  on  the  same  subject  to  the 
 
Lecture  VII.  169 
 
 disciples  of  John,   the  multitudes,   and  his  own 
 disciples. 
 
 II.  The  earliest  of  these  was  on  occasion  of 
 the  memorable  message  sent  to  Jesus  by  John. 
 The  disciples  of  John  had  given  him  early  infor- 
 mation respecting-  the  popularity  and  success  of 
 him,  "  to  whom  he  had  borne  witness  beyond 
 Jordan."  The  Baptist  had  then,  in  the  last  of 
 his  discourses  which  is  recorded,  endeavoured  to 
 divest  them  of  any  jealousy  respecting  his  own 
 honour,  by  directing  them  to  the  remembrance  of 
 his  former  statements;  by  re-assuring  them  of  the 
 divine  and  superior  dignity  of  Jesus ;  and  by 
 exhorting  them  to  a  reception  of  his  doctrine. 
 Being  informed  by  them,  at  a  later  period,  of  the 
 still  growing  fame  of  Jesus,  of  his  repeated 
 miracles,  and  especially  of  the  raising  of  the 
 widow's  son  at  Nain,  John  actually  sent  them 
 to  confer  with  Jesus,  and  to  obtain,  from  his  own 
 mouth,  an  answer  to  the  question,  "  whether  he 
 was  he  that  should  come,  or  whether  they  were 
 to  look  for  another?"  They,  probably,  as  well 
 as  the  rest  of  the  people,  were  in  some  degree  of 
 suspense,  because  Jesus  had  not,  in  so  many 
 words,  declared  himself  the  Messiah.  Our  Lord 
 retained  them  with  him,  until  he  had  wrought 
 several  additional  miracles  ;  and  then,  in  a  brief 
 manner,  led  them  to  infer  his  Messiahship,  from 
 the  miracles  which  he  performed;  for  they  were 
 
170  Lecture  VII. 
 
 such  as  the  prophets  ascribed  to  the  Messiah. 
 He  reminded  them,  also,  that  the  Gospel  was  by 
 him  preached  to  the  poor,  according  to  another 
 prophecy  of  Isaiah ;  and  then  cautioned  them 
 against  suffering  the  faith,  produced  by  such 
 considerations,  to  be  impaired  and  subverted  by 
 any  inconsistency  which  presented  itself  to  their 
 minds  between  his  humble  appearance  and  their 
 expectations.  Thus  our  Lord  at  once  shewed  the 
 correctness  with  which  John  had  described  him 
 as  one  "  mightier  than  himself,"  and  as  a  teacher 
 who  "spoke  the  words  of  God  ;"  pointed  out  the 
 agreement  of  John's  testimony,  with  the  prophe- 
 cies respecting  the  Messiah,  and  the  miracles 
 which  he  was  to  perform ;  and  intimated  the 
 probability  and  danger  of  that  rejection  of  his 
 testimony,  of  which  also  the  prophets  had  spoken. 
 The  discourse  which  our  Lord  addressed  to  the 
 multitudes,  after  the  departure  of  John's  disciples, 
 also  very  fully  discusses  the  character  and  office 
 of  the  Baptist1.  Of  these  his  own  disciples 
 entertained  such  an  opinion,  as  made  their 
 views  end  in  him,  and,  therefore,  for  a  time, 
 prevented  the  proper  object  of  his  mission.  But 
 there  was  no  such  danger  with  the  multitude ; 
 but  rather  one  of  a  contrary  character.  They 
 were  in  danger  of  losing  the  impressions,  which 
 
 1  Matt.  xi.  7—1.0. 
 
Lecture  VII.  1^1 
 
 the  appearance  and  preaching  of  the  Baptist  had 
 produced.  And  yet  they  did  not  abate  this  respect 
 for  him,  in  order  to  transfer  it  to  the  Messiah ; 
 but.  were  disposed  to  err,  both  with  respect  to 
 him  and  his  precursor.  Our  Lord,  therefore, 
 adapted  his  discourse  to  the  character  of  the  per- 
 sons addressed ;  endeavouring  to  recall  their  former 
 feeling's,  in  order  that  he  might  direct  them  to 
 a  proper  end  and  object.  He  reminded  them 
 of  the  earnest  attention,  which  had  been  excited 
 among  them,  by  the  solemn  and  unvarying  testi- 
 mony of  that  holy  and  self-denying  man.  He  had 
 appeared,  not  as  the  herald  or  attendant  of  an 
 earthly  monarch,  though  he  proclaimed  the  setting 
 up  of  a  kingdom.  They  allowed  him  to  be  a  pro- 
 phet ;  but  he  was  more.  For,  citing  the  words  of. 
 Malachi,  our  Lord  applied  them  to  him ;  and 
 declared  that  he  was  "  the  Messenger  who  was  to 
 prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord."  Thus  he  at  once 
 directed  their  thoughts  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
 Messiah,  and  pointed  out  what  might  prepare 
 them  to  discern  its  real  nature.  He  spoke  dis- 
 tinctly of  the  introduction  of  a  new  religious 
 dispensation ;  of  the  superiority  of  the  least  pro- 
 phet of  that  dispensation,  even  to  John  ;  as  more 
 honoured,  and  more  enlightened,  and  more  suc- 
 cessful. They  as  yet  had  been  under  the  guidance 
 of  the  law,  and  of  the  prophets.  But  each  of 
 these   had   prophesied   of   more    glorious    times. 
 
172  Lecture  VII. 
 
 Those  times  had  begun  with  the  appearance  of 
 John.  Now  the  kingdom  of  heaven  had  com- 
 menced ;  not  guarded,  like  Mount  Sinai,  in  order 
 to  repel  and  alarm ;  but  permitting,  and  even 
 inviting,  all  to  approach  and  enter.  They  ex- 
 pected Elias  to  come.  Though  no  Elias,  such  as 
 they  looked  for,  would  come ;  yet  he  who  was  to 
 come,  he  whom  Malachi  had  predicted  under  that 
 title,  had  already  come ;  for  this  was  no  other 
 than  John  the  Baptist.  This  was  important  in- 
 formation ;  a  statement  to  be  attentively  heard, 
 and  earnestly  examined.  And  our  Lord  therefore 
 added;  cehe  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him, 
 therefore,  hear." 
 
 Thus  did  our  Lord  declare  the  proper  view,  in 
 which  they  were  now  to  examine  the  mission  of 
 John;  thus  did  he  assist  them  in  that  examination, 
 and  direct  them  rightly  to  employ  the  means  which 
 already  existed,  for  forming  a  correct  decision, 
 and  which  the  progress  of  his  ministry  rendered 
 continually  more  abundant.  Yet  he  well  knew, 
 both  from  the  past  conduct,  and  present  dis- 
 position, of  that  generation,  and  from  his  fore- 
 knowledge of  their  future  proceedings,  that  the 
 connected  mission  of  John  and  himself,  and  the 
 different  conduct  and  demeanour  which  suited 
 their  respective  functions,  would  not  meet  the 
 prejudices,  or  engage  the  impartial  consideration, 
 of  all.     They  had  their   favourite  and   obstinate 
 
Lecture  VII.  173 
 
 prejudices,  which  operated  against  each  of  these 
 messengers.  Two  consecutive,  but  distinct,  me- 
 thods had  been  employed  for  the  introduction  of 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven.  "John  came  neither 
 eating  nor  drinking ;"  to  him  they  objected, 
 because  he  came  in  a  severe  and  repulsive  cha- 
 racter; of  him  they  said,  "  He  hath  a  devil."  "The 
 Son  of  man  came  eating  and  drinking ;"  not  de- 
 clining to  join  in  social  and  familiar  intercourse 
 with  the  world,  and  yet,  however  inconsistently, 
 they  found  in  this  also  a  motive  to  reject  and 
 calumniate  him.  "  Behold,  said  they,  a  gluttonous 
 man,  and  a  wine-bibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and 
 sinners."  They  appeared  therefore  not  disposed 
 to  be  satisfied  with  any  thing,  however  expressly 
 calculated  to  obviate  and  remove  their  prejudices. 
 They  therefore  acted  as  perverse  a  part,  as  those 
 "  children,"  whom  "  when  assembled  in  the 
 market-place  "  for  their  pastime,  no  variety  of 
 proposal,  suggested  by  a  spirit  of  compliance  and 
 accommodation  on  the  part  of  their  companions, 
 could  persuade  to  join  in  the  amusements  of  the 
 hour.  But  however  they  might  thus  "reject  the 
 counsel  of  God  against  themselves,"  "the  children 
 of  wisdom,"  all  of  candid  and  reflecting  minds, 
 would  perceive  and  acknowledge  that  both  these 
 methods  were  adopted  by  divine  wisdom,  and  that 
 they  might  justly  be  applauded  and  admired. 
 
 As  too  many  among  the  Jews  were  offended, 
 
174  Lecture  VII. 
 
 both  by  the  austere  demeanour  of  John,  and  the 
 social  one  of  Jesus,  so  the  disciples  of  John  were 
 backward  to  approve  of  the  latter,  and  exclusively 
 admired  the  former.  They  therefore  demanded 
 of  Jesus,  why  they,  and  the  disciples  of  the  Pha- 
 risees, fasted  often,  but  his,  like  himself,  did  not 
 fast,  but  ate  and  drank  like  others,  without  any 
 such  abstemiousness.  Here  also  Jesus  endea- 
 voured to  satisfy  the  well  disposed  inquirers  ;  and, 
 in  several  parabolical  illustrations,  shewed  the 
 propriety  of  this  part  of  his  conduct.  These  you 
 will  readily  call  to  mind ;  and  we  have  only  time 
 to  observe,  that  he  adopted,  in  one  instance,  the 
 same  figure  in  which  John  had  instructed  them 
 respecting  himself.  For  John  had  spoken  of  Jesus 
 as  the  bridegroom,  and  of  himself  as  the  attendant 
 of  the  bridegroom.  And  Jesus  now  observed, 
 that  his  chosen  disciples,  as  well  as  John,  were 
 attendants  of  him  the  bridegroom,  but  that  he 
 called  them  not  to  any  premature  austerities  ; 
 because  these  comparatively  were  the  days  of 
 their  festivity.  But  after  he  had  trained  them 
 up  for  their  future  work,  "the  bridegroom  would 
 be  taken  from  them ;  and  then  they  would 
 fast  in  those  daysa."  For  the  event  to  which  he 
 alluded,  and  for  its  consequences,  he  was  gradually 
 
 a  Mark  ii.  18—22.  Luke  v.  33—39.  The  inquiry  seems  to 
 have  been  proposed,  not  only  by  the  disciples  of  John,  but  also  by 
 the    Scribes   and    Pharisees. 
 
Lecture  VII.  175 
 
 preparing  them  ;  but  if  he  adopted  the  procedure 
 to  which  they  alluded,  so  harsh  a  discipline,  em- 
 ployed in  the  first  instance,  would  too  much  dis- 
 courage them. 
 
 The  disciples  of  our  Lord  do  not  appear  to 
 have  entertained  any  objection  to  the  proceedings 
 and  appearance,  either  of  John  or  Jesus.  The 
 fact,  "  that  the  bridegroom  should  be  taken  from 
 them/'  was  that,  at  the  mention  of  which  they 
 were  confounded,  in  whatever  manner  it  was 
 couched.  They  also  expected,  as  other  Jews  did, 
 and  as  the  Scribes  taught,  that  "  Elias  would 
 first  come,  and  restore  all  things ;"  and,  probably, 
 at  the  transfiguration,  they  conceived  that  their 
 expectations  were  about  to  be  fulfilled.  But  their 
 joy  and  eagerness  was  soon  checked  by  the  in- 
 junction to  "tell  the  vision  to  no  man,  until  the 
 Son  of  man  was  risen  from  the  dead."  This 
 recalled  to  their  minds  the  parallel  declarations 
 made  by  their  Master  a  short  time  before  ;  and 
 they  could  not  either  understand  "  what  the  rising 
 from  the  dead  should  mean,"  as  applied  to  their 
 Master,  or  how  it  could  be  reconciled  with  their 
 past  expectations,  and  present  suppositions,  re- 
 specting Elias.  They  proposed  the  difficulty  to 
 their  Master,  and  received,  in  answer,  a  statement, 
 calculated  to  remove  their  doubts,  if  not  immedi- 
 ately, yet  soon  afterwards.  With  the  citation  of 
 that  answer,  and  of  another  remark  of  our  Lord 
 
176  Lecture  VII. 
 
 to  his  disciples.,  we  may  conclude  this  review  of 
 his  reasonings  respecting-  John. 
 
 "  His  disciples  asked  him.,  saying,  Why  then  say 
 the  Scribes  that  Elias  must  first  come  ?  And  Jesus 
 answered,  and  said  unto  them,  Elias  truly  shall  first 
 come,  and  restore  all  things.  But  I  say  unto  you, 
 that  Elias  is  come  already,  and  they  knew  him 
 not,  but  have  done  unto  him  whatsoever  they 
 listed;  likewise  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  suffer 
 of  them.  Then  the  disciples  understood  that  he 
 spake  unto  them  of  John  the  Baptist3."  And 
 when  the  Son  of  man  had  "  suffered  many 
 things,"  and  had  "risen  from  the  dead,"  then  did 
 our  Lord  again  direct  their  thoughts  to  that  par- 
 ticular prediction  of  the  Baptist,  which  he  had 
 himself  also  delivered,  and  which  was  then  about 
 to  be  accomplished ;  thus,  in  another  instance, 
 pointing  out  to  them  the  difference  of  their  re- 
 spective functions,  and  the  tendency  which  their 
 consecutive  ministrations  had  to  accomplish  the 
 purposes  of  God  in  the  establishment  of  his  king- 
 dom. "  Wait,  said  he,  in  Jerusalem,  for  the 
 promise  of  the  Father,  which  ye  have  heard  of 
 me.  For  John  truly  baptized  with  water;  but  ye 
 shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  not  many 
 days  hence b." 
 
 We  may,  I  think,  derive  from  the  whole  series 
 
 a  Matt.xvii.  10—13.  Mark  ix.  11  —  13.  b  Actsi.  4,  5. 
 
Lecture  VII.  177 
 
 of  our  Lord's  reasonings  on  this  subject,  and  from 
 a  comparison  of  his  remarks  with  the  instructions, 
 predictions,  and  transactions,  to  which  they  refer, 
 a  conviction  of  the  completeness  and  force,  even  of 
 this  single  head  of  evidence.  It  shews  to  us  the 
 divine  authority  of  the  witness  of  John ;  and  how 
 clear  a  light  is  from  thence  reflected  on  the  autho- 
 rity of  Jesus.  And  may  we,  therefore,  be  "  child- 
 ren of  wisdom,"  and  justify  its  proceedings.  We 
 are  men  of  like  passions  with  those,  who  rejected 
 the  instructions  both  of  Jesus  and  of  John.  We 
 may  be  under  the  influence  of  prejudices  equally 
 powerful ;  we  may,  in  like  manner,  be  inattentive 
 and  obdurate.  But,  though  John  were  "  a  burn- 
 ing and  a  shining  light,"  he  was  not  "  that  light, 
 which,  coming  into  the  world,  enlighteneth  every 
 man ;"  he  was  sent  only  '?  to  bear  witness  of 
 that  light;"  to  exhibit  to  the  world,  as  it  were, 
 the  dawn  of  the  rising  "Sun  of  Righteousness." 
 But  "the  day-spring  from  on  high  has  now 
 visited  us."  "The  true  light  now  shineth." 
 Let  us  "be  willing,"  not  "for  a  season"  only, 
 but  continually  and  perseveringly,  "  to  rejoice  in 
 the  light  of  him,  who  declared  himself  to  be  "the 
 light  of  the  world."  Let  the  convictions,  which 
 from  time  to  time  we  feel,  be  encouraged,  and 
 not  stifled.  Let  the  resolutions,  to  which  they 
 give  rise,  not  be  "like  the  morning  dew,"  and 
 refresh  us  only  for  a  time  ;  but  be  so  cherished 
 
 M 
 
178  Lecture  VII. 
 
 and  renewed,  as  to  abide  the  scorching  sun  of 
 temptation  and  persecution.  Let  such  a  stedfast- 
 ness  be  maintained,  that  hope  may  arise,  and 
 gather  strength  and  maturity,  within  us.  Yet  a 
 genuine  and  well-grounded  hope  cannot  even 
 exist  in  the  soul  of  him,  who  does  not  know  and 
 obey  the  promises  and  precepts  of  the  Gospel. 
 But  if  hope  has  respect  to  the  blessings  which 
 Jesus  has  purchased,  and  be  founded  on  a  scrip- 
 tural faith,  and  attended  by  that  "  charity,  which 
 never  faileth,"  it  will  then  be  "an  anchor  of  the 
 soul,,  both  sure  and  stedfast,  which  entereth  within 
 the  vail,  whither  our  forerunner  is  for  us  entered, 
 even  Jesus."  He,  as  the  Baptist  declared,  is  "  the 
 Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
 world."  And  John  also  bare  witness,  "that  he 
 is  the  Son  of  God  ;"  and  solemnly  said  to  his 
 disciples,  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath 
 everlasting  life  ;  and  he  that  believeth  not  the 
 Son,  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God 
 abideth  on  him  V 
 
 John  i.  29,  34;    iii.  36. 
 
LECTURE   VIII. 
 
 our  lord's  appeal  to  his  miracles  as  attesting 
 his  divine  mission. 
 
 St.  John  V.  36. 
 
 But  I  have  greater  witness  than  that  of  John;  for  the 
 
 works  which  the  Father  hath  given  me  to  finish,  the 
 
 same  works  that  I  do,   bear  witness  of  me,   that  the 
 Father  hath  sent  me. 
 
 In  whatever  point  of  view  the  serious  inquirer 
 contemplates  the  facts  and  circumstances  of  the 
 Christian  story,  or  any  portion  of  them,  he  can- 
 not fail  to  be  impressed  with  a  conviction,  that 
 he  therein  discerns  the  arm  of  the  Almighty  not 
 obscurely  revealed,  but  employed  for  great  and 
 holy  purposes.  The  evidence  arising*  from  mira- 
 cles doubtless  affords  to  us  one  of  the  most  obvious 
 and  intelligible  indications  of  this  truth  ;  and  one 
 which  has  been  observed  and  acknowledg-ed  even 
 by  those,  who  have  taken  a  less  detailed  and 
 complete  survey  of  the  whole,  and  who  have, 
 therefore,    perhaps,    not   attended    much    to   the 
 
 M  2 
 
180  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 evidence  arising  from  the  proceedings,,  character, 
 and  witness,  of  John.  The  Gospel  records, 
 however,  present  to  us  the  latter  of  these  as  the 
 earliest  subject  for  our  examination  ;  and  no  one, 
 who  has  given  to  it  the  attention  which  it  de- 
 serves, will  be  disposed  to  deny,  that  it  affords 
 a  most  satisfactory  evidence  of  the  truth  of  Christi- 
 anity. In  our  last  Lecture  we  took  the  particular 
 view  of  this  extensive  argument,  which  was  sug- 
 gested by  the  words  immediately  preceding  our 
 text.  In  our  text  our  Lord  states,  that  the 
 miracles  which  he  wrought  are  "a  greater  witness 
 than  that  of  John."  Not  that  the  one  was  of 
 divine  appointment  and  interference,  and  the  other 
 not ;  but  because  miracles  are  the  visible  tokens 
 of  divine  interposition,  from  which  the  inference 
 is  more  immediate,  and  of  which  the  evidence 
 is  more  sensible.  And,  indeed,  the  witness  of 
 John,  considered  merely  as  the  testimony  of  a 
 zealous  and  holy  person,  and  even  as  that  of 
 a  prophet,  is  not  complete  without  the  evidence 
 of  miracles;  for  these  were  necessary  in  order  to 
 prove  Jesus  to  be  the  mightier  one  of  whom  he 
 spoke.  John's  ministry  wonderfully  prepared  the 
 way  for  that  of  our  Lord,  that  he  might,  with 
 more  advantage,  appear  as  the  worker  of  miracles, 
 and  as  the  authoritative  teacher  of  a  more  en- 
 larged scheme.  But  the  miracles  themselves  were 
 the  greater,  more  definite,  and  more  unequivocal 
 
Lecture  VIII.  181 
 
 demonstration  of  his  authority,  and  of  the  divinity 
 of  his  doctrine. 
 
 The  words  of  our  text  might,  indeed,  be  con- 
 sidered as  referring,  not  merely  to  the  mighty 
 works  which  he  performed  in  order  to  our  con- 
 viction, but  also  to  "the  whole  work  which  the 
 Father  gave  him  to  do."  And,  undoubtedly,  from 
 the  great  design  itself,  and  its  accomplishment, 
 an  argument  arises  which  includes  all  others,  and 
 which  sets  them  before  us  with  the  greatest  ad- 
 vantage ;  because  we  then  not  only  discern  the 
 force  of  each,  separately  considered,  but  of  all 
 as  connected  with  each  other,  and  as  manifesting, 
 both  the  unity  and  consistency  of  the  design, 
 and  the  completeness  of  its  accomplishment.  But 
 that  the  words  of  our  text  have  a  more  limited 
 reference,  appears  from  the  phraseology  which 
 our  Lord  employs  on  other  occasions.  And  in 
 the  first  passage  which  we  shall  cite,  there  seems 
 decidedly  to  be  such  an  allusion  to  the  very  words 
 of  our  text,  as  clearly  to  shew,  that  our  Lord 
 intended  therein  Xo  refer  to  his  miracles. 
 
 Shortly  after  the  cure  of  the  man  born  blind, 
 some  of  the  Jews,  who,  as  the  context  shews, 
 probably  were  persons  in  authority,  "said  unto 
 him,  How  long  dost  thou  make  us  to  doubt? 
 If  thou  be  the  Christ,  tell  us  plainly.  Jesus 
 answered  them,  I  told  you,  and  ye  believed  not  ; 
 the  works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  they 
 
182  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 bear  witness  of  me  V  In  a  subsequent  part  of  the 
 same  conference,  he  again  alluded  to  the  "  good 
 works  which  he  had  shewed  them  from  his 
 Father ;"  and  added,  "  If  I  do  not  the  works  of 
 my  Father,  believe  me  not.  But  if  I  do,  though 
 ye  believe  not  me,  believe  the  works ;  that  ye  may 
 know  and  believe,  that  the  Father  is  in  me,  and 
 1  in  him."  To  his  disciples  he  delivered  similar 
 statements  ;  which,  being  more  enlarged,  point 
 out  to  us  more  fully  the  connexion  of  these  miracles 
 with  the  doctrines,  in  proof  of  which  he  wrought 
 them;  and  the  criminality  of  not  attending  to  that 
 proof: — ffBelievest  thou  not,"  said  he  to  Philip, 
 "  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me  ? 
 The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  I  speak  not 
 of  myself;  but  the  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me, 
 he  doeth  the  works.  Believe  me  that  I  am  in 
 the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me,  or  else  believe 
 me  for  the  very  works'  sake.  Verily,  verily, 
 I  sav  unto  you,  He  that  believeth  on  me,  the 
 works  that  I  do,  shall  he  do  also  ;  and  greater 
 works  than  these  shall  he  do,  because  I  go  unto 
 my  Father.  And  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my 
 name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be 
 crlorified  in  the  Son  b."  Shortly  afterwards,  when 
 speaking  to  his  disciples  of  their  future  sufferings 
 in   his   cause,    he  observed,  "  These   things  will 
 
 ■  John  x.  24,  -:.5.  b  John  xiv.  10—13. 
 
Lecture  VIII.  183 
 
 they  do  unto  you  for  my  name's  sake,  because 
 they  know  not  him  that  sent  me.  If  1  had  not 
 come  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had  not  had  sin  ; 
 but  now  have  they  no  cloke  for  their  sin.  He 
 that  hateth  me,  hateth  my  Father  also.  If  I  had 
 not  done  among  them  the  works  which  none  other 
 man  did,  they  had  not  had  sin ;  but  now  have  they 
 both  seen  and  hated  both  me  and  my  Father0." 
 
 The  works  referred  to  in  these  passages,  of 
 which  our  Lord  spoke  as  already  past,  had  been 
 publicly  exhibited  in  the  presence  of  those  whom 
 he  addressed.  And  the  miracles  wrought  by  the 
 Apostles,  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  through  the 
 prayer  of  faith,  of  which  our  Lord  spoke  as  yet 
 future,  were  afterwards  exhibited  with  equal  pub- 
 licity. The  Jewish  people  could  not  deny,  and  did 
 not  in  fact  doubt,  that  they  were  really  miraculous 
 works,  impossible  to  the  unaided  powers  of  a 
 human  being;  although  they  conceived,  that  the 
 authority  of  their  traditions,  and  their  received 
 interpretations  of  the  Old  Testament,  justified 
 them  in  refusing  their  assent  to  the  doctrines 
 and  dispensation,  of  which  these  were  the  sanction 
 and  demonstration.  That  dispensation  and  its 
 doctrines  are  as  important  to  us,  as  they  were  to 
 them.     But   we  are   circumstanced  with  respect 
 
 c  John  xv.  21,  24.     Some  of  the  passages  here  quoted  will, 
 in  future  Lectures,  be  more  particularly  considered. 
 
184  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 to  the  miracles,  which  prove  its  divine  authority, 
 in  a  manner  somewhat  different.  We  cannot  see 
 them  ;  and  to  resolve,  except  we  see  signs  and 
 wonders,  not  to  believe,  would  be  to  require  that 
 which  would  make  them  cease  to  be  miracles. 
 Ours,  therefore,  cannot  be  that  sensible  and 
 striking-  impression  of  their  reality  and  evidence, 
 which  would  be  felt  by  the  subjects  and  spectators 
 of  miracles.  Yet  what  we  lose  in  this  respect 
 is  abundantly  supplied  by  the  more  enlarged  know- 
 ledge which  we  have  of  the  connection  of  miracles 
 with  other  branches  of  evidence,  then  not  so 
 fully  exhibited,  and  with  the  complete  system  of 
 truth,  of  which  they  proved  the  divine  revelation. 
 Yet  we  do  not  lose  much  by  the  absence  of  such 
 an  overpowering  evidence  ;  for  a  sufficient  con- 
 viction of  their  reality  alone  is  necessary  to 
 establish  the  conclusion ;  and  of  that  we  have 
 abundant  evidence.  It  is,  indeed,  derived  from 
 the  testimony  of  others ;  but  a  reliance  upon  well 
 authenticated,  and  well  circumstanced,  testimony, 
 is  as  much  a  law  of  our  moral  nature,  as  the 
 belief  of  the  ordinary  laws  by  which  the  universe 
 is  governed  is  of  our  understanding.  We  ordi- 
 narily act  with  as  little  hesitation  upon  a  sufficient 
 moral  certainty,  as  upon  the  clearest  philosophical 
 analogy,  or  mathematical  demonstration.  We 
 cannot  in  either  case  make  our  own  personal 
 experience  the  test  of  all  possible  facts ;  and  to 
 
Lecture  VIII.  185 
 
 believe  nothing,  but  that  which  we  have  ourselves 
 seen,  is  as  unreasonable,  as  it  would  be  em- 
 barrassing. Whenever,  therefore,  distance  of  time 
 or  place  prevents  us  from  being-  spectators  of  any 
 transaction,  we  can  become  acquainted  with  it 
 only  by  testimony;  nor  have  we  any  just  ground 
 to  reject  such  testimony,  if  it  be  attended  with  the 
 proper  marks  of  credibility.  The  case  is  very  little 
 different,  if  the  facts  in  question  be  of  that  cha- 
 racter which  we  call  miraculous.  They  differ  from 
 other  facts  principally  with  reference  to  the  cause 
 which  produced  them.  It  is  essentially  requisite 
 that  they  should  be  subject  to  the  apprehension 
 and  examination  of  the  senses  of  mankind ;  but 
 their  miraculous  nature  is  merely  an  inference 
 from  their  reality  as  facts,  and  from  a  conviction 
 that  neither  the  ordinary  procedure  of  nature,  nor 
 the  agency  of  man,  could  have  produced  them. 
 In  our  inquiries  respecting  them,  we  may  justly 
 scrutinize,  with  all  possible  accuracy,  the  testimony 
 which  reports  that  they  occurred ;  we  may  with 
 equal  care  weigh  and  compare  the  circumstances 
 of  the  facts  in  detail,  with  a  view  of  discovering- 
 whether  there  were  any  imposture  or  delusion. 
 But  if,  after  such  an  examination,  the  inference 
 that  they  resulted  from  a  miraculous  agency, 
 is  the  only  tenable  one ;  the  nature  of  the  con- 
 clusion at  which  we  have  arrived  is  by  no  means 
 to  be   applied   as   an   objection  to   its  truth  and 
 
186  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 correctness.  That  the  ordinary  laws  of  nature  are 
 wise,  useful,  and  constant,  and  that  they  are 
 designed  for  the  benefit  of  all  creatures  that  live, 
 affords  no  sufficient  presumption  that  their  progress 
 may  not  be  counteracted  or  superseded,  to  pro- 
 vide for  objects  so  important,  as  the  spiritual  and 
 eternal  interests  of  man.  And  if  such  a  desigri 
 appear  evident,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Christian 
 miracles,  the  end  is  confessedly  desirable  and 
 necessary.  The  means  by  which  we  receive  an 
 assurance  that  the  end  is  attained,  though  they 
 involved  a  partial  and  temporary  suspension,  or 
 counteraction,  of  the  laws  of  the  universe,  did  not 
 at  all  supersede,  or  even  interrupt,  their  general 
 beneficial  operations.  Yet  they  conferred  valuable 
 personal  benefits  upon  the  individuals,  who  were 
 the  subjects  of  them,  at  the  same  time  that  they 
 permanently  provided  for  the  continued  consola- 
 tions, and  lively  hopes,  of  all  future  g-enerations. 
 
 The  facts,  to  which  our  text  refers,  are  those 
 upon  which  our  religion  is  founded;  and,  without 
 allowing  the  truth  of  them,  we  cannot  account  for 
 its  success.  For  the  pretence  to  miraculous 
 powers,  of  such  a  kind,  and  under  such  circum- 
 stances, would,  if  they  had  not  been  real,  have 
 ruined  the  cause  which  it  did  so  effectually  pro- 
 mote. Now  the  Gospel  records  of  these  facts 
 being-  so  circumstantial,  full,  and  perspicuous,  we 
 are  thereby  enabled  to  place  ourselves,  as  it  were, 
 
Lecture  VIII.  187 
 
 in  the  midst  of  the  scenes  so  described,  and  become 
 qualified  to  judge,  perhaps,  as  accurately  as  those 
 who  actually  witnessed  them,  of  their  reality  as 
 exertions  of  divine  power.  We  are  therein  fur- 
 nished with  the  testimony  of  eye-witnesses ;  with 
 the  written  narrative  of  those  things,,  which  they, 
 day  by  day,  and  from  year  to  year,  proclaimed  by 
 word  of  mouth,  "  both  to  small  and  great,"  both 
 to  Jew  and  Gentile  ;  in  the  midst  of  persecution 
 and  opposition,  but  without  contradiction  from 
 those,  who,  if  there  were  a  possibility  of  denying 
 them,  were  both  interested  and  disposed  to  do  so, 
 but  who  endeavoured  to  suppress  the  propagation 
 of  Christianity,  in  defiance  of  these  extraordinary 
 facts,  rather  than  venturing  to  deny  their  truth. 
 Upon  the  practical  proof,  which  these  witnesses 
 gave,  of  the  correctness  and  fidelity  of  what  they 
 attested,  this  is  not  the  place  to  enlarge  ;  they  evi- 
 dently themselves  believed  these  things  to  have 
 been  as  they  related  them.  For  no  other  motive, 
 than  the  love  of  truth,  can  be  assigned  for  their 
 diligence  and  earnestness  in  promulgating  the 
 Gospel;  or  for  their  stedfastness  and  patience 
 under  the  trials  to  which  their  testimony  exposed 
 them.  The  written  narrative  which  they  have 
 left  us,  is  not  composed  in  the  adorned  style  of 
 other  histories,  but  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  them- 
 selves. The  miraculous  facts  are  related  in  the 
 same  brief,  circumstantial,  and  inartificial  manner, 
 
1S8  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 as  the  ordinary  ones.  An  impression  is  left  on  the 
 mind  by  a  perusal  of  these  narratives,  that  the 
 authors  did  not  write  under  the  influence  of 
 imagination,  but  of  the  vivid  recollection  of  ob- 
 vious, though  astonishing",  facts ;  and  that  they 
 had  felt  a  conviction  of  the  reality  of  what  they 
 saw,  which  nothing  could  impair  or  destroy.  In 
 very  many  instances  they  mention  such  particu- 
 lars, as  render  it  impossible  to  conceive  but  that 
 the  facts,  which  they  so  particularly  and  graphi- 
 cally describe,  took  place  just  in  the  manner  in 
 which  they  relate  them.  And  each  Evangelist, 
 in  other  instances,  makes  such  omissions  of  many 
 particulars,  and  such  transitions  from  one  incident 
 to  another,  as  would  be  wholly  inexplicable,  except 
 upon  the  supposition  that  the  writer's  mind  was 
 more  occupied  with  the  remembrance  of  circum- 
 stances which  he  had  actually  observed,  than  with 
 the  construction  and  arrangement  of  a  fictitious 
 narrative. 
 
 Another  circumstance  tends  to  shew,  that  the 
 Evangelists  did  not  invent  the  miracles  which  they 
 record.  They  are  not  mere  acts  of  power,  ex- 
 hibited with  pomp  and  ostentation,  so  as  merely  to 
 dazzle  and  astonish  the  multitude;  nor  are  they 
 characterized  by  moroseness,  superstition,  or  re- 
 venge. Yet  such  have  those  been,  which  have 
 either  been  put  in  competition  with  the  Gospel 
 miracles,  or  which  some  have  attempted  to  add  to 
 
Lecture  VIII.  \89 
 
 them.  Why  have  men  of  far  superior  education 
 succeeded  so  ill  in  comparison  with  the  Evangelists,, 
 but  that  the  former  related  what  were  either 
 fictions  or  impostures,  the  latter  real  facts?  Nor 
 are  the  miracles  of  Jesus  isolated  facts,  referred  to 
 no  good  or  declared  end,  but  expressly  wrought 
 for  the  promotion  of  the  greatest  of  purposes ; 
 connected  with  important  incidents  and  discourses, 
 so  as  to  add  force,  and  dignity,  and  authority,  to 
 the  instructions,  at  the  same  time  that  they  also 
 serve  to  illustrate  them.  Even  when  they  are 
 most  public,  there  is  no  appearance  of  ostentation, 
 but  every  feature  of  sobriety,  dignity,  and  de- 
 corum ;  and  often  were  they  accompanied  by 
 a  remarkable  humility  and  concealment  of  himself. 
 They  were  works  of  compassion  and  benevolence ; 
 beneficial  in  their  immediate  effect,  as  well  as 
 with  reference  to  their  ultimate  purpose. 
 
 Such  was  the  general  character  of  the  works 
 which  Jesus  did  ;  and  a  more  particular  notice  of 
 their  nature  and  circumstances  shews  them  to  be 
 so  decisively  miraculous,  as  to  present  a  very 
 strong  case  even  to  those,  who  argue  for  the  an- 
 tecedent improbability  or  impossibility  of  miracles. 
 As  it  is  undeniable  that  some  such  works  were 
 done,  we  ask  of  the  sceptic  only  a  candid  investi- 
 gation of  the  facts  of  the  case  ;  because  we  believe 
 that  this  will  be  of  itself  sufficient  to  induce  him 
 to  assent  to  the  words  of  Jesus  ;  "  the  same  works 
 
190  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 that  I  do,  bear  witness  of  me,  that  the  Father  hath 
 sent  me."  Jesus  addressed  those,  who  were 
 familiar  with  the  facts  in  question  ;  and  we  must, 
 in  like  manner,  make  ourselves  acquainted  with 
 them,  before  we  can  come  to  any  just  decision 
 respecting-  their  competency  to  assure  us  of  the 
 truth  of  the  Gospel,  The  facts  may  be  so  cir- 
 cumstanced, as  to  be  wholly  inexplicable  on  any 
 other  supposition,"  than  that  the  Author  of  nature 
 is  the  Author  of  these  extraordinary  phenomena. 
 It  is  ours  to  ascertain  how  far  that  is  the  case  ; 
 and  our  Lord  proceeded  during  his  ministry  in 
 a  manner  which  offers  to  our  consideration  a  great 
 variety  of  facts.  Even  before  the  imprisonment 
 of  John,  at  which  time  he  may  properly  be  said  to 
 have  commenced  his  preaching,  he  began  his 
 miraculous  works ;  thus  exhibiting  his  credentials 
 before  he  delivered  his  message.  And  this  proce- 
 dure may  be  observed,  not  only  in  the  general 
 plan  of  his  ministry,  but  in  the  particular  portions 
 of  it.  He  g-enerally  taught  after  the  exhibition  of 
 his  mighty  works.  Some  of  his  more  important 
 discourses  were  immediately  preceded  and  occa- 
 sioned by  them.  And  the  most  full  and  particular 
 statements,  which  he  delivered,  were  at  the  close 
 of  his  life,  when  he  may  be  said  to  have  at 
 length  suspended  the  exercise  of  his  power.  In 
 every  point  of  view,  therefore,  it  is  necessary 
 to   ascertain  the  real  state  of  the  question  with 
 
Lecture  VIII.  191 
 
 respect  to  the  nature  of  the  facts,  that  we  may 
 decide  whether  they  are,  or  are  not,  miraculous. 
 And  if  we  find  ourselves  obliged  to  admit  that 
 they  are  so,  it  is  an  admission  of  a  fact  in 
 the  history  of  the  world,  which  may  justly  make 
 us  conclude,  that  all  reasonings  in  denial  of  the 
 possibility  of  miracles,  are  futile  and  erroneous  ; 
 and  if  they  are  so,  surely  we  may  also  admit 
 the  obvious  inference,  that  God  has  spoken  by 
 Jesus;  and  we  should  receive,  with  humble  and 
 adoring  faith,  the  testimony  which  he  has  given 
 us  respecting  that  "  eternal  life,  which  is  in  his 
 Son." 
 
 Consider  then,  still  more  particularly,  the  obvious 
 nature  of  these  facts.  They  were  of  such  a  na- 
 ture, as  to  be  subject  both  to  the  senses  and  under- 
 standings of  all.  If  they  were  so,  those,  who  were 
 the  subjects  and  spectators  of  the  miracles,  had 
 complete  evidence  of  their  reality  ;  and  the  only 
 evidence  which  could  apply.  The  greater  number 
 of  these  miracles  consisted  in  the  cure  of  the 
 diseased  ;  the  blind,  the  lame,  and  the  maimed. 
 Their  previous  infirmity  was  notorious  ;  in  many 
 instances  it  had  been  of  long  duration,  and  had 
 baffled  the  skill  of  physicians.  Their  recovery 
 was  equally  ascertainable,  and  was  found,  in  all 
 cases  alike,  to  be  complete  and  lasting.  The 
 change  from  the  one  state  to  the  other  was,  in 
 most  instances,  effected,  or,  at  least,  preceded,  by 
 
192  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 a  word,  by  the  touch,  by  some  external  application, 
 whose  very  nature   shewed  that  it   was   not  the 
 powerful   agent    which    of    itself    produced    the 
 change.     That  it  could  be  neither  the  result  of 
 imposture,  nor  the  effect  of  imagination,  the  num- 
 ber  of  the   instances    is   sufficient  to  prove.     If 
 imagination  could  be  supposed  to  cure  diseases  of 
 every   kind,    under   every   circumstance,   and   of 
 every  duration,  it  could  not  raise  the  dead.    Much 
 less  could  any  such  causes  suspend  the  operation 
 of  gravity  upon  the  body  of  Jesus,  and  that  of 
 St.  Peter,  and  cause  u  the  winds  and  the  sea  to 
 obey    him."      That   no   ordinary   physical   cause 
 could  have  produced  any  of  these  effects,  is  ob- 
 vious  to    common    sense,    and    not    deniable   by 
 philosophy.    There  are  only  two  tenable  supposi- 
 tions ;   and,  as  far  as  the  argument  is  concerned, 
 it  is  indifferent  which  we  select.     Either  it  was 
 a  suspension,   modification,    or  counteraction,  of 
 the  ordinary  laws    of  nature,   by  the   immediate 
 operation  of  divine  power ;  or  it  was  a  deviation, 
 for  which  the  Creator  had  provided,  in  the  original 
 formation  and  arrangement  of  the  world  ;  which 
 took  place  exactly  in  that  age,  and  at  that  moment, 
 when   one,    claiming  to   be  a  divine  messenger, 
 accompanied    these,     even    on    this    hypothesis, 
 extraordinary  occurrences,  by  such  visible  signs, 
 as  to  connect  them  with  his  own  teaching,  and 
 with  the  other  proofs  which  he  gave  of  his  divine 
 
Lecture  VIII.  193 
 
 commission a.     On  either  of  these  suppositions  the 
 proof  of  divine  attestation  is  equally  cogent. 
 
 The  proof  itself,  and  the  sufficiency  of  its  pre- 
 mises, are  also  rendered  more  evident  by  the 
 greatness,  number,  and  variety,  of  these  miracles. 
 Impostors  seldom-  venture  on  many  attempts  to 
 perform  such  wonders,,  as  excite  astonishment,  and 
 provoke  inquiry.  But  in  this  case  the  inveteracy 
 of  the  disorder,  and  the  reality  of  death,  were  not 
 more  certain,  than  the  speedy,  and  even  instanta- 
 neous recovery  of  health  and  of  life.  To  what, 
 then,  but  to  a  supernatural  power,  can  we  ascribe 
 that  perfect  and  permanent  efficacy  of  apparently 
 inadequate  means,  which  neither  the  strictest 
 scrutiny,  nor  the  lapse  of  time,  could  ever  dis- 
 prove? Yet  the  number  of  such  miracles  is  very 
 considerable.  Upwards  of  fifty  distinct  instances 
 are  related  in  detail ;  besides  many  references 
 of  the  Evangelists  to  others,  of  which  they  have 
 given  only  a  general  notice.  Now  a  number  of 
 the  same  kind  certainly  adds  to  the  probability  of 
 each  ;  but  much  more  a  number  of  various  kinds. 
 One  or  two  might  be  the  effect  of  chance ;  but, 
 as  the  number  and  variety  of  regular  phenomena 
 prove  the  existence  of  one  designing  cause,  so 
 do  the  number  and  variety  of  our  Lord's  mira- 
 
 a  See  the   latter  hypothesis   ably    supported  by  M.  Bonnet, 
 tteeherches  de  Christianisme,  Chap.  vi. 
 
 N 
 
194  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 cles  tend  still  more  and  more  to  shew  the  cer- 
 tainty of  the  position,  which  they  were  wrought 
 to  prove,  that  he  spoke  the  words  of  God.  And 
 the  variety  of  manner  in  which  he  performed 
 them,  tends  still  more  strongly  to  establish  the 
 same  conclusion.  For  we  find  that  even  the 
 same  diseases  are  sometimes  cured  by  one  external 
 application,  and  sometimes  by  another;  sometimes 
 only  by  a  word,  sometimes  even  when  the  sufferer 
 is  in  a  distant  place  ;  as  if  to  shew  us  that  it  was 
 not  by  any  charm,  any  more  than  by  chance,  but 
 by  the  power  of  God,  that  the  effect  was  pro- 
 duced. 
 
 Consider  further  the  publicity  of  the  miracles. 
 They  were  not  wrought,  like  the  pretended  ones 
 of  ancient  or  modern  times,  in  private,  or  under 
 circumstances  which  might  evade  scrutiny,  or 
 render  it  inapplicable ;  but  openly,  in  the  face  of 
 day,  before  assembled  multitudes  of  friends  and 
 foes ;  on  the  highway,  in  the  house,  in  the  syna- 
 gogue, and  in  the  temple;  wherever  an  unfortunate 
 sufferer  presented  himself,  or  application  was  made 
 on  his  behalf.  When  the  actual  performance  of 
 the  cure  was  more  private,  its  reality  and  perma- 
 nence was  equally  ascertainable.  It  was  obvious 
 to  all  who  had  known  the  previous  condition  of 
 those  who  had  received  it ;  and  they  themselves, 
 even  when  Jesus  attempted  to  restrain  them, 
 published   abroad   the   miracle    which    had   been 
 
Lecture  VIIL  195 
 
 wrought,  and  that  Jesus  was  he,  who  had  made 
 them  whole.  To  this  frequency  and  publicity  of 
 the  miracles  of  Jesus  is  to  be  attributed  that  full 
 persuasion,  which  all  applicants  evinced,  of  his 
 ability  to  grant  their  request.  For  such  confidence 
 could  result  only  from  their  knowledge  of  his 
 previous  miracles.  To  the  same  cause  must  we 
 also  ascribe  the  remarks  made  by  the  astonished 
 multitude,  that  he  had  "  done  all  things  well ;" 
 and  that  "  it  was  never  so  seen  in  Israel."  Hence 
 also  they  asked,  "  whether  when  Christ  came,  he 
 would  do  more  miracles  than  Jesus."  Hence  also 
 their  disposition,  on  some  occasions,  even  forcibly 
 to  urge  him  to  assume  a  temporal  kingdom;  and  on 
 others,  their  confident  expectation  that  he  would  do 
 so  of  his  own  accord.  But,  at  all  such  conjunctures, 
 Jesus  shewed  in  another  way  his  superhuman  qua- 
 lities. He  was  always  aware  of  their  designs  and 
 wishes;  and  displayed  his  knowledge  of  them  by  his 
 words  and  by  his  actions.  Nay,  during  the  whole 
 course  of  his  ministry,  in  various  ways,  and  on  nu- 
 merous occasions,  he  manifested  this  his  intimate 
 knowledge  of  the  spiritual  as  well  as  of  the  ma- 
 terial world  ;  and,  as  he  saw  fit,  employed  either 
 the  one  or  the  other  to  evince  his  divine  authority. 
 The  publicity  and  reality  of  the  miracles  of 
 Jesus  are  attested  even  by  his  enemies.  For, 
 since  they  were  not  themselves  convinced  by 
 them,   they   deemed    it   necessary  to  diminish,  if 
 
 N  2 
 
196  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 possible,  their  influence  on  the  people.  They 
 therefore  circulated  cavils  against  them ;  but  of 
 such  a  nature,  as  implied  no  doubt  of  their  reality. 
 Once,  indeed,  they  ventured  to  scrutinize  one  of 
 the  miracles  of  Jesus  ;  but  they  were  unable  in 
 any  degree  to  disprove  it.  They  could  only  con- 
 ceal their  inability  to  deny  the  fact,  by  objecting 
 to  the  character  of  Jesus.  ' '  Give  God  the  praise," 
 said  they  to  the  blind  man,  to  whom  Jesus  had 
 restored  his  sight ;  iC  we  know  that  this  man  is  a 
 sinner,  because  he  keepeth  not  the  sabbath -day." 
 But  all  their  opposition  and  misrepresentations 
 were  insufficient  to  check  the  prepossessions  of  the 
 people  in  his  favour ;  and  therefore,  as  they  were 
 not  disposed  to  abandon  their  own  disbelief,  they 
 found  it  necessary  to  have  recourse  to  violence. 
 This  resolution  they  made,  not  because  Jesus  had 
 given  no  proof  of  his  mission,  but  because  he  had 
 proved  it  so  abundantly.  "  This  man,  said  they, 
 doeth  many  miracles ;  if  we  let  him  alone,  all 
 men  will  believe  on  him." 
 
 And  why  should  not  all  men  believe  on  him  ? 
 For  the  method  which  was  taken  by  his  enemies 
 to  arrest  the  progress  of  his  doctrine,  does  not 
 invalidate,  but  supports  and  confirms,  the  argu- 
 ment, that  "  the  works  which  he  did  bore  witness 
 of  him,  that  the  Father  had  sent  him."  They  con- 
 fessed that  miracles  were  done  ;  and  how  can  we 
 conceive  them  to  have  been  done  without  divine 
 
Lecture  VIII.  197 
 
 assistance?    Why  was  Jesus  divinely  assisted,   if 
 not  also  divinely  commissioned ;  and  if cc  the  works 
 which  he  did,  were  not  those,  which  the  Father 
 had   given    him    to    finish?"     His    works   were 
 wrought   to   prove   the  divine  authority  of  what 
 he  taught,   and  the  divine  appointment  of  what 
 he  did   and   suffered.      The   proof    is    sufficient 
 for   the   conviction   of  mankind,   if  these  works 
 were   so    wrought.      And    that    they    were,    we 
 have    evidence    various   in   its   kind,    satisfactory 
 in  its  nature,    and  infallible   in   its  consequence. 
 There  may  have  been    many  unfounded  reports 
 of  miraculous  works ;    many  instances,  in  which 
 knavery   has   contrived    the    semblance   of  a  mi- 
 racle,  and  in    which    credulity    has    too    readily 
 admitted  such  pretences.     But  an  examination  of 
 the  Gospel  miracles  soon    evinces   their  decided 
 superiority  over  the  boasted  wonders  of  heathen- 
 ism,   superstition,    and    imposture.     They    were 
 wrought  not  among  friends,  but  in  the  midst  of 
 enemies;  not  in  support  of  an  established  religion, 
 but  as  the  foundation  of  a  new  one ;   in  further- 
 ance of  a  religion,  not  which  favoured  the  prejudices 
 of  mankind,  but  which  ran  entirely  counter  to 
 them.     They  were  wrought  by  the  author  of  that 
 religion  among  those  to  whom  miracles  were  not 
 unknown  ;   who  demanded  them  of  him  in  proof 
 of  his  mission  ;  who  well  understood  the  force  and 
 nature  of  the  evidence  which  thev  afforded  ;   who 
 
198  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 were  qualified  to  judge  of  their  reality  ;  and  who, 
 because  of  his  humble  and  unambitious  life,  were 
 not  afraid  to  scrutinize  them. 
 
 Jesus  came  in  humility.  But  these  his  mighty 
 works  abundantly  compensated  for  this  want  of 
 the  trappings  of  outward  dignity.  We  recog- 
 nize in  him  such  wisdom,  benevolence,  and 
 dignified  condescension,  as  powerfully  bespeak 
 our  veneration.  He  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
 the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world ;  and  by  his 
 works  we  believe  him  so  to  be ;  for  if  we  deny 
 the  veracity  of  the  Messenger,  we  insult  the 
 authority  of  him  who  sent  him.  Other  than 
 sent  of  God,  Jesus  could  not  be.  The  peculiar 
 authority  with  which  he  both  spoke  his  doctrines, 
 and  also  commanded  the  unclean  spirits,  the 
 winds  and  the  waves,  the  diseases  of  the  living 
 and  the  spirits  of  the  dead,  might,  indeed,  have 
 seemed  to  argue  a  confidence  little  suited  to  one 
 ?  in  the  likeness  of  man,"  had  they  not  invariably 
 obeyed  him,  and  proved  him  more  than  man.  For 
 we  see  exhibited  in  the  splendour  of  his  miracles, 
 all  the  dignity  of  the  Messiah,  all  the  glory  of  the 
 Divinity  ;  a  dignity  and  a  glory,  in  comparison  of 
 which  all  the  splendour  of  earthly  kingdoms  is 
 poor  and  fading.  The  one  is  the  glory  of  man  ; 
 the  other  the  glory,  the  wisdom,  and  the  power, 
 of  God..  Yet  the  Jews  were  so  prejudiced  against 
 the  doctrines  of  Jesus,  which   exposed  their  de- 
 
Lecture  VIII.  199 
 
 pravity,  and  taught  them  a  purity  after  which 
 they  hated  to  be  reformed,  that  his  miracles 
 scarcely  restrained  them  from  ridding  themselves 
 of  his  reproofs.  But  by  these  miracles  we  may 
 see  demonstrated  the  divinity  of  his  doctrine. 
 Whether  it  attacks  our  vices,  abases  our  pride, 
 reveals  our  ignorance,  or  calls  us  in  repentance, 
 humility,  and  self-abasement,  to  submit  to  the 
 righteousness  of  God,  we  reject  it  at  our  peril. 
 
 "  I  have  greater  witness  than  that  of  John/' 
 said  our  Lord  in  the  text,  when  alluding  to  his 
 works.  He  elsewhere  connected  the  witness  of 
 John  with  the  witness  of  his  own  works,  in  a  man- 
 ner which  presents  to  us  a  striking  coincidence  in 
 the  train  of  thought,  and  which  may,  perhaps,  appeal 
 to  our  hearts  more  effectually  than  even  the  most 
 convincing  reasonings. — When  Jesus  had  con- 
 cluded that  address  to  the  multitudes,  in  which, 
 after  the  departure  of  John's  disciples,  he  in- 
 structed them  respecting  the  character  and  office 
 of  John,  and  how  "wisdom  would  be  justified  of 
 her  children,"  both  with  respect  to  John  and 
 himself;  he  then  began,  by  a  transition  similar  to 
 that  in  the  text,  "  to  upbraid  the  cities  in  which 
 most  of  his  mighty  works  were  done,  because  they 
 repented  nota."  "Woe  unto  thee,  Chorazin, 
 woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida;  for  if  the  mighty  works 
 
 *  See  Matt.  xi.  20—30. 
 
200  Lectujie  VIII. 
 
 which  were  done  in  you,  had  been  done  in 
 Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  long: 
 ago  in  sackcloth  and  ashes ;  Sodom  would  have 
 remained  unto  this  day.  But  I  say  unto  you^ 
 That  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
 and  Sodom,  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  you." 
 If  so,  how  shall  it  fare  with  some  of  us  in  that 
 day  ;  whose  prejudices  are  less  inveterate,  and 
 yet,  perhaps,  also  less  excusable,  than  those  of 
 the  Jew;  who  with  the  judgment  and  under- 
 standing believe  in  Jesus,  and  yet  have  not 
 repented;  it  may  be  are  still  wedded  to  our  sins, 
 and  have  resolved  to  delay  repentance.  "  Repent, 
 and  believe  the  Gospel,"  were  the  first  words 
 which  Jesus  delivered  in  the  cities  of  Galilee, 
 where  his  mighty  works  had  been  done,  and 
 where  they  continued  to  be  done,  in  confirmation 
 of  his  authority.  We  may  know,  then,  that  if 
 our's  is  not  that  "  godly  sorrow,  which  worketh 
 repentance  unto  salvation,"  if  we  do  not  with  the 
 heart  believe  unto  righteousness,  then, — whether 
 the  seed  be  taken  out  of  our  hearts  by  the  father 
 of  the  lies  of  infidelity,  or  whether  in  time  of 
 temptation  we  fall  away,  or  whether  the  seed  be 
 choked  by  the  cares  of  this  world,  or  the  deceit- 
 fulness  of  riches, — it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for 
 Tyre,  Sidon,  and  Sodom,  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
 than  for  us.  For  "  God  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
 sons," and  "his  judgment  is  according  to  truth." 
 
Lecture  VIII.  201 
 
 If  such  be  the  condemnation  to  which  we  are 
 liable,  how  ought  we  to  be  stirred  up  to'strict  and 
 serious  self-examination,  when  we  hear  our  Lord 
 address  the  Father,  who  had  sent  him,  in  words 
 like  these ;  "  I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of 
 heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid  these 
 things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  re- 
 vealed them  unto  babes.  Even  so,  Father,  for 
 so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight."  Now  if  there 
 be  sins,  errors,  and  delusions,  of  the  under- 
 standing; if  there  be  "  a  way  that  seemeth  right 
 unto  a  man,  but  the  end  of  which  is  death ;" 
 if  we  "  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God, 
 except  we  be  converted,  and  become  as  little 
 children,"  in  all  docility,  humility,  innocence,  and 
 sincerity  ;  let  us  then  pray,  that  "  the  thoughts  of 
 our  hearts  may  be  cleansed  by  the  operation  of 
 his  holy  Spirit,"  and  that,  "as  new-born  babes, 
 we  may  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  his  word  that 
 we  may  grow  thereby."  If  such  be  our  desire  of 
 divine  instruction,  and  such  our  fitness  to  receive 
 it,  then  shall  we  duly  prize,  and  study,  and  obey 
 those  holy  Scriptures,  which,  through  faith  in 
 Christ  Jesus,  can  make  us  wise  unto  salvation. 
 Then  will  our  faith  and  hope  be  strengthened, 
 and  our  religious  inquiries  be  directed,  by  our 
 Lord's  next  words  :  "  All  things  are  delivered 
 unto  me  of  my  Father ;  and  no  man  knoweth 
 the  Son,   but  the   Father,    neither  knoweth  any 
 
9J)2  Lecture  VIII. 
 
 man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whom- 
 soever the  Son  will  reveal  him."  We  may  partake 
 of  so  divine  a  benefit,  as  to  "know  the  only  true 
 God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  has  sent/'  if  we 
 are  truly  disciples  of  Jesus.  He  was  sent  by  the 
 Father  to  be  our  teacher  and  our  Saviour ;  and 
 he  is  as  condescending  and  gracious,  as  he  is 
 powerful  and  glorious. 
 
 This  alarming,  yet  affectionate,  discourse  is 
 concluded  with  words,  which  always  appear  to  me 
 to  exemplify  that  consummate  wisdom,  that  divine 
 charm,  by  which  our  Lord's  instructions  delight 
 the  ear,  captivate  the  affections,  and  impress 
 the  conscience;  which  must  even  penetrate  and 
 warm  the  heart  of  the  unbeliever;  and  which 
 '  have  a  beauty  and  pathos  in  them,  which 
 although  the  Christian  feels,  the  commentator 
 cannot  express51.'  Compare  with  the  words  last 
 cited  those  which  we  are  about  to  cite ;  their 
 meaning  will  then  be  obvious,  and  may  God 
 impress  them  on  our  hearts  !  cc  Come  unto  me, 
 all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
 give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and 
 learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of  heart ; 
 and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls.  For  my 
 yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light." 
 
 a  These  are  the  words  oi  Bishop  Home  in  his  Commentary 
 on  Ps.  lxxiii.  25,  26.  But  they  are  as  applicable  to  these  words 
 of  our  Saviour,  as  to  those  beautiful  words  of  the  Psalmist. 
 
LECTURE    IX. 
 
 our  lord's  appeal  to  his  miracles  in  proof  of 
 his  messiahship. 
 
 St.  Matthew  XI.  2 — 6. 
 
 Now  when  John  had  heard  in  the  prison  the  works  of 
 Christ,  he  sent  two  of  his  disciples,  and  said  unto  him, 
 Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we  look  for 
 another?  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Go  and 
 shew  John  again  those  things  which  ye  do  hear  and  see; 
 The  blind  receive  their  sight,  and  the  lame  walk;  the 
 lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear;  the  dead  are 
 raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached  to 
 them.  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be 
 offended  in  me. 
 
 This  message  of  the  Baptist  to  Jesus  is  an  inci- 
 dent of  so  remarkable  a  character,,  that  probably 
 few  attentive  Christians  peruse  the  account  of  it, 
 without  a  wish  to  be  satisfied  respecting-  the 
 occasion  and  the  object  of  it.  A  reference  to  the 
 Commentators  will  certainly  make  the  inquirer 
 acquainted  with  several  different  opinions  on  the 
 subject ;  some  of  which  rest  upon  mere  conjecture 
 and  gratuitous  assumption  ;  and  others  do  not  in- 
 
204  Lecture  IX. 
 
 elude  that  extended  review  of  the  ministry  of  the 
 Baptist,  which  is  so  necessary  in  order  to  the 
 right  apprehension  both  of  this  and  of  many  other 
 questions.  Such  opinions,  however,  we  shall  not 
 notice  in  a  way  of  formal  refutation,  but  only  so 
 far  as  may  be  necessary  to  clear  our  path  in  that 
 inquiry,  which  will  in  the  first  instance  occupy  our 
 attention,  viz.  how  the  question  respecting  the 
 character  and  office  of  Jesus  was  situated,  at  the 
 time  when  the  Baptist  sent  this  message  to  him. 
 And  as  our  Lord,  in  his  answer,  appeals  to  his 
 works  in  support  of  a  claim  to  somewhat  more 
 than  merely  a  divine  mission  ;  it  will  be  our  en- 
 deavour in  the  latter  part  of  this  Lecture  to  shew 
 the  nature  and  justice  of  that  appeal. 
 
 I.  In  order  to  ascertain  the  occasion,  and 
 intention  of  the  Baptist's  message,  which  we  are 
 first  to  consider,  we  must  have  recourse  to  the 
 Evangelical  records ;  which  afford  sufficient,  and 
 the  only  legitimate,  materials  for  our  purpose. — 
 When  the  Baptist  sent  his  disciples  to  Jesus,  his 
 own  public  labours  had  for  some  time  ceased  ; 
 for  he  had  been  shut  up  in  prison  by  Herod  the 
 tetrarch  of  Galilee.  But,  ever  after  that  event, 
 Jesus  had  gone  about  the  cities  of  Galilee,  pro- 
 claiming the  glad  tidings  of  the  kingdom,  and 
 healing  all  manner  of  sickness  and  disease  among 
 the  people.     After  some  time  he  selected  twelve 
 
Lecture  IX.  205 
 
 of  his   disciples    to   be   his    constant   attendants; 
 giving  them  the  title  of  Apostles,   with  reference 
 to  their  future  mission  round  Galilee  in  his  life 
 time,  and  to  all  nations  after  his  death.     He  still 
 continued  to  exercise  his   miraculous  powers,   in 
 healing  the  diseased  ;  and,  at  length,  he  raised  to 
 life  the  only  son  of  a  widow,  whom  she,  attended 
 by  much  people  of  the  city  of  Nain,  was  carrying 
 out   for   burial   as  Jesus   was  entering  the  city. 
 A  great  impression  was  produced  by  this  signal 
 miracle.     "  There  came  a  great  fear  on  all ;  and 
 they  glorified  God,  saying,  That  a  great  prophet 
 is  risen  up  among  us ;  and,  That  God  hath  visited 
 his  people.     And  this  rumour  of  him  went  forth 
 throughout   all    Judea,    and   throughout    all   the 
 region  round  about.     And  the  disciples  of  John 
 shewed  him   of  all  these  things3."     This    state- 
 ment of  St.  Luke,  that  they  "  told  him  concerning 
 all  these  things,"  leaves  us  no  room  to  doubt  that 
 they  gave  him  a  full  account  of  all  the  proceedings 
 of  Jesus.     He  might  with  reason  rely  on  the  cor- 
 rectness of  their  report ;   and  the  subject  was  one 
 of  such   interest  to  him,    that  he  would  as  little 
 want  the   disposition,    as   he   did   the    time   and 
 opportunity,    to  hear  all  that  they  could  tell  him 
 respecting   the   doctrine  and    miracles   of  Jesus. 
 That  Jesus  had  not  yet  stated  himself  to  be  the 
 
 a  Luke  vii.  1 1  —  18. 
 
206  Lecture  IX. 
 
 Messiah,  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  remark.  And, 
 therefore,  as  far  as  that  fact  is  considered  in  con- 
 nexion with  the  conduct  of  the  Baptist,  a  reason 
 appears  why,  when,  upon  hearing-  all  these  things, 
 John  sent  two  of  his  disciples  to  Jesus,  the 
 question  propounded  by  them  was,  "  Art  thou 
 he  that  should  come,  or  do  we  look  for  another  V 
 
 But  again,  we  know  that  a  person  named  Jesus 
 had  formerly  come  from  Galilee  to  John,  to  be 
 baptized  of  him.  John  then  bore  to  him  a  re- 
 markable testimony  ;  stating  that  he  was  the  very 
 person  of  whom  he  had  before  spoken  in  several 
 predictions ;  and  applying  to  him  not  only  the 
 attributes  which  he  had  previously  specified,  but 
 also  several  others  still  more  exalted.  And  before 
 he  separated  from  Jesus,  to  meet  him  no  more, 
 he  directed  several  of  his  own  disciples  to  him. 
 They  were  afterwards  numbered  with  the  twelve 
 Apostles ;  whom  Jesus  had  selected  from  the  body 
 of  his  disciples  previously  to  the  question  proposed 
 by  John.  That  question  affords  not  the  slightest 
 indication  that  he  supposed  the  Jesus,  who  was 
 now  so  celebrated  in  Galilee,  to  be  a  person  dif- 
 ferent from  him  whom  he  had  baptized  in  Judea, 
 and  who  had  come  from  Galilee  for  that  purpose. 
 His  own  disciples  could  have  satisfied  him  on  that 
 point ;  for  at  an  earlier  period,  after  John  had 
 retired  into  Galilee,  they  came  to  him,  and  said, 
 "  Rabbi,  he  that  was  with  thee  beyond  Jordan,  to 
 
Lecture  IX.  207 
 
 whom  thou  barest  witness,  behold  the  same  bap- 
 tizeth,  and  all  men  come  to  him\"  It  was  no 
 long  time  afterwards  that  John  was  imprisoned ; 
 and  Jesus,  who  had  become  so  well  known  in 
 Judea,  and  whose  miracles  the  Galileans  also  had 
 seen  at  the  feast  of  the  passover,  himself  went 
 into  Galilee  ;  taught  in  their  synagogues,  being 
 glorified  of  all,  and  increased  continually  in 
 notoriety  and  popularity  even  till  the  time  that 
 John  sent  to  him  the  message  by  his  disciples. 
 It  is  also  certain  that  no  others  but  John  and 
 Jesus  had  appeared  as  divine  teachers,  and  with 
 a  belief  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  their  pro- 
 phetic character ;  and  certainly  that  no  other  than 
 Jesus  had  wrought  miracles.  And  he,  having 
 wrought  his  first  miracle  at  Cana  in  Galilee, 
 shortly  after  his  baptism,  afterwards  wrought 
 others  in  Judea;  and  then,  upon  beginning  his 
 stated  ministry  in  Galilee,  wrought  them  unin- 
 terruptedly up  to  the  period  when  he  raised  the 
 widow's  son,  and  the  incident  now  under  con- 
 sideration occurred. 
 
 So  far  then  all  is  sufficiently  obvious.  John  the 
 Baptist,  when  he  sent  to  ask  of  Jesus,  whether  he 
 was  *.  he  that  should  come,"  could  not  but  have 
 been  assured,  that  he,  to  whom  he  had  borne  wit- 
 ness beyond  Jordan,  was   the  very   person,   the 
 
 *  John  iii.   26\ 
 
20S  Lecture  IX. 
 
 miraculons  attestation  to  whose  divine  mission 
 was  now  so  decided  and  notorious.  In  this  the 
 supposed  difficulty  consists.  Why,  it  is  asked, 
 should  he,  who  had  so  long-  known  that  Jesus  was 
 the  Messiah ;  now  give  reason  to  suppose  that  he 
 doubted  it  ?  Why  should  he  who  had  pointed 
 him  out  as  the  Messiah  to  others,  now  ask  to  be 
 satisfied  upon  that  point  himself? — I  am  ready  to 
 allow  that  John  might  believe  Jesus  to  be  the 
 Messiah ;  for  so  were  many  of  the  people  disposed 
 to  believe,  who  had  not  been  favoured  with  the 
 divine  intimations  which  he  had  received.  He 
 expressly  taught  both  the  messengers  of  the  San- 
 hedrim, and  his  own  disciples,  that  he  himself  was 
 "  not  the  Christ,"  but  that  he  was  "  sent  before 
 hima."  Some  of  his  own  disciples  he  introduced 
 to  Jesus,  stating  that  he  was  tc  the  Son  of  God," 
 "  the  same  who  would  baptize  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost,"  and  "  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away 
 the  sin  of  the  world."  They  indeed  made  the 
 inference  for  themselves,  and  it  was  doubtless 
 a  just  one,  that  they  had  "  found  the  MessiahV 
 But  we  are  not  authorized  from  hence  to  conclude 
 that  John  had  expressly  taught  them  this ;  for  we 
 do  not  find  it  upon  record  that  he  ever  did,  nor 
 have  we  any  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  com- 
 missioned to  do  so.    It  is,  however,  this  gratuitous 
 
 a  John  i.  20.    in.  28.  b  Ibid.  i.   41,  45. 
 
Lecture  IX.  209 
 
 hypothesis,  which  has  brought  an  appearance  of 
 difficulty  upon  the  question  before  us,  which  has 
 subjected  the  Baptist  to  the  imputation  of  incon- 
 sistency, and  which,  in  a  great  measure,  has  pre- 
 vented a  right  apprehension  of  the  real  state  of  the 
 case.  But  we  confidently  deny  that  we  have  any 
 authority,  from  the  Evangelical  records,  to  say  that 
 John  ever  ascribed  to  Jesus  the  title  of  the 
 Messiah.  It  was,  in  fact,  as  expedient  that  John 
 should  not  made  such  a  declaration,  as  that  Jesus 
 himself  should  avoid  it.  And  we  know  that  Jesus 
 did  not,  among  the  Jews,  publicly  avow  his  Mes- 
 siahship  in  express  terms,  except  when  he  solemnly 
 declared  it  to  the  Sanhedrim  at  the  close  of  his 
 ministry  ;  but  only  to  the  Samaritans,  for  reasons 
 explained  above,  and  to  the  Apostles  in  private 
 after  their  own  confession  of  his  Messiahship. — 
 This  circumstance  should  never  be  forgotten  in 
 the  perusal  of  the  Gospels. 
 
 Having  now  disposed  of  those  visionary  hypo- 
 theses, which  serve  only  to  perplex  the  question, 
 it  will  only  be  needful  briefly  to  recal  to  your 
 minds  some  of  the  statements  of  the  Evangelists, 
 respecting  the  proceedings  of  the  Baptist  and  of 
 Jesus,  in  order  that  the  object  of  John's  message 
 may  be  fully  seen. 
 
 John  proclaimed  that  cc  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
 was  at  hand  ;"  and  stated  that  his  was  "  the  voice 
 of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the 
 
 O 
 
210  Lecture  IX. 
 
 way  of  the  Lord."  He  spoke  of  one  to  "come  after 
 him ;"     adding,    that    himself    "  came    baptizing 
 with   water,    in   order   that   he   might  be   made 
 manifest    to    Israel."      But,    as    he   denied    that 
 himself  was  either  the   Christ,  or  Elias,  or  that 
 prophet,   so  neither  did  he  state  which  of  these 
 characters  belonged  to  his  successor.    Yet  he  spe- 
 cified many  definite  parts  of  his  character,  office, 
 and  proceedings ;  and  one  especially,  which  was 
 speedily    verified    in    Jesus,    that   his    successor 
 would  be  one  "  mightier  than  himself,"  for  "  John 
 did  no  miracle."     When  the  jealousy  of  his  disci- 
 ples  was   excited  by  the  growing  popularity    of 
 Jesus,  as  if  they  had  wholly  misunderstood  his  own 
 frequent  reference  to  one  who  was  to  surpass  him, 
 he  reminded  them  that  he  had  told  them  that  "  he 
 was   not   the  Christ,  but  was  sent  before  him." 
 And  though  he  was  not  commissioned  to  declare 
 to   them   that    Jesus    was    the    Christ,    he   very 
 solemnly  inculcated  upon   them  the  necessity  of 
 receiving  his  testimony ;  and  while  he  stated  that 
 his  joy  was  fulfilled  by  the  intelligence  which  they 
 brought,   he  also   declared   to   them,  e<  He  must 
 increase,    but    1    must    decrease."     It   would   be 
 superfluous  to  dilate  upon  the  circumstances  which 
 fully  accomplished  this  prediction;   for  you  know 
 how  John's  public   ministry   was   entirely  termi- 
 nated by  his   imprisonment,  while  that  of  Jesus 
 still  proceeded  with  uninterrupted  success.     We 
 
Lecture  IX.  211 
 
 observe,,  however,  more  than  once,  besides  on  the 
 occasion  of  the  message  to  Jesus,  that  several  are 
 distinguished  both  by  name,  and  by  their  proceed- 
 ings, as  still  remaining  peculiarly  the  disciples  of 
 John.  Nor  did  circumstances  allow  that  he,  to 
 whom  they  remained  so  much  attached,  should, 
 even  then,  explicitly  declare  to  them  that  Jesus 
 was  the  Messiah.  As  he  himself  told  them,  "  a 
 man  can  receive  nothing,  except  it  be  given  him 
 from  above."  He  knew  that  such  a  declaration 
 would  be  beyond  his  commission  from  above.  But, 
 after  the  miracle  at  Nain,  and  all  the  others  of 
 which  he  had  heard  in  the  prison,  he  judged  it 
 expedient  to  send  two  of  his  disciples  to  put  the 
 question  to  Jesus  himself.  He  thus  indicated  to 
 them  his  own  expectations  ;  and  though  he  could 
 not  himself  venture  to  declare  the  fact,  if  indeed 
 he  were  yet  fully  acquainted  with  it,  yet  he  might 
 suppose  that  he, — of  whom  he  had  declared  that 
 "  he  came  from  heaven,  and  was  above  all,  that  to 
 him  the  Spirit  was  given  without  measure,  and 
 that  the  Father,  loving  him  as  the  Son,  had  given 
 all  things  into  his  hand/' — might  see  fit,  at  that 
 period,  to  give  an  explicit  answer  to  the  question, 
 ec  Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we  look  for 
 another?" 
 
 I  have  said  that  John  might  at  that  period  have 
 indulged  such  a  supposition.  That  he  supposed 
 some  such  thing,  the  proposing  of  the  question  at 
 
 o  2 
 
212  Lecture  IX. 
 
 all  sufficiently  shews.     But  I  have  not  said,  with- 
 out reason,  that  at  that  particular  period  he  con- 
 ceived such  a  notion.     There  is  a  peculiarity  in 
 the  phraseology  of  St.  Matthew  in  our  text,  which 
 seems  distinctly  to  inform  us  of  this,  and  to  confirm 
 all  that  we  have  already  advanced  with  respect  to 
 the  Baptist's  views  and  proceedings.     In  the  verse 
 preceding  our  text,  he  says,   "  When  Jesus  had 
 made  an  end  of  commanding  his  twelve  disciples, 
 he  departed  thence,  to  teach  and  to  preach  in  their 
 cities."     But  he  does  not  go  on  to  say,  "  When 
 John  had  heard  in  the  prison  the  words  of  Jesus," 
 but,  "  when  John  had  heard  in  the   prison  the 
 works  of  the  Christ  (tov  Xptarov),  he  sent  two  of 
 his  disciples."     Now  it  is  very  true,  that  in  some 
 of  the  later  books  of  the  New  Testament,  we  find 
 the  official  title  Christ,  and  the  proper  name  Jesus, 
 applied  to  our  Lord,  as  perhaps  convertible  terms. 
 But  if  that  be  the  case  in  this  passage,  it  is  the 
 only  instance  in  the  Gospels,  and,  I  think  I  may 
 say,  in  the  historical  books  of  the  New  Testament, 
 where  it   is   so  used   in   the   ordinary  narrative. 
 There  is,  I  believe,  no  other  instance  where  it 
 does  not  occur  as  a  title  of  the  office  which  we 
 ascribe  to  Jesus,  and  not  as  the  proper  name  of 
 him  as  an  individual.     And  this  consideration  will, 
 I  think,  dispose  us  to  think,  that  neither  is  this 
 passage  a   solitary  exception ;    that  St,  Matthew 
 meant  by  using  that  term  in  our  text,  to  say  some- 
 
Lecture  IX.  213 
 
 thing*  more,  than  is  usually  understood  by  the 
 passage ;  more,  in  short,  than  if  he  had  merely 
 stated,  that  "  John  had  heard  in  the  prison  the 
 works  of  Jesus."  I  conceive  that  he  meant  to 
 say,  that  when  John  had  been  told  of  all  these 
 things  by  his  disciples,  he  perceived  that  he  had 
 received  intelligence  of  the  performance  of  the 
 works  of  the  Messiah,  of  those  ascribed  to  him 
 by  the  prophets.  And,  therefore,  after  Jesus  had 
 exhibited  such  indication  of  his  Messiahship,  he 
 might  suppose  the  period  arrived,  when  he  could 
 properly  send  his  disciples  to  ask  of  him  cc  whether 
 he  was  he  that  should  come."  And  though  the 
 reasons,  because  of  which  Jesus  had  hitherto  de- 
 clined an  explicit  avowal,  still  existed,  and  therefore 
 he  did  not  give  a  direct  answer ;  yet,  as  we  shall 
 soon  see,  his  answer  was  such  as  would  fully  con- 
 firm the  expectations  of  the  Baptist.  Whether  his 
 ideas  of  the  character  of  Jesus  were  previously  so 
 full  and  definite,  we  have  no  data  to  determine ; 
 but  we  may  at  least  venture  to  conclude,  that  he, 
 who  like  Simeon,  had  waited  for  and  announced 
 the  consolation  of  Israel,  did  not  see  death,  until  he 
 both  had  seen,  and  recognized,  the  Lord's  Christ, 
 respecting  whom  it  had  before  been  revealed  to 
 him  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  he  was  "  the  Lamb 
 of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world," 
 and  that  "  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  the  Son 
 of  God,  hath  everlasting  life." 
 
214  Lecture  IX. 
 
 It  will  be  expedient  to  notice  somewhat  more 
 particularly  the  question  itself,  which  John's  dis- 
 ciples proposed,  in  compliance  with  their  master's 
 direction. — "Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do 
 we  look  for  another?"  This  evidently  implies 
 a  supposition  either  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah, 
 or  that  the  Messiah  was  to  succeed  him.  It  is 
 well  known,  that  in  consequence  of  the  passage  of 
 the  prophet  Malachi,  which  spoke  of  the  Messiah's 
 forerunner  under  the  title  of  Elijah,  the  Jews  ex- 
 pected Elijah  to  return  in  person,  and  inaugurate 
 the  Messiah.  John  had  disavowed  all  claim  to 
 the  character  of  Elijah  in  that  respect.  But  we 
 find  that  our  Lord's  disciples,  after  his  transfigura- 
 tion, proposed  to  him  a  question  respecting  the  opi- 
 nion of  the  Scribes,  "  that  Elias  must  first  come." 
 And  previously  to  that  time,  when  our  Lord  asked 
 of  his  disciples,  what  were  the  prevalent  opinions 
 respecting  himself,  they  mentioned,  that  f<:some 
 said  that  he  was  Elias."  It  is  far  from  improbable, 
 that,  although  the  question  of  the  Baptist  was  occa- 
 sioned by  the  report  of  works  characteristic  of  the 
 Messiah,  it  was  supposed  by  him,  or  at  least  by  his 
 disciples,  that  they  might  indicate  Jesus  to  be  Eli- 
 jah. For  the  more  immediate  occasion  of  the  mes- 
 sage was  the  raising  of  the  young  man  of  Nain  from 
 the  dead ;  and  that  was  a  work  which  Elijah  had 
 wrought,  as  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament.  The 
 state  of  things  at  that  time,  therefore,  appeared  to 
 
Lecture  IX.  215 
 
 justify  the  conclusion,  either  that  Jesus  was  ac- 
 tually the  Messiah;  or  that  he  was  Elijah,  and 
 that  they  must  still  expect  another  as  the  Messiah. 
 Our  Lord  gave  an  answer  obviously  designed  to 
 strengthen  the  opinion  that  he  was  he  that  should 
 come;  but  he  left  it  to  John  to  inform  them  more 
 fully  what  were  the  works  characteristic  of  the 
 Messiah,  and  how  the  prophecies  were  fulfilled  in 
 him.  He  himself,  after  high  encomiums  upon  the 
 Baptist,  taught  the  multitudes  that  he  was  "  the 
 Messenger,  who  was  to  be  sent  before  the  face  of 
 the  Lord,  to  prepare  his  way ;"  and  he  also  in- 
 structed them  to  consider  him  as  ""  that  Elias 
 which  was  for  to  come"1."  And  we  know  how  he 
 afterwards  declared  to  his  disciples  that  "Elias  had 
 already  come,  and  that  they  had  done  to  him  what 
 they  listed;"  so  as  to  make  them  "  understand  that 
 he  spake  to  them  of  John  the  Baptist b."  And  if 
 John  were  the  Elias,  then  Jesus  was  the  Messiah, 
 of  the  Prophets. 
 
 It  now  remains  that  we  notice  the  answer, 
 which  Jesus  returned,  to  a  question  proposed 
 under  the  circumstances,  and  with  the  views, 
 which  we  have  now,  at  some  length,  endeavoured 
 to  explain. 
 
 The  disciples  of  John  arrived  at  a  time,  when 
 several   opportunities   offered    themselves   to   our 
 
 a  Matt.  xi.  14.  b  Matt.  xvii.  10—13. 
 
216  Lecture  IX. 
 
 Lord  for  the  exercise  of  his  miraculous  powers. 
 "  In  that  same  hour  he  cured  many  of  their 
 infirmities  and  plagues,  and  of  evil  spirits;  and 
 unto  many  that  were  blind  he  gave  sight*."  They 
 had  seen  and  heard  of  his  former  mighty  works, 
 and  they  beheld  him  still  equally  ready  and  able 
 to  continue  them.  cc  Then  Jesus  answering  said 
 unto  them,  Go  your  way,  and  tell  John  what 
 things  ye  have  seen  and  heard ;  how  that  the 
 blind  see,  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed, 
 the  deaf  hear,  the  dead  are  raised,  to  the  poor 
 the  Gospel  is  preached  ;  and  blessed  is  he,  who- 
 soever shall  not  be  offended  in  me." 
 
 This  answer  consists  of  three  parts  ;  first  a  state- 
 ment respecting  his  miracles,  next  respecting  his 
 teaching,  and  lastly  a  caution  against  being  offended 
 in  him.  And  the  question  being,  ce  whether  he 
 was  he  that  should  come,"  since  it  was  only  from 
 the  prophets  that  they  could  learn  that  any 
 Messiah  might  justly  be  expected  to  come,  and  by 
 what  characters  he  might  be  known  when  he  did 
 come,  we  may  rightly  be  prepared  to  suppose, 
 that  an  appeal  is  herein  made  to  the  prophecies. 
 Yet  it  is  not  actually  so  stated.  It  appears,  at 
 first  sight,  to  be  merely  a  statement  of  present 
 and  obvious  facts  ;  and  unless  the  reality  of  those 
 facts   were    undeniable,    no    inference    whatever 
 
 a  Luke  vii.  21. 
 
Lecture  IX.  2 \t 
 
 could  be  drawn  from  it.  But  the  language  which 
 our  Lord  uses  is  almost  literally  a  citation  of  well 
 known  prophecies ;  and  that  he  should  be  able 
 in  such  a  manner  to  describe  what  John's  disciples 
 had  both  aforetime,  and  in  that  very  same  hour, 
 seen  and  heard,  could  not  but  strikingly  convince 
 them  that  the  prophets  had  spoken  of  what  was 
 now  before  them,  and  that  he  who  thus  wrought, 
 and  thus  taught,  was  "  he  that  should  come,  and 
 that  they   needed  not  to  look  for  another." 
 
 The  Baptist  was  himself  described  by  the 
 prophet  Isaiah  ;  and  certain  words  in  the  fortieth 
 chapter  of  that  prophet,  he  had  applied  to  him- 
 self6. In  the  same  chapter,  the  prophet  adds, 
 "  Say  unto  the  cities  of  Judah,  Behold  your  God. 
 Behold  the  Lord  God  shall  come  with  strong- 
 hand,  and  his  arm  shall  rule  for  him  ;  behold,  his 
 reward  is  with  him,  and  his  work  before  himc." 
 The  Baptist  had  seen,  and  had  borne  record  that 
 Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God;  and  stated  that, 
 i(  coming  after  him,  he  was  mightier  than  he." 
 That  attribute  was  now  verified  by  his  miracles. 
 But  Isaiah  had  been  still  more  particular  on  that 
 subject.  "  Behold  your  God  shall  come  with 
 vengeance,  even  God  with  a  recompence ;  he 
 will  come  and  save  you.  Then  shall  the  eyes  of 
 the  blind  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall 
 
 b  Isai.  xl.  3—5.     John  i.  23.  c  Isai.  xl.  9,  10. 
 
218  Lecture  IX. 
 
 be  unstopped ;  then  shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  an 
 hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  singV  And 
 again,  "He  will  swallow  up  death  in  victory  b." 
 And  again,  tc  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  to- 
 gether with  my  dead  body  they  shall  arise V 
 Many  passages  occur  to  the  same  effect.  The 
 works  to  which  they  refer  had  been  already  per- 
 formed by  Jesus  before  the  disciples  of  John 
 came  to  him  ;  others  were  performed  in  their 
 presence,  of  which  we  have  no  particular  account; 
 and  with  unfailing  power  did  Jesus  persevere  in 
 these  divine  works.  We  can  examine  for  our- 
 selves the  evidence  of  their  reality. 
 
 3  Isai.  xxxv.  4 — 6.     Also  xlii.  6,  7-  b  Isai.  xxv.  8. 
 
 c  Isai.  xxvi.  19-  See  also  Job  xix.  25.  Dan.  xii.  2,  9 — 13. 
 Hos.  xiii.  14.  Gen.  iii.  15,  19-  It  is  not,  in  so  many  words, 
 predicted  by  the  prophets,  that  Messiah  would  raise  the  dead. 
 For,  perhaps,  the  passages  cited  above  rather  refer  to  the  general 
 resurrection,  than  to  the  miracles  of  the  Messiah.  Yet,  as  they 
 speak  of  the  consequences  which  would  result  from  his  successful 
 undertaking,  which  was,  in  its  original  design,  the  redemption  of 
 man  from  mortality  as  the  penalty  of  sin,  by  obtaining  the  pardon, 
 and  effecting  the  abolition  of  sin  ;  the  raising  of  the  dead,  equally, 
 if  not  more  than  other  miracles,  was  a  proof  of  his  Messiahship, 
 which  had,  virtually  at  least,  been  noticed  by  the  prophets.  And 
 our  Saviour's  statements  in  John  v.  21 — 29.  may  be  considered 
 as  a  comment  on  such  passages  as  we  have  referred  to.  If  "  the 
 Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will,"  and  proved  his  possession  of  this 
 power,  even  during  his  ministry  on  earth,  by  causing  "  the  dead 
 to  hear  his  voice,  and  live,"  we  need  not  marvel  at  this,  because 
 "  the  hour  is  coming,  when  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his 
 voice,   and  shall   come   forth.'' 
 
Lecture  IX.  219 
 
 "The  blind   receive    their  sight."      Can   we 
 forget  the  cure  which  Jesus  wrought,  in  the  pre- 
 sence of  the  multitude,  upon  the  two  blind  men 
 who  sat  by  the  way-side  begging;  and  that  gradual 
 cure  of  the  blind  man  near  Bethsaida,  by  which 
 Jesus  so  fully  shewed  that  every  change  was  by 
 his  agency,  and  at  his  will.     "Since  the  world 
 began  it  was  not  heard  that  any  man  opened  the 
 eyes  of  one  born  blind."    Yet  this  still  more  signal 
 miracle  Jesus  performed ;  and  we  shall  do  well  to 
 examine  the  full  relation,  given  by  the  Evangelist 
 St.  John,  respecting  restoration  of  sight  to  the 
 man   who   was   blind   from   his  birth.     For  this 
 miracle  was   severely  scrutinized  by  the  Jewish 
 council ;    but,   to  their  confusion,  the  more  they 
 examined,  the  less  were  they  able  to  deny  either 
 that  the  man  was  born  blind,  or  that  he  now  saw, 
 or  that  Jesus  had  opened  his  eyes. — "  The  lame 
 walked  "  also  at  the  command  of  Jesus.     Let  it  be 
 sufficient  to  instance  the  cure  of  the  impotent  bed- 
 ridden sufferer  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda;  and  the 
 paralytic    who   was  let  down   through    the   roof, 
 because  of  the  multitude  who  crowded  the  doors,, 
 but  who,  at  the  word  of  Jesus,  was  enabled  to  take 
 up  his  bed,  and  walk. — Many  u  lepers  also  were 
 cleansed."    And,  that  the  reality  of  the  cure  might 
 be  legally  ascertained  and  recorded,  Jesus  com- 
 manded them,  as  the  law  required,  to  "go  and 
 shew   themselves   to  the    priests,   as  a   testimony 
 
220  Lecture  IX. 
 
 against  themselves  "  if  they  afterwards  ventured 
 to  deny  the  cure. — Do  we  ask  whether  he  also 
 made  "the  deaf  to  hear?"  Let  the  confession  of 
 the  multitude  who  were  eye-witnesses  satisfy  us. 
 tc  He  hath  done  all  things  well ;  he  maketh  both 
 the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the  dumb  to  speak." — The 
 "  dead  also  were  raised  up."  Not  only  the  widow's 
 son  at  Nain,  who  was  about  to  be  committed  to 
 the  grave,  was  restored  to  life ;  but  the  daughter 
 of  Jairus,  who  had  just  expired;  and  Lazarus  also, 
 who  had  been  dead  four  days,  upon  whom  the 
 mouth  of  the  sepulchre  had  been  closed,  and  the 
 witnesses  of  whose  resurrection  were  numerous 
 friends  of  the  family  who  had  come  from  Jerusalem 
 to  condole  with  them.  Rightly,  therefore,  did  the 
 people  observe,  "  When  Christ  cometh,  will  he  do 
 more  miracles  than  this  man  doeth?"  They  were 
 the  very  works  of  the  Messiah,  and  they  needed 
 not  to  look  for  him  in  any  other  than  Jesus. 
 
 But  our  Lord,  having  directed  the  inquirers  to 
 these  considerations,  added  another,  which  might 
 make  the  conclusion  still  more  satisfactory.  "  To 
 the  poor  the  Gospel  is  preached."  It  was  not  his 
 miraculous  power  alone,  but  the  subject  of  his 
 doctrine,  and  the  persons  to  whom  it  was  preach- 
 ed, and  for  whom  it  was  suited,  that  evinced  him 
 to  be  "  he  that  should  come."  The  Baptist  had 
 himself  "  seen  the  Spirit  descending  upon  him, 
 and   remaining  on  him,"   and  had  testified  that 
 
Lecture  IX.  221 
 
 "God  gave  not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  him." 
 Both   he  and  his  disciples  would   remember   of 
 whom  it  had  been  declared  by  the  same  prophet 
 Isaiah,  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me, 
 because  the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  glad 
 tidings  to  the  meekV     If,  then,  such  were  the 
 ministry  of  Jesus,  they  had  another  circumstance 
 to  corroborate  that  inference,  which  they  might 
 draw   from  his  miracles,    in   favour  of  his  Mes- 
 siahship. — But  the  same  prophet  had  also  uttered 
 other  predictions,  which  would  equally  be  fulfilled 
 in  their  season  ;   though  blessed  were  they  only  to 
 whom  the  darker  portions  of  them  did  not  apply. 
 "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold  I  lay  in  Zion 
 for  a  foundation  stone  a  tried  stone,  a  precious 
 corner-stone,  a  sure  foundation  ;   he  that  believeth 
 shall  not  make  haste  \"  or  stumble  at  that  stone. 
 Again,  Isaiah  says  in  another  place,   "He  shall 
 be  for  a  sanctuary  ;   but  for  a  stone  of  stumbling, 
 and  a  rock  of  offence  to  both  the  houses  of  Israel ; 
 for  a  gin  and  a  snare  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
 salem.    And  many  among  them  shall  stumble,  and 
 fall,  and  be  broken,  and  be  snared,  and  be  taken0." 
 Blessed  is  he,  said  Jesus  in  conclusion,  and 
 alluding  to  these  predictions,  "  Blessed  is  he,  who- 
 soever shall  not  be  offended  in  me."     Too  many 
 of  the  men   of  that  generation   were,   however, 
 
 a  Isai.  lxi.  1.  b  Ibid,  xxviii.  16.  c  Ibid.  viii.  14,  15. 
 
222  Lecture  IX. 
 
 offended  in  him  ;  for  he  came  not  in  that  pomp, 
 and  with  those  offers  of  temporal  ease,  and  riches, 
 and  pre-eminence,  which  alone  were  congenial  to 
 their  carnal  and  groveling-  desires.  He  that  should 
 come,  was  "  meek,  lowly,  and  having  salvation  ;" 
 but  a  salvation  from  sin  and  condemnation,  and 
 which  led  to  pardon,  and  holiness,  and  immortality. 
 "  They  would  not  come  to  him,  that  they  might 
 have  life."  Miracles  of  vengeance,  therefore,  over- 
 took them,  because  miracles  of  mercy  failed  to 
 convince. 
 
 We  shall  hereafter  have  occasion  to  advert  to 
 the  motives  and  objections,  which  made  the  cross 
 of  Christ,  and  his  character,  and  doctrines,  to 
 become,  even  before  his  crucifixion,  a  stumbling- 
 block  to  the  Jews.  But  we  may  surely  observe 
 at  this  period  of  our  course,  that  the  miracles 
 which  he  wrought  proved  that  "the  Father  had 
 sent  him;"  and  that  the  correspondency  of  these 
 miracles,  as  well  as  of  his  doctrine,  and  of  the 
 whole  of  his  ministry,  to  prophetic  description, 
 proved  him  to  be  the  Messiah.  And,  before 
 I  conclude,  I  would  notice  some  other  prophecies 
 respecting  the  Messiah,  and  compare  them  with 
 another  appeal  to  his  miracles  in  proof  of  his  Mes- 
 siahship,  which  our  Lord  made  upon  another  oc- 
 casion, and  in  a  different  connexion. 
 
 We  quoted  above,  from  the  fortieth  chapter  of 
 Isaiah,  the  words  in  which  the  prophet  speaks  of 
 
Lecture  IX.  223 
 
 the    "Lord    God   coming   with    a    strong   hand, 
 having  his  reward  with  him,  and  his  work  before 
 him."     He  thus  proceeds  in  the  following  verse. 
 cc  He  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd ;   he  shall 
 gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in 
 his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those  that  are 
 with  young."     Compare  with  the  whole  of  that 
 passage    another    in    the    prophecy    of   Ezekiel. 
 "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God ;   Behold  I,  even  I, 
 will  both  search   out  my  sheep,  and  seek  them 
 out. — I  will  feed  my  flock,  and  I  will  cause  them 
 to  lie  down,  saith  the  Lord  God.     I  will  seek  that 
 which  was  lost,  and  bring  again  that  which  was 
 driven  away,  and  will  bind  up  that  which   was 
 broken,  and  will  strengthen  that  which  was  sick ; 
 but  I  will  destroy  the  fat  and  the  strong ;  and  I 
 will  feed  them  with  judgment. — And  I  will  set  up 
 one  Shepherd  over  them,  and  he  shall  feed  them, 
 even  my  servant  David  ;   he  shall  feed  them,  and 
 be  their  shepherd.     And  I  the  Lord  will  be  their 
 God,  and  my  servant  David  a  prince  among  them ; 
 I  the    Lord  have   spoken    ita." — Now   compare, 
 with  these  passages,  our  Lord's  beautiful  and  well 
 known  discourse  concerning  himself  as  the  good 
 Shepherd,    delivered    immediately    after    he    had 
 wrought  one  of  the  miracles  mentioned  in  our 
 text,  the  healing  of  the  man  born  blind.     That 
 
 tl   Rzek.  xxxiv.  11 — 24. 
 
224  Lecture  IX. 
 
 discourse,  the  previous  instructions,  and  the  recent 
 miracles  of  Jesus,  caused  a  division  among  the 
 Jews ;  and  they  therefore  came  round  about  him 
 in  Solomon's  porch,  and  said  unto  him,  ft  How 
 long-  dost  thou  make  us  to  doubt?  If  thou  be  the 
 Christ,  tell  us  plainly."  Jesus  answered  them, 
 referring,  as  it  should  seem,  to  his  discourse  before 
 the  Sanhedrim  after  the  miracle  at  Bethesda,  "  I 
 told  you,  and  ye  believed  not,  'the  works  that  I  do 
 in  my  Father's  name  they  bear  witness  of  me.'  But 
 ye  believe  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep,  as 
 I  said  unto  youV  He  then  spoke  of  his  power 
 to  save,  of  his  unity  with  the  Father,  and  of  the 
 sanction  given  by  his  miracles  to  his  claim  of  the 
 title  iC  Son  of  God,"  as  being  "he  whom  the  Father 
 had  sanctified  and  sent  into  the  world." — It  would 
 be  easy  to  shew,  from  a  comparison  of  the  whole 
 of  these  statements  with  prophecy,  that  he  here 
 appealed  to  his  works  in  proof  of  his  Messiah- 
 ship  ;  and  also  that  he  endeavoured  to  lead  them 
 to  acknowledge,  that  his  claim  to  divinity,  his 
 doctrines,  and  the  professed  object  of  his  mission, 
 all  corresponded  to  the  prophetic  description  of 
 the  Messiah. 
 
 The  preaching  of  a  lowly,  spiritual,  and  cru- 
 cified Messiah,  ever  was  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling- 
 block;  and  to  the  Greeks  it  appeared  foolishness. 
 
 a  John  x.  24,  &r. 
 
Lecture   IX.  QZj 
 
 The  offence  of  the  cross  has  not  even  yet  ceased. 
 Some  there  are,,  even  at  this  day,  who  cavil  at  the 
 evidences  of  the  Gospel.    Some  are  ashamed  of  the 
 peculiar  doctrines  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  in  which 
 they  should  rather  glory.    And  others  value  not  the 
 offer  of  pardon,  aspire  not  after   the  holiness  to 
 which  they  are  called,  and  are  averse  from  the  prac- 
 tice of  self-denial,  and  the  cultivation  of  humility. 
 But  still,  "  blessed  are  they  whosoever  are  not  of- 
 fended in  Jesus  !"  And  should  any  one  of  you  ask, 
 who  they  are  that  attain  this  blessedness,  and  what 
 are  the  rewards  promised  for  your  encouragement, 
 I  would  answer  in  the  divine  words  of  my  Master 
 and  your's  :   " Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit;  for 
 their's  is  the   kingdom   of  heaven.     Blessed   are 
 they  that  mourn  ;    for  they   shall  be   comforted. 
 Blessed  are  the  meek ;  for  they  shall  inherit  the 
 earth.    Blessed  are  they  which    do    hunger   and 
 thirst  after  righteousness  ;  for  they  shall  be  filled. 
 Blessed  are  the   merciful ;   for  they   shall  obtain 
 mercy.     Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart ;   for  they 
 shall  see  Godb." 
 
 We  have  seen  that  Jesus,  in  proof  of  his 
 authority,  gave  sight  to  the  blind.  Prom  this 
 miracle  he  also  borrowed  an  illustration  to  teach 
 us  the  nature  of  his  mission,  and  our  responsibility 
 and  danger  in  consequence  of  it.      "  For  judg- 
 
 b  Matt.  v.  1—8. 
 P 
 
22(i  Lecture  IX. 
 
 ment  am  I  come  into  this  world,  that  they 
 which  see  not  might  see,  and  that  they  which 
 see  might  be  made  blind a."  "  I  am  come  a 
 light  into  this  world,  that  whosoever  believeth 
 on  me  should  not  abide  in  darkness b." — Did  he 
 also  raise  up  the  dead?  He  did  it  that  we  might 
 "believe  that  the  Father  had  sent  him;"  that  we 
 might  know  that  he  is  "the  resurrection,  and  the 
 life ;  that  he  that  believeth  in  him,  though  he 
 were  dead,  yet  shall  live,  and  that  whosoever  liveth 
 and  believeth  in  him  shall  not  die  eternally ."  And 
 He  still  demands  of  us  as  he  did  of  Martha,  "  Be- 
 lievest  thou  this?"  Blessed  shall  we  be,  if  we  can 
 concur  with  her  in  the  declaration,  "  Yea,  Lord, 
 I  believe  that  thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
 that  should  come  into  the  world0."  Once  more 
 then  I  repeat  by  way  of  caution,  "  Blessed  is  he 
 whosoever  shall  not  be  offended  in  Jesus  !" 
 
 a  John  ix.  39.  b  Ibid.  xii.  46.  c  Ibid.  xi.  25—27. 
 
LECTURE   X 
 
 OUR  LORD  S  ANSWER  TO  THE  CAVIL  WHICH  IM- 
 PUTED HIS  DISPOSSESSION  OF  DEMONS  TO  SA- 
 TANIC AGENCY.  HE  APPEALS  TO  THAT  CLASS  OF 
 HIS  MIRACLES  AS  INDICATING  THE  ESTABLISH- 
 MENT   OF     THE    KINGDOM    OF    GOD. 
 
 St.  Luke  XI.  20. 
 
 But  if  I  with  the  finger  of  God  cast  out  devils,  no  doubt 
 the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  upon  you. 
 
 These  words  form  a  portion  of  that  discourse,  in 
 which  our  Lord  answers  the  well  known  cavil  of 
 the  Pharisees,  who  more  than  once  ascribed  to 
 Satanic  co-operation  the  miracles  mentioned  in  our 
 text.  Of  no  miracles  have  the  Evangelists  made 
 more  frequent  mention,  of  none  have  they  given 
 a  more  circumstantial  description.  They  are 
 moreover  of  so  remarkable  a  character,  as  to 
 suggest  an  inquiry  into  their  nature ;  and  as  our 
 Lord  entered  into  an  argument  with  a  view  of 
 evincing  the  reality  of  divine  co-operation  in  that 
 particular  class  of  miracles,  and,  having  established 
 his  position,  specified  the  particular  inference  to 
 
 P  2 
 
228  Lecture  X. 
 
 be  drawn  from  it,  the  consideration  of  this  subject 
 must  not  be  omitted,  in  a  course  of  Lectures 
 designed  to  review  and  illustrate  our  Lord's 
 reasoning's  respecting  the  evidences  of  his  mis- 
 sion. 
 
 Our  attention  must,  in  the  first  place,  be  di- 
 rected to  the  nature  and  reality  of  the  miracles 
 in  question. — The  Evangelists  state1,  that  there 
 were  brought  unto  Jesus  such  as  were  (C  possessed 
 with  devils,"  such  as  were  "  vexed  with  unclean 
 spirits;"  and  that  "he  healed  them,"  and  "cast 
 out  the  spirits  with  a  word."  To  whatever  de- 
 cision we  come  as  the  nature  and  origin  of  the 
 affliction  described  in  these  terms,  of  its  reality 
 we  can  entertain  no  doubt.  In  some  instances 
 the  Evangelists  have  recorded,  either  in  their  own 
 words,  or  in  the  words  of  those  who  requested 
 Jesus  to  extend  his  compassion  to  the  sufferers, 
 many  of  the  symptoms  of  the  disorder  with  which 
 they  were  affected.  They  were  the  visible  and 
 pitiable  exhibitions  of  melancholy,  furious  dis- 
 traction, and  convulsion.  That  all  these  ceased  at 
 the  will  and  by  the  word  of  Jesus  is  not  less  evident. 
 "The  people  were  amazed,  insomuch  that  they 
 questioned  among  themselves  saying,  What  thing 
 is  this?  What  new  doctrine  is  this?  for  with 
 authority  commandeth  he  the  unclean  spirits,  and 
 
 "  Matt.  viii.  ](>'.     Luke  vi.  IS. 
 
Lecture  X.  229 
 
 they  do  obey  himb."  "The  unclean  spirit  came 
 out  of  one,  and  hurt  him  not0;"  "the  people 
 found  another  sitting,  and  clothed,  and  in  his 
 right  mind11 ;"  the  daughter  of  the  Syrophenician 
 woman  <:  was  made  whole  from  the  hour/'  in 
 which  Jesus  declared  to  her  that  her  petition  was 
 granted6.  The  Pharisees  never  denied  the  reality 
 of  the  cure,  though  they  endeavoured  to  account 
 for  it  in  such  a  way  as  might  obviate  the  in- 
 ferences which  the  multitude  were  disposed  to 
 make  from  it.  And  the  fact  itself  must  have  been 
 both  notorious  and  undeniable,  which  drove  them 
 to  the  necessity  of  adopting  such  a  procedure. 
 
 But  still  the  question  remains  to  be  answered, 
 what  was  the  nature  of  the  calamity  itself,  to 
 which  these  unhappy  sufferers  had  been  subjected, 
 and  from  which  they  were  delivered?  We  are 
 told  by  some  that  all  these  were  cases  either  of 
 insanity  or  of  epilepsy ;  and  that  they  are  to  be 
 considered  as  ordinary  disorders,  resulting  from 
 natural  causes.  Such  an  opinion  makes  this  class 
 of  miracles  to  differ  little,  if  at  all,  from  the 
 healing  of  the  sick,  the  lame,  and  the  blind. 
 We  have,  in  that  case,  a  greater  variety  of  in- 
 stances of  the  same  description  of  miracle ;  and 
 undoubtedly,    the   reality   of   the    miracle    being 
 
 b  Mark  i.  27.  c  Luke  iv.  35.  d  Luke  viii.  35. 
 
 ■  Matt.  xv.  28. 
 
230  Lecture  X. 
 
 undeniable,,  the  same  general  inference  is  deduci- 
 ble  in  favour  of  the  divine  mission  and  Messiah- 
 ship  of  Jesus.  But  it  cannot  but  occur  to  us, 
 that  there  is  a  peculiarity  in  the  inference  drawn 
 in  the  text  from  these  miracles,  which  may  dispose 
 us  to  hesitate,  at  least,  in  admitting  such  an 
 opinion  ;  and  to  suppose  that  there  may  also  be 
 a  peculiarity  in  the  miracles  themselves.  But  of 
 this  we  shall  be  better  prepared  to  judge  hereafter. 
 There  is,  however,  another  difficulty  in  ad- 
 mitting that  opinion.  If  the  Evangelists  had 
 merely,  as  in  other  cases,  described  the  symptoms 
 of  these  disorders,  the  question  whether  they  were 
 at  all  different  from  ordinary  disorders  would  never, 
 probably,  have  been  agitated.  Did  it  appear, 
 that  those  only  who  applied  to  Jesus  in  behalf  of 
 their  suffering  friends,  ascribed  their  disorder  to 
 a  demoniacal  possession,  and  had  we  been  told, 
 at  the  same  time,  that  such  was  the  general 
 opinion  of  the  Jewish  nation  in  that  age,  we 
 might  at  once  have  granted  that  the  notion  was 
 merely  a  vulgar  error.  But  we  naturally  pause, 
 when  we  find  that  the  Evangelists  themselves 
 ascribe  the  disorder  to  the  same  cause,  in  a  great 
 variety  of  form  and  expression,  repeatedly  dis- 
 tinguishing the  demoniacs  from  other  sick  and 
 afflicted  persons1.     Even  this  perhaps  might  not 
 
 a  Matt.  iv.  24.     Mark  i.  34..     Luke  vi.  17,  18. 
 
Lecture  X.  231 
 
 stagger  us,  or  be  inexplicable.  But  we  find  that 
 our  Lord  uses  precisely  the  same  language  on  all 
 occasions.  When  enumerating  his  own  miracles, 
 and  when  specifying  those  which  he  empowered 
 his  disciples  to  perform,  he  clearly  distinguishes 
 the  expulsion  of  demons  from  healing  the  sick, 
 cleansing  the  lepers,  and  every  other  species  of 
 miraculous  cureb.  When  we  learn  from  the 
 Gospel  narrative  how  he  "  cast  out  the  spirits 
 with  his  word/'  we  find  that  he  spoke  in  a  manner 
 which  was,  at  least,  perfectly  consistent  with  the 
 opinion  that  those  persons  who  were  supposed  to 
 be  under  demoniacal  influence,  were  really  so 
 influenced ;  and  also  that  the  conduct  of  these 
 persons  themselves  appears  from  several  circum- 
 stances to  corroborate  the  same  opinion0.  And 
 when  our  Lord  reasons  with  the  Pharisees  on 
 this  very  subject  in  the  text  and  context,  he  not 
 only  argues  with  them  on  their  own  principles, 
 but  he  never  hints  that  their  notions  were  erro- 
 neous ;  and  both  on  that  occasion,  and  also  when 
 the  seventy  returned,  expressing  their  "joy  that 
 even  the  demons  were  subject  to  them  through 
 his  name,"  the  conclusions,  and  assurances  which 
 he  brings  forward,  so  far  from  discountenancing 
 
 b  Matt.  x.  1,  8  ;  xvii.  21.  Mark  iii.  15 ;  xvi.  17.  Luke  ix.  I  ; 
 x.  17  —  20;  xiii.  32. 
 
 c  Matt.  viii.  28—32.  Mark  i.  24,  25  ;  iii.  11,  12.  Luke  iv. 
 34—41  :  viii.  28 — 32. 
 
232  Lecture  X. 
 
 the  notion  of  demoniacal  possession,  appear  to 
 justify  the  opinion  that  the  admission  of  its  reality 
 is  of  no  small  importance  in  order  to  a  right  ap- 
 prehension of  the  object  both  of  his  own  mission, 
 and  of  that  of  the  Apostles a. — Those  who  are 
 familiar  with  the  contents  of  the  Gospels  will  have 
 already  called  to  mind  the  several  passages  to 
 which  we  have  alluded,  and  the  citation  of  which 
 would  have  made  it  necessary  to  dwell  much 
 longer  on   this  topic. 
 
 Those  Christian  divines  who  undertake  to 
 shew  that  "there  never  was  a  real  demoniac  in  the 
 world/'  are  of  course  prepared  to  explain  the  re- 
 markable phraseology  employed  by  our  Lord  and 
 the  Evangelists.  They  observe  that  it  was  the 
 popular  language  on  this  subject,  and  that  our  Lord 
 adopted  it,  not  with  a  view  of  countenancing  the 
 notion  in  which  such  expressions  originated,  but 
 because  the  refutation  of  such  errors  in  philosophy 
 and  nosology  was  not  one  of  the  objects  of  his 
 mission,  and  because  it  was  not  either  necessary 
 or  expedient  to  run  counter  to  the  prevailing 
 opinion.  Yet  since  they  themselves  strenuously 
 contend  that  this  opinion  has  been  the  occasion 
 of  much  fraud  and  superstition,  and  that  it  is  little 
 better  than  a  relic  of  Paganism,  we  might  have 
 
 »  Matt.  xii.  25  — 29-     Mark  iii.  23—27.     Luke  x.  17  —  24  ; 
 xi.  17—26. 
 
Lecture  X.  233 
 
 supposed  it  expedient  that  our  Lord  should  not 
 so  apparently  give  countenance  to  it,  even  if  it 
 were  not,  in  other  respects,,  more  than  a  question 
 of  philosophy.  If  the  received  opinion  be  correct, 
 it  has  an  intimate  connexion  with  the  important 
 question  relative  to  the  power,  designs,  and  agency 
 of  our  great  spiritual  "  adversary,  the  Devil." 
 And  if  it  be  true  that  in  our  Christian  warfare 
 "  we  do  not  wrestle  against  flesh  and  blood  only, 
 but  against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the 
 darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wicked- 
 ness in  high  places ;"  then  it  behoves  us  not  only 
 to  "  take  unto  ourselves  the  whole  armour  of  God, 
 that  we  may  be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of 
 the  devil,"  but  also  to  "  make  ourselves  acquainted 
 with  his  devices,"  and  fully  to  inform  ourselves 
 how  "  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested  to  destroy 
 the  works  of  the  devil." 
 
 We  are  told  indeed  that  the  possessions  in  the 
 Gospels,  are  not,  with  the  sanction  of  the  original, 
 to  be  termed  diabolical,  but  demoniacal,  and  that 
 wherever  the  plural  word  "  devils"  occurs  in 
 Scripture,  it  is  in  the  original  "  demons."  We 
 allow  the  truth  of  this  remark.  But  still  the 
 question  recurs,  whether,  or  not,  the  scriptural 
 description  of  possessing  demons  supports  the 
 received  opinion.  Much  learning  has  been  em- 
 ployed to  shew,  that  by  the  word  demon  is 
 meant  "  the  spirit  of  a  dead  mortal," — that  such 
 
234  Lecture  X. 
 
 only  were  worshipped  as  deities  by  the  heathen 
 world, — that  such  is  the  use  of  the  word  in  Scrip- 
 ture,— and  that,  since  the  popular  opinion  referred 
 possession  to  such  agents,  we  are  to  understand 
 the  possessing-  demons  in  the  Gospel  in  the  same 
 sense,  and  not  as  at  all  alluding  to  ce  the  devil  and 
 his  angels."  This  is  not  the  place  to  enter  upon 
 such  an  inquiry  as  this  question  requires*.  Suffice 
 it  then  to  remark,  that  it  is  not  true  that  even  the 
 heathen  writers  meant  by  this  term  only  the 
 spirits  of  dead  men ;  and  the  sense  in  which  it  is 
 used  in  the  Gospels  with  respect  to  possessions, 
 will  best  be  determined  from  the  Scriptures  them- 
 selves. 
 
 It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  remind  you  that  the 
 arch-apostate,  the  seducer  of  our  first  parents,  is 
 called  in  Scripture  by  various  titles,  descriptive  of 
 his  character,  influence,  and  operations.  He  is 
 called  the  wicked  one,  the  tempter,  Satan,  or 
 the  adversary,  the  prince  of  this  world,  the  devil1'. 
 
 a  This,  and  roost  of  the  other  questions  connected  with  this 
 subject,  were  treated  very  largely,  and  the  arguments  on  both  sides 
 very  fully  detailed,  in  the  celebrated  controversy  between  Farmer 
 and  Worthington.  A  luminous  and  masterly  treatise  was  written 
 at  the  time  by  John  Fell,  entitled,  "  An  Inquiry  into  the  Heathen 
 and  Scripture  doctrine  of  Demons ;  in  which  the  hypotheses  of 
 the  Rev.  Mr.  Farmer,  and  others,  on  this  subject,  are  particularly 
 considered." 
 
 "  1  John  hi.  12.  v.  18.  Matt.  iv.  3.  1  Thess.  iii.  5.  Job  ii.  6'. 
 1  Pet.  v.  8.    2  Cor.  iv.  4.  &c. 
 
Lecture  X.  235 
 
 Now  if  we  find  some  of  these  titles  used  by  our 
 Lord  on  other  occasions,  when  not  speaking  of 
 the  subject  of  demoniacal  possession,  we  can 
 scarcely  be  at  a  loss  to  understand  of  what  descrip- 
 tion of  beings  he  is  then  speaking.  For  instance, 
 he  three  times  mentions  "  the  prince  of  this 
 world0/'  He  also  speaks  of  "  the  devil  and  his 
 angelsd ;"  of  cc  the  devil  as  being  a  murderer  and 
 liar  from  the  beginning6 ;"  and  of  "  Satan  as  de- 
 siring to  sift  St.  Peter  as  wheat f."  And  the  Evan- 
 gelists ascribe  the  apostacy  of  Judas  by  the  phrase 
 that  "  Satan  entered  into  himg."  Now  if  we  find 
 that  the  same  terms  are  connected  with  the  sub- 
 ject of  demoniacal  possession,  it  will  afford  no 
 slight  presumption  that  they  are  in  fact  to  be 
 referred  to  the  same  agents.  What  inference, 
 then,  is  suggested  by  the  following  passage  in  the 
 tenth  chapter  of  St.  Luke  ?  ' '  The  seventy  returned 
 again  with  joy,  saying,  Lord,  even  the  demons 
 are  subject  to  us  through  thy  name.  And  he  said 
 unto  them,  I  beheld  Satan  as  lightning  fall  from 
 heaven.  Behold,  1  give  you  power  to  tread  on 
 serpents  and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of 
 the  enemyh;  and  nothing  shall  by  any  means  hurt 
 you.     Notwithstanding   in   this  rejoice    not,   that 
 
 c  Johnxii.  31.    xiv.  30.    xvi.  11.       d  Matt.  xxv.  41. 
 e  John  viii.  44.  '  Luke  xxii.  31. 
 
 ?  Luke  xxii.  3.    John  xiii.  2,  27.         h  See  Matt.  xiii.  39. 
 
236  Lecture  X 
 
 the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you  ;  but  rather  rejoice 
 because  your  names  are  written  in  heaven"." 
 Hear  also  the  following-  words  of  St.  Peter,  re- 
 corded in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  where  the 
 word,  upon  which  the  antidemoniac  system  is 
 founded,  is  not  employed.  "  God  anointed  Jesus 
 with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power  ;  who  went 
 about  doing  good,  and  healing  all  that  were  op- 
 pressed of  the  devil ;  for  God  was  with  himb." 
 Again,  when  our  Lord  himself  speaks  of  the 
 woman  who  is  described  by  St.  Luke,  as  having 
 had  a  spirit  of  infirmity  eighteen  years,  he  says, 
 that  "  Satan  had  bound  herc."  We  may  remem- 
 ber also,  that  it  was  Satan  who  was  permitted  to 
 afflict  Job  with  his  sore  diseases'1;  and  that  the 
 infliction  of  bodily  disorders  for  the  correction  of 
 the  incestuous  offender  at  Corinth,  was  termed  by 
 the  Apostle,  "  the  delivery  of  such  an  one  unto 
 Satan6." — It  is  sufficiently  evident  from  the  pas- 
 sages just  cited,  in  whatever  manner  they  be 
 explained,  that  the  limited  power,  which  according 
 to  Scripture,  is  permitted  in  some  cases  over  the 
 bodies  of  mankind,  is  ascribed  to  no  other  than 
 "  that  same  old  serpent,  called  the  Devil  and 
 Satan,  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world,"  "  who 
 beguiled   Eve   by   his    subtilty,"    and  by    whose 
 
 a  Luke  x.  17—20.         b  Acts  x.  38.         c  Luke  xiii.  l6. 
 d  Job  i.  e  1  Cor.  v.  5. 
 
Lecture  X.  237 
 
 influence,  as  the  tempter,  our  minds  may  also  be 
 "  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  which  is  in  Christ." 
 But  the  discourse  from  whence  our  text  is 
 taken,  affords  perhaps  the  most  decisive  evidence 
 of  the  propriety  with  which  we  may  refer  de- 
 moniacal possessions  to  the  same  fallen  being-. 
 The  Pharisees  gave  no  indication  that  they 
 doubted  the  reality  either  of  the  possession,  or  of 
 its  removal.  They  were  chagrined  at  the  inference 
 which  the  multitude  were  disposed  to  draw  from 
 it,  and  they  endeavoured  to  suggest  to  them 
 another.  "  The  multitudes  marvelled,  saying,  It 
 was  never  so  seen  in  Israel.  Is  not  this  the  Son 
 of  David  ?  But  when  the  Pharisees  heard  it, 
 they  said,  This  fellow  doth  not  cast  out  demons, 
 but  by  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the  demons3." 
 The  god  of  the  neighbouring  nation  of  the  Phi- 
 listines was  called  by  this  or  a  similar  name,  and 
 thence  probably  they  borrowed  it.  But  the  ques- 
 tion to  be  determined  is,  whom  they  intended  to 
 designate  by  it,  and  what  was  the  nature  of  the 
 imputation  cast  upon  our  Lord.  His  answer  would 
 not  have  been  pertinent,  unless  it  met  them  on 
 their  own  ground,  and  was  conformable  to  their 
 own  ideas.  The  Evangelist,  prefacing  the  mention 
 of  our  Lord's  answer  by  a  significant  declaration, 
 states  that  "  he,    knowing   their   thoughts,    said 
 
 b  Matt.  ix.  33,  34. 
 
238  Lecture  X. 
 
 unto  them, — If  Satan  be  divided  against  himself, 
 how  shall  his  kingdom  stand?  because  ye  say, 
 that  I  cast  out  demons  through  Beelzebub."  If 
 then  the  casting  out  demons  through  Beelzebub, 
 be  in  fact  synonymous  with  casting  them  out 
 through  Satan,  and  if  that  imply  the  division  of 
 Satan  against  himself,  it  must  necessarily  follow 
 that  those  who  were  possessed  with  demons,  were, 
 in  the  opinion  of  our  Lord,  possessed  with  Satan 
 or  his  associates. 
 
 It  was  observed  above,  that  we  cannot  doubt 
 the  reality  of  the  disorders,  from  which  those 
 termed  "  Demoniacs"  were  delivered,  whatever 
 opinion  be  adopted  respecting  their  nature.  We 
 have  also  endeavoured  to  ascertain  the  notion 
 which  both  our  Lord  and  the  Evangelists  convey 
 to  us  respecting  the  real  origin  of  these  pos- 
 sessions. Both  to  the  believer  and  to  the  un- 
 believer such  information  is  needful,  in  order  to 
 form  a  correct  judgment  respecting  this  class  of 
 our  Lord's  miracles,  and  what  the  sacred  writers 
 teach  us  concerning  them.  But  we  must  advance 
 still  further,  and  point  out  some  of  those  circum- 
 stances, which  evidence  the  reality  of  these  as 
 demoniacal  possessions  ;  though  upon  this,  and 
 every  other,  department  of  this  extended  subject, 
 we  must  observe  that  brevity  which  our  limits 
 require,  though  the  difficulty  and  importance  of 
 the  subject  would  seem  scarcely  to  allow  it. 
 
Lecture  X.  239 
 
 You  have  doubtless  remarked,  that  the  demo- 
 niacs manifested  a  very  correct  apprehension  of 
 the  character  and  office  of  Jesus ;  and  that  he, 
 therefore,  "  charged  the  demons  to  hold  their 
 peace,  and  to  come  out;"  and  he  cc  suffered  them 
 not  to  speak,  because  they  knew  that  he  was 
 Christ3."  They  accosted  him  as  "  the  Holy  One  of 
 God,  the  Son  of  God,  the  Son  of  God  most  high, 
 the  ChristV  These  professions,  and  their  fear  of 
 him,  as  ''coming-  to  torment  them  before  the 
 time,"  though  remarkable,  are,  notwithstanding, 
 explicable  upon  supposition  that  these  individuals 
 were  really  under  the  influence  of  wicked  spiritual 
 beings.  But,  if  these  declarations  were  only  the 
 ravings  of  ordinary  madness,  we  are  at  a  loss  to 
 conceive  how  the  subjects  of  it  had  derived,  at 
 that  time,  the  distinct  knowledge  of  the  character 
 of  Jesus,  upon  which  so  positive  a  testimony  must 
 have  been  grounded.  They  made  it,  in  several 
 instances,  at  an  early  period  of  his  ministry  ;  but 
 both  then,  and  afterwards,  the  popular  opinions 
 respecting  Jesus  were  not  so  decided  either  as  to 
 what  was  the  character  of  Jesus,  or  as  to  the 
 attributes  which  might  be  ascribed  to  him.  The 
 supposition,  therefore,  that  these  were  merely 
 insane    persons,     who    eagerly    embraced    from 
 
 a  Mark  i.  25—34.    Luke  iv.  41. 
 
 b  Matt.  viii.  29-     Mark  i.  24;  iii.  11.    Luke  iv.  34,  41  ,  viii.  28. 
 
240  Lecture  X. 
 
 hearsay,  and  pertinaciously  retained,,  an  opinion 
 that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  is  insufficient  to  ex- 
 plain their  full  testimony  respecting-  him.  It  is 
 much  more  probable  that  we  may  recognize  herein 
 an  exemplification  of  the  remark  which  St.  James 
 has  applied  to  the  existence  and  unity  of  God ; 
 ffEven  the  demons  believe,  and  tremble."  In  one 
 instance,  indeed,  the  proposed  hypothesis,  even  if 
 admitted,  is  entirely  inapplicable.  For  one  of  these 
 attestations  was  given  by  the  demoniac  mentioned 
 by  St.  Luke ;  whose  disorder  the  anti-demonists 
 themselves  rank  rather  under  the  head  of  epilepsy, 
 than  of  insanity.  And  in  narrating  the  cure  of 
 that  sufferer,  the  Evangelist  has  also  used  an  ex- 
 pression, which  is  scarcely  consistent  with  the 
 notion,  that  his  disorder  was  either  epilepsy,  or 
 madness,  of  any  ordinary  character ;  though  it  is 
 perfectly  intelligible  to  those  who  admit  the  rea- 
 lity of  possession.  "  When  the  demon  had  thrown 
 him  in  the  midst,  he  came  out  of  him,  and  hurt 
 him  not3." 
 
 But  the  migration  of  the  demons,  who  had 
 possessed  the  two  Gadarenes,  into  the  neighbour- 
 ing herd  of  swine,  and  the  catastrophe  which 
 followed,  are  circumstances,  which  most  decisively 
 establish  the  supernatural  character  of  these 
 afflictions,  and  which,  perhaps,  were  designed  for 
 
 *   Luke  iv.  3:3—35. 
 
Lecture  X.  241 
 
 that  purpose.  The  opinion  that  this  numerous  herd 
 was  driven  into  the  sea  by  the  two  demoniacs,,  is 
 inconsistent  with  the  narrative  of  the  Evangelists. 
 Others,  who  deny  that  the  two  demoniacs  were 
 really  such,  ascribe  the  madness  of  the  swine 
 to  the  immediate  infliction  of  God.  For  what 
 end  it  does  not  sufficiently  appear.  If  we  adhere 
 to  the  statement  of  the  Evangelists,  it  appears 
 that  Jesus  permitted  the  demons,  at  their  own 
 public  request,  to  go  into  the  swine;  and  as  the 
 swine  could  not  be  confederates  in  any  fraud,  the 
 madness  which  ensued,  and  its  consequence,  was 
 a  full  and  visible  proof  of  the  reality  of  that 
 demoniacal  influence,  from  which  the  two  men, 
 who,  from  that  time,  remained  in  their  right  mind, 
 had  been  delivered b. 
 
 It  now  only  remains  that  we  notice  the  rea- 
 soning by  which  our  Lord  proved  to  the  Pharisees, 
 that  it  was  "by  the  finger  of  God  that  he  cast 
 out  demons;"  and  also  the  inference,  which  he 
 drew  from  thence,  that  therefore  "the  kingdom 
 of  God  was  come  upon  them." 
 
 Either  Jesus  cast  out  demons  by  his  own  un- 
 aided powers,  or  by  compact  with  the  prince  of 
 demons,   or   by   the    finger   of  God.      The   first 
 
 b  Mark  v.  1—20.  Luke  viii.  26* — 39.  Not  only  the  circum- 
 stance noticed  above,  which  is  peculiar  to  this  instance  of  possession, 
 but  almost  every  other  very  strongly  corroborates  the  opinion  that 
 it  was  a  case  of  real  possession. 
 
 Q 
 
24$  Lecture  X. 
 
 supposition  the  Pharisees  ventured  not  to  advance. 
 The  only  pretext  which  they  could  find  for  a  denial 
 of  the  last  position,  was  to  contend  for  the  second, 
 that  "  by  the  prince  of  the  demons  he  cast  out 
 demons."  Jesus  refuted  that,  and  thereby  esta- 
 blished the  true  and  only  remaining  supposition. 
 And,  in  this  refutation,  he  made  a  tacit  appeal 
 to  the  purity,  and  excellence  of  the  doctrine,  in 
 recommendation  of  which  he  wrought  his  mira- 
 cles. If  it  was  impossible  to  suppose  that  an 
 apostate,  wicked,  and  seducing  spirit  would  lend 
 his  aid  to  establish  such  a  doctrine,  then  was  their 
 insinuation  groundless.  And,  if  that  insinuation 
 had  any  force,  it  could  still  only  prove  that  Satan 
 was  himself,  whether  wittingly,  or  unwittingly, 
 subverting  his  own  power  and  kingdom;  so  that 
 still  the  inference  would  remain,  that  his  power 
 was  falling,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  about  to  be 
 established.  For,  answered  our  Lord,  "Every 
 kingdom  divided  against  itself  is  brought  to  deso- 
 lation ;  and  every  city  or  house  divided  against 
 itself  shall  not  stand.  And  if  Satan  cast  out  Satan, 
 he  is  divided  against  himself;  how  then  shall  his 
 kingdom  stand a?" 
 
 Our  Lord  next  subjoins  an  argument,  the 
 precise  bearing  of  which  we  cannot,  perhaps,  ac- 
 curately determine  •  though  in  any  sense  in  which 
 we  take  it,  it  is  certainly  conclusive  against  the 
 
 a  Matt.  xii.  25,  26. 
 
Lecture  X.  243 
 
 Pharisees.  "If  I  by  Beelzebub  cast  out  demons, 
 by  whom  do  your  children  cast  them  out  ?  there- 
 fore shall  they  be  your  judges."  If  we  suppose 
 our  Lord  to  refer  to  the  miracles  of  the  ancient 
 prophets,  we  may  suppose  that  he  wished  them  to 
 consider  the  consequences  of  their  objection ; 
 since  there  was  no  circumstance  attending  his  own 
 miracles,  which  would  not  equally  apply  to  those 
 of  the  prophets,  whom  they  believed  to  be  divinely 
 assisted.  His  were  even  more  numerous,  signal, 
 and  undeniable  miracles.  But,  more  probably, 
 Jesus  refers  to  the  dispossessions,  whether  real 
 or  pretended  ones  of  the  Jewish  exorcists ;  some 
 of  whom,  as  we  learn  both  from  the  Gospels,  and 
 from  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  attempted  to  cast  out 
 demons  in  the  name  of  Jesus  \  But  at  any  rate, 
 the  same  slander  would  apply  to  them  as  well  as 
 to  himself ;  for  no  reason  appeared  why  their 
 dispossessions  should  not  be  ascribed  to  satanic 
 assistance,  if  they  were  correct  in  so  ascribing  his. 
 His  argument  does  not  necessarily  grant  that  any 
 such  miracles  were  really  the  consequence  of  their 
 attempts ;  and  indeed  the  surprise  of  the  people 
 at  these  instances  of  the  power  of  Jesus,  shews 
 that  they  were  as  unprecedented,  as  they  were 
 signal  and  astonishing ;  for  they  openly  avowed, 
 that   "it   was    never   so   seen    in    Israel."      But 
 
 b  Mark  ix.  38.     Acts  ix.  14. 
 Q2 
 
24:1  Lecture  X. 
 
 waving-  such  a  comparison,  if  they  persevered  in 
 their  cavil,  their  own  children  would  accuse  them 
 of  calumniating-  their  power  as  exorcists,  and, 
 if  appealed  to  as  umpires  in  the  dispute,  would 
 condemn  them,  and  acquit  him.  The  only  tena- 
 ble supposition  was,  that  he  "  cast  out  demons 
 by  the  finger  of  God,"  or,  as  St.  Matthew  ex- 
 presses it,  "by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;"  by  that  divine 
 influence  and  power,  with  which  he  cc  was  anointed 
 to  heal  all  that  were  brought  into  subjection  by 
 the  devil,"  and  by  which  he  "proclaimed  deliver- 
 ance to  the  captive,  and  set  at  liberty  them  that 
 were  bruised." 
 
 re  But,"  adds  our  Lord,  "  if  I  with  the  finger 
 of  God  cast  out  demons,  no  doubt  the  kingdom 
 of  God  is  come  upon  you."  Let  it  be  here  re- 
 marked, that  he  does  not  say,  "  No  doubt  I  am 
 sent  of  God,"  nor  yet,  "  No  doubt  I  am  he  that 
 should  come  ."  He  speaks  not  so  much  of  the 
 Messiah's  personal  office  and  character,  as  of  the 
 dispensation  which  he  was  to  introduce.  Both 
 John  and  Jesus  began  their  ministry  with  the 
 proclamation,  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
 hand  ;"  and  both  the  twelve,  and  also  the  seventy, 
 disciples  were  sent  out  by  Jesus,  to  deliver  the 
 same  annunciation.  And  when  their  message 
 was  rejected  by  the  inhabitants  of  a  city,  they 
 were  commissioned  to  "shake  off  the  dust  of  their 
 feet  as  a  testimony  against  them,"  and  to  declare, 
 
Lecture  X.  245 
 
 "  Notwithstanding-  be  ye  sure  of  this,   that   the 
 kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you."    Now  we 
 find  it  expressly  mentioned  that  the  twelve  were, 
 in  the    first    instance,    empowered  to    "cast   out 
 demons  ;"  and  the  seventy,  when  they  returned, 
 joyfully   declared   to   their  Master,   "  Lord,  even 
 the  demons  are  subject  to  us  through  thy  name." 
 And  Jesus  took  occasion  from  the  remark  of  the 
 seventy  to  anticipate  the  downfal  of  Satan,  and 
 the  future  triumphs  of  his  own  servants.     "  He 
 said  unto  them,  I  beheld  Satan,  as  lightning,  fall 
 from  heaven !   Behold,  I  give  unto  you  power  to 
 tread  on  serpents  and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the 
 power  of  the  enemy  ;   and  nothing"  shall  by  any 
 means  hurt  you."     And  these  several  considera- 
 tions, taken  in  connexion  with  our  text,  readily 
 sugg-est   to    us,   that   this   particular  miracle  was 
 peculiarly  appropriate  as  an  evidence  of  the  in- 
 troduction of  the  kingdom  of  God.     Now  I  know 
 not  how  far  this  remark  of  our  Lord  may  of  itself 
 justify  us   in  asserting,    that   the   Jews   expected 
 that  the  Messiah,  who  of  course  was  to  introduce 
 and  set  up  the  kingdom  of  God,  would  cast  out 
 demons.     For  this  is  perhaps  not  definitely  and 
 expressly  predicted  in  the  prophets.     But  still  as 
 even  the  apocryphal  book  of  Wisdom  states  that 
 "  through  envy  of  the  devil  sin  entered  into  the 
 world,"  and  as  the  history  of  the  fall  could  not  but 
 be  understood  of  the  seduction  of  some  spiritual 
 
246  Lecture  X. 
 
 but  wicked  being ;  and  as  also  the  Jews  them- 
 selves stated  in  commenting  upon  the  first  promise 
 that  "  a  remedy  would  be  applied  to  the  heel  of 
 the  woman's  seed  in  the  days  of  king  Messiah/' 
 we  may  conclude  that  the  persons,  to  whom  our 
 Lord  addressed  the  words  of  the  text,  had  before 
 them  such  data  as  would  enable  them  to  under- 
 stand the  tendency,  and  to  appreciate  the  cogency, 
 of  our  Lord's  argument.  For  even  the  multitudes 
 felt  themselves  authorized,  after  witnessing  his 
 cure  of  a  demoniac,  to  exclaim,  "  Is  not  this  the 
 Son  of  David a  1"  Nor  is  it  easy  to  conceive  how 
 such  an  inference  was  suggested  to  their  minds, 
 except  by  such  considerations  as  we  have  noticed. 
 Yet  the  objection,  which  the  Pharisees  circulated 
 in  order  to  check  the  disposition  to  adopt  that 
 opinion,  was  not  at  all  directed  against  the  in- 
 sufficiency of  the  premises,  if  admitted,  to  establish 
 that  conclusion.  They  knew  that,  if  Jesus  did 
 "cast  out  demons  by  the  finger  of  God,"  they 
 could  not  disprove  his  claim  to  be  the  Son  of 
 David,  and  the  heir  of  his  everlasting  kingdom. 
 They  ventured,  therefore,  to  deny  that  these 
 miracles  were  wrought  by  divine  assistance ;  but 
 their's  was  a  mere  assertion,  not  supported  by  any 
 semblance  of  argument ;  and  our  Lord,  as  we 
 have  seen,  unanswerably  refuted  it,  by  shewing 
 its  manifold  absurdity. 
 
 ■  Matt.  xii.  23. 
 
Lecture  X.  247 
 
 In  the  words  following  the  text,  our  Lord 
 more  fully  explained  his  argument,  by  means  of 
 a  suitable,  though  familiar,  illustration.  He  had 
 refuted.]  the  notion^that  Satan  had  been  his  con- 
 federate. On  the  contrary,  there  was  a  trial  of 
 strength  between  them  ;  and  those,  who  watched 
 the  progress  of  the  conflict,  would  see,  that  the 
 power  of  Satan  was  on  the  decline,  in  spite  of  all 
 his  efforts,  and  in  consequence  of  the  onset  of 
 one  superior  in  might.  "  If  I,  said  our  Lord,  by 
 the  finger  of  God,  cast  out  demons,  no  doubt  the 
 kingdom  of  God  is  come  upon  you. — Or  else  how 
 can  one  enter  into  a  strong  man's  house,  and 
 spoil  his  goods,  except  he  first  bind  the  strong 
 man?  and  then  he  will  spoil  his  house.  When 
 a  strong  man  armed  keepeth  his  palace,  his  goods 
 are  in  peace  ;  but  when  a  stronger  than  he  shall 
 come  upon  him,  and  overcome  him,  he  taketh 
 from  him  all  his  armour  wherein  he  trusted,  and 
 divideth  his  spoil  V 
 
 Our  Lord  subjoined,  on  this  occasion,  the 
 solemn  caution  respecting  the  blasphemy  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  and  a  statement  of  its  unpardonable 
 criminality.  That  subject  will  come  under  our 
 notice  in  the  last  department  of  our  Lectures.  At 
 present  we  shall  only  request  your  attention  to  the 
 words  which  immediately  follow  those  last  cited  ; 
 
 »  Matt.  xii.  29.     Luke  xi.  21,  22.     Comp.  Isai.  xlix,  24—26. 
 
248  Lecture  X. 
 
 and  which  may  be  considered  as  the  application 
 and  improvement  of  all  that  we  have  been  re- 
 viewing. 
 
 "  He  that  is  not  with  me,  is  against  me,  and 
 he,  that  gathereth  not  with  me,  scattereth  abroad*." 
 If  there  be  such  parties,  engaged  in  such  a  war- 
 fare;—  if  there  be  a  "  prince  of  this  world,"  a 
 ff  spirit  that  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobe- 
 dience ;"  and  also  "  a  king,  whom  the  God  of 
 heaven  and  earth  would  place  upon  his  holy  hill 
 of  Zion,"  and  who  dwells  and  reigns  in  the  hearts 
 of  those,  who  are  "  turned  from  the  power  of 
 Satan  unto  God ;" — and  if  he,  who  ct  cometh  in 
 the  name  of  the  Lord  to  receive  the  kingdom  of 
 his  father  David,"  be  "  the  stronger  one,"  as 
 well  as  the  more  holy  ;  then,  surely,  it  cannot 
 be  a  matter  of  indifference,  whether  we  rank 
 ourselves  under  the  standard  of  Satan,  or  of 
 Christ.  The  Captain  of  our  salvation,  who  went 
 forth  conquering  and  to  conquer,  and  who  calls 
 upon  all  who  value  their  life,  to  follow  him,  hath 
 himself  distinctly  declared,  and  divine  and  un- 
 deniable is  his  authority,  that  in  this  warfare  there 
 can  be  no  neutrality.  He  who  takes  part  with  the 
 Devil  and  his  angels,  will  undoubtedly  share  in 
 their  future  overthrow  and  punishment.  But 
 whosoever   also   does    not    actually    espouse    the 
 
 a  Matt.  xii.  30. 
 
Lecture  X.  249 
 
 cause  of  Christ,  and  "  fight  manfully  under  his 
 banner,"  will  in  this  life  be  really  promoting  the 
 interests  of  Satan's  kingdom,  and  at  the  decisive 
 day  will  be  dealt  with  as  having  sided  with  him. 
 He  will  thus  draw  down  upon  himself  the  penal- 
 ties, to  which  Jesus  alluded  when  he  said,  "As 
 for  those  mine  enemies,  that  would  not  that  I 
 should  reign  over  them,  bring  them  hither,  and 
 slay   them  before   me." 
 
 That  such  is  the  meaning  of  these  words  of 
 our  Lord,  is  evident  from  the  connexion  in  which 
 they  stand.  On  another  occasion,  and  in  another 
 connexion,  he  delivered  a  statement,  which,  at  first 
 sight,  appears  of  a  contrary  tendency.  Yet  that 
 also  is  an  instructive  declaration  ;  and  before  we 
 conclude,  we  shall  cite  it  in  his  own  words.  But 
 the  circumstances,  under  which  it  was  spoken,  are 
 so  necessary  to  understand  it  aright,  so  striking 
 in  themselves,  and  so  illustrative  of  the  subject  of 
 this  Lecture,  that  we  cannot  refrain  from  briefly 
 adverting  to  them. 
 
 We  have  seen  that  our  Lord  taught  his  hearers 
 to  consider  the  miracles,  which  he  wrought  on  the 
 demoniacs,  as  indications  of  the  approaching  esta- 
 blishment of  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  scene 
 which  was  exhibited  to  the  three  favoured  disci- 
 ples, on  the  mount  of  transfiguration,  was  doubtless 
 a  signal  exhibition  of  the  glory  of  him,  who  had 
 come  to  be  "a  Prince  and  a  Saviour."     There 
 
250  Lecture  X. 
 
 was  much  in  that  transaction  which  tended  to 
 shew  the  spiritual  nature  of  his  kingdom.  But  the 
 splendour  of  it  seems  to  have  raised  to  the  utmost 
 the  expectations  of  the  disciples ;  nor  were  they 
 wrong  in  supposing-,  that  he  was  then  very  shortly 
 about  to  enter  on  his  glory.  Yet  they  could  not 
 comprehend  what  was  then  told  them,  of  'f  the 
 decease  which  he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem." 
 On  descending  from  the  mountain,  retaining,  to 
 the  amazement  of  the  multitude,  a  portion  of  the 
 glory  in  which  he  had  been  arrayed,  he  found  the 
 Scribes  disputing  with  his  disciples,  who  had  been 
 unable  to  cure  a  demoniac,  and  probably,  there- 
 fore, triumphing  over  them  because  of  the  apparent 
 failure  of  the  power  of  Jesusa.  Jesus,  lamenting 
 the  infidelity  and  perverseness  of  that  generation, 
 by  a  word  effected  the  cure.  He  also  gently 
 reproved  his  disciples,  either  because  they  had 
 attempted  the  cure  prematurely,  and  without  di- 
 vine suggestion,  or  because  in  attempting  it,  they 
 had  distrusted  the  readiness  of  God  to  co-operate 
 in  order  to  its  success ;  yet,  at  the  same  time,  he 
 spoke  of  the  future  efficacy  of  that  miraculous 
 faith,  which  they  would  afterwards  so  signally 
 exercise.  But  both  they  and  the  multitudes  were 
 deeply  impressed  by  the  miracle.  "  They  were 
 all  amazed  at  the  mighty  power  of  God."     Pro- 
 
 1   See  Matt.  xvii.     Mark  ix.     Luke  ix. 
 
Lecture  X.  251 
 
 bably  even  the  people  in  general  were  more  than 
 ever  disposed  to  "  think  that  the  kingdom  of  God 
 should  immediately  appear."  And  the  scene  on 
 the  mountain  on  the  preceding-  day  had  very  much 
 strengthened  such  expectations  in  the  minds  of 
 some  of  his  disciples.  But  he  took  occasion  to 
 rectify  their  apprehensions  with  regard  to  the 
 future  transactions  and  real  nature  of  that  king- 
 dom of  God,  the  approaching  establishment  of 
 which  had  again  been  evidenced  by  the  recent 
 miracle.  "  While  they  wondered  every  one  at  all 
 things  which  Jesus  did,  he  said  unto  his  disciples, 
 Let  these  sayings  sink  down  into  your  ears ;  for 
 the  Son  of  man  shall  be  delivered  into  the  hands 
 of  men."  They  understood  him  not,  and  they 
 feared  to  ask  an  explanation.  Yet  so  fully  oc- 
 cupied were  their  minds  with  anticipations  re- 
 specting te  the  dominion,  and  glory,  and  kingdom, 
 which  were  to  be  given  to  the  Son  of  man,"  that 
 they  "■  debated  among  themselves  which  of  them 
 should  be  the  greatest"  in  those  days  of  approach- 
 ing exaltation.  When  Jesus  inculcated  humility, 
 as  the  qualification  of  those  who  would  either  be 
 great  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  could  even 
 enter  therein,  one  of  those  disciples,  who  had 
 desired  that  he  and  his  brother  should  "  sit  on 
 his  right  hand  and  on  his  left  in  his  king- 
 dom," made  a  remarkable  protestation  of  his  zeal 
 in  his  Master's  cause.     ie  Master,  said  he,  we  saw 
 
252  Lecture  X. 
 
 one  casting  out  devils  in  thy  name ;  and  we 
 forbad  him,,  because  he  followeth  not  with  us." 
 This  drew  from  our  Lord  many  remarks,  both 
 immediately  in  answer  to  the  statement  of  John, 
 and  also  of  general  concern.  We  have  time  only 
 to  notice  that,  which  is  more  immediately  connected 
 with  our  present  subject,  and  which  we  proposed 
 to  compare  with  the  observation  that  occurs  in 
 the  discourse  from  whence  our  text  is  taken. 
 "  Jesus  said,  Forbid  him  not ;  for  there  is  no 
 man  which  shall  do  a  miracle  in  my  name,  that 
 can  lightly  speak  evil  of  me.  For  he  that  is  not 
 against  us  is  on  our  part.  For  whosoever  shall 
 give  you  a  cup  of  water  to  drink  in  my  name, 
 because  ye  belong  to  Christ,  verily  I  say  unto 
 you,  He  shall  not  lose  his  reward." 
 
 Our  Lord's  remarks,  on  this  occasion  also,  are 
 sufficiently  explained  by  the  circumstances  to 
 which  they  refer.  When  he  observed,  that  "  who- 
 soever was  not  with  him  was  against  him,"  he 
 was  addressing  those,  who  not  only  did  not  actually 
 join  the  company  of  his  constant  followers,  who 
 not  only  had  need  that  he  should  help  their  im- 
 perfect belief,  but  who  actually  disbelieved,  and 
 maliciously  cavilled  against  that  which  was  suffi- 
 cient for  their  conviction.  They  persevered  in 
 blaspheming  the  Son  of  man ;  and  he  judged  it 
 necessary  to  caution  them  respecting  the  danger 
 of  blaspheming  against  the  Holy  Spirit.     But  he. 
 
Lecture  X.  253 
 
 whom  John  had  ventured  to  forbid,  had  even  such 
 a  favourable  opinion  of  Jesus,  as  openly  to  shew 
 a  respect  for  him,  by  "  casting  out  demons  in  his 
 name;"   and,  for  ought  John  knew,    might  be 
 a  decided  believer.     But  such  a  one  would  at  least 
 not   be    disposed,    even    from   inconsiderateness, 
 much  less  in  malice,  to  speak  evil  of  the  Son  of 
 man ;  but  rather  would  he  be  inclined  to  believe 
 that  '.'  the  kingdom  of  God  had  come,"  and  that 
 Jesus  was   the   Christ.      And   if  every   kindness 
 done  even  to  themselves,   in  the  name  of  their 
 Master,  and  because  they  were  Christ's,  would  not 
 lose  its  reward,  it  was  both  unnecessary,  and  inex- 
 pedient, to  forbid  such  a  one  to  shew  his  confi- 
 dence  in   the   power,   and    his    respect    for    the 
 character  of  their  Master,  even  though  he  did  not 
 follow  him  with  them.     It  would  therefore  become 
 them  to  regulate  their  own  behaviour  to  others  by 
 the  maxim,  that  "  he  is  on  their  part,  who  is  not 
 against  them  ;"  and  to  leave  it  to  every  one's  con- 
 science  to    consider   for   himself  that   individual 
 responsibility  which   was  declared  in  the  words, 
 "  He  that  is  not  with  me,   is  against  me ;  and  he 
 that  gathereth  not  with  me,  scattereth  abroad." 
 
 "  To  our  own  Master  we  stand,  or  fall."  From 
 his  omniscience  neither  our  external  conduct,  nor 
 our  secret  principles,  can  be  concealed.  A  day  will 
 come  "  when  God  will  make  up  his  jewels,  and 
 spare  them  that  have  feared]  him,  and  that  have 
 
254  Lecture  X. 
 
 thought  on  his  name  ;  when  we  shall  discern  be- 
 tween the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  between  him 
 that  serveth  God,  and  him  that  serveth  him  not." 
 That  Jesus,  whose  authority  we  have  been  main- 
 taining-, the  object  of  whose  kingdom  we  have 
 been  explaining  by  his  own  words  and  works,  and 
 who  will  hereafter  appear  as  our  Judge,  has  himself 
 declared,  "  Many  will  say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord, 
 Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name?  and 
 in  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils  ?  and  in  thy 
 name  done  many  wonderful  works?  And  then 
 will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  ;  depart 
 from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity."  Now  if  even 
 a  participation  of  the  miraculous  powers  and  gifts 
 of  the  primitive  ages  was  not,  of  itself,  a  decisive 
 proof  that  men  were  truly  Christ's,  so  as  to  be 
 "  confessed  by  him  when  he  shall  come  in  the 
 glory  of  his  Father,"  what  jealousy  should  we,  of 
 these  latter  days,  exercise  over  ourselves !  We 
 have  seen  that  he  came  to  establish  the  kingdom 
 of  God  upon  the  ruins  of  that  of  Satan.  We  have 
 seen  that  in  this  warfare  none  can  be  neuter.  We 
 know  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  "  righteousness, 
 peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost;"  and  that  those 
 "  are  of  their  father  the  devil,  who  do  the  lusts  of 
 their  father."  If  then  you  would  rightly  judge  of 
 your  own  situation  in  this  matter ;  if  you  desire  to 
 ascertain  whether  you  have  been  "  delivered  from 
 the   power   of  darkness,   and  translated  into  the 
 
Lecture  X.  255 
 
 kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son,"  you  perceive  the 
 sufficient,  and  the  only,  test  which  you  are  to 
 apply.  It  is  also  fully  explained  in  the  words  of 
 the  beloved  Apostle.  "  Little  children,  let  no  man 
 deceive  you.  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is 
 righteous,  even  as  he  is  righteous.  He  that  com- 
 mitteth  sin  is  of  the  devil,  for  the  devil  sinneth 
 from  the  beginning.  For  this  purpose  was  the 
 Son  of  God  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the 
 works  of  the  devil. — In  this  the  children  of  God 
 are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil  ;  who- 
 soever doeth  not  righteousness  is  not  of  God, 
 neither  he  that  loveth  not  his  brotherV 
 
 But  at  the  same  time  that  our  subject  calls 
 upon  us  to  warn  and  to  direct  you,  it  also  enables 
 us  to  console  and  to  encourage  you.  The  kingdom 
 of  God  has  been  established,  and  it  will  never  be 
 destroyed.  But  it  was  established  by  the  Son  of 
 man,  who  came  "  not  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but 
 to  save  them."  He  "  gave  his  own  life  a  ransom 
 for  many,"  £f  that  through  death  he  might  destroy 
 him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil, 
 and  deliver  them,  who,  through  fear  of  death,  are 
 all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage."  We  may, 
 therefore,  be  assured,  that  God  hath  made  us 
 "  more  than  conquerors,  through  him  that  loved 
 us ;"  that  Jesus  has  "  spoiled  principalities  and 
 
 a   1  John  iii.  7—10. 
 
256  Lecture  X. 
 
 powers,  triumphing-  over  them  in  his  cross;"  and 
 that  "  Satan  shall  be  bruised  under  our  feet 
 shortly." 
 
 It  is,  indeed,  through  the  revelation  of  the 
 Gospel,  that  the  temptations,  the  subtilty,  and  the 
 devices  of  the  prince  of  darkness  have  been  so 
 distinctly  made  known  to  us.  By  the  attack  which 
 he  made  on  our  Saviour  at  the  commencement  of 
 his  ministry,  and  by  the  exhibition,  during"  our 
 Lord's  ministry,  we  may  almost  say,  of  his  visible 
 and  sensible  influence  over  the  bodies  and  souls  of 
 men,  we  have  been  fully  assured  of  his  ex- 
 istence, and  power,  and  malignity.  Yet  are  we 
 not  left  in  despair.  For  he,  who  has  given  us  the 
 opportunity  to  learn  these  things,  has  also  given 
 us  assurance  of  his  own  superiority  ;  has  conquered 
 in  our  behalf;  has  assured  us  that  "  greater  is  he 
 that  is  in  us,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world ;"  has 
 declared  to  us  the  Father,  and  poured  out  the  gifts 
 of  the  Spirit;  and  has  thus  furnished  us  with  that 
 divine  panoply,  clad  in  which  we  may  "withstand 
 in  every  evil  day,  and  quench  all  the  fiery  darts 
 of  the  wicked  one." 
 
LECTURE   XI. 
 
 OUR  LORDS  APPEAL  TO  THE  WITNESS  OF  THE 
 FATHER^  BY  WHICH  HE  WAS  THE  SUBJECT,  AS 
 WELL    AS    THE    WORKER,    OF    MIRACLES. 
 
 St.  John  V.  37,  38. 
 
 And  the  Father  himself  which  hath  sent  me,  hath  borne 
 witness  of  me.  Ye  have  neither  heard  his  voice  at  any 
 time,  nor  seen  his  shape.  And  ye  have  not  his  word 
 abiding  in  you ;  for  whom  he  hath  sent,  him  ye  believe 
 not. 
 
 This  passage  is  certainly  involved  in  considerable 
 difficulty.  If  we  refer  to  the  original  itself,  we 
 find  that  although,  in  some  respects,  its  purport 
 might  be  more  distinctly  expressed,  it  requires 
 the  assistance  of  the  Commentator,  rather  than 
 the  amendments  of  the  Translator.  For  the  diffi- 
 culty principally  consists,  not  in  the  ambiguity  of 
 particular  words,  but  in  that  apparent  want  of 
 connexion  between  the  different  clauses,  which 
 has  probably  been  occasioned  by  the  conciseness 
 of  the  passage.  As  far,  however,  as  these  words 
 of  our  Lord  will  be  employed  in  suggesting  topics 
 
 R 
 
258  Lecture  XL 
 
 for  our  present  consideration,  we  shall  proceed  on 
 the  most  evident  and  certain  grounds.  Nor  am 
 I  without  a  hope,  that  we  shall  be  able  to  illustrate 
 the  scope  of  the  whole  passage,  by  comparing"  the 
 first  clause  of  it  with  those  that  precede  and 
 follow  it.  For  such  a  comparison  shews,  that  we 
 cannot,  as  many  have  done,  identify  its  subject 
 with  that  which  is  treated  either  in  the  former,  or 
 in  the  subsequent  verses ;  since  by  such  a  suppo- 
 sition we  both  neglect  the  most  obvious  meaning 
 of  the  passage,  and  impair  the  order  and  com- 
 pleteness of  this  very  methodical  discourse  of  our 
 Lord. 
 
 "  The  same  works,  that  I  do/'  argued  our 
 Lord,  "  bear  witness  of  me,  that  the  Father  hath 
 sent  me."  He  then  adds,  cc  And  the  Father, 
 which  hath  sent  me,  himself  hath  borne  witness 
 of  me."  The  first  of  these  appeals  we  have  con- 
 sidered in  a  former  Lecture;  the  latter  is  the 
 subject  of  our  present  Lecture.  And  I  have 
 retained  the  exact  order  of  the  words  of  the  ori- 
 ginal in  reciting  the  latter  clause  ;  because  it  thus 
 very  obviously  appears,  that  it  is  not  subjoined 
 merely  as  a  continuation  and  enlargement  of  the 
 former,  but  as  an  addition  and  contrast  to  it.  Our 
 Lord  had  contended,  that  the  works,  which  the 
 Father  enabled  him  to  perform,  proved  that  he  had 
 been  sent  by  the  Father.  He  then  assumes  the 
 truth  of  that  inference,  and  proceeds  to  speak  of 
 
Lecture  XI.  259 
 
 the  Father,  as  "  the  Father  which  had  sent  him." 
 And  he  stated,  still  further,  that  the  Father,  as 
 having-  sent  him,  had  even  given  a  personal, 
 direct,  and  express  declaration  respecting  him. 
 This,  therefore,  must  be  something  distinct  from 
 the  miracles  which  our  Lord  himself  wrought. — 
 Some  having  observed  this,  and  also  the  mention 
 in  the  latter  part  of  the  text,  of  the  word  of  the 
 Father,  have  referred  this  to  the  written  word  of 
 God  in  the  law  and  the  prophets.  But  to  adopt 
 this  opinion,  would  identify  the  subject  of  this 
 passage  with  that  of  the  following  verses,  in  which 
 our  Lord  makes  a  distinct  appeal  to  the  Scriptures, 
 or  written  word  of  God.  But  here  he  evidently 
 speaks  of  a  personal  testimony  ;  nor  can  we  have 
 much  hesitation  in  concluding-  that  he  referred 
 therein  to  that  personal  and  audible  testimony, 
 which  was  borne  to  him  by  a  voice  from  heaven, 
 when,  having  been  baptized  by  John,  he  came  out 
 of  the  waters  of  Jordan.  And  this  reference 
 was,  if  not  on  this  occasion  necessary,  yet  very  ap- 
 propriate and  convincing-.  For  in  the  opening  of 
 his  discourse,  as  we  have  already  seen,  he  spoke  of 
 God,  as  "his  own  proper  Father;"  of  himself,  as 
 "  the  Son  whom  the  Father  loveth,  and  who  sought 
 the  will  of  the  Father  which  had  sent  him."  Now 
 when  that  "  Father  which  had  sent  him,  himself 
 bore  witness  of  him,"  on  the  occasion  which  we 
 
 ft -3 
 
260  Lecture  XI. 
 
 have  specified,  he  declared,  "  This  is  my  beloved 
 Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased*." 
 
 The  same  heavenly  voice,  which  witnessed  to 
 Jesus  at  his  baptism,  also  witnessed,  and  in  nearly 
 the  same  words,  at  his  transfiguration. — I  mention 
 this  now,  in  order  to  remark,  that  if  we  require 
 any  further  proof  that  we  have  been  giving 
 a  correct  representation  of  our  Lord's  meaning, 
 we  may  find  it  in  a  well-known  passage  of  St. 
 Peter.  For  that  Apostle  first  argues  from  the 
 testimony  given  to  Jesus  by  the  voice  from  heaven 
 at  his  transfiguration,  and  then  from  the  testi- 
 mony of  prophecy  ;  exactly  in  the  same  manner 
 in  which  our  Lord  subjoins  an  appeal  to  prophecy 
 to  his  notice  of  the  similar  testimony  given  by  the 
 Father  at  his  baptism.  "  We  have  not,"  says 
 the  Apostle,  ec  followed  cunningly-devised  fables, 
 when  we  made  known  unto  you  the  power  and 
 coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  were  eye- 
 witnesses of  his  majesty.  For  he  received  from 
 God  the  Father  honour  and  glory,  when  there 
 came  such  a  voice  to  him  from  the  excellent  glory, 
 This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
 pleased.  And  this  voice  which  came  from  heaven 
 we  heard,  when  we  were  with  him  in  the  holy 
 mount.  We  have  also  a  more  sure  word  of 
 prophecy  ;    whereunto  ye   do   well  that  ye   take 
 
 *  Matt.  iii.    1?. 
 
Lecture  XI.  261 
 
 heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 
 place  b."  And  the  Apostle  then  enlarges  upon  the 
 right  principle  of  the  interpretation  of  prophecy, 
 and  its  divine  original. 
 
 By  thus  considering,  singly,  the  first  clause  of 
 our  text,  and  also  by  connecting  it  with  the  pre- 
 ceding words,  we  have,  I  think,  ascertained  its  true 
 purport.  The  remaining  clauses  will  strengthen 
 us  in  the  same  opinion,  and  will  present  them- 
 selves for  consideration  in  a  subsequent  part  of 
 this  Lecture. 
 
 It  will  be  expedient,  therefore,  now  to  direct 
 our  attention  to  the  remarkable  incident  specially 
 referred  to,  and  to  the  two  other  occasions  on 
 which  the  Father,  in  the  same  way,  bore  witness 
 to  Jesus.  We  may,  I  think,  even  extend  our 
 view  still  further.  For  there  were  several  other 
 occasions,  on  which  Jesus  was  exhibited  to  us  as 
 the  subject  of  miracles,  as  well  as  the  worker  of 
 them ;  not,  indeed,  receiving  a  divine  attestation 
 by  means  of  the  audible  voice  of  the  Father  from 
 heaven,  as  in  the  three  instances  just  specified  ; 
 yet  in  a  manner,  which  is  decidedly  distinguishable 
 from  his  own  miracles,  and  which,  equally  with  the 
 former  instances,  bespeaks  the  interposition  and 
 approbation  of  the  Father.  Each  of  these  facts 
 tends  to  establish  the  justice  of  the  claim  which 
 
 b  2  Pet.  i.  16'—19. 
 
262  Lecture  XI. 
 
 Jesus  advanced  to  the  dignity  and  knowledge,  the 
 power  and  authority,  of  the  Son  of  God.  And 
 when  all  are  considered  in  connexion,  they  furnish 
 a  distinct  and  important  body  of  evidence. 
 
 As  the  instance,  specially  referred  to  in  the 
 text,  occurred  at  the  commencement  of  our  Lord's 
 public  ministry,  so  the  first  occurrence  of  a  simi- 
 lar character  accompanied  his  first  introduction 
 into  the  world. — The  miraculous  conception  of 
 our  Lord  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin,  is  of  the 
 highest  importance,  whether  we  consider  it  with 
 reference  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  or  to  its 
 evidences.  If  we  consider  it  with  reference  to 
 the  divinity  of  our  Lord,  we  shall  find  that  it  is  no 
 easy  task  to  reconcile  it  with  any  other  suppo- 
 sition, than  that  he,  who  was  thus  born  of  a  pure 
 virgin  by  an  unprecedented  and  supernatural 
 generation,  was  our  Emmanuel,  " God  with  us;" 
 and  that  it  was  the  divine,  pre-existent,  and  eter- 
 nal Word,  who  "  was  thus  made  flesh."  And  we 
 shall  therefore  confess  the  propriety  and  evidence 
 with  which  the  Angel,  after  having  announced  to 
 the  Virgin  the  approaching  overshadowing  of  the 
 power  of  the  Highest,  added  these  words,  (C  There- 
 fore also  that  holy  thing,  which  shall  be  born  of 
 thee,  shall  be  called  (or  rather,  shall  be  acknow- 
 ledged to  be)  the  Son  of  God  \"  \ 
 «. 
 
 a  Luke  i.  35. — K\rjdri<rerai  v<6$  Qeov. 
 
Lecture  XI.  263 
 
 It  will  appear,  in  the  sequel  of  this  Lec- 
 ture, that  Jesus,  by  the  three  declarations  from 
 heaven,  received  a  divine  attestation  of  his  inves- 
 titure with  the  three  offices  of  priest,  prophet,  and 
 king-.  And  if  the  fact  of  his  miraculous  con- 
 ception, and  the  attendant  circumstances  of  his 
 birth,  be  established  upon  sufficient  evidence,  we 
 are  thereby  also,  as  we  shall  immediately  shew, 
 assured  of  a  previous  divine  interposition.  These 
 will  likewise  evince,  by  the  nature  of  the  facts 
 themselves,  by  the  circumstances  connected  with 
 them,  and  by  the  angelic  declarations  which  then 
 explained  their  design,  that  Jesus  was  both 
 qualified  to  undertake  those  offices  on  our  behalf, 
 and  that  he  was  actually  invested  with  them. 
 
 We  find  in  the  evangelical  records,  an  ample 
 and  perspicuous  detail  of  these  incidents,  resting- 
 upon  the  same  authority  as  the  rest  of  the  narra- 
 tive. Two  Evangelists,  indeed,  have  not  touched 
 upon  the  subject  of  the  birth  of  Jesus ;  but 
 St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke,  who  have  done  so,  both 
 concur  in  the  same  general  statement,  though 
 St.  Luke  specifies  some  incidents  which  are 
 omitted  by  St.  Matthew,  and  omits  others  which 
 the  latter  has  related b. — But  we  are  told  by  the 
 Unitarian,  for  reasons  as  well  known  to  us  as  to 
 himself,  that  we  are  not  to  consider  the  two  intro- 
 
 b  Matt.  i.  and  ii.     Luke  i.  and  ii. 
 
2o4  Lecture  XI. 
 
 ductory  chapters  of  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke,  as 
 either  genuine,  or  authentic.  The  writings,  in 
 which  that  opinion  is  espoused,  you  can  compare 
 at  your  leisure  with  the  full  and  satisfactory  an- 
 swers which  they  have  called  forth.  But  if  it 
 occur  to  you,  as  it  has  done  more  than  once  to 
 myself,  to  hear  such  opinions  broached  in  ordinary 
 conversation,  you  may  answer,  that  such  a  muti- 
 lation is  sanctioned  by  no  one  single  manuscript 
 or  version  ;  that  the  early  reception  of  these  parts 
 of  the  Gospel  is  proved  by  the  sentiments  of  the 
 early  Christian  writers,  and  by  their  actual  cita- 
 tions of  them  ;  and  that  the  only  countenance  for 
 such  a  curtailment  Of  the  Gospels  is  derived  from 
 the  extravagant  procedure  of  two  heretical  sects, 
 who,  not  by  the  sanction  of  any  rules  of  criticism, 
 or  historical  testimony,  but  in  consequence  of  their 
 pre-conceived  heretical  opinions,  rejected  these 
 chapters,  and  with  them  the  larger  portion  both  of 
 the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  But  admitting, 
 as  by  every  rule  of  just  criticism  we  are  bound  to 
 do,  the  genuineness  and  credibility  of  these  chap- 
 ters, an  examination  and  comparison  of  the  events 
 recorded  in  them,  will  shew  them  to  be  such,  so  nu- 
 merous, and  so  connected  with  each  other,  that  the 
 supposition  of  imposture  and  concert,  and  indeed 
 of  any  other  principle,  than  that  they  happened 
 by  the  wonderful  providence,  and  signal  interpo- 
 sition of  God,  is  both  untenable  and  unreasonable. 
 
Lecture  XI.  265 
 
 That  the  Virgin  could  have  no  doubt,  either 
 of  the  visit  of  the  Angel,  or  of  her  conception 
 according  to  his  annunciation,  if  they  really  took 
 place,  it  were  absurd  to  suppose.  If  these  cir- 
 cumstances were  fictitious,  they  were  certainly 
 only  a  small  portion  of  an  imposture,  which  had 
 many  and  strange  ramifications.  Then  were  Za- 
 charias,  and  Elizabeth,  and  Joseph,  and  the  Shep- 
 herds, and  the  Magi,  and  Simeon,  and  Anna,  all 
 concerned  in  it ;  and  Herod  and  the  Sanhedrim 
 were  incautiously  brought  into  connexion  with  the 
 scheme.  But  consider  the  parts  which  they  re- 
 spectively acted,  and  the  number,  situation,  and 
 circumstances,  of  all  concerned ;  for  all  these 
 effectually  tend  to  evince  the  reality  of  the  events, 
 and  to  remove,  at  every  step,  the  supposition  of 
 imposture.  Zacharias  must  have  begun  to  carry  it 
 into  execution  in  the  sanctuary  of  the  temple  ; 
 on  the  only  day,  perhaps  during  his  whole  life, 
 when  he  burnt  incense  in  the  order  of  his  course3; 
 acting  indeed  in  a  manner  which  made  all  the  con- 
 gregation witnesses  of  his  state.  Coincident  with 
 this,  was  the  preternatural  conception  of  the  aged 
 Elizabeth  ;  and  then  the  visit  of  Mary  to  her, 
 after  an  angelic  annunciation,  and  supernatural 
 conception.    Remember  that  the  whole  imposture, 
 
 a  It  seldom,  if  ever,  happened,  that  the  burning  of  incense  fell 
 twice  to  the  lot  of  the  same  priest. 
 
266  Lecture  XI. 
 
 if  such  it  was,  proceeded  upon  the  perilous 
 assumption  of  the  sex  of  both  the  children ;  and 
 upon  the  assumption  also,  that  having  come  to 
 mature  age,  they  would  willingly,  and  successfully 
 appear  in  two  distinct  and  remarkable  characters, 
 assumed  by  them  indeed,  and  specified  by  the 
 predictions  of  those  concerned,  but  also  corre- 
 sponding to  the  descriptions  of  the  ancient  pro- 
 phets, and  expected  as  about  that  period  to  appear, 
 though  in  a  far  different  manner.  Consider  again 
 the  incidents  occurring  at  the  circumcision  of  the 
 son  of  Zacharias,  which  were  noised  abroad  among 
 the  neighbours,  which  excited  their  attention,  and 
 awakened  their  expectations.  Consider  the  extra- 
 ordinary coincidence  ofpolitical  events,  by  means  of 
 which  Mary,  usually  resident  in  Galilee,  brought 
 forth  her  promised  Son  at  Bethlehem,  the  only 
 birth-place  suited  to  the  character  which  her  Son 
 was  to  assume.  Consider  the  shepherds  abiding  on 
 that  night  in  the  fields  of  Judea,  addressed  by  an 
 angel,  who  announced  to  them  the  glad  tidings 
 of  a  Saviour,  Christ,  born  to  them  in  Bethlehem, 
 the  city  of  David  ;  and  hearing  a  chorus  of  the 
 heavenly  host  praising  God,  and  saying,  "  Glory 
 to  God  in  the  highest ;  and  on  earth  peace,  good 
 will  towards  men."  Consider  the  infant  Jesus, 
 visited  in  his  lowly  cradle,  not  by  the  Shepherds 
 only,  but  by  the  Wise  Men;  who  were  summoned 
 from  a  distant  country  by  an  extraordinary  celes-: 
 
Lecture  XI.  267 
 
 tial  luminary,  and,  being  directed  by  Herod  him- 
 self and  the  Sanhedrim  to  Bethlehem,  as  the  birth- 
 place of  the  expected  King  of  the  Jews,  saluted 
 the  new-born  Jesus  with  royal  presents.  Consider 
 Herod,  and  all  Jerusalem  with  him,  troubled  at 
 the  intelligence ;  the  sanguinary  attempts  of  the 
 Jewish  monarch  to  crush  him  in  his  infancy  ; 
 his  deliverance  by  a  divine  premonition  to  Jo- 
 seph;  and  the  inspired  declarations  of  Simeon 
 and  Anna  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  not  only 
 to  his  parents,  but  "  to  all  that  looked  for  redemp- 
 tion in  Jerusalem." — Consider,  I  say,  all  these 
 things.  Reflect  on  the  number  of  those  con- 
 cerned,  and  the  difference  of  their  respective 
 stations,  residences,  and  views.  Call  to  mind  the 
 visit  of  angels  to  Zacharias  in  the  sanctuary,  to 
 the  Virgin  in  her  solitude,  to  Joseph  in  his 
 nightly  repose,  to  the  Shepherds  in  their  nightly 
 watches  ; — the  heavenly  signal  which  directed  the 
 Magi,  and  the  dream  which  warned  them  of 
 danger  ; — the  providence  of  God  delivering  Jesus 
 from  a  massacre,  and,  by  his  Spirit,  inspiring 
 prophets  to  predict  his  future  glory.  Sum  up  all 
 these  things,  and  consider  the  improbability  of 
 an  imposture,  the  success  of  which  was  so  re- 
 mote, as  well  as  so  uncertain  ;  nay,  rather  confess 
 its  impossibility  under  all  the  circumstances  ;  and 
 say  to  what  other  conclusion  you  can  come,  but 
 that  these  things,  explicitly  and  satisfactorily  at- 
 
268  Lecture  XI. 
 
 tested  as  they  are,  are  the  witness  of  God,  which 
 he  has  given  us  of  his  Son,  little  less  expressly 
 than  by  his  own  audible  declaration  from  heaven a. 
 Many  of  those,  who  had  been  concerned  in 
 the  transactions  we  have  been  considering,  had 
 been  gathered  to  their  fathers,  and  a  period  of 
 thirty  years  had  elapsed,  when  Jesus  prepared  to 
 fulfil  his  high  destiny,  by  entering  on  his  public 
 ministrations.  He  had  been  ushered  into  the 
 world  by  circumstances  which  indicated  the  spe- 
 cial interposition  of  the  Father,  and  in  which, 
 therefore,  he  gave  witness,  that  he  had  sent  him 
 for  some  great  and  holy  purpose.  We  shall  have 
 to  point  out  three  distinct  repetitions,  during  the 
 short  period  of  his  public  life,  of  "  the  witness  of 
 the  Father."  And  after  the  separate  consider- 
 ation of  each  of  these,  we  shall  also  re-consider 
 in  connexion  with  it  the  witness  of  the  Father, 
 which  had  been  given  to  the  same  effect,  by  the 
 circumstances  attendant  on  his  birth. 
 
 I.  At  the  usual  age  for  entering  on  the  Aaronic 
 priesthood,  Jesus  came  from  Galilee,  where  he 
 had  been  brought  up,  into  Judea,  to  partake  of 
 that  baptism,  which  John  had  been  divinely  com- 
 missioned to  administer  in  the  name  of  him  who 
 
 , a  He  who  wishes  to  see  this  most  satisfactory  argument  fully 
 discussed,  may  refer  to  the  late  Dr.  Bell's  Inquiry  into  the  Divine 
 Missions  of  John  the  Baptist  and  Jesus  Christ;  a  work  which 
 deserves  to  be  more  generally,  and  very  attentively  perused. 
 
Lecture  XL  269 
 
 should  come  after  him.  When  Jesus  had  received 
 the  rite  of  baptism,  and  was  coming  out  of  the 
 water,  ffthe  heavens  were  opened,  and  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  in  a  bodily  appearance,  as  a  dove,  de- 
 scended upon  him,  and,  as  John  testified,  iC  abode 
 upon  him."  At  the  same  time  there  came  also 
 a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved 
 Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased h." — Thus  had 
 the  Father  himself  given  to  Jesus  authority  to 
 declare,  as  he  did  in  the  early  part  of  the  dis- 
 course, from  whence  our  text  is  taken,  ffThe 
 Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  sheweth  him  all  things 
 that  himself  doeth."  For  he  audibly  announced 
 that  he  was  that  "beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  had 
 ever  been  well  pleased h;"  and  thus  he  testified 
 that  he  sanctioned  and  approved  the  office  which 
 he  was  about  to  undertake.  According  to  pro- 
 phecy, he  then  also  cc  put  his  Spirit  upon  his  ser- 
 vant, whom  he  upheld,  his  elect,  in  whom  his 
 soul  delighted  V  Thus  was  the  Baptist  himself 
 enabled  to  point  him  out  to  others,  as  that  exalted 
 personage,  to  whom  appertained  the  office  of 
 "  baptizing  with  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  for  he  had 
 now  seen  the  exhibition  of  that  signal  which  had 
 been  promised  for  his  direction.  Hence  he  could 
 announce  him  as  the  Son  of  God,  because  he  had 
 
 b   Matt.  iii.    17. — ev  w  evcoKtja-a. 
 
 c  See  Isai.  xlii.  1.    Also  2  Sam.  vii.  14.    Psal.lxxxix.  26,  27. 
 
270  Lecture  XI. 
 
 heard  it  so  declared  from  heaven  by  that  witness 
 of  the  Father,  which  was  evinced  both  to  the  eye 
 and  to  the  ear ;  and  the  reality  of  which  does, 
 from  the  very  nature  of  the  fact,  prove  its  divinity. 
 But  the  Baptist  also  declared,  by  the  same 
 divine  inspiration  which  had  before  guided  his 
 declarations,  that  Jesus  was  "the  Lamb  of  God, 
 which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  If  so, 
 then  Jesus  was  he,  for  whom  "a  body  was  to  be 
 prepared,"  that  he  might  "come,  as  in  the  volume 
 of  the  book  it  was  written  of  him,  to  do  the  will 
 of  God,  when  God  no  longer  desired  sacrifice  and 
 offering,  nor  required  burnt-offering  and  sin- 
 offering3."  Then  was  Jesus  that  "most  Holy" 
 one,  who  was  to  be  "  anointed,  to  finish  the 
 transgression,  and  to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to 
 make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in 
 an  everlasting  righteousness,  and  to  make  the 
 sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease  V  Then  was 
 Jesus  he,  who  was  to  be  "a  priest  upon  his 
 throne0,"  uniting  in  himself  the  prerogatives  of 
 Aaron  and  of  David :  for,  though  "  not  called  after 
 the  order  of  Aaron,  he  was  called  totbe  a  priest 
 for  ever  after  the  order  of  Melchizedec d;"  and 
 though  he  was  David's  Son,  he  was  also  "  David's 
 Lord"."     Jesus  is   indeed  "the   High  priest   of 
 
 a  Isai.  xl.  6,  &c.  b  Dan.  ix.  24,  2?.  c  Zech.  vi.  13. 
 
 d  Heb.  v.  6,  &c.  and  chap.  vii.     Ps.  ex.  4.  c  Ps.  ex.  1. 
 
Lecture  XI.  271 
 
 our  profession."  By  his  participation  of  human 
 nature,  he  was  made  acquainted  with  our  infirmi- 
 ties, and  thus  can  be  "  a  merciful  as  well  as  a  faithful 
 high  priest  in  things  pertaining  to  God."  But 
 by  his  supernatural  and  immaculate  conception 
 we  know  that  he  is  "such  an  high  priest  as  became 
 us,  holy,  harmless,  undented,  separate  from  sin- 
 ners," because  he  is  not  "shapen  in  iniquity,  nor 
 conceived  in  sin  V  Thereby  we  also  know  that 
 he  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  therefore,  "because  he 
 continueth  ever,  hath  an  unchangeable  priest- 
 hood s." — And  by  the  witness  of  the  Father  at  his 
 baptism  we  know  that  as  he  was  called  of  God 
 to  be  a  high  priest,  so  was  he  also  consecrated 
 by  God.  "  The  word  of  the  oath,  of  which  David 
 spoke  in  the  hundred  and  tenth  Psalm,  maketh 
 the  Son  a  high  priest,  who  is  consecrated  for 
 evermore11;"  and  the  voice  from  heaven  at  his 
 baptism  declared  that  the  Father  was  well  pleased 
 in  the  priestly  functions  which  he  was  then  about 
 to  discharge.  He  was  at  that  time  visibly  inaugu- 
 rated, in  the  sight  of  men,  in  a  manner  analogous 
 to  that  by  which  the  Aaronic  priests  were  con- 
 secrated1. As  they  were  washed  with  water,  so 
 was  he;  and  as  they  were  anointed  with  oil,  so  did 
 
 f  See  Heb.  ii.  l6— 18  ;  lii.  1,2;  vii.  24—28. 
 
 s  Heb.  vii.  24.  h  Ps.  ex.  4.     Heb.  vii.  28. 
 
 '  Exod.  xxix.  4 — 7-     Lev.  viii.  6 — 10. 
 
272  Lecture  XI. 
 
 he  partake  of  the  measureless  and  abiding  unction 
 of  that  Holy  Spirit  which  was  thereby  typified. 
 
 This  attestation  of  the  Father  had  already  been 
 given  to  Jesus,  at  the  time  when  he  spoke  the  words 
 of  our  text.  If  it  be  connected  with  the  witness 
 of  John,  with  his  supernatural  birth,  and  with  the 
 prophecies  of  the  ancient  Scriptures,  it  points  out 
 to  us  Jesus,  as  the  Son  of  God,  appearing  as  our 
 high  priest.  But  if  considered  merely  as  a  de- 
 tached fact,  it  is  declaratory  of  his  divine  mission. 
 And  our  Lord,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  text,  so 
 applies  it  for  the  conviction  of  those  whom  he 
 addressed.  And  since  his  remarks  referred  to 
 that  incident,  we  must  adopt  that  particular  ex- 
 position of  the  allusion,  which  corresponds  to  our 
 opinion  respecting  the  circumstances  of  that  fact; 
 for  he  therein  specifies  three  of  the  particulars 
 concerned,  the  audible  voice  of  the  Father,  the 
 visible  appearance,  and  the  word  which  was  heard. 
 If,  according  to  the  opinion  entertained  by  some, 
 and  which  seems  the  impression  naturally  pro- 
 duced by  a  perusal  of  the  narrative,  we  suppose 
 that  this  heavenly  appearance  and  declaration  took 
 place  in  the  sight  and  hearing  of  those  who  came 
 to  be  baptized  by  John  ;  and  that  possibly,  there- 
 fore, some  of  those  whom  our  Lord  addressed, 
 were  themselves  present,  we  shall  of  course  render 
 the  first  clause  of  the  passage  interrogatively,  as 
 the  original  will  certainly  allow  us  to  do :    "  The 
 
Lecture  XI.  273 
 
 Father,  who  hath  sent  me,  himself  hath  borne 
 witness  of  me.  Have  ye  never  at  any  time  heard 
 his  voice,  nor  seen  his  appearance?  And  ye  have 
 not  his  word  (his  declaration)  abiding  in  you ; 
 for  whom  he  hath  sent,  him  ye  believe  not." — 
 If  we  suppose,  with  others,  that  only  John  and 
 Jesus  were  present  at  this  scene,  then  we  may 
 understand  our  Lord  as  granting,  that  they  had 
 not  themselves  heard  the  voice,  and  seen  the  ap- 
 pearance, when  the  Father  testified  that  "  he  was 
 his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  was  well  pleased." 
 Yet  as  John  had  both  seen,  and  heard,  and  also 
 had  publicly  testified  of  these  things,  they  erred 
 by  not  retaining  an  abiding  recollection  of  this 
 declaration  of  God ;  and,  by  not  believing  in  him 
 whom  the  Father  had  sent,  they  were  neglecting 
 and  despising  the  express  witness  of  God  himself. 
 — But  even  if  we  suppose  that  John  alone  was, 
 with  Jesus,  the  spectator  and  auditor  of  these 
 things,  yet  two  instances  of  a  similar  kind  soon 
 afterwards  occurred,  which  are  attested  by  a 
 greater  number  of  witnesses;  so  that  these  inci- 
 dents derive  support  from  each  other,  both  as  to 
 the  certainty  of  the  fact,  and  as  to  the  heavenly 
 information  thereby  conveyed. 
 
 II.  The  Father  himself  again  bore  witness 
 of  Jesus  at  the  time  of  his  transfiguration. — 
 Those,  who  were  with  Jesus  at  the  time,  were 
 Peter,   and  James,   and   John.     The  incident  is 
 
 S 
 
c274  Lecture  XI. 
 
 related,  circumstantially,  by  each  of  the  three  first 
 Evangelists ;  and  St.  John  also  seems  prin- 
 cipally to  refer  to  it  when  he  says  ;  "  We  have 
 beheld  his  glory,  as  that  of  the  only-begotten 
 of  the  Father \"  St.  Peter  also,  in  words  which 
 we  have  already  quoted  from  his  second  Epistle, 
 largely  states  its  certainty,  its  circumstances,  and 
 the  evidence  which  it  gave  to  Jesus.  At  the  time, 
 the  splendour  of  a  scene  so  glorious  impressed 
 St.  Peter  so  powerfully,  that,  in  energetic  lan- 
 guage, ffnot  knowing  what  he  said,"  he  gave 
 vent  to  his  feelings ;  in  language,  however,  which, 
 though  unadvised,  proved  his  full  conviction  of  the 
 reality  of  the  unexpected  scene.  But  in  the  words 
 which  we  cited  from  his  Epistle,  written  but  a 
 short  time  before  he  sealed  his  testimony  with 
 his  blood,  he  speaks  of  it  with  a  coolness,  which 
 indicated  a  sober  and  matured  conviction  of  the 
 reality  of  that  scene,  of  which  he  and  others  had 
 been  eye-witnesses,  of  which  he  retained  so  vivid 
 a  recollection,  and  of  the  design  and  evidence 
 of  which  he  had  now  so  distinct  an  apprehension. 
 Not  only  was  Jesus  seen  by  the  three  disciples, 
 arrayed  in  the  "body  of  his  glory,"  but  Moses, 
 the  legislator  and  prophet  of  the  Jews,  was  there ; 
 and  Elias  also,   one   of  the   most  eminent  later 
 
 A  !Watt.  xvii ;  Mark  ix  ;  Luke  ix  ;  John  i.  14. 
 
Lecture  XI.  275 
 
 prophets,  and  the  restorer  of  the  law.  With 
 them  Jesus  held  familiar  converse,  the  grand 
 subject  of  which  was  his  approaching  death.  But 
 shortly  they  retired,  and  Jesus  was  left  alone; 
 then  to  receive  that  testimony  from  heaven,  which 
 was  to  declare  his  divine  and  unrivalled  dignity. 
 "A  bright  cloud  overshadowed  the  disciples;  and, 
 behold,  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  which  said, 
 This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
 pleased  ;  hear  ye  him." 
 
 It  will  readily  occur  to  any  one,  who  considers 
 the  terms  of  this  declaration,  that  it  supplies  us 
 with  a  divine  interpretation  of  that"  prediction, 
 which  was  delivered  by  Moses  to  the  Israelites, 
 when  they  had  desired  that  they  might  not  again 
 see  the  awful  glories,  and  hear  the  appalling 
 thunders  and  voices  of  mount  Sinai.  ffThe 
 Lord  thy  God  will  raise  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet 
 from  the  midst  of  thee,  of  thy  brethren,  like  unto 
 me ;  unto  him  shall  ye  hearken  V  Such  a  pro- 
 phet and  mediator  was  to  be  sent  to  the  Israelites, 
 in  compliance  with  the  request  which  they  had 
 made,  and  in  condescension  to  human  infirmity. 
 But  though  man  should  not  again  "  hear  the  voice 
 of  the  Lord  God,  nor  see  that  great  fire,"  as  in 
 Horeb,  on  the  day  of  the  assembly  ;  yet  would 
 God  reveal  his  will  in  a  manner  equally  authori- 
 _ . ^ . ■ — 
 
 b  Deut.  xviii.  15 — 19. 
 
 s  2 
 
276  Lecture  XI. 
 
 tative,  though  with  milder  and  less  tremendous 
 glory.  The  Lord  said  to  Moses,  after  the  solemn 
 delivery  of  the  law,  ''Thus  shalt  thou  say  unto 
 the  children  of  Israel,  Ye  have  seen  that  I  have 
 talked  with  you  from  heaven  V  And  after  Jesus 
 had  been  transfigured  on  the  holy  mount,  the 
 Father  did  again  "  talk  with  man  from  heaven ;" 
 declaring  Jesus  to  be  the  mediator  of  the  new 
 covenant,  as  Moses  had  been  of  the  old.  He,  to 
 whom  the  Father  thus  gave  witness,  was  sent  to 
 make  known  to  us  "  the  truth  which  he  had  heard 
 of  God."  For  God  had  declared  by  Moses  re- 
 specting that  Prophet,  ec  I  will  put  my  words  in 
 his  mouth,  and  he  shall  speak  unto  them  all  that 
 I  shall  command  him."  When,  therefore,  the 
 Father,  giving  testimony  to  Jesus,  says  to  us, 
 te  Hear  ye  him,"  may  we  not  be  sure  that  "  as 
 the  Father  gave  him  commandment,  so  he  spoke  V 
 Although,  therefore,  in  the  dispensation  of  which 
 Jesus  is  the  prophet,  Cfwe  are  not  come  to  the 
 blackness,  and  darkness,  and  tempest,  and  terrible 
 words"  of  mount  Sinai,  but  to  the  milder  glories 
 of  mount  Sion  ;  yet  "the  word,  which  went  forth 
 from  Sion,"  has  its  threatenings,  as  well  as  its 
 grace  and  truth.  "It  shall  come  to  pass,"  said 
 the  Lord  again,  "that  whosoever  will  not  hearken 
 unto  my  words,  which   that  prophet  shall  speak 
 
 »  Exod.  xx.  22. 
 
Lecture  XI.  277 
 
 in  my  name,  I  will  require  it  of  him."  And  very 
 justly,  therefore,  does  the  Apostle  give  to  us  the 
 exhortation ;  cc  See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that 
 speaketh  ;  for  if  they  escaped  not,  who  refused 
 him  that  spake  on  earth,  much  more  shall  not  we 
 escape,  if  we  refuse  him  that  speaketh  from 
 heaven;"  even  God  himself,  who  "-in  these  last 
 days  hath  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Sonb." 
 
 Did  we  say  that  this  heavenly  Messenger  was 
 the  Son  of  God  ? — What  said  the  voice  that  came 
 out  of  the  cloud  ?  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son ; 
 hear  ye  him."  And  was  not  the  same  testimony 
 also  given,  when  he  was  about  to  enter  on  his 
 ministry  ?  And  had  not  that  declaration,  which 
 avouched  Jesus  to  be  "  the  beloved  Son,  in  whom 
 the  Father  was  well  pleased/'  been  previously 
 declared  bejore  his  birth,  and  been  also  confirmed 
 by  the  manner  of  his  birth  ?  Did  we  not  recite  to 
 you  the  words  of  the  angel,  announcing*  to  the 
 Virgin  her  approaching  conception  by  the  ee  over- 
 shadowing-of  the  power  of  the  Highest?"  "  There- 
 fore," said  the  heavenly  herald,  "  that  holy  thing, 
 which  shall  be  born  of  thee,  shall  be  called  the 
 Son  of  God"  Though  Jesus  appeared  ffin  the 
 likeness  of  sinful  flesh,"  yet  are  we  to  believe  in 
 him  upon  principles,  and  with  views,  which  could 
 not  be  applicable  to  any  one,  who  was  nothing- 
 
 b  Heb.  xii.  25.    i.  1,  2. 
 
278  Lecture  XI. 
 
 more  than  a  prophet  of  the  human  race.  We 
 have  many  declarations  from  the  Father  that  he  is 
 the  Son  of  God ;  many  declarations  from  himself, 
 supported  and  confirmed  by  the  witness  of  John, 
 of  his  own  works,  and  of  prophecy,  that  he  is  the 
 Son  of  God.  Let  then  the  "  word  of  the  Father 
 abide  in  you,  that  ye  may  believe  in  him  whom  he 
 hath  sent."  Hear  him  with  that  unreserved  obe- 
 dience of  the  full  assurance  of  faith,  which  he 
 may  justly  claim,  who  "came  down  from  heaven;" 
 and  who  possessed  that  extensive  and  familiar 
 acquaintance  with  the  divine  will,  which  could  be 
 attained  only  by  him,  who  was  from  eternity  "  in 
 the  bosom  of  the  Father/'  who  "  came  from 
 God,  and  went  to  God/' 
 
 In  this  manner  has  it  been  testified  to  us,  that 
 to  Jesus  belong  the  commission,  and  the  authority, 
 of  the  Prophet  promised  by  Moses.  And  hence 
 may  we  see,  that  while  "  Moses  was  faithful  in  all 
 his  house,  as  a  servant,  for  a  testimony  of  those 
 things  which  were  to  be  spoken  after  ;  yet  that 
 Jesus  was  so,  as  a  Son  over  his  own  house  V  But, 
 by  a  third  witness  of  the  Father  concerning-  him, 
 he  was  declared  to  be  "  the  King  whom,  as  his 
 only-begotten  Son,  God  would  set  upon  his  holy 
 hill  of  Zion,  though  the  rulers  of  the  earth  took 
 counsel  against  him,  and  against  his  Anointed  b." 
 
 a  Heb.  iii.  5,  6.  *  Ps.  ii. 
 
Lecture  XI.  279 
 
 III.  This  third  testimony  was  given,  as  it 
 should  seem,,  on  the  day  on  which  Jesus  entered 
 Jerusalem  in  his  lowly  triumph,  and  on  which  he 
 was  saluted  as  "  the  Son  of  David.,  and  the  King 
 of  Israel/'  by  the  eager  multitudes,  whose  enthu- 
 siasm he  refused  to  repress.  Probably  it  was  even 
 in  the  temple  itself,  but  certainly  in  Jerusalem, 
 that  the  Greeks,  who  had  come  up  to  the  feast, 
 applied  to  the  disciples  that  they  might  be  per- 
 mitted to  see  Jesus0.  Whether  he  granted  their 
 request,  or  not,  is  uncertain.  But  the  discourse 
 which  he  took  occasion  to  deliver,  and  the  incident 
 which  followed,  especially  deserve  our  attention. 
 He  immediately  referred  to  that  death,  which  he 
 suffered  only  a  few  days  afterwards,  under  the 
 figure  of  corn,  which,  "  except  it  fall  into  the 
 ground  and  die,  abideth  alone ;  but  if  it  die,  it 
 bringeth  forth  much  fruit/'  His  human  nature 
 felt  all  the  fears  and  horrors  which  the  prospect 
 of  his  approaching  sufferings  might  be  expected  to 
 excite.  But  this  public  declaration  of  them  was 
 followed  by  as  public  a  "  witness  of  the  Father " 
 from  heaven. — <c  Now  is  my  soul  troubled.  And 
 what  shall  I  say?  Father,  save  me  from  this  hour? 
 But  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour.  Father, 
 glorify  thy  name."  This,  whether  it  was  the 
 language   of  submission,   or   of  prayer,    equally 
 
 c  See  John  xii.  20 — 36. 
 
280  Lecture  XL 
 
 prepares  us  to  attend  to  what  followed.  "  Then 
 came  there  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  /  have 
 both  glorified  it,  and  I  will  glorify  it  again.  The 
 people,  therefore,  that  stood  there.,  and  heard  it, 
 said.  That  it  thundered;  others  said,  An  angel 
 spake  to  him."  The  voice  was  distinctly  audible  to 
 many,  if  not  to  all.  The  Greeks,  if  they  were  pre- 
 sent, might  not  understand  the  language;  and  some 
 of  the  Jews  might  be  disposed  to  misunderstand 
 and  misrepresent  it.  But  let  us  hear  the  remarks 
 of  Jesus  respecting  it,  and  we  can  easily  judge 
 whether  they  were  verified.  "  This  voice  came 
 not  because  of  me,  but  for  your  sakes.  Now  is 
 the  judgment  of  this  world  ;  now  shall  the  prince 
 of  this  world  be  cast  out.  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up 
 from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me.  This 
 he  said,  signifying  what  death  he  should  die." 
 
 The  Jews  then  present  were  unable  to  recon- 
 cile this  with  their  late  joyful  hailing  of  Jesus  as 
 their  Messiah,  and  with  their  expectations  respect- 
 ing the  Messiah. — "  The  people  answered  him, 
 We  have  heard  out  of  the  law,  that  Christ  abideth 
 for  ever ;  and  how  sayest  thou,  The  Son  of  man 
 must  be  lifted  up?  Who  is  this  Son  of  man?" 
 Now  though  our  Lord  did  not  at  that  time  add 
 any  explanation  of  the  statement  he  had  just 
 made ;  he  exhorted  them  to  "  walk  while  they  had 
 the  light,  because  the  light  would  be  with  them 
 only  for  a  little  while."     Soon  the  event,  to  which 
 
Lecture  XL  281 
 
 he  alluded,  was  to  take  place.  And  on  a  former 
 occasion  he  said  to  them,  "  When  ye  have  lifted  up 
 the  Son  of  man,  then  shall  ye  know  that  1  am  he, 
 and  that  I  do  nothing-  of  myself,  but  as  my  Father 
 hath  taught  me,  I  speak  these  things."  The 
 Father  had  just  given  witness  to  him,  and  he  had 
 "  done  many  miracles  before  them."  They  ought, 
 therefore,  both  to  receive  those  communications 
 which  they  could  then  comprehend,  and  also  to 
 believe  that  all  others  would  afterwards  be  made 
 intelligible.  But  very  shortly  the  Father  did  "glo- 
 rify his  name  ;"  and,  "in  consequence  of  his  being 
 lifted  up,"  Jesus  was  "  crowned  with  glory  and 
 honour,"  and  "  all  men  were  drawn  to  him." 
 
 Was  Jesus  forsaken  and  disowned  of  the 
 Father,  because  he  was  "  given  up  into  the  hands 
 of  wicked  men,  and  suffered  death  upon  the  cross?" 
 The  Father  had  spoken  to  him  from  heaven,  and 
 an  angel  from  heaven  strengthened  him  during 
 his  agony.  But  had  he  prayed  to  the  Father  to 
 deliver  him  from  the  suffering  of  death,  though  he 
 would  "  presently  have  given  him  more  than 
 twelve  legions  of  angels,"  yet  "  how  then  could 
 the  Scriptures  have  been  fulfilled,  that  thus  it 
 must  be?"  Yet  even  in  those  very  transactions, 
 which  were  so  ignominious  and  so  pitiable,  was 
 the  testimony  of  the  Father  given  to  Jesus. — For 
 remember  the  preternatural  darkness,  which,  at 
 the  time  of  the  full  moon,  and  beginning  at  noon- 
 
282  Lecture  XI. 
 
 day,  for  three  hours  overspread  the  land.  And 
 can  we  forget  the  circumstances  which  attested 
 the  truth  of  those  words,  so  full  of  horror  and  yet  so 
 abundant  in  consolation, — so  expressive  of  glory 
 accruing  to  God,  and  of  good  will  derived  to  men, 
 — which  were  uttered  by  the  lips  of  our  dying  Sa- 
 viour? With  aloud  voice  he  cried,  It  is  finished. 
 He  bowed  his  head,  and  dismissed  his  Spirit. — 
 Then  was  the  law  accomplished,  then  were  the 
 prophecies  fulfilled,  then  was  the  salvation  of  man 
 perfected.  For  did  not  God  himself  confirm  this 
 declaration,  by  the  rending  of  the  veil  of  the 
 temple  at  the  hour  of  incense,  by  the  quaking  of 
 the  earth,  by  the  rending  of  the  rocks,  by  the 
 opening  of  the  graves?  The  centurion,  who 
 stood  near  to  the  cross  of  Jesus,  had  before  heard 
 him  exclaim,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou 
 forsaken  me?"  But  when  he  saw  that  Jesus, 
 uttering  the  declaration,  "  It  is  finished/'  expired 
 under  circumstances,  which  so  manifestly  declared 
 the  interposition  of  God,  he  was  so  impressed  with 
 the  solemnity  of  the  scene,  and  with  the  majesty 
 of  the  innocent  sufferer,  that  et  he,  and  they  also 
 that  were  with  him,  feared  greatly,  saying,  Truly 
 this  was  the  Son  of  GodV 
 
 Thus    did    the    Father    "  again    glorify    his 
 name/'  by   giving  testimony  to  his  Son.     Thus 
 
 a  Matt,  xxvii.  .54.     Mark  xv.  3p. 
 
Lecture  XI.  283 
 
 did  he  confirm  the  authority,,  and  sanction  the 
 conduct  of  him,  who  had  refused  to  repress  the  ac- 
 clamations of  the  multitude  who  hailed  him  as  "the 
 Son  of  David,  and  as  the  King  of  Israel  that  cometh 
 in  the  name  of  the  Lord ;"  who  himself  also  avowed 
 to  the  high  priest,  that  he  was  te  the  Christ,  the 
 Son  of  the  Blessed." — And  had  not  the  Father 
 given  the  same  testimony  by  the  mouth  of  an 
 angel,  before  he  was  conceived  in  the  womb  of 
 the  Virgin  ?  "  He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be 
 called  the  Son  of  the  Highest ;  and  the  Lord 
 God  shall  give  him  the  throne  of  his  father 
 David,  and  he  shall  reign  over  the  house  of 
 Jacob  for  ever ;  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall 
 be  no  endV  He  was  "  made  of  the  seed  of 
 David  according  to  the  flesh ;"  but,  by  the 
 manner  in  which  he  was  made  a  partaker  of  flesh 
 and  blood,  we  also  see,  that  he  was  David's  Lord, 
 as  well  as  David's  Son ;  and  therefore  that  he,  as 
 ec  the  Christ,  does  indeed  abide  for  ever/'  though 
 as  ruling,  not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven.  For  God 
 himself  has  visited  his  people,  by  redeeming  them 
 from  spiritual  slavery;  and,  in  the  house  of  his 
 servant  David,  hath  raised  up  a  horn  of  Salvation 
 from  sin  and  condemnation ;  by  him,  who  was 
 "  called  Jesus,  because  he  would  save  his  people 
 from  their  sins." 
 
 b  Luke  i.  32,  33. 
 
284  Lecture  XI. 
 
 Though,  therefore,  the  Jews  demanded  of 
 Jesus,  as  the  proof  of  his  authority,  cc  a  sign  from 
 heaven,"  and  though  their  demand  was  refused, 
 yet  we  see  that,  in  fact,  several  such  tokens  were 
 given  ;  not,  however,  exactly  in  the  manner  which 
 they  presumptuously,  and  in  the  spirit  of  disbelief, 
 required  of  Jesus,  "  tempting  him."  For  we  must 
 be  content  to  receive  the  evidences  of  our  faith 
 in  the  manner  in  which  they  are  proposed  to  us, 
 and  to  abide  by  the  inference  to  which  they  both 
 severally  and  jointly  lead  us.  Probably  it  is  still 
 true,  that  such  as  are  not  convinced  by  the 
 numerous  miracles  which  Jesus  wrought,  will  not 
 more  readily  be  impressed  by  those,  in  which  the 
 Father  himself  bore  witness  of  him.  But  when 
 the  demand  of  a  sign  from  heaven  was  refused  to 
 those,  who  in  such  a  temper  demanded  it,  the 
 sign  of  the  prophet  Jonas  was  promised  to  thema. 
 That  sign  also  has  been  given.  iC  Three  days 
 was  the  Son  of  man  in  the  heart  of  the  earth," 
 and  then  was  he  again,  and  "  with  power,  de- 
 clared to  be  the  Son  of  God,  by  the  resurrection 
 from  the  dead."  Then  was  the  witness  of  the 
 Father  completed;  and  then  also  began  that  wit- 
 ness of  the  Spirit,  the  rejection  of  which  renders 
 men  incapable  either  of  repentance  or  of  pardon. 
 
 Calling  to  mind,  then,  all  the  wondrous  events, 
 
 a  Sec  Matt.  xii.  35—42. 
 
Lecture  XI.  285 
 
 and  heavenly  testimony,  which  we  have  been 
 surveying,  with  what  reverence,  confidence,  and 
 obedience  may  we  listen  to  the  words,  which  our 
 Saviour  spoke,  after  he  had  predicted  the  sign  of 
 Jonas  the  prophet.  cc  The  men  of  Nineveh 
 shall  rise  in  judgment  with  this  generation,  and 
 shall  condemn  it ;  for  they  repented  at  the 
 preaching  of  Jonas,  and,  behold,  a  greater  than 
 Jonas  is  here  !  The  queen  of  the  south  shall 
 rise  up  in  the  judgment  with  this  generation,  and 
 shall  condemn  it ;  for  she  came  from  the  utter- 
 most parts  of  the  earth  to  hear  the  wisdom  of 
 Solomon,  and,  behold,  a  greater  than  Solomon  is 
 here!"  We  have  this  day  learnt  that  he  was 
 "  the  beloved  Son  of  God,  in  whom  he  is  well 
 pleased,  and  whom  we  are  commanded  to  hear."  Let 
 us  then  "  take  up  our  cross  and  follow  him  ;"  let 
 us  "  abide  in  his  word,  that  we  may  be  his  dis- 
 ciples indeed  ;"  let  us  glory  in  his  cross ;  let  us 
 confide  in  his  atonement ;  let  us  pray  for  pardon 
 through  his  blood  and  righteousness ;  let  us  re- 
 joice in  his  intercession ;  and  let  us  pray  to  be 
 sanctified  by  his  word,  and  by  his  Spirit.  For, 
 very  shortly  after  he  had  spoken  the  words  just 
 cited,  he  said  also,  "  Whosoever  shall  do  the 
 will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is 
 my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother*." 
 
 "  Matt.  xii.  38 — 5o. 
 
LECTURE   XII. 
 
 OUK  LORD  S  APPEAL  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES  OF  THE 
 OLD  TESTAMENT,  AS  PECULIARLY  DESIGNED  TO 
 TESTIFY    OF    HIM. 
 
 St.  John  V.  39,  40. 
 
 Search  the  Scriptures ;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have 
 eternal  life ;  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me. 
 And  ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life. 
 
 We  observed,  in  our  fourth  Lecture,  that  our 
 Lord  either  left  the  attestations  to  his  divine 
 mission  and  character  to  convince  by  their  own 
 native  force  and  palpable  evidence,  or  proposed 
 them  in  the  most  simple  manner,  until  fuller  state- 
 ments and  more  detailed  arguments  were  called 
 forth  by  the  doubts  and  difficulties,  the  prejudices 
 and  opposition  of  his  contemporaries.  But  when 
 such  occasions  arose,  he  unfolded  to  them  as  much 
 as  the  imperfect  accomplishment  of  the  purposes 
 of  his  mission,  and  therefore  the  incomplete 
 exhibition  of  its  evidences,  would  permit.  Often, 
 however,  his  statements  are  applicable  to,  and  an- 
 ticipate the  fuller  developement  of  the  evidences ; 
 of  which,  indeed,  the  discourse  in  which  our  text 
 
Lecture  XII,  287 
 
 occurs  is  a  remarkable  instance.     Those   of  his 
 reasonings    in    this    discourse,    which    we    have 
 already  considered.,  are  sufficient  to  establish  the 
 justice  of  this  remark.     When  he  noticed  to  them 
 the  presumption  in  his  favour  from  his  not  seeking 
 his  own  will,  when  he  appealed  to  the  witness  of 
 John,  to  the  witness  of  his  own  miracles,  and  to 
 the  witness  of  the  Father,  he  had  laboured  so  long 
 and  so  publicly  among  them,   that  enough  was 
 already  before  them,  if  not  finally  to  convince,  yet 
 at  least  to  arrest  the  attention.     Enough  had  been 
 already  seen  and  heard  to  claim  for  him  an  impar- 
 tial hearing  ;  enough  to  induce  them,  if  not  even 
 then   to  believe   in  him,   yet   to  pause   ere  they 
 rejected   his   claims.     And    in  order  to   come    to 
 a  just  and  satisfactory  decision,   it  was  requisite 
 that  they   should  observe,   in  a  candid  frame  of 
 mind,    his  future  conduct;    and   should  also  de- 
 liberately consider  the  more  enlarged  reasonings, 
 upon  which  he  would  be  ready  to  enter,  whenever 
 their  difficulties  called  for  appropriate  statements, 
 and   whenever   fresh    facts    either   illustrated    his 
 former  arguments,  or  supplied  the  materials  for 
 others. 
 
 The  same  remark  is  also  applicable,  and,  in 
 some  respects,  more  fully,  to  the  appeal  made  in 
 the  text  to  the  written  testimony,  which  the  Scrip- 
 tures of  the  Old  Testament  afforded  to  Jesus. — 
 The  events,    in  which   any   prophecy   is  accom- 
 
288  Lecture  XII. 
 
 plished,  alone  can  finally  decide,  either  its  true 
 interpretation,  or  the  particular  object  to  which  it 
 referred.  It  follows  from  hence,  that  the  events 
 in  question  must  have  come  to  pass,  and  their  par- 
 ticulars must  be  fully  known,  before  that  interpre- 
 tation can  be  definitely  settled,  and  the  attestation 
 of  prophecy  can  be  rightly  ascertained.  Now  the 
 prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  which  relate  to 
 the  Messiah,  are  very  numerous,  and  refer  to 
 a  great  variety  of  particulars.  Of  course,  there- 
 fore, when  the  Messiah  came,  before  he  could 
 be  completely  identified,  all  the  characteristics  by 
 which  the  prophets  had  described  him  must  have 
 been  exhibited  ;  and  therefore  ail  the  events,  in 
 consequence  of  which  they  were  to  be  developed, 
 must  have  taken  place.  We  believe  that,  at  the 
 very  time  specified  by  the  prophets,  their  pre- 
 dictions were  fulfilled  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  If 
 in  him  they  were  not  accomplished,  there  is  cer- 
 tainly no  other  in  whom  they  were ;  no  other, 
 respecting-  whom  the  assertion  can  be  advanced. 
 But  the  great  argument,  deducible  from  a  collective 
 view  of  all  the  prophecies,  could  not  be  complete, 
 until  after  those  transactions  which  closed  his 
 ministry  and  life;  by  which  so  large  a  proportion 
 of  the  prophecies  were  rapidly,  but  minutely,  ful- 
 filled. Yet  even  at  the  time  when  our  Lord  spoke 
 the  words  of  our  text,  much  had  already  become 
 sufficiently  obvious.     And  since  an  apprehension 
 
Lecture  XII.  289 
 
 of  the  entire  prophetic  argument  could  not  be  at- 
 tained, except  by  discerning  the  correspondence  of 
 a  great  number  of  particular  events  to  at  least  as 
 many  particular  predictions,  it  would  have  been 
 well  if  those,  whom  our  Lord  addressed,  had  even 
 then  commenced  the  inquiry.  For  having  thus 
 seen  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy  already  evinced 
 to  a  certain  extent,  they  might  have  been  prepared 
 to  watch  the  progress  of  his  ministry,  and  would 
 have  recognized  thereby,  more  and  more  clearly, 
 him,  "  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  pro- 
 phets, did  write." 
 
 Rightly  to  apprehend  the  evidence  which 
 arises  from  the  word  of  prophecy,  we  must  have 
 recourse  to  that  repository,  in  which  it  has  been 
 handed  down  to  us.  We  must  comply  with  the 
 exhortation,  which  our  Lord  in  the  text  addressed 
 to  the  Jews.  We  must  "  search  the  Scriptures." 
 We  must  investigate  and  study  the  particular 
 predictions  therein  contained,  and  observe  their 
 order  and  connexion ;  and,  by  comparing  them 
 with  those  events  which  correspond  to  them,  as  re- 
 corded either  in  the  same  Scriptures,  or  in  other 
 writers,  we  must  trace  their  accomplishment. 
 Such  an  undertaking  would  evidently  be  too  ex- 
 tensive to  be  brought  within  the  compass  of  our 
 present  design.  There  is,  however,  a  more  limited 
 range,  which  falls  within  the  path  we  at  first 
 marked  out.     For  we  proposed  to  contemplate  the 
 
 T 
 
290  Lecture  XII. 
 
 subject  of  evidence,  either  as  it  is  actually  con- 
 tained in  our  Lord's  discourses,  or  immediately 
 suggested  by  them.  Now  our  Lord  has  himself 
 actually  cited  many  important  prophecies,  to  many 
 he  obviously  alludes,  and  others  afford  at  least  a 
 valuable  elucidation  of  his  statements.  Even  this 
 more  confined  review  exhibits,  in  a  very  satis- 
 factory manner,  the  testimony  of  prophecy  to 
 Jesus ;  and  also,  which  is  even  still  more  im- 
 portant, it  supplies  us  with  such  directions  and  sug- 
 gestions as  are  sufficient  to  lead  us  to  a  proper 
 and  conclusive  view  of  the  whole  argument.  It 
 will  be  the  object  of  our  next  Lecture,  to  take 
 a  cursory  view  of  these  actual  citations  and  illus- 
 trations of  prophecy  by  our  Lord  himself.  In  the 
 remainder  of  this  we  shall  consider  the  subject 
 more  generally,  but  still  in  immediate  connexion 
 with  our  text. 
 
 We  have  just  cited  the  first  clause  of  it,  as 
 containing  an  exhortation  to  "  search  the  Scrip- 
 tures." But  many  have  preferred  a  translation  of 
 the  verb  in  the  indicative  mood.  According  to 
 this  view,  we  must  understand  our  Lord  as  grant- 
 ing to  the  Jews,  that  they  did  search  the  Scrip- 
 tures ;  a  concession,  which  all  that  we  know  of 
 that  nation,  and  especially  of  its  leading  men, 
 shews  to  be  made  according  to  fact.  To  under- 
 stand the  words  in  this  manner  is,  perhaps,  more 
 consistent  with  the   style  and   method  of  argu- 
 
Lecture  XII.  291 
 
 mentation  throughout  the  whole  discourse,  which 
 in  no  other  instance  is  in  the  hortatory  form. 
 But  still  the  same  recommendation,,  which  is 
 expressed  in  the  other  translation,  perhaps  more 
 agreeably  to  the  phraseology  of  the  original,  is  in 
 this  implied  with  almost  equal  force.  Our  Lord 
 evidently  conveys,  in  either  case,  his  decided  com- 
 mendation of  their  attention  to  Scripture ;  and  he 
 assigns  the  powerful  motive,  which  either  did,  or 
 ought  to  influence  them  in  such  a  pursuit:  "  Ye 
 search  the  Scriptures,  for  in  them  ye  think  ye 
 have  eternal  life." 
 
 With  respect  to  the  Jews  of  that  time,  this 
 motive  might  have  considerable  difference  of  cha- 
 racter and  operation.  Some  of  them  seemed  to 
 think  that  the  mere  searching  of  the  Scriptures, 
 and  "  making  broad  the  phylacteries"  on  which 
 its  words  were  inscribed,  were  of  themselves 
 meritorious  acts ;  and  that  thereby  "  they  had 
 eternal  life."  Others  might  think  it  attainable 
 by  observance  of  the  ritual  law  of  Moses.  Others, 
 like  the  scribe  with  whom  Jesus  conversed,  doubt- 
 less esteemed  the  moral  law  as  more  than  all 
 "  whole  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifice,"  and  that  the 
 things  therein  prescribed  they  must  cc  do,  to  in- 
 herit eternal  life."  And,  doubtless,  they  looked 
 forward  to  the  Messiah,  as  their  own  writings 
 testify,  as  the  bestower  of  eternal  life  on  the  Jews  ; 
 and  some  of  those,  who  waited  for  "  the  consola- 
 
 t  2 
 
292  Lecture  XII. 
 
 tion  of  Israel/'  probably  derived  from  the  Scrip- 
 tures an  expectation  less  free  from  the  general 
 prejudices  of  their  nation  ;  and  expected  him  who 
 was  to  be  ff  the  glory  of  his  people  Israel/'  would 
 also  be  "a  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles." — But  to 
 all  these  our  Lord's  argument  was  equally  cogent. 
 Whatever  were  the  modifications  of  their  senti- 
 ments, it  was  believed  by  all,  except  the  Sadducees, 
 that  in  them  they  had  eternal  life;  and  therefore 
 did  they  value  them,  and  therefore  were  they  bound, 
 by  their  own  principles,  to  make  themselves  fully 
 acquainted  with  their  contents.  We  also  are 
 assured,  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  able  to  make 
 us  wise  unto  salvation ;  and  that  their  record  is, 
 not  only  that  "  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life/' 
 but  also  "  that  this  life  is  in  his  Son ;"  and  that, 
 c  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  everlasting 
 life  is  offered  to  mankind  through  Jesus  Christ,  as 
 the  only  Mediator  between  God  and  manV  Yet 
 the  Jews  in  general  "  were  not  willing  to  come  to 
 him  that  they  might  have  life."  They  had  un- 
 traced  such  interpretations  of  the  prophecies,  as. 
 could  result  only  from  attending  to  some,  and 
 overlooking  others.  And  when  these  others  were 
 pointed  out,  and  when  the  event  shewed  the 
 proper  sense  both  of  these  and  of  the  former,  their 
 prejudices  in  favour  of  their  own  interpretation, 
 
 a  Art.  vii. 
 
Lecture  XII.  293 
 
 and  against  the  external  humility  of  a  suffering- 
 Messiah,  armed  their  perverse  and  depraved  wills 
 against  the  decision,  which  would  have  been  sug- 
 gested by  an  unfettered  judgment ;  and  therefore 
 were  they  "  unwilling  to  come  to  Jesus  that  they 
 might  have  life."  They  themselves  thought  that 
 in  the  Scriptures  they  had  eternal  life  ;  and,  added 
 our  Lord,  "  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me." 
 
 In  this  important  declaration,  our  Lord  not 
 only  asserts  that  the  Scriptures  would  be  found 
 to  predict  and  testify  of  him,  but  that  he  was  that 
 exalted  Person,  who,  as  Jewish  writers  themselves 
 have  confessed,  is  the  great  and  continual  theme 
 of  all  the  prophets.  He  lays  down  therein  that 
 principle,  which  is,  in  fact,  a  guide  to  the  con- 
 sistent and  complete  elucidation  of  the  whole  pro- 
 phetic scheme.  Prophecy  had  indeed  a  present 
 and  immediate  use  in  supporting  the  hope,  and 
 exercising  the  faith,  of  those  to  whom  it  was  first 
 delivered.  But  even  this  end  was  attained  by 
 speaking  of  good  things  to  come ;  and  by  giving 
 repeated  assurances  that  a  personage,  who,  after 
 having  been  designated  by  various  other  titles  and 
 characteristics,  was  at  length  called  "  Messiah  the 
 Prince,"  would  in  the  latter  days  appear  to  ac- 
 complish the  purposes  of  God,  and  to  complete 
 the  felicity  of  man.  To  predict  the  advent  of 
 Messiah — to  communicate  the  previous  knowledge 
 of  those  marks  by  which  he  might  be  recognized 
 
294  Lecture  XII. 
 
 as  he  that  was  to  come — to  display  the  necessity, 
 and  to  explain  the  object  of  his  coming — and  to 
 attest  the  importance  of  his  mission,  by  shewing  that 
 all  the  revolutions  of  the  world,  as  well  as  of  the 
 Jewish  people,  were  overruled  in  order  to  prepare 
 for  his  advent,  and  for  the  establishment  of  his 
 kingdom — this  was  the  main  end  and  aim  of  ec  all 
 that  was  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  God's  holy 
 prophets  which  had  been  since  the  world  began," 
 Thus  had  the  matter  been  stated  by  Zacharias  in 
 his  prophetic  hymn ;  thus  was  it  stated  by  our 
 Lord,  when,  after  his  resurrection,  "  he  expounded 
 to  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things  con- 
 cerning himself,  beginning  at  Moses  and  all  the 
 prophets."  Thus  did  the  Apostles  declare,  that 
 "  to  him  give  all  the  prophets  witness ;"  thus  did 
 the  angel  declare  also  to  St.  John,  "the  testimony 
 of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy a  ;"  '  the  spirit 
 of  prophecy  having  no  other  use  or  end  than  to 
 bear  testimony,  and  to  do  honour,  to  him'V 
 
 a  Luke  i.  68,  &c.  xxiv.  27,  44.  Acts  x.  43.  Rev.  xix.  10. 
 See  also  1  Pet.  i.  10—12.     2  Pet.  i.  19—21. 
 
 b  Bishop  Hurd  in  Serm.  II.  on  the  Prophecies. — He  who,  like 
 the  Ethiopian  convert  (Acts  viii.  27,  &c.)  is  ready  to  say,  "How 
 can  I  understand  what  I  read  in  the  Prophets,  except  some  man 
 should  guide  me  ?"  may  with  great  satisfaction  and  benefit  peruse 
 Bishop  Hurd's  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  the  Prophecies,  Serm. 
 I — VI;  Bishop  Sherlock's  Discourses  on  the  Use  and  Intent  of 
 Prophecy  ;  the  four  first  Sermons  of  Bishop  Horsley,  Vol.  II;  and 
 
 two 
 
Lecture  XII.  295 
 
 Let  this  principle  be  kept  in  view,  and  it  will 
 shew,  in  the  clearest  manner,  the  object,  and  the 
 connexion,,  of  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken. 
 It  will  teach  us  rightly  to  estimate  the  nature  and 
 the  evidence  of  prophecy.  It  will  shew  that  it  was 
 not  vouchsafed  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  mankind, 
 or  to  serve  a  merely  temporary  purpose ;  but  that 
 it  was  designed  to  demonstrate  not  so  much  the 
 general  superintendence  of  divine  providence,  as 
 that  particular  and  important  exercise  of  it,  which 
 was  subservient  to  the  establishment  of  the  Gospel. 
 Hence  it  will  also  appear  that  the  prophetic  spirit 
 was  generally  confined  to  one  family  and  nation, 
 not  out  of  a  peculiar  favour  or  preference  to  them; 
 but  that  these  oracles  were  committed  to  their 
 care,  in  order  that  the  priority  of  their  existence, 
 and  their  uncorrupted  preservation,  might  be  gua- 
 ranteed and  demonstrated.  For,  at  the  arrival 
 of  that  period  which  was  the  fulness  of  the  time, 
 considered  with  reference  to  the  predictions  them- 
 selves, and  the  fitness  of  the  time,  considered  with 
 reference  to  the  actual  state  of  the  world,  "the 
 Gentiles  were  to  become  fellow-heirs,  and  of  the 
 same  body,  and  partakers  of  the  promise  of  God 
 
 two  very  valuable  tracts  by  Mr.  Rotberham,  published  in  1753, 
 and  1754,  entitled,  "  The  Force  of  the  Argument  from  a  collective 
 view  of  Prophecy,"  and  "a  Sketch  of  the  one  great  Argument, 
 formed  from  the  several  concurring  Evidences,  for  the  Truth  of 
 Christianity." 
 
296  Lecture  XII. 
 
 in  Christ  by  the  Gospel." — The  argument  from 
 prophecy  is,  therefore,  one,  which  appeals  alike 
 to  Jew  and  Gentile.  To  the  Jew — because  he, 
 for  other  and  independent  reasons,  receives,  vene- 
 rates, and  preserves  the  Scriptures  as  the  word 
 of  God ;  and  because  he,  therefore,  has  a  deep  in- 
 terest in  the  promises  of  the  Messiah  therein 
 contained,  and  is  bound  to  inquire  into  the  reality 
 of  their  accomplishment.  To  the  Gentile — because 
 the  prior  existence  of  such  a  volume  of  predic- 
 tions, does,  if  they  have  been  fulfilled,  bespeak 
 his  assent  also  to  the  revelation  made  by  that  God, 
 who  "  has  in  these  last  days  spoken  by  his  Son," 
 and  has  employed  the  wonders  of  his  providence 
 to  assure  us  of  the  wonders  of  his  grace.  In 
 order  to  enable  the  Jews  to  verify  the  claims  of 
 the  Messiah  when  he  appeared  among  them,  one 
 prophecy  had  been  added  to  another,  beginning 
 from  the  first  general  promise  of  the  efforts  and 
 triumphs  of  the  seed  of  the  woman,  proceeding 
 to  limit  the  line  of  his  descent  within  continually 
 narrower  bounds,  and  then,  in  succession,  speci- 
 fying a  great  variety  of  features  in  his  character, 
 and  of  circumstances  in  his  life  and  proceedings, 
 so  unprecedented,  so  remarkable,  and  apparently 
 so  inconsistent,  as  to  defy  the  most  ingenious 
 fiction  to  be  so  constructed  before  the  event,  as 
 to  unite  them  in  one  character,  with  a  semblance 
 of  fulfilment. — When    we    contemplate    the  ap- 
 
Lecture  XII.  297 
 
 pearance  of  Jesus,  we  see  at  once  that  some  re- 
 markable personage  has  been  manifested,  assuredly 
 of  the  house  and  lineage  specified  in  earlier  pro- 
 phecy ;  and  answering-,  both  in  the  place  and  the 
 circumstances  of  his  birth,  to  the  predictions  of 
 the  later  prophets.  He  appears  as  a  prophet  sent 
 from  God ;  and  having  discerned,  in  the  first 
 instance,  the  approach  of  some  Great  One,  we 
 proceed,  on  a  nearer  view,  to  the  discovery  of  one 
 feature  after  another,  until  we  recognize  in  him 
 the  personage  previously  described,  and  anxiously 
 expected,  though  not  appearing  at  first  in  that 
 character  and  dignity,  in  which  the  Jews  most 
 frequently  and  most  fondly  expected  the  Messiah. 
 But  circumstance  is  added  to  circumstance,  till 
 we  find  him  to  be  the  Messiah,  to  whom  all  the 
 prophets  gave  witness ;  and  that  he  has  accom- 
 plished, or  is  setting  forward  the  accomplishment 
 of  all  that  the  prophets  had  predicted ;  so  that  not 
 one  word  has  failed  of  all  that  they  had  spoken, 
 and  that  the  Evangelists  have  narrated  ' c  no  other 
 things  than  those,  which  the  prophets  and  Moses 
 did  say  should  come." 
 
 It  is  manifest,  from  what  we  have  already  ob- 
 served, that  the  prophetic  argument  is  one  of  great 
 extent,  comprehension,  and  force.  When  we 
 consider  its  extent,  we  immediately  perceive  that 
 the  materials  for  its  developement  began  to  be 
 provided  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  world, 
 
298  Lecture  XII. 
 
 and  that  they  were  continually  accumulating1 
 through  a  series  of  more  than  four  thousand  years. 
 We  shall  find  also,  that  many  of  the  earlier  pre- 
 dictions receive  much  illustration  from  considering 
 the  time  at  which  they  were  delivered,  and  the 
 circumstances  of  the  persons  to  whom,  or  by 
 whom,  they  were  spoken.  They  are,  in  fact, 
 arranged  in  such  an  order,  that  each  succeeding 
 one,  till,  at  least,  the  time  of  David,  would  lose 
 much  of  its  force  and  propriety,  if  delivered  at  an 
 earlier  period,  and  if  the  order  were  even  disar- 
 ranged at  all a.  We  gather  from  hence,  that  they 
 are  means  used  in  order  to  further  one  uniform, 
 momentous,  and  continually  advancing  scheme; 
 we  see  how  suited  they  were  to  the  immediate 
 purpose  of  inspiring,  cherishing,  and  elevating, 
 the  faith  and  hope  of  primeval  times  ;  and  we  pass 
 on  to  watch,  with  calm  and  increasing-  confidence, 
 for  their  full  and  evident  accomplishment.  And 
 whether  we  thus  advance  from  the  consideration 
 of  them  in  their  order  and  variety,  to  contemplate 
 the  events  of  the  age  in  which  they  were  fulfilled  ; 
 or  whether  we  begin  from  those  events,  and  refer 
 back  to  the  prophecies  ;  we  cannot  but  observe, 
 with  wonder,  that  they  not  only  furnish  a  distinct 
 evidence  in  themselves,  but  that  they  had  speci- 
 
 3  See  this    strikingly  illustrated  in  Rotherham's  "  Argument 
 drawn  from  a  collective  View  of  Prophecy,"  p.  10,  &c. 
 
Lecture  XII.  299 
 
 lied  beforehand  every   other  evidence,   and  that 
 every  other  evidence  is  illustrated  by  them.    For 
 the  prophecies  are  found  to  have  their  fulfilment 
 not  only  in  that  particular  series  of  ordinary  events 
 which  occurred  during  the  life  of  Jesus,  but  also 
 in  such  facts,  and  instructions,  and  proceedings,  as 
 themselves  are  independent  evidences  of  a  divine 
 mission.     Almost  every  circumstance  which   has 
 been  considered  in  our  former  Lectures,  was  a 
 fulfilment  of  prophecy;  we  may  almost  say  that  the 
 very  arguments  themselves  are  pointed  out  by  the 
 prophets ;  but  at  least  we  have  found  that  each  of 
 our  Lord's  reasonings  could  be  very  satisfactorily 
 illustrated  by  a  reference  to  the  Old  Testament 
 predictions.     This  remark,  which  points  out  the 
 comprehensiveness  of  the  argument  from  prophecy, 
 also  very  obviously  suggests  the  great  force  which 
 it  possesses.     And  prophecy  will  still  more  con- 
 stantly and  prominently  connect  itself  with  the  sub- 
 jects of  our  future  inquiry.    Well  therefore  might 
 our  Lord  observe  in  language  so  significant,  "  The 
 Scriptures  are  they  which  testify  ofmeh."     As  if 
 he  had  said,  'They  are  the  special,  comprehen- 
 sive, and  sufficient  testimony  respecting  me.     My 
 coming,   my  character,  my  proceedings,   my  in- 
 structions, and  the  object  at  which  I  aim,  are  all 
 attested  by  them.     My  future  sufferings  and  ex- 
 
 b  exeiVai  el<riv  ai  fxaprvpovcrat  irep\  e/wv.  v.  39> 
 
300  Lecture  XII 
 
 altation  will  be  in  conformity  to  their  predictions. 
 Every  argument  which  I  can  offer,  will  be  found 
 justified  by  their  intimations,  if  you  will  but  search 
 them,  as  well  as  by  the  facts  which  are  familiar 
 to  you,  and  upon  which  I  have  been  reasoning.' 
 
 It  should  also  be  remembered,  that  these  pro- 
 phecies were  delivered,  not  only  at  a  great  di- 
 versity of  times,  ages,  and  countries,  but  in  a  great 
 variety  of  methods.  Sometimes  God  himself  com- 
 municated the  promise  in  words.  Sometimes  he 
 revealed  it  in  a  dream  or  in  a  vision,  and  provided 
 that  a  prophet  or  an  angel  should  give  an  in- 
 terpretation of  these,  which  itself  became  a 
 prophecy,  to  be  explained  only  by  the  event. 
 Sometimes  he  immediately  inspired  the  prophet 
 himself  to  deliver  it  in  his  own  words.  "  Thus, 
 at  sundry  times,  and  in  divers  manners,  God  spake 
 in  time  past  unto  the  Fathers  by  the  Prophets." 
 And  they,  who  were  either  the  recipients,  inter- 
 preters, or  promulgators  of  these  diversified 
 communications,  were  men  of  all  ranks,  ages, 
 conditions,  and  circumstances  ;  severally  according 
 to  their  own  necessities,  or  the  situation  and  cir- 
 cumstances of  others,  or  of  their  country,  or  of  the 
 world,  receiving  intimations  of  those  things  which 
 should  come  to  pass.  The  events  which  were  to 
 precede,  and  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  fulness  of 
 the  time  in  which  the  Promised  One  was  to  appear, 
 were  those  transactions  and  revolutions  of  the  four 
 
Lecture  XII.  301 
 
 great  monarchies,  which  are  the  well  known 
 subjects  of  ancient  and  classical  history.  The 
 predictions  respecting-  these  were  fulfilled  only  in 
 the  course  of  many  centuries.  Those,  which  re- 
 spected the  personal  appearance  of  the  Messiah, 
 were  sometimes  delivered  conjointly  with  the 
 former,  sometimes  were  distinct  from  them;  but 
 were  fulfilled  in  the  course  of  a  very  few  years. 
 All  together  formed  one  connected  chain.  The 
 events  were  such,  and  so  numerous,  as  to  exclude 
 the  possibility  of  accounting-  for  this  conformity  to 
 previous  annunciation  by  the  supposition  of  casual 
 coincidence;  nor  could  the  mere  conjectures  of  the 
 wisest  mortals  have  so  accurately  described  them. 
 Either  we  must  say  that  they  were  delivered  by 
 the  communication  of  him,  who  alone  couldybresee 
 those  contingent  events,  which  are  brought  about 
 by  the  ordinary  motives  and  proceedings  of  human 
 conduct ;  or  that  the  same  great  Being,  "  who 
 doeth  according-  to  his  will  among  the  armies  of 
 heaven,  and  among-  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth," 
 moulded,  controlled  and  adjusted  the  motives, 
 actions,  and  successes  of  all  these  numerous 
 assents,  so  as  to  produce  an  exact  conformity  to 
 the  predictions  of  the  prophets.  Either  of  these 
 suppositions  involves  the  interposition  of  the  Deity. 
 And  in  the  same  manner  as  a  miracle  implies  and 
 teaches  the  exercise  of  the  same  Omnipotence 
 which  created  the  world,  and  which  gave  to  the 
 
302  Lecture  XII. 
 
 course  of  nature  a  law  unbroken,  except  at  the 
 will  of  the  Creator;  so  does  the  clear  previous 
 existence  of  prophecy,  and  the  certainty  of  its 
 extensive  fulfilment,  prove  that  he,  whose  omni- 
 science perceives,  whose  prescience  foresees, 
 and  whose  providence  overrules  all  things,  must 
 in  this  case  also  have  interposed.  And  we  need 
 surely  no  argument  to  convince  us  that  he,  who 
 is  the  God  of  nature,  is  the  same  God,  who  alone 
 lc  declares  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and  from 
 ancient  times  the  things  that  are  not  yet  done  ; 
 saying,  My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all 
 my  pleasure."  His  alone  is  that  u  wisdom,  which 
 reacheth  from  one  end  to  the  other  mightily,  and 
 doth  sweetly  order  all  things." 
 
 We  have  now  taken  a  general  survey  of  the 
 manner  in  which  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Tes- 
 tament give  testimony  to  Jesus,  as  the  Messiah 
 promised  of  old.  We  have  principally  alluded  to 
 the  express  predictions  of  the  Old  Testament ; 
 and  also  to  the  history  of  the  earlier  ages  of  the 
 world,  as  indicating  a  tendency  of  all  the  arrange- 
 ments of  Providence  towards  the  fulfilment  of 
 those  predictions  in  their  season.  In  the  mean 
 time,  those  assurances  of  mercy  thus  given  to  the 
 Fathers,  and  the  holy  covenant  into  which  God 
 entered  with  them,  were  sufficient  to  animate  and 
 guide  them  in  their  pilgrimage  through  this  world 
 to  a  better  and  a  heavenly  country.     For  by  the 
 
Lecture  XII.  303 
 
 miracles  which  sometimes  accompanied  the  deli- 
 very of  these  predictions,  and  by  the  partial 
 fulfilment  of  them,  or  of  others  of  a  similar 
 origin,  they  had  such  evidence  of  the  care  and 
 gracious  intentions  of  that  God,  "  who  had  pro- 
 vided better  things  for  us,  that  they  without  us 
 should  not  be  made  perfect,"  as  that  even  they 
 "  died  in  faith  ;  not  having  received  the  promises 
 indeed,  but  having  so  seen  them  afar  off,  as  to  be 
 persuaded  of  them,  and  to  embrace  them." — And 
 in  another  way  also  did  the  provisions  of  earlier 
 revelation  provide  a  testimony  to  the  promised 
 Messiah.  The  method  of  worship  by  sacrifices, 
 the  various  ceremonies  of  the  Mosaic  ritual,  and 
 very  many  of  the  peculiar  arrangements  of  their 
 civil  and  political  system,  were  all  occasioned  by 
 the  design  of  raising  up  out  of  the  Jewish  nation 
 that  Deliverer,  who  was  predicted  by  their  own 
 prophets.  The  consideration  of  the  numerous 
 particulars  to  which  we  have  alluded  is  highly 
 satisfactory ;  for  it  tends  to  strengthen  more  and 
 more  our  conviction  that  the  Scriptures  of  the 
 Old  Testament,  are  they  that  testify  of  Jesus. 
 For  it  shews  not  only  that  their  predictions 
 describe  him,  and  that  the  events  which  they 
 relate  were  preparing  for  his  advent,  but  also 
 that  the  civil  and  political  injunctions  were  de- 
 signed to  shew  that  he  was  born  of  the  promised 
 house  and  lineage,  and  that  the  religious  cere- 
 
304  Lecture  XII. 
 
 monies,  in  a  vast  variety  of  methods,  represented 
 and  typified  his  character  and  understanding \ 
 
 "  Search,  then,  the  Scriptures ;  for  in  them 
 ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life.  And  they  are  those 
 which  testify  of  Me/'  said  Jesus,  whom  we  believe 
 to  have  been  the  Christ. — Now  the  Scriptures, 
 eternal  life,  and  Jesus  Christ,  are  terms  familiar 
 to  us,  and  in  some  degree,  at  least,  understood  by 
 all  of  us.  And  it  is  by  allowing  the  connexion 
 and  mutual  dependency  of  the  ideas  thereby 
 conveyed,  that  the  Christian  deduces  those  prin- 
 ciples and  motives,  and  cherishes  those  hopes 
 and  expectations,  which  distinguish  him  from  the 
 Jew  and  the  Infidel. — The  Infidel,  indeed,  either 
 does  not  at  all  concern  himself  about  the  hope  of 
 eternal  life ;  or  he  derives  it  from  the  boasted 
 arguments  of  natural  religion,  independently  both 
 of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  him,  who,  cc  through  the 
 Gospel,  has  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light." 
 — The  Jew  does  indeed  look  forward  to  eternal 
 life,  but  he  derives  not  that  hope  from  the  record 
 which  God  has  given  of  his  Son  Christ  Jesus. 
 For  he  believes  not  that  Jesus  was  one  whom  God 
 had  sent ;  and,  therefore,  while  he  admits  the 
 divine   authority  of   the    Scriptures   of   the    Old 
 
 a  Among  other  excellent  works  which  would  elucidate  this 
 part  of  our  subject,  I  would  refer  more  especially  to  "  Allix's 
 Reflections  on  the  Old  and  New  Testament."  They  are  reprinted 
 in  Bp.  Watson's  Tracts,   Vol.  I. 
 
Lecture  XII.  o05 
 
 Testament  referred  to  in  the  text,  and  allows  that 
 they  testify  of  a  promised  Messiah,  he  believes  not 
 that  Jesus  is  that  Messiah.  Multitudes  of  Jews 
 have,  indeed,  even  in  modern  times  been  induced, 
 from  the  evidence  of  the  prophecies,  to  admit  the 
 Messiahship  of  Jesus,  and  have  embraced  the 
 Christian  faith.  Very  many  of  these  have  been 
 learned  men,  and  have  left  behind  them,  in  their 
 several  writings,  a  statement  of  the  reasons  which 
 influenced  themb.  But  as  a  nation,  they  reject 
 the  claims  of  Jesus.  In  the  apostolic  times  also, 
 "  great  multitudes  of  Jews,"  "  many  even  among 
 the  chief  rulers,"  believed  on  him,  and  C(  a  great 
 company  of  their  priests  became  obedient  to  the 
 faith0."  But  then  also,  as  a  nation,  they  rejected 
 him.  The  motives  and  grounds  of  that  rejection, 
 in  some  respects  common  to  unbelievers  of  all 
 ages  and  nations,  our  Lord  notices  in  the  words 
 following  the  text,  which  will  be  considered  in 
 a  future  Lecture.  But  when  our  Lord  delivered 
 this  discourse,  these  principles  had  not  yet  come 
 into  full  operation.  The  question  of  his  divine 
 mission  and  Messiahship  was  as  yet,  in  a  great 
 
 b  See  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  conversion  and  writings 
 of  Jewish  Rabbis,  and  of  their  labours  among  their  countrymen, 
 at  the  end  of  Chapman's  Eusebius  ;  who  gives  references  to  those 
 authorities  which  he  says  would  have  enabled  him  to  enlarge  his 
 list. 
 
 c  John  xii.  42.     Acts  vi.  7  ;    xxi.  20. 
 
 u 
 
.'306'  Lecture  XII. 
 
 measure,  undecided.     The  Jews,  and  more  espe- 
 cially   their    rulers,    were    evidently    prejudiced 
 against  him,  and  rather  disposed  to  oppose  and 
 persecute  him,  than    to  admit  his   claims.     This 
 prejudice  and  opposition  had  not,  however,  pro- 
 ceeded to  the  lengths  to  which  it  afterwards  did  ; 
 but  only  so  far  as  to  draw  from  our  Lord  a  more 
 full  statement  respecting  his  claims,  and  the  several 
 arguments  which  he  was  able  to  produce  in   sup- 
 port of  them.     We  have  heard  what  claims   he 
 advanced,  we  have  considered  his  reasonings,  we 
 have  surveyed  and  scrutinized  the  facts  to  which 
 he  referred,  and  we   have    now  considered   that 
 testimony  of  Scripture    to    which   our    Lord   last 
 directed  the  attention  of  those  whom  he  addressed. 
 How  then  are  we    affected  with   regard    to  this 
 important  question,  respecting  eternal  life,  and  that 
 divine  messenger  who  was  sent  to  offer,  who  died 
 to  procure,  and  who  was  exalted  to  bestow  a  boon 
 so  unspeakably  precious?     Do  we  virtually  sym- 
 bolize with  the  Jew  and  the  infidel,  either  refusing, 
 because  of  the  objections  which  are  suggested  to 
 our  understanding,  or  neglecting,  because  of  the 
 backwardness  of  our  hearts,  to  <(  come  to  Christ 
 that  we  may  have  life?" 
 
 If  we  entertain  doubts  respecting-  the  fulness 
 and  conclusiveness  of  the  Christian  argument, 
 have  we  given  to  it  that  deep  and  serious  atten- 
 tion, by  which  alone  we   can  be  advancing  to  a 
 
Lecture  XII.  307 
 
 solid  and  abiding  conviction  ?  I  cannot  persuade 
 myself  that  it  can,  in  general,  be  necessary  to 
 enter  on  a  large  and  laborious  investigation  of 
 philosophical  objections,  and  metaphysical  reason- 
 ings, in  order  to  attain  a  conviction  sufficiently 
 enlightened  and  rational ;  one  upon  which  any 
 thinking  man  will  act,  who  remembers  the  short- 
 ness of  life  and  the  magnitude  of  the  objects  at 
 stake,  who  considers  the  obvious  force  of  the  various 
 reasons  in  favour  of  revealed  religion,  and  the 
 anxious  scrutiny,  both  by  friends  and  foes,  which 
 has  not  discovered  the  weakness,  but  shewn  the 
 strength  of  its  evidence.  Let  us  beware  lest,  after 
 all,  the  truth  be,  that  "  we  are  not  icilling  to  come 
 to  Christ  that  we  may  have  life  ;"  because  we  are 
 aware  that  he  who  will  enter  into  life  must  keep 
 the  commandments,  and  that  the  narrow  way  that 
 leadeth  unto  life  is  a  way  of  holiness  and  self-denial. 
 The  defect  is  more  generally  in  the  will  than  in  the 
 understanding;  and  even  when  it  appears  to  be  in 
 the  understanding,  it  generally  proceeds  from  that 
 predominance  of  the  will,  enslaved  by  its  affections 
 and  lusts,  which  is,  in  fact,  the  essence  and  opera- 
 tion of  almost  all  the  modifications  of  human 
 depravity. 
 
 It  is  this  unhappy  slavery,  this  love  of  sin,  of 
 the  world,  and  of  our  present  interest,  that 
 operates,  not  only  to  produce  infidelity,  but  many- 
 other    errors,    which    deviate    from    the    doctrine 
 
 L'   <2 
 
308  Lecture  XII. 
 
 according-  to  godliness.  1  cannot  but  persuade 
 myself,  however,  that  a  remedy  is  proposed  in  the 
 text,  which,  if  duly  adopted,  would  be  effectual, 
 both  as  to  errors  in  doctrine,  and  inconsistency  in 
 practice ;  which  can  make  us  both  wise  unto 
 salvation,  and  also  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all 
 good  works.  "  Search  the  Scriptures,  for  in  them 
 ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life."  Our  ignorance,  or 
 our  crude,  partial,  and  unsanctified,  knowledge  of 
 the  Scriptures,  is  the  fruitful  source  of  error.  Do 
 we  desire  that  it  should  be  otherewise  with  us  ? 
 We  must  imitate  the  example  of  the  Bereans ; 
 and  the  same  effects  will  follow  in  us  with  respect 
 to  the  whole  range  of  Christian  doctrine  and  duty, 
 which  were  produced  in  them  with  respect  to  that 
 fundamental  truth  of  our  religion,  the  Messiahship 
 of  Jesus.  "  They  received  the  word  with  all 
 readiness  of  mind,  and  searched  the  Scriptures 
 daily,  whether  those  things  were  so ;  and  therefore 
 many  of  them  believed*. "  Few  comparatively, 
 we  trust,  are  they,  who  do  not  acknowledge  them 
 as  the  words  of  eternal  life  ;  who  do  not  know 
 that  they  testify  of  Jesus,  as  cc  the  end  of  the  law 
 unto  righteousness,"  and  "  as  the  power  of  God 
 unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth."  We 
 fear,  however,  that  few  do  value  and  search  them 
 
 1  Acts  xvii,  1  i ,  12. 
 
Lecture  XH.  .309 
 
 as   such.      Yet   is   there  an   expediency,    almost 
 amounting  to  a  necessity,  that  both  the  preacher 
 and  the  hearer  of  the  Gospel  should  be  well  ac- 
 quainted with  these  divine  records.     None  doubt 
 that  "  if  any  man  speak,  he  must  speak  as  the 
 oracles  of  God;"  and  that  from  the  discourses  of 
 our  Lord,  and   the  writings  of  his  Apostles,  he 
 must  learn,  both  [the  subject  and  the  manner  of 
 Christian  instruction.      But   a  competent   know- 
 ledge of  the  same  Scriptures  is  also  equally  neces- 
 sary  to    the    Christian   hearer.      The   allusions, 
 reasonings,   statements,  and  exhortations,  of  the 
 preacher,  will  not  otherwise  be  sufficiently  intel- 
 ligible and  impressive.     We  fear,  therefore,  that 
 the  success  of  our  ministrations  is  much  less  than 
 it  might  be,  if  the  word  of  God  were  more  read  in 
 the  family  and  in  the  closet.     Our  success  would 
 probably  be  far  less  than  it  is,  if  the  reading  of 
 Holy  Scripture  were  not  so  prominent  a  part  of 
 our  public  Service.     For  the  knowledge  and  in- 
 fluence derived  from  that  source  we  have,  perhaps, 
 more  abundant  cause  to  be  thankful  than  we  have 
 yet  been  aware  of.     Yet  how  much  greater  would 
 be  our  Christian  edification,   if  the  family  altar, 
 and  the  hour  of  retirement,  could  witness  to  our 
 perusal  of  the  Scriptures  !    From  how  many  errors 
 would  this  guard  us,  from  how  many  temptations 
 would  it  preserve  us !     How  powerfully,  though, 
 perhaps,  imperceptibly,  would  it  dispose  us  to  be 
 
310  Lecture  XII. 
 
 not  willing  only,  but  eager,  and  thankful,  to  come 
 unto  Christ,  that  we  may  have  life! — Receive, 
 then,  and  search  the  Scriptures,  "  not  as  the  word 
 of  man,  but,  as  they  are  in  truth,  the  word  of  God, 
 which  effectually  work  also  in  them  that  believe." 
 Value  and  obey  them,  as  those  who  know  the 
 authority  which  they  possess,  and  the  obligations 
 which  rest  upon  yourselves.  For  you  rightly 
 4f  think  that  in  them  you  have  eternal  life." 
 
LECTURE    XIII. 
 
 A  REVIEW  OF  THE  PARTICULAR  INSTA  N  CES  IN  WHICH 
 OUR  LORD,  DURING  HIS  LIFE,  ACTUALLY  CITES  OR 
 ALLUDES  TO  THE  PROPHECIES  AND  TYPES  OF  THE 
 ANCIENT   SCRIPTURES. 
 
 St.  Matthew  XI.  12—14. 
 
 From  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist  until  now  the  kingdom 
 of  heaven  suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  hy 
 force.  For  all  the  prophets  and  the  law  prophesied 
 until  John.  And,  if  ye  will  receive  it}  this  is  Elias 
 which  was  for  to  come. 
 
 This  explicit  and  comprehensive  declaration  did 
 Jesus  make  to  the  assembled  multitudes,  after  the 
 dismissal  of  John's  disciples  with  the  answer  to 
 their  master's  message.  He  uttered  these  words 
 with  all  the  confidence  and  composure  of  one  who 
 "  spoke  that  which  he  knew,  and  testified  that 
 which  he  had  seen;"  and  he  subjoined  in  this 
 instance,  as  well  as  on  other  important  occasions, 
 the  awakening  words,  "  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear, 
 let  him  hear." 
 
 The  statement,  which  he  had  just  advanced, 
 did  indeed  demand  attention,  if  they  considered 
 him  from  whom  it  proceeded.     It  came  from  one 
 
312  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 to  whom  John  had  just  been  proposing  the  ques- 
 tion, <c  Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  look  we 
 for  another?"     It  came  from  one  who  had  been 
 performing-  in  their  presence  such  miracles,  that  the 
 simple  enumeration  of  them  served  as  an  answer  to 
 that  question ;  miracles,  in  consequence  of  which 
 they  themselves  "  glorified  God,  saying,   That  a 
 great  prophet  has  risen  up  among  us,  and,  That 
 God  has  visited  his  people." — The  declaration  also 
 demanded  attention,  if  they  considered  the  purport 
 of  it.     It  announced  to  them  the  termination  of 
 that  season,  during  which  the  glories  of  the  latter 
 days  were  made  known  to  the  sons  of  men  only 
 in  consolatory  promises,  foreshadowing  types,  and 
 prophetic  anticipation.     It  announced  the  actual 
 presence,   exhibition,   and   offer  of  the   expected 
 blessings.      It  referred  them    to    the   valedictory 
 declaration  of  the  last  of  the  prophets,  with  which, 
 four  hundred  years  before,  the  voice  of  prophecy 
 had  ceased,  and  by  which  the  volume  of  inspira- 
 tion had  been  completed.     "  Remember  ye,"  said 
 the  Lord  of  hosts  by  Malachi,  "  the  law  of  Moses 
 my  servant,  which  I  commanded  him  in  Horeb  for 
 all  Israel,  with  the  statutes  and  judgments.     Be- 
 hold, I  will  send  you  Elijah   the  prophet,  before 
 the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the 
 Lord8." — Thus  were  the  Jews,  to  adopt  the  ex- 
 
 J  Mai.  iv.  4,  &c. 
 
Lecture  XIII.  .313 
 
 pression  of  an  Apostle,  to  be  "  kept  under  the 
 law,  shut  up  unto  the  faith  which  should  after- 
 wards be  revealed  V  Yet  the  law  and  the  pro- 
 phets were  not  silent  respecting-  "  good  things  to 
 come."  Both  the  one  and  the  other  "  prophesied." 
 Previously  to  the  appearance  of  John  the  Baptist, 
 these  prophecies  had  not  received  their  accom- 
 plishment. But  then  had  that  period  commenced, 
 in  which  "  the  God  of  heaven  would  set  up  a 
 kingdom  that  should  never  be  destroyed0."  "From 
 the  days  of  John  the  Baptist,"  said  our  Lord, 
 "  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence,  and 
 the  violent  take  it  by  force.  And  if  ye  will 
 receive  it,  this  is  Elias,  which  was  for  to  come. 
 He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear." 
 
 Such  declarations  as  these  also  claim  the  atten- 
 tion of  us  Gentiles.  For  the  things  of  which  the 
 law  and  the  prophets  prophesied,  were  spoken  of 
 "  the  last  days,  in  which  it  was  to  come  to  pass 
 that  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  would  be 
 established  in  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  and  be 
 exalted  above  the  hills  ;  and  all  nations  would  flow 
 into  it."  And  already  has  it  come  to  pass  that 
 many  nations  have  said,  "  Come  ye  and  let  us  go 
 up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  to  the  house  of 
 the  God  of  Jacob  ;  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his 
 ways,  and  we  will  walk  in  his  paths ;  for  out  of 
 
 "  Gal.  iii.  '23.  c  Dan.  ii.  44. 
 
314  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 Zion  hath  gone  forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  the 
 Lord  from  Jerusalem*."  He,  who  was  the  mes- 
 senger of  the  new  and  universal  covenant,  through 
 whose  doctrine  "  the  idols  have  been  utterly 
 abolishedb,"  and  in  whose  name  we  trust,  appealed 
 to  the  law  and  to  the  prophets  as  giving  witness 
 to  himself.  He  came  "  not  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil 
 them."  He  referred  to  the  Scriptures,  as  "  they 
 that  testify  of  him,"  and  to  Moses,  as  "  writing  of 
 him."  He  declared  that  "  all  things  that  were 
 written  by  the  prophets  concerning  the  Son  of 
 man  would  be  accomplished0."  And  as  he  de- 
 clared that  "  the  law  and  the  prophets  prophesied 
 until  John"  so  did  he  manifestly  thereby  intimate, 
 that  in  his  time  we  may  justly  expect  to  find  the 
 accomplishment  begin,  and  that  from  his  time  we 
 shall  be  able  to  trace  its  progress. 
 
 In  the  investigation  of  this,  as  well  as  of  the 
 other  evidences  of  the  mission  and  character  of 
 Jesus,  we  may  take  his  own  discourses  as  a  faith- 
 ful and  sufficient  directory.  He  has  not  omitted 
 either  expressly  to  cite,  or  very  intelligibly  to  refer 
 to,  the  entire  prophetic  testimony  respecting  the 
 Christ,  and  has  required  of  us  to  inquire  and 
 judge  for  ourselves  whether  it  has  not  received  its 
 fulfilment  in   himself.     During   his  personal   mi- 
 
 »  Isai.  ii.   2,  3.  b  Ibid.  v.   IS. 
 
 0  Matt.  v.  17.    John  v.  39,  46.    Luke  xviii.  31. 
 
Lecture  XIII.  315 
 
 nistry,  indeed,  as  we  observed  in  the  last  Lecture, 
 the  proof  from  prophecy  could  not  be  fully  stated 
 and  exhibited,  because  the  most  signal  events  to 
 which  the  prophets  referred  had  not  then  taken 
 place.  But  the  transactions  of  his  crucifixion  and 
 resurrection  having  rapidly,  and  beyond  all  human 
 calculation,  evinced  the  fulfilment  in  Jesus  of  one 
 large  class  of  predictions,  occasion  was  thereby 
 given  to  appeal  to  them  ;  and  the  way  was  also 
 then  prepared  for  the  fulfilment  of  many  others. 
 But  even  during  the  progress  of  his  personal  minis- 
 try, a  portion  of  the  proof  from  prophecy  was  al- 
 ready developed,  and  was  accordingly  appealed  to 
 by  Jesus. — And  it  is  also  worthy  of  remark,  that 
 during  this  period  he  made  provision  for  the 
 elucidation  of  the  remainder,  and  also  for  the 
 establishment  of  his  own  character  as  an  original 
 prophet,  by  express,  literal,  and  enlarged  pre- 
 dictions of  those  very  events,  which  furnished  the 
 clue  for  unraveling  the  whole  mystery  of  the  pro- 
 phecies, which  reconciled  the  apparently  contra- 
 dictory attributes  of  the  promised  Messiah,  and 
 which  displayed  fully  and  finally  the  character  of 
 his  office,  the  nature  of  his  kingdom,  and  the 
 purposes  for  which  he  was  manifested.  These 
 several  particulars  we  shall  endeavour,  under  the 
 guidance  of  the  statements  of  Jesus,  to  elucidate 
 in  some  future  Lectures  ;  confining  our  attention^ 
 during  the  remainder  of  this,  to  his  actual  citations 
 
316  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 and  allusions  to  the  law  and  prophets  during  his 
 personal  ministry. 
 
 One  of  the  circumstances  upon  which  Jesus 
 insisted,  both  at  the  opening-,  and  once  and  again 
 during  the  progress,  of  his  ministry,  was  the  ful- 
 ness of  the  season  marked  out  by  a  particular 
 class  of  predictions,  which  had  indeed  already  led 
 the  Jews  previously  to  admit  and  adopt  an  opinion, 
 that  the  promised  Messiah  would  shortly  come. 
 "  The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  tfre  kingdom  of  God 
 is  at  hand3."  And  again,  when  they  demanded 
 "a  sign  from  heaven,"  he  said,  "Ye  can  discern 
 the  face  of  the  sky  and  of  the  earth ;  but  how  is 
 it  that  ye  do  not  discern  this  time'0?'"  At  another 
 time,  also,  he  referred  them  to  "the  signs  of  the 
 times,"  which  would  prepare  them,  "  even  of  them- 
 selves, to  judge  what  was  right0;"  since  they  must 
 either  conclude  that  Jesus  was  "he  that  should 
 come,"  or  that  another  speedily  would  come  to 
 accomplish  the  predictions  of  the  prophets. 
 
 Jesus  himself  appeared  in  the  character  of  "  a 
 teacher  come  from  God,"  referring  to  his  works  as 
 a  proof  that  he  was  "sent  by  God,"  and  that  he 
 "  spoke  the  words  of  God."  He  therefore  taught 
 "as  one  that  had  authority."  He  declared  that 
 he  "  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was 
 lost,"  to  "call  not  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 
 
 *  Mark  i.  1.5.  b  Matt.  xvi.  1  —  3.  c  Luke  xii.  .56',  57. 
 
Lecture  XIII.  317 
 
 repentance."  He  invited  the  "  meek  to  learn  of 
 him  ;  the  weary  and  heavy  laden  to  come  to  him 
 for  the  rest  which  he  would  give  to  their  souls." 
 In  proof  of  this  as  the  proper  office  of  him,  whom 
 the  prophets  had  announced,  he  referred,  both  in 
 the  synagogue  at  Nazareth,  and  also  in  the  con- 
 ference with  John's  disciples,  to  the  passage  in 
 the  sixty-first  chapter  of  Isaiah,  in  which  all  this, 
 with  great  particularity  and  variety  of  expression, 
 was  ascribed  to  him,  upon  whom  would  be  "  the 
 Spirit  of  the  Lord,  because  he  was  anointed  to 
 preach  these  glad  tidings d." — The  same  was  also 
 specified  in  many  other  passages  of  the  Old  Tes- 
 tament6. 
 
 Though  Jesus,  as  well  as  the  Baptist,  taught 
 that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  at  hand,  yet  he 
 adopted,  as  the  ordinary  description  of  his  official 
 character,  the  title  of  "the  Son  of  man."  And 
 from  the  way  in  which,  on  various  occasions, 
 he  connected  that  title  with  other  statements,  he 
 evidently  intended  to  direct  their  attention  to  the 
 following  words  of  the  prophet  Daniel.  "  I  saw 
 in  the  night  visions,  and  behold,  one  like  the  Son 
 of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came 
 to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they  brought  him  near 
 before  him.    And  there  was  given  him  dominion, 
 
 d  Isai.  lxi.  1—3. 
 
 e  Ibid.  xi.  1—5;    xlii.  1—8;    lvii.  14—18,  &c. 
 
318  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  and 
 nations,  and  lan^ua^es  should  serve  him  ;  his  do- 
 minion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall 
 not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall 
 not  be  destroyed"."  These  words  evidently  de- 
 scribe a  state  of  glory  and  exaltation  ;  and  yet 
 he,  by  whom  such  glory  was  to  be  attained,  is 
 called  "  one  like  the  Son  of  man." — That  phrase, 
 at  least,  certainly  applies  to  Jesus,  who  appro- 
 priated the  title  to  himself;  for  he  did  undoubt- 
 edly appear  "  in  the  likeness  of  men."  But  consider 
 the  remarkable  manner  and  connexion  in  which 
 he  employed  it  as  his  appropriate  designation.  He 
 spoke  of  a  time  when  there  should  indeed  "  appear 
 the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven;"  referring 
 to  that  expectation  of  "  a  sign  from  heaven" 
 which  the  Jews  had  derived  from  this  prediction 
 of  Daniel,  and  of  which  they  had  several  times 
 required  the  exhibition.  When  calling  God  '*  his 
 own  Father,"  and  speaking  of  himself  in  a  manner 
 consistent  with  such  a  claim,  he  declared  that  he, 
 the  Son  of  God,  "had  authority  to  execute  judg- 
 ment also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man."  He 
 spoke  also  of  a  time  "when  the  Son  of  man 
 should  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power 
 and  great  glory  ;  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with 
 the  holy  angels."     He  not  only  spoke  to  Nico- 
 
 a  Dan.  vii.  13,  U. 
 
Lecture  XIII,  319 
 
 demus  of  "  the  Son  of  man  coming  down  from 
 heaven,  and  being-  in  heaven/'  but  also  declared 
 that  cc  the  Son  of  man  must  be  lifted  up ;"  but  he 
 declared  publicly  to  the  Jews,  "  when  ye  have 
 lift  up  the  Son  of  man,  then  shall  ye  know  that 
 I  am  he."  And  when  on  another  occasion  he 
 declared  that  "  when  he  was  lifted  up  from  the 
 earth,  he  would  draw  all  men  to  him/'  he  had 
 just  said,  "  the  hour  is  come  that  the  Son  of  man 
 should  be  glorified."  And  when  he  had  affirmed, 
 in  answer  to  the  question  of  the  high  priest,  that 
 he  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  he  added  these 
 remarkable  words,  cc  Nevertheless  I  say  unto  you, 
 Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting  on 
 the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds 
 of  heaven."  Thus  both  by  his  assumption  of  this 
 title,  and  also  by  his  application  to  himself  of 
 those  attributes,  which  appertained  to  him  whose 
 it  really  was,  Jesus  appealed  to  those  prophecies 
 which  described  the  humanity,  humiliation,  and 
 subsequent  exaltation  of  Messiah  ;  although  he 
 avoided  the  title  of  Messiah,  which  suggested  to 
 the  minds  of  the  Jews  only  the  idea  of  earthly 
 power\ 
 
 b  Matt.  xxiv.  30.  John  v.  27-  Matt.  xxv.  31.  John  iii. 
 13,  14;  viii.  28  ;  xii.  23.  Matt.  xxvi.  64.  The  Jews  by  adopt- 
 ing the  title  of  Christ  or  Messiah,  as  the  usual  designation  of"  him 
 that  should  come,"  seem  to  have  connected  with  their  expectations 
 of  him  only  the  ideas  immediately  suggested  by  the  title  '■'  Messiah 
 
 the 
 
320  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 The  prophecies,  upon  which  perhaps  Jesus 
 dwelt  most  largely,  were  those  which  respected 
 his  forerunner,  and  their  connected  mission.  He 
 expressly  cited  to  the  multitudes  the  prophecy  of 
 Malachi,  which  spoke  of  him,  as  "  the  messenger 
 who  was  to  be  sent  to  prepare  the  way  of  the 
 Lord;"  stating  that  John  was  he  of  whom  this 
 was  written.  He  also  added,  with  reference  to  the 
 expectation  which  they  still  entertained  respecting 
 the  personal  appearance  of  Elijah,  that  "  if  they 
 would  receive  it,  he  was  the  Elias  who  was  to 
 come  ;"  John  being  described  under  that  name 
 in  the  concluding  words  of  Malachi a.  And  the 
 prediction  of  "the  messenger  of  the  Lord,"  was 
 immediately  followed  by  the  assurance  that  "  the 
 Lord  whom  they  sought  should  suddenly  come  to 
 
 the  prince."  (Dan.  ix.  25.)  Hence  our  Lord,  and  also  the  Baptist, 
 principally  adopted  the  other  prophetic  descriptions  of  the  promised 
 deliverer.  We  have  contended  in  several  passages  of  these  Lectures, 
 as  indeed  even  a  superficial  observation  of  the  Gospel  history 
 teaches  us  to  do,  that  John  did  not  call  Jesus  the  Messiah,  and 
 that  Jesus  did  not  himself  publicly  adopt  the  title.  We,  as 
 Christians,  rightly  conceive  that  this  and  the  other  scriptural 
 titles  of  our  Lord  are  convertible  terms.  In  the  Epistles,  as  being 
 addressed  to  Christians,  it  is  the  term  generally  adopted.  But 
 when  we  peruse  or  interpret  those  parts  of  the  New  Testament, 
 which  record  the  discussions  of  those  periods,  when  it  was  still 
 in  debate,  whether  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  and  also  whether  the 
 functions  of  the  Christ  were  of  a  spiritual  nature,  we  must  bear 
 in  mind  the  errors  of  the  age  respecting  that  title,  as  well  as  its 
 full  and   genuine  import. 
 
 a  Mai.  iii.  1—4;    iv.  5,  6". 
 
Lecture  XIII.  321 
 
 his  temple,  to  purify  the  sons  of  Levi,  and  to  purge 
 them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they  might  offer  unto 
 the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteousness,  and  that 
 the  offering  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem  might  be 
 pleasant  unto  the  Lord,  as  in  the  days  of  old." 
 When,  therefore,  the  witness  of  the  Father  and 
 of  the  Baptist  had  declared  of  Jesus  that  he  was 
 the  Son  of  God,  he  entered  the  temple,  and 
 expelled  the  traders  from  thence  with  the  words, 
 "  Make  not  my  Father's  house  a  house  of  mer- 
 chandise V  And  at  a  later  period  he  exercised 
 the  same  authority;  which  indeed  belonged  to  him, 
 if  he  was  "  one  greater  than  the  temple0/'  And  he 
 then  accompanied  the  act  with  the  still  more  re- 
 markable words ;  ff  It  is  written,  My  house  shall 
 be  called  a  house  of  prayer  for  all  nations'1."  He 
 therein  actually  cited  a  prediction  of  Isaiah  respect- 
 ing the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  ;  and  also  brings  to 
 our  recollection  the  prophecy  of  Haggai,  that 
 "  the  Desire  of  all  nations  should  come,  and  that 
 the  Lord  of  hosts  would  fill  that  house  with  glory  ; 
 and  that  the  glory  of  the  latter  house  should  be 
 greater  than  that  of  the  former6."  Let  it  be  re- 
 marked in  addition  to  our  former  remarks  on  these 
 transactions,  that  in  the  first  instance  the  Jews 
 asked  him  "  what  sign  he  shewed,  seeing  he  did 
 
 b  See  John  ii.  13—22.  c  Matt.  xii.  6". 
 
 d  Mark  xi.  15—17.   Isai.  lvi.  7.  e  Hag.  ii.  6—9- 
 
 X 
 
322  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 such    things."     On    that    occasion,    adapting   his 
 answer  to  their   question,   he  referred   them,   as 
 he  always  afterwards  did,  when  they  demanded 
 a  sign,  to  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  "  Destroy 
 ye  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up." 
 But  in  the  latter  case,  when  they  merely  proposed 
 the  question,    ffby  what  authority  he  did  these 
 things,  and  who  gave  him  this  authority,"  he  then 
 prepared  to  reason  with  them  respecting  the  pas- 
 sage of  Malachi,    which  connected  the  "  sudden 
 coming   of  the   Lord  whom  they  sought  to  his 
 temple/'  with  the  "  sending  of  the  messenger  to 
 prepare  his  way  before  him,"  by  asking  of  them, 
 "'whether  the  baptism  of  John  were  from  heaven 
 or  of  men."     They  knew  the  message  that  John 
 had  delivered ;  if  then  they  allowed  the  authority 
 of  that  messenger,  whom  he  had  immediately  fol- 
 lowed, and  who  had  borne  witness  to  him,   his 
 authority  was  that  of  "  the  messenger  of  the  cove- 
 nant, and  of  the  Lord,  whom  they  sought,"  and  he 
 had  suddenly  come  to  his  temple,  as  "  one  greater 
 than  the  temple3."     And  Jesus  had  also  previously 
 prepared  them  for  considering  this  question,  by  his 
 solemn  entry  into  Jerusalem  in  the  manner  describ- 
 ed by  the  prophet  Zechariah:  by  receiving  during 
 his  progress  to  the  temple,  and  in  the  temple  itself, 
 
 a  Compare  2  Chron.   vi.   \ti — 18,  and    Isai.  ix.  6,  7,  with 
 
 Vlaggai  ii.  7,  and  Mai.  iii.  1. 
 
Lecture  XIII.  323 
 
 the  acclamations  of  the  multitude,  who  saluted  him 
 as  "  the  blessed  one  that  cometh  in  the  name  of 
 the  Lord/'  and  as  "  the  San  of  David."  He  re- 
 fused to  forbid  or  restrain  these  acclamations  ;  nay, 
 he  even  declared  that  'f  if  they  were  silent,  the 
 stones  would  immediately  cry  out."  And  when  the 
 Pharisees  put  to  him  the  significant  question, 
 "Hearest  thou  what  these  say?"  He  answered, 
 "  Yea  ;"  and  added,  citing  the  words  of  the  Psalm- 
 ist, "  Have  ye  never  read,  Out  of  the  mouths  of 
 babes  and  sucklings  thou  hast  perfected  praiseb?" 
 Thus  fully  and  willingly  did  Jesus  appeal  to  the 
 prophets,  and  cite  from  them  such  passages  as 
 either  proved  or  illustrated  his  mission.  And  fain 
 would  he  have  reasoned  with  the  Jews  more  largely 
 upon  the  testimony  of  prophecy  to  those  circum- 
 stances, which  were  already  sufficiently  before 
 them,  and  to  which  such  a  discussion  was  already 
 applicable. 
 
 When  our  Lord  made  the  enlarged  defence 
 of  his  conduct  before  the  Sanhedrim,  and  stated 
 to  them  the  evidences  of  his  authority,  he  ex- 
 pressly stated,  **  If  ye  had  believed  Moses,  ye  would 
 have  believed  me,  for  he  wrote  of  me." — We  can 
 readily  call  to  mind  the  several  promises  made  to 
 Adam,  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob;  all  of 
 which  are  recorded  by  Moses  ;  as  are  the  predic- 
 
 b  Psalm  viii.  2. 
 X  2 
 
324  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 tions  of  Jacob  and  Balaam.  But  that  which  should 
 have  seemed  most  likely  to  have  had  influence  with 
 those,  who  boasted  that  they  were  Moses's  disciples, 
 was  his  prediction  of  the  "  Prophet  like  unto  him- 
 self, who  was  to  be  raised  up  from  among-  their 
 brethren,  and  to  whom  they  were  to  hearken." 
 Yet  as  many  of  that  generation  would  not  hearken 
 to  the  words,  which  that  Prophet  "  spake  in  the 
 name  of  God,  who  had  put  his  words  in  his  mouth/' 
 God  did,  as  he  had  predicted  by  Moses,  "  require  it 
 of  them."  All  the  temporal  calamities,  which  God's 
 former  dealings  with  the  Jews  would  lead  them  to 
 anticipate  from  such  a  threatening,  "  came,"  as 
 our  Lord  predicted,  ec  on  that  generation."  For  as 
 before  for  their  idolatries,  so  now  for  their  rejec- 
 tion of  him,  in  order  to  whose  manifestation  they 
 had  been  preserved  as  a  separate  nation,  their  city 
 and  temple  were  destroyed,  and  themselves  led 
 away  into  captivity.  And  we  have  reason  to  believe 
 it  an  historical  fact,  that  none  but  those  Jews,  who 
 became  Christians,  escaped  from  the  calamities  of 
 the  ruined  Jerusalem. — Our  Lord  did  not  indeed 
 actually  cite  any  of  these  predictions  during  his 
 public  ministry.  But  we  shall  see,  in  our  next 
 Lecture,  that  he  alluded  very  intelligibly  to  the 
 first  promise  made  to  Adam  ;  and  that  he  also 
 made  a  declaration,  which  shews  that  he  intended 
 us  to  recognize  in  himself  that  Seed,  promised  to 
 Abraham,  and  also  to  Isaac,  and  to  Jacob,    "  in 
 
Lecture  XIII.  325 
 
 which  all  the  families  of  the  earth  were  to  be 
 blessed."  And  we  would  also  remind  you  of  his 
 frequent  assertions  that  the  doctrine  which  he 
 taught  was  that  "  which  he  had  heard  of  God," — 
 that  "he  did  not  judge  the  man  who  rejected  his 
 words/'  but  that  there  was  one  "  who  sought  to 
 be  glorified,  and  would  judge  him," — that  "the 
 word  spoken,  the  same  would  judge  him,"  because 
 "  the  Father  had  given  to  himself  a  commandment 
 what  he  should  say,  and  what  he  should  speak, 
 and,  as  the  Father  gave  him  commandment,  so  he 
 spoke."  Now  if  these  expressions  do  not,  in  the 
 first  instance,  remind  us  of  the  prediction  given  by 
 Moses,  they  at  least  receive  an  important  illustra- 
 tion, and  claim  an  increased  and  serious  attention, 
 when  we  read  that  prediction.  For  whosoever  that 
 Prophet  was,  whom  God  "  raised  up  like  unto 
 Moses,"  and  to  whom  he  charged  them  to  "heark- 
 en," it  was  said  of  him  by  God  himself,  "  I  will 
 put  my  words  in  his  mouth,  and  he  shall  speak  all 
 that  I  shall  command  him  ;  and  whosoever  shall 
 not  hearken  unto  my  words,  which  he  shall  speak 
 in  my  name,  I  will  require  it  of  him." 
 
 But  there  was  another  way  in  which  "the  law 
 prophesied"  of  the  blessings  of  the  future  dispen- 
 sation, viz.  by  type  and  figure.  This  subject  was 
 fully  unfolded  by  the  Apostles  after  Jesus  had 
 actually  accomplished  all  that  was  thereby  sha- 
 dowed forth.     But   there  are   at   least  three  in- 
 
326  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 stances  in  which  Jesus  has  himself  touched  upon 
 this  subject.  In  allusion  to  the  brazen  serpent,  which 
 was  raised  on  high  amidst  the  Israelites  dying-  of 
 the  plague,  that  they  might  look  thereon,  and  be 
 miraculously  cured,  our  Lord  said  to  Nicodemus  ; 
 "As  Moses*  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
 even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up,  that 
 whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but 
 have  everlasting  life*."  —  After  our  Lord  had 
 fed  the  five  thousand,  the  people,  probably  from  a 
 recollection  of  the  manner  in  which  Moses  mira- 
 culously fed  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  said, 
 "  This  is  of  a  truth  that  Prophet  that  should  come 
 into  the  world."  And,  finding  Jesus,  they  spoke  of 
 "  their  fathers  having  been  fed  with  manna  in  the 
 desert."  Jesus  said,  "Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Moses 
 gave  you  not  that  bread  from  heaven;  but  my 
 Father  giveth  you  the  true  bread  from  heaven. 
 For  the  bread  of  God  is  he,  which  cometh  down 
 from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world1'." — 
 And  when  Jesus  instituted  the  feast  which  is  to 
 be  kept  in  remembrance  of  "his  being  sacrificed 
 for  us  as  our  passover,"  he  noticed  the  typical 
 nature  of  the  Jewish  passover;  "for  he  said  unto 
 the  disciples,  With  desire  I  have  desired  to  eat  this 
 
 a  John  hi.  14,  15.     Numb.  xxi.  6 — 9. 
 b  John  vi.  31—63.     Exod.  xvi.    14,    &c.     Psalm   lxxviii. 
 24,  25. 
 
Lecture  XIII.  32 1 
 
 passover  with  you  before  I  suffer ;  for  I  say  unto 
 you,  I  will  not  any  more  eat  thereof,  until  it  be 
 fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of  Godc." — And,  when  he 
 said  to  the  Jews,  that  "  their  father  Abraham  re- 
 joiced to  see  his  day,  and  saw  it,  and  was  glad*1/' 
 we  may  justly  suppose  that  he  alluded  to  the  typi- 
 cal nature  of  the  sacrifice  of  Isaac.  For  it  was 
 doubtless  on  that  occasion  that  Abraham  was  en- 
 abled to  foresee,  and,  in  some  measure,  also  to 
 understand,  the  manner  in  which  the  promised 
 Seed  would  become  (c  a  blessing*  to  all  nations,"  by 
 dying  for  them.  And  that  sacrifice  of  Isaac, 
 when  considered  in  connection  with  the  predic- 
 tions of  that  Seed,  who  was  to  descend  from 
 Isaac,  '  was  a  key  to  the  sacrifices  even  of  the  law 
 itself.' 
 
 Thus  did  Jesus  appeal  to  the  law,  of  which  he 
 declared,  when  he  repeated  on  another  occasion 
 some  of  the  words  of  our  text6  ;  "  It  is  easier  for 
 heaven  and  earth  to  pass,  than  one  tittle  of  the  law 
 to  fail."  We  have  already  noticed  in  some  measure 
 how  he  appealed  to  the  prophets.  But  he  appealed 
 to  them  much  more  largely  than  the  limits  of  this 
 discourse  will  allow  us  fully  to  lay  before  you. 
 One  other  detached  example  we  shall  notice,  and 
 
 c   Luke  xxii.    15,    10.    ews   otov    irAripcodrj    ev    rfj   /3a<rt\eia 
 rov  ©eou. — Exod.  xii.  and  xiii. 
 
 d  John  vih.  52 — 56.    Gen.  xxii.  e  Luke  xvi.  16",  17- 
 
328  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 we  shall  then  briefly  class  the  principal  remaining 
 instances  under  two  general  heads. 
 
 Jesus  was  frequently  addressed  by  the  title  of 
 "the  Son  of  David/'  nor  did  he  decline  it;  although 
 it  is  evident  that  they  conceived  that  title  as 
 synonymous  with  the  title  "  Messiah  the  Prince  ;" 
 and  indeed  the  prophets  authorized  them  so  to  do. 
 But  they  doubtless  understood  by  it  the  heir  of 
 David's  earthly  throne ;  and  therefore  our  Lord 
 undertook  to  shew  them,  that  David  had  himself 
 spoken  of  him  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  shew  that 
 the  expected  Potentate  was  not  such,  either  as  to 
 his  original,  his  character,  or  the  nature  of  his 
 dominion,  as  they  fondly  supposed.  "  Jesus  asked 
 the  Pharisees,  What  think  ye  of  the  Christ?  whose 
 Son  is  he?  They  say  unto  him,  The  Son  of  David. 
 He  saith  unto  them,  How  then  doth  David  in 
 Spirit  call  him  Lord,  saying,  The  Lord  said  unto 
 my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  until  I  make 
 thine  enemies  thy  footstool  ?  If  David  then  call 
 him  Lord,  how  is  he  his  Son?  And  no  man  was 
 able  to  answer  him  a  word."  This  was  indeed 
 not  the  only  difficulty  which  the  same  hundred 
 and  tenth  Psalm,  which  is  so  often  cited  in  the 
 New  Testament,  would  present  to  the  Pharisees. 
 For  it  spoke  in  figurative  language  of  the  sufferings 
 of  the  Son  of  David  as  prior  and  introductory  to 
 his  exaltation ;  and  described  him  also  as  "  a 
 priest  for  ever  after  the  order  of  Melchizedec,  and 
 
Lecture  XIII.  .329 
 
 as  therefore  being,    as   Zechariah  also   had  pre- 
 dicted, "  a  priest   upon  his  throne*. " 
 
 I.  One  of  the  subjects,  just  alluded  to,  upon 
 which  our  Lord  very  frequently,  though  not 
 always  avowedly,  cites  the  prophecies  of  the  Old 
 Testament,  is  the  infidelity  of  that  generation, 
 and  the  consequences  of  it  in  the  persecution 
 of  those  who  believed,  and  in  the  vengeance  which 
 overtook  those  who  disbelieved,  because  "  they 
 knew  not  the  time  of  their  visitation."  "  In  them, 
 said  our  Lord,  is  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Esaias, 
 which  saith,  By  hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall 
 not  understand  ;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  shall 
 not  perceive;  for  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross, 
 and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes 
 have  they  closed  ;  lest  at  any  time  they  should 
 see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and 
 understand  with  their  heart,  and  should  be  con- 
 verted, and  I  should  heal  themV  This  passage 
 is  also  cited  by  the  Evangelist  St.  John,  when 
 speaking  of  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews,  "  although 
 Jesus  had  done  so  many  miracles  before  them." 
 And  our  Lord,  when  speaking  of  the  same  sub- 
 ject, observed,  "  This  cometh  to  pass,  that  the 
 word   might  be  fulfilled   that  is  written  in  their 
 
 a  Ps.  ex.    Matt.  xxii.  41—46.    Mark  xii.  34—37-     Luke  xx. 
 40—44.     Zech.  vi.   13. 
 
 b  Matt.  xiii.  14,  15.   Isai.  vi.  9,  10.— See  also  Jer.  v.  20—23. 
 
330  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 law,  They  hated  me  without  a  cause  a."  For  he 
 "  had  done  among  them  the  works  which  no 
 other  man  did." — And  again,  "  Ye  hypocrites, 
 well  did  Esaias  prophesy  of  you,  saying,  This 
 people  honoureth  me  with  their  lips,  but  their 
 heart  is  far  from  meb."  And  the  next  verse  of 
 that  prophet  contains  a  threatening,  to  which  our 
 Lord  seems  also  to  have  alluded,  when  he  said  ; 
 "  Father,  I  thank  thee,  that  thou  hast  hid  these 
 things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  re- 
 vealed them  unto  babes0." 
 
 When  our  Lord  says,  "  I  am  come  to  set 
 a  man  at  variance  against  his  father,  and  the 
 daughter  against  her  mother,  and  a  man's  foes 
 shall  be  they  of  his  own  household,"  he  adopts 
 the  language  of  the  prophet  Micahd.  And  it  will 
 also  be  found  that  he  has  very  largely  cited  the 
 ancient  prophets  in  many  of  his  statements  respect- 
 ing the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  of  which  indeed 
 he  expressly  says,  "  For  these  be  the  days  of 
 vengeance,  that  all  things  which  are  written  may 
 be  fulfilled* ."     And  it  is  scarcely  needful  to  re- 
 
 a  John  xv.  22 — 25.     Ps.  xxxv.  19  ;   lxix.  4. 
 
 b  Matt.  xv.  7.    Mark  vii.  6.   Isai.  xxix.  13.    Ezek.  xxxiii.  31. 
 
 c  Matt.  xi.  25.  Our  Lord  had  just  been  speaking  of  his  mi- 
 racles. See  ver.  18.  of  the  same  chapter  of  the  Prophet.  Com- 
 pare also  Isai.  xxxii.  4;   xliv.  18;   liv.  13. 
 
 d  Matt.  x.  35,  36".     Micah  vii.  6*,  7- 
 
 e  Luke  xxi.  22.  Deut.  xviii.  19  ;  xxviii.  15 — 6'8.  Dan.  ix. 
 21 — 27.     Zech.  xi.  and  xii.     Mai.  iii.  and  iv. 
 
Lecture  X11I.  331 
 
 mind  you  of  the  awful  words  which  he  subjoined 
 to  the  parable  of  the  wicked  husbandmen,  to  whom 
 one  messenger  was  in  vain  sent  after  another  to 
 receive  the  fruits  of  the  vineyard f,  until  the 
 owner  "last  of  all  sent  unto  them  his  Son." 
 "  Did  ye  never  read  in  the  Scriptures,  c  The 
 stone  which  the  builders  refused,  the  same  is 
 become  the  head  of  the  corner?'  Whoso  shall 
 fall  on  that  stone  shall  be  broken  ;  but  on  whom- 
 soever it  shall  fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder s." 
 And  when  he  added,  on  that  occasion,  that  "  the 
 kingdom  of  God,  which  was  taken  from  them, 
 would  be  given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the 
 fruits  thereof/'  he  doubtless  alluded  to  the  ap- 
 proaching call  of  the  Gentiles,  which  in  several 
 other  instances  he  had  even  more  distinctly  pre- 
 dicted, in  strict  conformity  to  what  the  prophets 
 had  stated  respecting  those  who  would  be  included 
 in  the  Messiah's  kingdom11. 
 
 II.    But  lastly,  Jesus  also  referred,  before  his 
 sufferings  commenced,  to  the  prophetic  testimony 
 
 f  See  2  Chron.  xxiv.  19—21;  xxxvi.  15,  16'.  Neh.  ix.  26". 
 Jer.  xxvi.  4 — 6. 
 
 s  Ps.  cxviii.  22.  For  the  sources,  whence  our  Lord  borrowed 
 the  general  warning  subjoined  to  his  citation  of  the  Psalmist, 
 see  Isai.  viii.  14,  15.  Ix.  11,  12.  Zech.  xii.  2,  3.    Dan.ii.  34,  35. 
 
 h  Matt.  viii.  11,  12.  John  x.  16.  Gen.  xxii.  18.  Ps.  lxxii.  10, 
 11,  17—19-  Isai.  xi.  10;  xlii.  1—6.  Zech.  ii.  11  ;  viii.  22,  23. 
 Mai.  i.  11. 
 
332  Lecture  XIU. 
 
 of  the  Old  Testament  respecting-  them,  and  the 
 events  by  which  they  were  to  be  brought  about. 
 At  the  same  time,  however,  by  additional  and 
 still  more  minute  statements,  he  made  them  the 
 subjects  of  his  own  original  and  more  express 
 predictions.  "  Behold,"  said  he  to  the  twelve, 
 *.'  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  all  things  that  are 
 written  by  the  prophets  concerning  the  Son  of 
 man  shall  be  accomplished. — The  Son  of  man 
 goeth,  as  it  is  written  of  him,  but  woe  unto  that 
 man  by  whom  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed. — 1  speak 
 not  of  you  all,  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen,  but 
 that  the  Scripture  may  be  fulfilled,  '  He  that 
 eateth  bread  with  me  hath  lifted  up  his  heel 
 against  me.' — All  ye  shall  be  offended  because 
 of  me  this  night,  for  it  is  written,  '  I  Avill  smite 
 the  Shepherd,  and  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered.' 
 He  that  hath  a  purse,  let  him  take  it,  and  he  that 
 hath  no  sword,  let  him  sell  his  garment,  and  buy 
 one ;  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  this  that  is  written 
 must  yet  be  accomplished  in  me,  '  And  he  was 
 numbered  among  the  transgressors ; '  for  the 
 things  concerning  me  have  an  endV 
 
 Such  things  had  he  said  to  his  disciples,  be- 
 fore there  was  yet  any  apparent  fulfilment  of  the 
 things   which    he    had    thus   predicted.  —  When 
 
 H  Luke  xviii.  31.     Matt.  xxvi.  24.     John  xiii.  18,  iy.     Matt. 
 xxvi.  31.     Luke  xxii.  36,  37. 
 
Lecture  XIII.  333 
 
 those  who  came  to  apprehend  him  in  the  garden 
 of  Gethsemane  were  approaching ;  he  endea- 
 voured to  awaken  their  recollection  of  these 
 previous  assurances,  and  to  arouse  them  to  a 
 sense  of  his  and  their  danger  by  the  declaration, 
 "  He  that  betrayeth  me  is  at  hand."  And  when 
 they  were  astonished  and  confounded,  he  reminded 
 them  once  more  that  nothing  had  occurred,  which 
 had  not  been  prophesied  respecting  him,  nothing, 
 from  which  his  Father,  if  it  were  expedient,  could 
 not  deliver  him.  "  Thinkest  thou,"  said  he  to 
 Peter,  u  that  I  cannot  now  pray  unto  my  Father, 
 and  he  shall  presently  give  me  more  than  twelve 
 legions  of  angels  ?  But  how  then  shall  the  Scrip- 
 tures be  fulfilled,  that  thus  it  must  beh?"  He 
 noticed  the  same  to  those  who  came  to  apprehend 
 him.  "  All  this  has  been  done,  that  the  Scriptures 
 of  the  prophets  might  be  fulfilled. — The  Scriptures 
 must  be  fulfilled. — This  is  your  hour,  and  the 
 power  of  darkness0." 
 
 When  on  his  trial,  he  professed  himself  to  be 
 the  Christ,  he  cited  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  re- 
 specting the  Son  of  man,  and  argued  respecting 
 the  nature  and  object  of  his  kingdom.  —  But 
 these  things  will  be  considered  in  a  future 
 Lecture. 
 
 b  Matt.  xxvi.  53,  54. 
 
 c  Matt.  xxvi.  56".     Mark  xiv.  49.     Luke  xxii.  53. 
 
334  Lecture  XIII. 
 
 When  suspended  on  the  cross,  "  knowing  that 
 
 ALL    THINGS    WERE    NOW    ACCOMPLISHED,    that    the 
 
 Scripture  might  be  fulfilled,  he  said,  I  thirst*." 
 And  "  being  numbered  with  the  transgressors, 
 and  having  made  intercession  for  them/'  he 
 vented  the  feelings  of  his  agonized  soul  in  the 
 opening  verse  of  that  Psalm,  which  had  so  dis- 
 tinctly predicted  those  sufferings  which  he  had  now 
 been  enduring,  the  minute  circumstances  which 
 had  attended  them,  and  the  cruel  taunts  which  his 
 enemies  had  unwittingly  uttered  against  himV 
 And  soon,  appealing  both  to  the  law,  and  to  the 
 prophets,  which  had  prophesied  of  all  these  things, 
 and  which  were  now  accomplished,  he  declared 
 with  a  loud  voice,  "  It  is  finished0. "  He  "  bowed 
 his  head,  and  gave  up  the  ghost." 
 
 To  these  words,  and  to  all  those  which  we 
 have  cited,  may  we  not  apply  the  exhortation  of 
 our  text  ?  "  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
 hear."  We  have  not  even  alluded  to  more  than 
 an  extract  from  the  great  volume  of  Prophecy. 
 We  have  noticed  those  predictions  only,  which 
 we  know  that  our  Lord  actually  cited,  and  to 
 which  he  appealed,  and  even  these  but  in  an  im- 
 perfect and  cursory  manner.  But  do  not  even 
 these  shew  to  us,  that  cc  the  law  and  the  prophets 
 
 ■  John  xix.  28.    Ps.  lxix.  21.        b  Ps.  xxii.    Matt,  xxvii.  46. 
 c  John  xix.  30. 
 
Lecture  XIII.  335 
 
 prophesied  "  of  Htm  ?  He,  therefore,  "  that  hath 
 ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear."  Let  us  hear  "the 
 voices  of  the  prophets,"  directing-  us  to  Jesus  as 
 "  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
 the  world."  And  let  us  hear  also  the  voice  of 
 HIM,  who  says,  "  Look  unto  me  and  be  saved,  all 
 the  ends  of  the  earth."  And  "to  whom  else 
 should  we  go?  for  he  hath  the  words  of  eternal 
 life."  Yet,  how  "slow  of  heart  are  we  also  to 
 believe  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken!"  How 
 careless  about  that  salvation,  "  of  which  the 
 prophets  enquired  and  searched  diligently,  who 
 did  but  prophesy  of  the  grace  that  has  come  unto 
 us  !"  To  them  "  it  was  revealed,  that  not  unto 
 themselves,  but  unto  us,  they  did  minister  these 
 things ;  which  are  now  reported  to  us  by 
 them,  that  have  preached  the  Gospel  unto  us, 
 with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven." 
 "  Blessed,  then,  are  our  eyes,  because  of  the 
 things  which  we  have  seen,  and  our  ears,  because 
 of  the  things  which  we  have  heard.  For  many 
 prophets  and  kings  have  desired  to  see  those 
 things  which  we  see,  and  have  not  seen  them  ; 
 and  to  hear  those  things  which  we  hear,  and 
 have  not  heard  them." 
 
 "  He,  therefore,   that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 
 him  hear ! " 
 
LECTURE   XIV. 
 
 OUR  LORDS  DEBATES  WITH  THE  JEWS. THAT  RE- 
 CORDED in  st.  john's  eighth  chapter  con- 
 sidered  IN  THE    COURSE    OF    WHICH    OUR    LORD 
 
 SPECIFIES  THE  PERIOD  AT  WHICH  THE  EVIDENCE 
 OF  HIS  MESSIAHSHIP  WOULD  BE  COMPLETE  ;  AP- 
 PEALS TO  THE  PURITY  OF  HIS  LIFE,  AND  OF  HIS 
 DOCTRINE  ;  HINTS  AT  THE  FULFILMENT  IN  HIM 
 OF  THE  PROMISE  TO  ABRAHAM  ;  AND  ASSERTS 
 HIS     PRE-EXISTENCE. 
 
 St.  John  VIII.  28,  29,  45—47. 
 
 Then  said  Jesus  unto  them,  When  ye  have  lifted  up  the 
 Son  of  man,  then  shall  ye  know  that  I  am  he,  and  that 
 I  do  nothing  of  myself ;  hut  as  my  Father  hath  taught 
 me,  I  speak  these  things.  And  he  that  sent  me  is  with 
 me:  the  Father  hath  not  left  me  alone;  for  I  do  always 
 those  things  that  please  him. 
 
 And  because  I  tell  you  the  truth,  ye  believe  me  not. 
 Which  of  i/ou  convinceth  me  of  sin  ?  And  if  I  say  the 
 truth,  why  do  ye  not  believe  me  ?  He  that  is  of  God, 
 heareth  God's  words ;  ye  therefore  hear  them  not,  be- 
 cause ye  are  not  of  God. 
 
 The  arguments  of  our  Lord  before  the  Sanhedrim 
 having  been  considered  in  our  former  Lectures,, 
 and  also  such  other  arguments  as  were  imme- 
 diately referable  to  the  same  general  heads,,  we 
 shall  proceed,  in  this  and  the  three  following 
 Lectures,    to  discuss  such   as   remain  unnoticed. 
 
Lecture  XIV.  337 
 
 The  subject  of  our  next  Lecture  will  be,  our 
 Lord's  reference  to  his  own  prophecies  as  fur- 
 nishing an  evidence  of  his  character.  We  shall 
 afterwards  notice  his  sayings  at  his  apprehension, 
 at  his  trial,  and  at  his  crucifixion.  And  our  re- 
 view of  his  statements  on  the  subject  of  evidence 
 will  then  be  completed,  by  considering  the  man- 
 ner in  which  he  proved  the  reality  of  his  resur- 
 rection, and  his  reasonings  upon  the  prophecies 
 after  that  event. — Our  attention  will  be  directed, 
 in  this  Lecture,  to  the  debates  which  our  Lord 
 held  with  the  Jews  at  an  advanced  period  of  his 
 ministry.  They  are  recorded  in  the  sixth  and 
 following  chapters  of  St.  John  ;  and  we  have  se- 
 lected, as  a  specimen,  that  which  occupies  a  large 
 portion  of  the  eighth  chapter.  We  find  in  this 
 debate  the  same  kind  of  instruction,  argument, 
 and  expostulation  as  in  the  others.  And  in  the 
 words  of  our  text,  which  are  extracted  from  it, 
 three  distinct  heads  of  evidence  are  noticed, 
 which  we  have  not  yet  considered  in  the  same 
 point  of  view,  and  in  the  same  connection ; 
 viz.,  his  death  as  supplying  the  complete  and 
 convincing  demonstration  of  his  character;  and 
 the  purity  of  his  life,  and  of  his  doctrine,  as 
 also  claiming  the  confidence  of  all  candid  and 
 devout  inquirers.  Our  Lord  concluded  the  debate 
 with  a  significant  intimation,  that  in  him  was 
 accomplished    the    promise    made    to    Abraham. 
 
 Y 
 
338  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 And  as  he  had,  on  other  occasions,  advanced  a  claim 
 to  divinity,  had  reasoned  upon  it,  and  had  given 
 evidence  of  it,  so  he  here  repeated  the  same  claim., 
 by  the  declaration  of  his  existence  before  Abra- 
 ham. These  various  topics  must  be  noticed  in 
 a  very  brief  and  cursory  manner.  But  it  is  ob- 
 servable, that  in  these  debates,  as  well  as  in  those 
 set  discourses,  to  which  the  subject  of  these 
 Lectures  had  led  us  to  advert,  our  Lord  ever 
 combined  with  the  statement  of  evidence,  declara- 
 tions respecting  the  character  and  design  of  his 
 mission,  and  forcible  addresses  to  the  conscience 
 of  his  hearers. 
 
 It  will  be  expedient,  with  reference  to  the 
 first  topic  which  will  offer  itself,  to  renew  our 
 recollection  of  the  state  of  opinion,  which  existed 
 amonu'  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  at  the  time  when 
 this  debate  took  place a. 
 
 For  some  time  after  the  cure  of  the  impotent 
 man  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  and  his  arraignment 
 before  the  Sanhedrim  in  consequence  of  it,  "Jesus 
 walked  in  Galilee;  for  he  would  not  walk  in  Jewry, 
 because  the  Jews  sought  to  kill  him,"  offended 
 by  his  supposed  disregard  of  the  sabbath,  and 
 still  more,  because  "he  called  God  his  own  proper 
 Father,  making  himself  equal  with  God."  His 
 brethren  in  Galilee  were  anxious  that  he  should 
 
 a  See  John,  chapters  vi.  and  vii. 
 
Lecture  XIV.-  3$9 
 
 go  into  Judea  at  the  approaching  feast  of  taber- 
 nacles, and  "  shew  himself  to  the  world."  Jesus 
 declined  for  a  time  ;  stating  that  "  the  world  hated 
 him,  because  he  testified  concerning  it,  that  the 
 works  thereof  are  evil."  About  the  midst  of  the 
 feast,  however,  "  Jesus  went  up  into  the  temple, 
 and  taught."  There  had  previously  been  f<r  much 
 murmuring  among  the  people  concerning  him  ; 
 for  some  said,  He  is  a  good  man  ;  others  said,  Nay, 
 but  he  deceiveth  the  people."  They  were  how- 
 ever astonished  that,  "  having  never  learned,"  he 
 was  able  to  deliver  such  instructions ;  and  were, 
 therefore,  not  a  little  divided  in  their  opinions  re- 
 specting him.  Jesus  himself  in  several  instances 
 adapted  his  remarks  to  their  own  difficulties  and 
 objections  ;  and,  more  than  once,  alluded  to  their 
 murderous  wishes  against  him.  c(  Then  said  some 
 of  them  of  Jerusalem,  Is  not  this  he  whom  they 
 seek  to  kill  ?  But,  lo,  he  speaketh  boldly,  and  they 
 say  nothing  unto  him.  Do  the  rulers  know  in- 
 deed that  this  is  the  very  Christ?  Howbeit  we 
 know  this  man  whence  he  is  ;  but  when  Christ 
 cometh,  no  man  knoweth  whence  he  is."  Upon 
 his  repetition  of  the  supposed  blasphemy,  in 
 noticing  these  their  doubts,  "they  sought  to 
 take  him."  But  iC  many  of  the  people  believed  on 
 him,  and  said,  When  Christ  cometh,  will  he  do 
 more  miracles  than  this  man  doeth  V  And  on  the 
 last  day  of  the  feast,  after  Jesus  had  spoken,  under 
 
 y  2 
 
340  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 the  metaphor  of  water,  of  the  future  gifts  of  the 
 Spirit,  "  many  of  the  people  when  they  heard  that 
 saying,  said,  Of  a  truth  this  is  the  Prophet. 
 Others  said,  This  is  the  Christ.  But  some  said, 
 Shall  Christ  come  out  of  Galilee  ?  Hath  not  the 
 Scripture  said,  That  Christ  cometh  of  the  seed  of 
 David,  and  out  of  the  town  of  Bethlehem,  where 
 David  was?  So  there  was  a  division  among  the 
 people  because  of  him.  And  some  of  them  would 
 have  taken  him  ;  but  no  man  laid  hands  on  him." 
 Even  these  officers  of  the  chief  priests  gave  this 
 reason  for  not  bringing  him,  "Never  man  spake 
 like  this  man." 
 
 Thus  deeply  had  the  people  been  impressed 
 in  favour  of  Jesus  by  his  miracles  and  doctrine. 
 Nay,  so  strongly  were  they  disposed  even  to  con- 
 fess him  to  be  the  Christ,  that  the  Pharisees,  as 
 we  read  in  the  following  chapter,  at  this  time 
 deemed  it  necessary  to  denounce  the  penalty  of 
 excommunication  from  the  synagogue,  against  all 
 who  made  such  a  confession.  Yet  even  the 
 doubts  which  they  entertained  proceeded  upon 
 erroneous  suppositions.  And  Jesus,  as  we  shall 
 see,  at  this  season  endeavoured  to  assist  their 
 inquiries,  and  to  strengthen  and  direct  their  faith, 
 at  the  same  time  that  he  avoided  every  thing  that 
 might  encourage  the  carnal  and  worldly  views  of 
 such,  as  dreamt  only  of  the  restoration  of  a  tem- 
 poral kingdom  to  Israel. 
 
Lecture  XIV.  341 
 
 "  Early  in  the  morning,"  on  the  day  after  the 
 feast  of  tabernacles,  "  he  went  into  the  temple,  and 
 all  the  people  came  unto  hima."  Borrowing  an 
 illustration  from  the  rising  sun,  and  thereby  also 
 applying  to  himself  several  prophetic  descriptions 
 of  "the  Redeemer  who  should  come  to  Zion,  and 
 unto  them  that  turn  from  transgression  in  Jacob/' 
 he  said,  « I  am  the  light  of  the  world ;  he  that 
 followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall 
 have  the  light  of  lifeb." — A  discussion  arose  in 
 consequence  of  this  declaration  ;  in  the  course  of 
 which  Jesus  stated,  in  answer  to  the  objection  of 
 the  Pharisees,  that  even  his  record  concerning  him- 
 self was  true,  "  because  he  knew  whence  he  himself 
 came,  and  whither  he  went."  And  he  also  re- 
 minded them  that  "  the  Father  had  borne  witness 
 of  him/'  as  well  as  he  himself  by  his  miracles. — 
 But  we  need  not  dwell  upon  this  part  of  the  dis- 
 cussion, as  we  have  already  had  occasion  to  con- 
 sider itc. 
 
 "  Then  said  Jesus  again  unto  them,  I  go  my 
 way,  and  ye  shall  seek  me,  and  shall  die  in  your 
 sins ;  whither  I  go,  ye  cannot  come d." — When 
 they  cavilled  at  him,  as  if  he  had  spoken  of  an 
 intention  to  kill  himself,    he  reproved  them  be- 
 
 a  John  viii.  12—20.  b  Isai.  lix.  20,  21  ;  lx.  1. 
 
 c  See  the  former  part  of  Lecture  VI,  and  Lecture  XI. 
 d  John  viii.  21,  &c. 
 
342  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 cause  of  the  earthliness  of  their  minds,  which  not 
 only  made  them  indulge  the  hope  of  a  temporal 
 Messiah,  but  also  seemed  to  incapacitate  them  for 
 learning  better  things.  "Ye  are  from  beneath, 
 I  am  from  above ;  ye  are  of  this  world,  I  am  not 
 of  this  world.  I  said  therefore  unto  you,  that  ye 
 shall  die  in  your  sins ;  for  if  ye  believe  not  that 
 I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins." — Our  Lord 
 was  evidently  now  conversing  with  some  of  those, 
 who  were  disposed  to  side  against  him  ;  and  he 
 was  kindly  cautioning  them  against  persisting  in 
 those  interested  and  deluding  prejudices,  which 
 now  so  effectually  blinded  their  understandings. 
 Had  they  but  had  a  disposition  to  judge  impar- 
 tially, or  even  to  suspend  their  judgment,  they 
 would,  at  the  period  to  which  he  alluded,  when 
 he  said,  "I  go  my  way,"  have  seen  fully  that  he 
 was  the  Messiah  that  was  to  come,  though  not 
 such  as  they  expected.  But  he  foresaw  that  they 
 would,  unhappily  for  themselves,  cling  to  the  fond 
 hope  of  a  Messiah  triumphant  upon  earth,  while 
 they  rejected  him  who  was  indeed  the  Messiah, 
 but  who  had  then  "  ascended  where  he  was  be- 
 fore1," and  "gone  whither  they  could  not  come." 
 The  promised  Messiah  would  have  gone  his  way ; 
 they  would  still  seek  him  ;  and  in  the  agony  of  dis- 
 appointed hope,  and  amidst  the  destruction  which 
 
 *  John  vi.  6l2. 
 
Lecture  XIV.  343 
 
 threatened  them,  would  die  in  their  sins.    Because 
 
 of  their  inveterate  carnal  prejudices,  would  they 
 
 die  in  their  sins  ;  cc  for  if  ye  believe  not  that  I  am 
 
 he" — I,  who  appear  in  humility,  in  righteousness, 
 
 in  the  character  of  a  prophet  and  divine  instructor, 
 
 not  of  a  warrior  and  monarch — f'if  ye  believe  not 
 
 that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins."     Whether 
 
 Jesus  were  proved  to  be  the  Messiah  or  not,   he 
 
 had  already  given  them  such  proofs  that  "  God 
 
 was  with  him/'  that  he  had  the  full  sanction  of 
 
 heaven  to  demand  of  them  a  confidence  in  such 
 
 a   declaration  as   he  now   made ;    and   the  awful 
 
 alternative  which   he  announced  to  them,   might 
 
 justly  dispose  them  to  inquire.,  as  they  immediately 
 
 did,  cc  Who  art  thou  ?" — Jesus  saith  unto  them, 
 
 cc  Even    the    same    that    I  said     unto   you    from 
 
 the  beginning- b."     He  had   already   made   many 
 
 declarations  respecting  himself.     At  Jerusalem  at 
 
 a  preceding  passover  he  had  publicly,  before  the 
 
 Sanhedrim,  stated  to  them  the  authority  which  as 
 
 the  Son  of  man  he  had  received  of  the  Father. 
 
 During  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  which  was  just 
 
 over,  he  had  not  been  backward  in  speaking  of  his 
 
 doctrine,  of  the  source  from  whence  he  derived  it, 
 
 and  of  the  blessings  which  he  would  be  empowered 
 
 to  bestow  on  all  that  believed  on  him.     On  that 
 
 very  morning,  in   the  beginning  of  this  conver- 
 
 b  See  Note  in  page  31.9. 
 
344  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 sation  with  them,  he  had  declared  himself  to  be 
 "  the  light  of  the  world."  But  he  proceeded  to 
 inform  them  that  he  had  not  yet  fully  declared 
 either  his  own  office,  or  their  responsibility ;  but 
 that,  at  a  certain  period,  and  after  a  certain  event, 
 they  would  have  the  whole  matter  before  them ;  , 
 and  such  complete  evidence  would  then  be  pro- 
 posed to  them,  as  would  make  their  unbelief  no 
 longer  excusable."  " '  I  have  many  things  to  say 
 and  to  judge  of  you  ;  but  he  that  sent  me  is  true  ; 
 and  I  speak  to  the  world  those  things  which  I 
 have  heard  of  him.'  They  understood  not  that 
 he  spake  unto  them  of  the  Father.  Then  said 
 Jesus  unto  them ;  When  ye  have  lifted  up  the 
 Son  of  man,  then  shall  ye  know  that  I  am  he,  and 
 that  I  do  nothing  of  myself;  but  as  my  Father 
 hath  taught  me,  I  speak  these  things.  And  he 
 that  hath  sent  me  is  with  me ;  the  Father  hath  not 
 left  me  alone;  for  I  do  always  those  things  that 
 please  him." 
 
 The  Evangelist  adds,  that  "  as  he  spake  these 
 words,  many  believed  on  him."  They  were  pro- 
 bably impressed  with  an  admiration  of  his  fearless 
 declaration  of  his  doctrine  in  the  midst  of  danger; 
 they  recollected  both  his  former  and  his  recent 
 instructions,  and  they  could  not  but  confess  their 
 truth  and  propriety;  they  felt  an  assurance,  justi- 
 fied by  the  past  wonders  which  had  borne  witness 
 to  Jesus,  that  the  future  instruction  and  evidence 
 
Lecture  XIV.  345 
 
 of  which  he  spoke  would  hereafter  be  afforded 
 them  ;  and  that  "  what  they  knew  not  now,  they 
 should  know  hereafter."  Perhaps  they  did  not 
 understand  what  he  meant  by  cc  the  lifting  up  of 
 the  Son  of  man."  They  might  even  still  under- 
 stand this  as  spoken  of  his  exaltation  to  the  tem- 
 poral throne  of  David,  rather  than  of  his  being 
 <(  lifted  up  from  the  earth"  upon  the  fatal  tree. 
 Probably,,  however,  they  had  some  imperfect  notion 
 of  his  meaning;  for  we  find  them  afterwards 
 observing,  upon  his  use  of  the  same  expression, 
 lc  We  have  heard  out  of  the  law,  that  Christ 
 abideth  for  ever ;  and  how  sayest  thou,  The  Son 
 of  man  must  be  lifted  up?  Who  is  this  Son  of 
 mana?"  Jesus  did  not,  even  then,  explain  it;  for 
 the  event,  which  so  speedily  followed,  could  alone 
 properly  explain  it.  But  he  then  added  a  caution, 
 which  might  also  have  suited  the  occasion  and 
 connexion  of  the  words  before  us,  if  the  question 
 had  been  at  that  time  proposed  to  him,  "  Yet 
 a  little  while  the  light  is  with  you  ;  walk  while  ye 
 have  the  light,  lest  darkness  come  upon  you. — 
 While  ye  have  light,  believe  in  the  light,  that  ye 
 may  be  the  children  of  light." 
 
 As  far  as  it  respects  the  full  understanding  of 
 this  difficulty,  of  the  way  in  which  the  Son  of  man 
 was  lifted  up,  and  of  all  the  glorious  consequences 
 
 a  John  xii.  34. 
 
346  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 of  that  great  but  awful  event, — to  this  extent,  we 
 are  all  "  children  of  light."  We  know  how  Jesus 
 died,  and  rose  again;  how  he  thereby  fulfilled  what 
 was  written,  and  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
 God  with  power.  Hereafter  we  shall  have  to  con- 
 sider this  more  at  large ;  let  it  suffice  for  the 
 present  to  have  observed,  that  Jesus  previously 
 specified  this  event  as  completing  the  evidence  of 
 his  mission.  Yet  during  his  personal  ministry  <c  he 
 that  sent  him  was  with  him,  the  Father  left  him 
 not  alone."  Even  before  the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
 ness arose  upon  the  earth  in  all  the  brightness  of 
 his  meridian  splendour,  those  who  waited  for  his 
 salvation,  saw  the  brightness  and  felt  the  genial 
 warmth  of  those  healing  beams,  which  gave  full 
 assurance  that  the  light  of  Israel  was  come,  and 
 which  prepared  them  to  expect  the  glory  that 
 should  follow.  But  to  us  are  made  known  both 
 the  wonders  of  his  holy  and  spotless  life,  the 
 heavenly  doctrine  that  flowed  from  his  lips,  the 
 miracles  which  he  wrought,  the  witness  of  heaven 
 and  of  earth,  of  Prophets  and  Apostles,  of  holy 
 men  and  holy  Angels.  And  in  whom  have  we 
 therefore  believed,  but  in  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of 
 the  new  Covenant ;  in  Jesus,  of  whom  all  these 
 things  "  were  written,  that  we  might  know  that  he 
 is  the  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  believing 
 we  might"  not  die  in  our  sins,  but  "  have  life 
 through  his  name."     To  us,  therefore,  who  have 
 
Lecture  XIV.  347 
 
 known  and  received  all  these  things,  as  well  as  to 
 those  who  "  believed  on  him,  as  he  spake  the 
 words"  which  we  have  been  considering,  Jesus 
 says  ;  "  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye 
 my  disciples  indeed,  and  ye  shall  know  the  truth, 
 and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free." 
 
 That  in  these  words  he  spoke  of  that  slavery 
 of  sin,  which  is  unto  death,  and  of  that  spiritual 
 liberty  wherewith  he  maketh  his  people  free,  we 
 learn  from  his  own  subsequent  explanation  of  his 
 words.  In  us  there  are  probably  few  prepos- 
 sessions so  likely  to  frustrate  his  gracious  inten- 
 tions for  our  deliverance,  as  those  which  result 
 from  the  debasing  influence  of  that  our  slavery, 
 which  makes  us  in  love  with  our  fetters,  which 
 causes  us  even  gladly  to  remain  in  the  darkness  of 
 our  prison-house,  and  which  disposes  us  to  hear  with 
 apathy,  if  not  with  regret,  the  words  of  him  who 
 "  says  to  the  prisoners,  Go  forth ;  to  them  that 
 are  in  darkness,  Shew  yourselves  V  But  what- 
 ever be  the  nature,  and  however  domineering  be 
 the  influence  of  the  unhappy  principles,  which  make 
 us  reluctant  to  be  liberated  from  that  service,  of 
 which  "the  wages  is  death/'  by  the  Son,  "who  can 
 make  us  free  indeed,"  we  shall  do  well  to  reflect 
 how  severely  Jesus  reproved  and  expostulated 
 with  those  Jews,  to  whom  these  words  appeared 
 
 *  Isai.  xlii.  7. 
 
348  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 to  suggest,  not,  as  to  a  Christian,  a  salutary  and 
 yet  encouraging  admonition,  but  an  attack  on  the 
 supposed  hereditary  and  indefeisible  prerogatives 
 of  the  children  of  Abraham.  If  they  were  culpa- 
 ble for  their  ignorance  and  neglect  of  this  freedom, 
 how  much  more  so  are  we! 
 
 Forgetful  of  the  national  dependence  on  a 
 foreign  power  to  which  they  then  were,  and  had 
 been  so  often  before,  subject ;  forgetful,  also,  that 
 as  little  could  they  boast  of  uninterrupted  religious 
 liberty,  the  Jews  answered  Jesus  with  the  words, 
 "  We  be  Abraham's  seed,  and  were  never  in 
 bondage  to  any  man ;  how  sayest  thou,  Ye  shall 
 be  made  free  1" — "  Verily,  verily,  answered  Jesus, 
 I  say  unto  you,  He  that  committeth  sin,  is  the 
 servant  of  sin.  And  the  servant  abideth  not  in  the 
 house  for  ever  ;  but  the  Son  abideth  ever.  If  the 
 Son  therefore  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free 
 indeed.  I  know  that  ye  are  Abraham's  seed  ; 
 but  ye  seek  to  kill  me,  because  my  word  hath  no 
 place  in  you.  I  speak  that  which  I  have  seen 
 with  my  Father ;  and  ye  do  that  which  ye  have 
 seen  with  your  father."  They  were  right  in 
 supposing  that  Jesus  intended  to  impute  crimi- 
 nality both  to  themselves  and  to  their  father ;  and 
 they  repeated  the  assertion,  that  "  Abraham  was 
 their  father,"  as  if  to  ask,  whether  he  meant  to 
 apply  such  an  imputation  to  him.  But  if  Abraham 
 were  pure  from  guilt,  it  did  not  follow  that  they 
 
Lecture  XIV.  349 
 
 were  his  children  in  that  respect,  and  that  they 
 inherited   his   integrity.      Jesus    disproved    their 
 claim,  acquitted  Abraham,  and  advanced  his  posi- 
 tion against  them  in   nearly  the  same  words  as 
 before.     "  If  ye   were    Abraham's    children,    ye 
 would  do  the  works  of  Abraham.     But  now  ye 
 seek  to  kill  me,  a  man  that  hath  told  you  the  truth, 
 which  I  have  heard  of  God  ;  this  did  not  Abra- 
 ham.    Ye  do  the  deeds  of  your  father."     They 
 had   no   resemblance   to   Abraham   in   that  very 
 particular,  for  which  he  was  especially  commended ; 
 for  "  Abraham   believed   in   the   Lord,   and   he 
 counted  it  to  him  for  righteousness8."     But  still, 
 what  could  Jesus  mean  by  "  their  father,"  if  he 
 meant  not  Abraham?     Did   he    mean   to  accuse 
 them  of  idolatry,  termed  by  the  prophets  fornica- 
 tion, as  being  a  breach  of  that  covenant  of  God 
 with  his  people,  which  was  described  under  the 
 similitude  of  a  marriage b?     "  We  be  not  born  of 
 fornication  ;"  they  replied ;  "We  have  one  Father, 
 even  God."     Still    had   they   not  been  aware   of 
 whom  Jesus  spake.     He  had  to  refute  another  of 
 their  unauthorized   claims.     He  had  to  prove  to 
 them,  that  idolatry  was  not  the  only  modification, 
 of  error.  He  had  to  reveal  to  them  the  humiliating 
 
 a  Gen.  xv.  6. 
 
 b  2  Chron.  xxi.   11.      Jer.  iii.   1—14.      Ezek.  xliii.   7—9. 
 Hos.  ii.  19,  20  ;   iv.  12. 
 
350  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 truth,  which  referred  their  original,  in  a  spiritual 
 sense,  to  another  and  more  ancient  progenitor 
 than  Abraham ;  to  one,  however,  who  had  been 
 described  in  their  own  Scriptures ;  and  their 
 relation  to  whom  fully  accounted  for  their  opposi- 
 tion to  himself,  if  he  were  what  he  claimed,  and 
 what  he  knew  himself  to  be. 
 
 "  Jesus  said  unto  them,  If  God  were  your 
 Father,  ye  would  love  me  ;  for  I  proceeded  forth, 
 and  came  (am  come")  from  God;  neither  came 
 I  (have  I  come)  of  myself,  but  he  sent  me.  Why 
 do  ye  not  understand  my  speech  (i.  e.  my  phrase- 
 ology) ?  even  because  ye  cannot  hear  my  word 
 (i.  e.  the  truths  which  I  declare).  Ye  are  of 
 your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father 
 ye  are  willing-  to  do.  He  was  a  murderer  from 
 the  beginning,  and  abode  not  in  the  truth,  because 
 there  is  no  truth  in  him.  When  he  speaketh  a  lie, 
 he  speaketh  of  his  own  ;  for  he  is  a  liar,  and  the 
 father  of  it.  And  because  I  tell  you  the  truth,  ye 
 believe  me  not.  Which  of  you  convinceth  me  of 
 sin  ?  And  if  I  say  the  truth,  why  do  ye  not  believe 
 me  ?  He  that  is  of  God  heareth  God's  words  ;  ye 
 therefore  hear  them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of 
 God." 
 
 a  ck  tov  Oeov  e£rj\0ov  kch  ijkw'  ovhe  yap  dw  ifxavTOv  e\t']\v0a, 
 dW  exewos  pe  aireaTeiAe.  Atari  t^v  AAAIAN  ti]v  ifxrjv  ov 
 yivuHTKGTe ;  bn  ov  cvvacrQe  ukovciv  tov  AOTON  tov  ifxov. 
 v.  42,  43. 
 
Lecture  XIV.  351 
 
 This  is  a  most  important  passage.  That  the 
 devil  "  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  that 
 he  abode  not  in  the  truth,  and  that  he  is  the 
 father  of  lies/'  the  very  first  pages  of  Revelation 
 inform  us.  God  had  said,  that  if  man  eat  of  the 
 forbidden  fruit,  "he  should  surely  die."  "The  old 
 serpent,  which  is  the  devil  and  Satan,"  said,  "  Ye 
 shall  not  surely  die."  The  lie  was  believed.  Man 
 disobeyed,  and  the  sentence  of  death  was  pro- 
 nounced. A  declaration  was  at  the  same  time 
 made  by  the  Almighty,  that  ec  he  would  put  enmity 
 between  the  seed  of  the  serpent,  and  the  seed  of 
 the  woman."  The  Jews  identified  themselves 
 with  the  seed  of  the  serpent,  by  seeking  to  kill 
 him,  "who  told  them  the  truth  which  he  had  heard 
 of  God."  They  proved  themselves  to  be  "  children 
 of  the  devil,"  not  only  by  being  thus  cc  willing  to 
 do  the  lusts  of  their  father,"  but  by  disbelieving 
 Jesus,  "  because  he  told  them  the  truth.'  For 
 they  were  (C  of  the  world ;"  and  he  "  testified, 
 that  the  world's  works  were  evil,"  and  therefore 
 they  "  hated  him,  and  could  not  hear  his  word." 
 "  If  he  told  them  the  truth,"  and  that  he  did,  the 
 conscience  of  every  one  who  has  either  heard  or 
 read  the  words  of  Jesus  must  testify,  why  did  they 
 not  believe  him,  but  "  because  they  were  not  of 
 God."  For  "  he  that  is  of  God  will  hear  his 
 words."  And  if  they  were  of  God,  they  would 
 not  have  hated,  but  on  the  contrary  have  loved 
 him,  who  had  by  so  many  proofs  evinced  that  he 
 
352  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 "proceeded  forth,  and  was  sent,  and  had  come 
 from  God,  and  not  of  himself." 
 
 These  declarations  he  fearlessly  and  confidently 
 advanced  respecting  himself.  He  feared  not  that 
 they  should  retort  the  charge ;  for  he  feared  not 
 to  assert  that  "  he  did  always  those  things  that 
 pleased  the  Father."  Nay,  he  even  anticipated 
 and  defied  their  objections  in  this  matter,  by  the 
 challenge,  "  Which  of  you  convinceth  me  of  sin?" 
 Full  well,  indeed,  he  knew  that  they  would  proceed 
 in  co-operation  with  their  father.  The  time  was 
 at  hand,  which  would  be  "  their  hour,  and  the 
 power  of  darkness ;"  in  which  they  would  ac- 
 complish their  murderous  purpose,  and  accomplish 
 his  death.  But  it  would  be  "  with  wicked  hands" 
 that  they  would  "  crucify  and  slay  him ;"  and 
 both  in  his  life,  and  in  his  death,  did  both  they 
 and  their  father  fail  to  "convict  him  of  sin." 
 They  could  never  bring  any  charge  against  him, 
 excepting  as  it  regarded  his  supposed  violation 
 of  the  sabbath,  and  his  supposed  blasphemy,  in 
 calling  himself  the  Son  of  God a.     Both  these  he 
 
 *  For  the  defence  which  our  Saviour  made,  both  by  argument 
 and  miracle,  against  these  imputations,  see  Lecture  V.  and  the 
 conclusion  of  the  present  Lecture. — The  comprehensive  character 
 of  the  debate,  which  is  the  subject  of  this  Lecture,  has  rendered 
 it  necessary  to  consider  the  appeal  of  our  Lord  to  the  purity  of 
 his  life  and  doctrine,  only  in  immediate  connexion  with  the  course 
 of  the  discussion.  A  more  general  view  of  both  those  topics  has, 
 indeed,  been  before  taken  in  the  latter  part  of  Lecture  VI. 
 
Lecture  XIV.  353 
 
 ever  refuted  by  unanswerable  arguments  ;  and  at 
 the  same  time  he  demonstrated  by  his  miracles,  that 
 "  the  Father  did  not  leave  him  alone/'  and,  there- 
 fore, that  always,  and  in  all  these  things,  he  did 
 "those  things  that  pleased  him."  Satan  had  al- 
 ready been  vanquished  in  his  early  attacks  upon  our 
 Lord's  faithfulness  and  integrity  ;  and  when  "  the 
 prince  of  this  world  came"  unto  him  at  the  closing 
 scene,  he  "found  nothing  in  Jesus,"  and  was  him- 
 self "cast  out."  Nay  more,  their  present  rivalry 
 and  opposition  would  issue  in  that  decisive  conflict, 
 described  in  the  original  prediction  of  the  enmity 
 which  would  subsist  between  "the  Seed  of  the 
 woman,  and  the  seed  of  the  serpent."  This  was 
 he,  whose  "heel  was  indeed  bruised,"  but  who 
 "  bruised  the  head  of  the  serpent ;"  who  thereby 
 "  destroyed  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,"  and 
 obtained  that  victory,  by  which  the  forfeited  im- 
 mortality was  restored,  and  eternal  life  procured 
 for  all  that  obey  him.  And  Jesus  on  this  very 
 same  occasion,  gave  that  promise  of  eternal  life, 
 which  he  was  so  soon  to  be  empowered  to  per- 
 form ;  thereby  predicting  the  speedy  accomplish- 
 ment of  the  original  promise,  as  he  also  immediately 
 afterwards  asserted  the  accomplishment  of  that 
 given  to  Abraham. 
 
 His  opponents  contended,  that  by  these  im- 
 putations he  manifested  such  hostility  to  the  Jews, 
 that  he  might  justly  be  considered  as  siding  with 
 
 Z 
 
354  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 the  enemies  of  their  country  and  religion,  and 
 could  scarcely  be  otherwise  than  infatuated.  "  They 
 answered  and  said  unto  him,  Say  we  not  well,  that 
 thou  art  a  Samaritan,  and  hast  a  devil?  Jesus 
 answered,  1  have  not  a  devil ;  but  I  honour  my 
 Father,  and  ye  do  dishonour  me.  And  I  seek 
 not  mine  own  glory ;  there  is  one  that  seeketh 
 and  judgeth.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  If 
 1  man  keep  my  saying,  he  shall  never  see  death." 
 Not  long  before,  in  his  discourse  before  the  San- 
 hedrim, he  had  advanced  a  similar  statement  in 
 the  most  confident  and  solemn  manner.  iC  Verily, 
 verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that  heareth  my  word, 
 and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting 
 life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is 
 passed  from  death  unto  life*."  He  now  repeated 
 the  same  declaration  in  a  connexion  still  more 
 striking,  and  in  one  which  more  particularly  ex- 
 plained its  meaning.  For  a  comparison  of  his 
 expressions  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  debate,  and 
 of  those  immediately  preceding  the  declaration  in 
 question,  will  shew,  that  he  claimed,  and  in  the 
 strongest  manner  asserted  his  possession  of  the 
 power  to  deliver  those,  who  were  the  bondslaves 
 of  sin  and  Satan,  not  only  from  the  present  domi- 
 nion, but  also  from  the  future  condemnation,  of 
 sin.  But  the  Jews,  staggered  still  more  than  ever 
 at  such  a  statement,  demanded  of  him,  "  Art  thou 
 
 a  John  v.  24. 
 
Lecture  XIV.  3bb 
 
 greater  than  our  father  Abraham,  which  is  dead, 
 and  the  prophets  are  dead :  whom  makest  thou  thy- 
 self?" He  concluded  a  defence,  similar  to  that 
 which  we  have  just  cited b,  with  the  words,  "  Your 
 father  Abraham,  eagerly  desired  that  he  might  see 
 my  day,  and  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad/'  Whom 
 therefore  did  Jesus  profess  himself  to  be,  but  that 
 predicted  Seed  of  Abraham,  "  in  whom  all  nations 
 of  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed?"  For  whose 
 day  but  his,  could  Abraham  ever  have  desired  to 
 see?  And  then,  doubtless,  did  he  see  it,  when  the 
 typical  sacrifice  of  Isaac  was  offered  on  mount 
 Moriah,  and  when  the  substitution  of  the  ram  in 
 the  place  of  Abraham's  son  was  followed  by 
 a  more  particular  repetition  of  the  promise.  And 
 all  nations  have  been  blessed  by  the  actual  sacrifice 
 of  him,  whom  Isaac  typified  ;  who,  "after  he  had 
 been  lifted  up,  was  known  to  be  he,"  of  whom 
 "  the  law  and  the  prophets  prophesied,"  and  who 
 thenceforth  "drew  all  men  to  himc,"  as  the  Shiloh 
 whom  Jacob  had  predicted. 
 
 b  "  Jesus  answered,  If  I  honour  myself,  my  honour  is  nothing: 
 it  is  my  Father  which  honoureth  me ;  of  whom  ye  say,  that  he  is 
 your  God.  Yet  ye  have  not  known  him  :  and  if  I  should  say, 
 I  know  him  not,  I  should  be  a  liar  like  unto  you ;  but  I  know 
 him,  and  keep  his  saying. — Your  father  Abraham  eagerly  desired 
 that  he  might  see  my  day  (^aWida-aro  Tva  "fy  ttjv  tjnepav  rrjv 
 efirjv)  ;   and  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad."     ver.  54 — 56. 
 
 c  See  Gen.  xlix.  10.  «  To  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people 
 be.  E.  T .  Oi/k  eK\ei\j/€i  apywv  e£  'IoJSa —  ew?  eaV  e\dti  rd 
 cnroKetfieva  «Jt<o-   ko.\  outo?  TrpotrSoKia  iQvuiv.     Septuagint, 
 
 Z  2 
 
356  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 But  the  Jews  misunderstanding  or  perverting 
 what  Jesus  had  said,  asked  him,  not  whether 
 Abraham  had  really  "  seen  his  day^  but  whether 
 "  he,  not  being  yet  fifty  years  old,  had  seen  Abra- 
 ham." Jesus  did  not  shrink  even  from  meeting 
 this  new  state  of  the  question,  which  demanded 
 an  answer  respecting  his  pre-existence.  He 
 unequivocally  answered  e<  Before  Abraham  was, 
 I  am." 
 
 On  many  other  occasions  had  Jesus  virtually 
 affirmed  the  same  position.  His  divinity,  if  he 
 did  really  and  justly  claim  it,  certainly  implied  his 
 pre-existence.  And  he  frequently  used  language 
 from  which  the  Jews  inferred,  that  he  made 
 himself  "  equal  with  God,"  nor  did  he  disavow 
 the  claim.  When  the  Pharisees  asked,  "  Who 
 can  forgive  sins,  but  God  alone?"  he  cured  the 
 paralytic,  for  the  express  purpose  of  proving  that 
 Ci  the  Son  of  man  had  power  on  earth  to  forgive 
 sins*."  He  spoke  of  the  Son  of  man  "  ascending 
 up  where  he  was  before,"  to  prove  that  he  said 
 truly,  "  I  came  down  from  heavenh."  He  ap- 
 pealed to  prophecy  to  prove  that  he,  who  was 
 David's  Son,  was  also  David's  Lordc.  He  ap- 
 pealed, on  another  occasion,  both  to  the  Scriptures 
 of  the  Old  Testament  as  justifying,  and  to  his 
 
 *   Matt.  ix.  6.     Mark  ii.  10.      Luke  v.  24. 
 
 »»  John  vi.  42,  6\,  62,  c  Matt.  xxii.  42—45. 
 
Lecture  XIV.  357 
 
 own  works  as  proving,  his  claim  to  divinity.  "  Is 
 it  not  written  in  your  law,  I  said,  Ye  are  gods? 
 If  he  called  them  gods,  to  whom  the  word  of  God 
 came,  and  the  Scripture  cannot  be  broken  ;  say 
 ye  of  him,  whom  the  Father  hath  sanctified,  and 
 sent  into  the  world,  Thou  blasphemest,  because 
 I  said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God?  If  I  do  not  the 
 works  of  my  Father,  believe  me  not.  But  if  I  do, 
 though  ye  believe  not  me,  believe  the  works,  that 
 ye  may  know,  and  believe,  that  the  Father  is  in  me, 
 and  I  in  himA."  He  again  appealed  to  his  works 
 in  proof  of  the  assertion  that  he  ought  to  be  be- 
 lieved in  such  declarations,  when  he  said  to  Philip, 
 "  He,  that  hath  seen  me,  hath  seen  the  Father ; 
 and  how  sayest  thou,  Shew  us  the  Father  ?  Be- 
 lievest  thou  not  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the 
 Father  in  me?  The  words  that  I  speak  to  you, 
 I  speak  not  of  myself,  but  the  Father,  that  dwelleth 
 in  me,  he  doeth  the  works.  Believe  me,  that 
 /  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me;  or 
 else  believe  me  for  the  very  works  sakee." 
 
 Thus  does  it  appear,  that  Jesus  supported  by 
 the  most  cogent  argumentation,  and  by  diversified 
 evidence,  every  claim  which  he  advanced.  This 
 very  circumstance  itself,  that  he  thus  founded  his 
 religion  on  argument,  the  truth  also  and  the  purity 
 of  his   doctrine,   the   unimpeachable    purity   and 
 
 ,l  John  x.  29—39.  f   Ibid.  \iv.  6—11. 
 
.'ib8  Lecture  XIV. 
 
 disinterestedness  of  his  own  life,  the  accomplish- 
 ment of  every  type  and  prophecy  in  the  events 
 and  purposes  of  his  mission,  and  the  many  and 
 various  attestations  of  a  miraculous  nature  which 
 evinced  its  divine  authority, — all  these  considera- 
 tions may  justly  demand  "the  obedience  of  our 
 faith."  And  having-  now  considered  at  length  this 
 debate  of  our  Lord  with  the  Jews,  let  me  briefly 
 direct  your  attention  to  the  circumstances  under 
 which  it  was  concluded. 
 
 Jesus  delivered  himself  by  a  miracle  from  the 
 effects  of  that  indignation,  which  the  assertion  of 
 his  pre-existence  had  excited.  "  They  took  up 
 stones  to  cast  at  him  ;  but  he  was  concealed  from 
 them,  and  went  out  of  the  temple,  going  through 
 the  midst  of  them,  and  so  passed  byV — But 
 remark  also  what  followed. — "As  Jesus  passed  by, 
 he  saw  a  man  which  was  blind  from  his  birth  b/J 
 He  restored  to  him  his  sight  ;  and  the  severest 
 scrutiny  of  the  perplexed  rulers,  only  proved  the 
 reality  of  the  miracle,  and  that  it  had  been  wrought 
 by  Jesus.  Shall  we  then  consent  to  the  declara- 
 tion, of  the  Pharisees,  that  "we  know  not  whence 
 Jesus  is?"  Rather  let  every  such  thought  give 
 way  to  the  force  of  that  rational  expostulation  of 
 the  man,  on  whom  this  signal  miracle  was  wrought. 
 "  Why  herein  is  a  marvellous  thing,  that  ye  know 
 
 John  viii.  5p.  — 'J^aotk  Be  eKpvfirj,  tea),  &c.  h  Ibid.  ix.  1. 
 
Lecture  XIV.  359 
 
 not  from  whence  he  is,  and  yet  he  hath  opened  my 
 eyes.  Now  we  know  that  God  heareth  not  sin- 
 ners ;  but  if  any  man  be  a  worshipper  of  God, 
 and  doeth  his  will,  him  he  heareth.  Since  the 
 world  began,  was  it  not  heard  that  any  man  opened 
 the  eyes  of  one  born  blind.  If  this  man  were  not 
 of  God,  he  could  do  nothing*."  When  Jesus 
 declared  to  this  candid,  and  reflecting;  man,  that 
 he  was  the  Son  of  God,  he  answered,  "  Lord, 
 I  believe,"  and  worshipped  hime.  Jesus  also  de- 
 clared, at  the  commencement  of  the  debate  which 
 we  have  been  reviewing,  that  he  is  "  the  light  of 
 the  world."  And  he  avowedly  wrought  this  very 
 miracle  to  demonstrate  the  truth  of  that  assertion. 
 For,  immediately  before  he  wrought  it,  he  assigned 
 to  his  disciples  his  reason  for  so  doing.  ff  I  must 
 work  the  works  of  him  that  sent  me,  while  it  is 
 day  ;  the  night  cometh,  when  no  man  can  work. 
 As  long  as  I  am  in  the  world,  /  am  the  light  of  the 
 world*." — We  may  know  then  the  blessedness  to 
 which  we  are  invited  ;  for  Jesus  himself  declared, 
 "  he  that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness, 
 but  shall  have  the  light  of  lifes."  But  hear  also 
 the  condemnation  of  those,  who  persist  in  unbelief; 
 for  this  also  our  Lord  declared  after  the  miracle. 
 "For  judgment  am  I  come  into  this  world,  that 
 
 d  John  ix.  30—33.  ■  Ibid.  35—38.  '  Ibid.  4,  5. 
 
 t  Ibid.  viii.  12. 
 
360  Lecture  XiV. 
 
 they  which  see  not  might  see,  and  that  they  which 
 see  might  be  made  blind1." 
 
 Sensible,  then.,  of  our  necessities,  and  touched 
 with  gratitude  to  him,,  who  hath  visited,  enlight- 
 ened, and  redeemed  us,  let  us  "  walk  in  the  light 
 of  the  Lord ;"  let  us  not  shrink  and  retire  from  it, 
 even  though  it  discovers  to  us  our  sinfulness  and 
 guilt,  our  responsibility  and  danger.  Let  us  not 
 disbelieve  Jesus  "  because  he  tells  us  the  truth." 
 When  it  is  demanded  of  us,  "  Dost  thou  believe 
 in  the  Son  of  God  ?"  we  can  now  have  no  plea  to 
 offer  in  excuse  for  that  ignorance,  which  would 
 lead  us  to  say,  as  the  man  who  was  cured  of  his 
 blindness  said,  "  Lord,  who  is  he,  that  I  might 
 believe  on  him?"  Let  us  then  answer  with  him, 
 "  Lord,  I  believe." — He  worshipped  Jesus.  And  we 
 must  also  "  honour  the  Son  even  as  we  honour  the 
 Father." — Jesus  hath  also  declared  that  "  whoso 
 keepeth  his  saying,  shall  never  see  death,  but 
 shall  have  the  light  of  life."  He  has  "  visited  us, 
 as  the  day-spring  from  on  high,  to  guide  our  feet 
 into  the  way  of  peace."  And  oh !  that  "  the 
 things,  which  belong*  to  our  peace,  may  never  be 
 hid  from  our  eyes  ;"  that (C  the  God  of  this  world, 
 who  blindeth  the  minds  of  them  that  believe  not, 
 may  not  prevent  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of 
 Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  from  shining 
 
 a  John  ix.  39- 
 
Lecture  XIV.  .%l 
 
 unto  us."  Such  alas  !  has  been,  and  is,  and  may 
 again  be  the  case  with  many.  Many  of  those,  who 
 saw  this  signal  miracle,  scrutinized  it,  perceived  its 
 reality,  and  yet  disregarded  its  force  and  intention. 
 And  even  now  "the  true  light,  which  cometh  into 
 the  world  to  enlighten  every  man,  shineth  in  the 
 world's  darkness,"  and  even  enters  into  the  dark 
 chambers  of  our  own  souls,  and  yet  we  see  it  not, 
 we  comprehend  it  not,  we  are  not  guided  by  it. 
 Yet  "our  light  has  come,  and  the  glory  of  the 
 Lord  has  risen  upon  us."  Let  us  then  "arise," 
 and,  "  though  we  were  sometime  darkness,  let  us 
 be  light  in  the  Lord  ;"  and  "  let  our  light  shine 
 before  men,  to  the  glory  of  our  heavenly  Father, 
 by  our  good  works  which  they  shall  behold."  For 
 dreadful  and  hopeless  is  the  state  of  those,  "  who 
 say  they  see,  and  whose  sin  therefore  remaineth ;" 
 "  who  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their 
 deeds  are  evil."  May,  therefore,  that  "  God,  which 
 commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  shine 
 in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
 of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
 so  that  we  may  be  changed  into  the  same  image 
 from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
 Lord." 
 
LECTURE    XV. 
 
 OUR  LORD  S  STATEMENT  THAT  THE  FULFILMENT 
 OF  HIS  OWN  PREDICTIONS  WOULD  EVINCE  HIS 
 MESSIAHSHIP.  THE  MANNER  IN  WHICH  HE  DIS- 
 PLAYED AND  NOTICED  HIS  UNLIMITED  KNOW- 
 LEDGE   OF     MEN     AND    THINGS. 
 
 St.  John  XIII.  18,  19. 
 
 J  know  whom  I  have  chosen :  but  that  the  Scripture  may 
 he  fulfilled,  He  that  eateth  bread  with,  me,  hath  lifted 
 up  his  heel  against  me.  Note  I  tell  you  before  it 
 come,  that,  when  it  is  come  to  pass,  ye  may  believe 
 that  I  am  He. 
 
 It  was  asserted  by  our  Lord  of  John  the  Baptist, 
 that  "  there  had  not  arisen  a  greater  prophet  than 
 he;"  nay  that  he  was  "even  more  than  a  prophet." 
 And  the  reason  which  he  assigned  for  such  an  as- 
 sertion was  this,  that  John  was  the  very  "  messen- 
 ger of  whom  it  was  written,  that  he  should  be  sent 
 to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord."  "He  came  for 
 a  witness"  to  that  dignified  Person  to  whom  all  the 
 prophets  had  referred;  and  his  predictions  were,  in 
 many  respects,  more  minute  and  particular  than 
 those  of  his  predecessors.     "  He  came  for  a  wit- 
 
Lecture  XV.  363 
 
 ness,"  not  by  his  verbal  annunciations  alone,  but 
 by  his  personal,  and  therefore  more  definite  testi- 
 mony to  him  te  whom  God  had  sent." 
 
 Now  in  all  these  particulars  Jesus  as  far  sur- 
 passed his  forerunner,  as  the  immediate  forerunner 
 did  the  remoter  prophets.  Jesus  was  the  very  per- 
 sonage, to  whom  all  these,  cc  at  sundry  times  and 
 in  divers  manners/'  gave  their  inspired  testimony ; 
 and  in  and  by  whom  their  predictions  were  to  have 
 their  accomplishment.  He  carried  forward  the 
 scheme  of  prophecy  still  further ;  describing  in 
 more  precise  and  even  in  literal  terms  the  great 
 events  which  were  approaching.  He  applied  the 
 language  of  preceding-  prophets  to  those  events, 
 so  as  to  decide  beforehand  the  true  interpretation 
 of  their  predictions.  And  he  included,  at  the 
 same  time,  such  a  distinct  mention  of  additional 
 particulars,  as  proved  that  futurity  was  much 
 more  extensively  open  to  his  view.  Nay  further, 
 the  events  predicted  were  such  in  themselves, 
 and  so  circumstanced,  and  Jesus  also  manifested 
 such  a  familiar  acquaintance  with  them,  as  an 
 original  prophet,  that  his  Messiahship  is  as  fully 
 proved  from  hence  as  his  divine  Mission.  And 
 this  his  extensive  prescience  is  also  in  another  way 
 illustrated  and  proved,  by  the  knowledge  which  he 
 ever  displayed  of  past  and  present  things,  as  well 
 as  of  futurity  ;  by  his  knowledge  of  the  characters, 
 surmises,  and  intentions  of  all  with  whom  he  was 
 
364  Lecture  XV. 
 
 concerned  ;  a  knowledge,  such  as  nothing  less  than 
 omniscience  could  have  communicated  to  him. 
 
 These  considerations  are  pointed  out  to  us  by 
 our  Lord  himself  in  the  words  of  our  text,  with 
 which  he  prefaced  and  prepared  his  distinct  inti- 
 mation of  the  treachery  of  Judas.  He  asserted 
 his  acquaintance  with  the  characters  of  his  disci- 
 ples, although  not  as  yet  displayed  by  their  con- 
 duct. When  he  spoke  these  words  he  was  about 
 to  prove  that  "  he  knew  whom  he  had  chosen/' 
 by  declaring  beforehand  not  only  the  treachery  of 
 Judas,  but  the  denial  of  Peter,  and  the  cowardly 
 desertion  of  all  of  them  in  that  hour  of  danger, 
 which,  though  by  them  not  foreseen,  was  near  at 
 hand.  He  cited  the  Scripture,  which  declared  the 
 hostile  conduct  of  one  cc  that  eat  bread  with  him/' 
 that  he  might  expressly  apply  it  to  one  of  those 
 individuals,  who  then  sat  with  him  at  the  table. 
 And  he  explained  the  design  with  which  he  pre- 
 dicted this  to  them,  in  a  declaration,  similar  to 
 which  he  made  many  others.  "  Now  I  tell  you 
 before  it  come,  that,  when  it  is  come  to  pass,  ye 
 may  believe  that  I  am  he." — It  will  be  our  en- 
 deavour to  remind  you  of  some  of  the  instances  of 
 this  wondrous  prescience  of  Jesus,  in  order  that 
 we  may  shew  how  it  bears  upon  the  question  of 
 the  divine  mission  and  Messiahship  of  Jesus ;  and 
 that  you  may  thus  duly  apprehend  the  force  of 
 those  arguments,  which  our  Lord  has  derived  from 
 
Lecture  XV.  365 
 
 the  accuracy  with  which  he  both  spoke  of  things 
 to  come,  and  discerned  the  spirits  of  men. 
 
 The  predictions  of  Jesus  extend  even  to  the  ge- 
 neral resurrection,  and  to  the  consummation  of  all 
 things.  If  we  believe  that  he  was  what  he  claimed 
 to  be,  we  may  confidently  expect  that  all  these 
 predictions  will  be  fulfilled  in  their  season,  although 
 the  season  for  the  accomplishment  of  some  of  them 
 is  yet  distant,  and  others  are  but  imperfectly  ful- 
 filled. They  are  all  such  as  it  became  the  pro- 
 mised Messiah  to  deliver  ;  they  are  all  such  as  it 
 appertains  to  him  to  accomplish.  And  our  con- 
 viction of  his  power  and  authority  will  indeed  rest 
 on  the  most  solid  basis,  if  to  every  other  demon- 
 stration of  it,  we  can  also  establish  the  prescience 
 of  Jesus,  by  shewing  the  fulfilment  of  his  numerous 
 predictions.  We  must  for  this  purpose  consider 
 those  which  have  received  their  accomplishment. 
 
 I.  Let  us  first  consider  such  as  were  not  ac- 
 complished until  after  the  Evangelists  published 
 a  record  of  them  in  their  Gospels.  Such  was  the 
 frequently  repeated  prediction  of  the  calamities 
 which  were  coming  upon  the  Jews,  and  of  the 
 overthrow  of  their  temple,  and  city,  and  nation. 
 Jesus  at  one  time  gave  only  a  general  intimation 
 of  the  sad  event,  or  couched  it  under  an  illustrative 
 parable\     In  other  instances  he  concisely  noticed 
 
 a  Matt.  viii.  12.     Luke  xiii.  6",  35  ;  xix.  and    \. 
 
36G  Lecture  XV. 
 
 the  fact,  and  a  few  of  its  circumstances;  as  in  his 
 addresses  to  the  Pharisees*,  and  in  the  pathetic 
 lamentation  over  Jerusalem  when  he  beheld  it 
 from  the  mount  of  Olives1'.  And  when  the  women 
 who  stood  round  the  cross  wept  for  him,  who  had 
 so  lately  wept  for  their  country,  he  repeated  some 
 of  the  alarming  intimations  with  the  expressive 
 exhortation,  "  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not 
 for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves,  and  for  your 
 children0."  On  each  of  these  several  occasions 
 he  distinctly  pointed  at  the  same  event,  but  scarcely 
 ever  in  the  same  form,  and  always  with  an  allusion 
 to  some  different  circumstances.  But  in  the 
 longest  of  all  his  predictions,  delivered  to  his 
 disciples  in  private,  he  described  the  circumstances 
 which  would  precede,  attend,  and  follow  that 
 signally  calamitous  event,  with  a  wonderful  but 
 awful  precision.  Yet  iC  that  generation  did  not 
 pass,  till  all  was  fulfilled  ;"  and  the  fullest  con- 
 firmation was  given  to  the  declaration  of  Jesus, 
 which  he  connected  with  these  predictions, 
 "  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my 
 words  shall  not  pass  awayd." 
 
 It  was  also  declared  by  Jesus,  that  his  Gospel 
 should   first   be  extensively  preached  throughout 
 
 a  Luke  xvii.  20.     Matt,  xxiii.  b  Luke  xix.  43. 
 
 c  Ibid,  xxiii.  28-31. 
 
 d  Matt.  xxiv.  35.     Mark  xiii.  31.     Luke  xxi.  33. 
 
Lecture  XV  367 
 
 the  Roman  empire ;  that  the  "  kingdom  of  God, 
 which  should  be  taken  from  the  Jews,  would  be 
 given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof;" 
 that  he  must  bring  together  "  into  one  fold,  and 
 under  one  Shepherd,"  sheep  of  "other  folds;" 
 and  that  "  many  would  come  from  the  east,  and 
 from  the  west,  and  sit  down  with  Abraham  and 
 Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  while  the 
 children  of  the  kingdom  were  cast  out6/'  Hereby 
 he  announced  the  accomplishment,  in  a  manner 
 which  the  Jews  were  not  prepared  to  expect,  of 
 the  divine  promise  given  to  Jacob  at  Bethel. 
 ff  I  am  the  Lord  God  of  Abraham  thy  father,  and 
 the  God  of  Jacob ;  the  land  whereon  thou  liest, 
 to  thee  will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy  seed ;  and  thy 
 seed  shall  be  as  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  thou 
 shalt  spread  abroad  to  the  west,  and  to  the  east, 
 and  to  the  north,  and  to  the  south  ;  and  in  thee 
 and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth 
 be  blessedf." 
 
 That  the  commission  given  by  Jesus  to  "  teach 
 all  nations"  will  one  day  be  effectual,  and  that 
 (c  the  Gospel  will  be  preached  in  the  whole  world," 
 and  "  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  come  in,"  we 
 retain  the  assured  and  consolatory  hope.     But  as 
 
 e  Matt.  xxiv.  14;  xxi.  41—43.     John  x.  l6.     Matt.  viii.  11. 
 Luke  xiii.  29- 
 
 f  Gen.  xxviii.  13,  14. 
 
368  Lecture  XV. 
 
 we  see  not  as  yet  "  obedience  to  the  faith  among- 
 all  nations/'  so,  in  this  very  circumstance,  do  we 
 recognize  the  prescience  of  Jesus,  reaching  to 
 every  age  of  that  Church,  of  which  he  has  declared, 
 that  "the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against 
 it  V  For  he  also  announced  to  his  disciples,  that 
 "  the  Jews  would  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword, 
 and  be  led  away  captive  into  all  nations ;  and  that 
 Jerusalem  would  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles, 
 until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilledV  This 
 prophecy  has  continued  to  receive  its  accomplish- 
 ment for  nearly  two  thousand  years.  The  Jews 
 who  were  then  carried  captive,  have  ever  since 
 remained,  and  still  do  remain,  in  the  same  dis- 
 persed, despised,  and  often  persecuted  condition. 
 Jerusalem  is  still  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles  ; 
 because  the  time  of  the  Gentiles  is  not  yet  ful- 
 filled. Yet  has  the  Gospel  of  Jesus,  though 
 rejected  by  the  Jews,  and  though  opposed  by 
 Gentiles,  not  been  arrested  in  its  progress.  Those 
 who  first  promulgated  it,  did  endure  the  various 
 sufferings,  and  met  with  the  unbelief  and 
 hatred,  of  which  their  Master  forewarned  them0. 
 But,  through  their  labours  and  writing's,  the 
 Gospel,  like  the  "  leaven  hid  in  three  measures 
 of  meal,"  to  which  Jesus   compared  it,  has  ever 
 
 1  Matt.  xvi.  18.  b  Luke  xxi.  24. 
 
 c  Matt.  x.  17,  18;  xxiii.  34  ;  xxiv.  <).    John  xv.  20  ■   xvi.  2. 
 
Lecture  XV.  369 
 
 since  continued  and  extended  its  beneficent  in- 
 fluence in  the  world,  and  we  doubt  not  will  finally 
 leaven  the  whole.  Already  has  the  "  grain  of 
 mustard-seed"  sown  in  Judea,  become  a  tree,  and 
 many  nations  have  reposed  under  its  shadow,  and 
 nestled  among  its  branches'1. 
 
 These  prophecies,  and  their  accomplishment, 
 are  of  themselves  sufficient  to  establish  the  pro- 
 phetic character  of  Jesus,  had  he  delivered  no 
 other.  Their  fulfilment  had  not  begun  in  his 
 own  life-time,  and  some  of  the  most  important 
 were  not  fulfilled  until  after  the  death  of  all  those 
 who  have  transmitted  them  to  use.  Yet  their 
 correctness  is  proved  both  by  the  history  of  past 
 ages,  and  by  the  present  state  of  the  Christian 
 Church,  of  the  Jews,  and  of  the  world.  It  is, 
 however,  obvious,  that  the  accomplishment  of 
 these  had  no  share  in  producing  that  faith  in 
 Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and  that  patience  and  tran- 
 quillity in  the  midst  of  sufferings,  which  the  Apostles 
 did  undoubtedly  derive  from  some  prophecies  of 
 their  Master ;  and  the  production  of  both  which 
 results  he  expressly  assigned  as  his  motive  for  the 
 delivery  of  them,  as  we  shall  hereafter  shew.  But 
 the  notice  of  these  may  have  prepared   us  with 
 
 d  Matt.  xih. 
 
 '  St.  John,  who  survived  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and 
 probably  wrote  after  it,  has  not  mentioned  the  prophecy  respect- 
 ing that  event,  which  the  earlier  writers  so  carefully  recorded. 
 
 Aa 
 
370  Lecture  XV. 
 
 fuller  confidence  to  proceed  to  the  consideration  of 
 others,  the  accomplishment  as  well  as  the  delivery 
 of  which  we  learn  from  the  New  Testament,  and 
 some  of  which  more  directly  tend  to  prove  the 
 divine  mission  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah. 
 
 II.  Some  predictions  of  a  detached  character 
 which  Jesus  delivered,  received  an  almost  imme- 
 diate accomplishment. — Such  was  the  declaration 
 to  his  disciples,  a  few  days  before  the  raising  of 
 Lazarus.  "  Our  friend  Lazarus  sleepeth ;  but 
 I  go  that  I  may  awake  him  out  of  sleep."  Soon 
 after  "  he  said  unto  them  plainly,  Lazarus  is  dead. 
 And  I  am  glad  for  your  sakes  that  I  was  not  there, 
 to  the  intent  ye  may  believe."  To  Martha  also 
 Jesus  said,  when  he  first  met  her,  "  Thy  brother 
 shall  rise  again  ;"  and  again  at  the  grave,  when  he 
 had  ordered  the  stone  to  be  removed,  and  she 
 began  to  expostulate  with  him,  "  Said  I  not  unto 
 thee,  that,  if  thou  wouldest  believe,  thou  shouldest 
 see  the  glory  of  God?"  The  event  itself  also  was 
 preceded  by  an  address  to  the  Father,  with  the 
 avowed  design  that  they  might  see  that  it  was 
 done  with  his  approbation  and  by  his  power,  and 
 that  thus  "  they  might  believe  that  the  Father  had 
 sent  him."  And  doubtless  that  conviction  would 
 be  much  strengthened  by  the  circumstance,  that  he 
 in  this  manner  foretold  \V. — A  similar  effect  would 
 
 a  John  xi. 
 
Lecture  XV.  371 
 
 also  be  produced,  in  a  more  lively  and  impressive 
 manner  than  we  can  conceive,  when  the  disciples, 
 who  had  been  directed  to  go  into  the  adjoining 
 village,  found,  as  Jesus  had  told  them,  'c  the  ass 
 tied,  and  the  colt  with  her,  and  when  the  owners 
 upon  being  told  that  the  Lord  had  need  of  them, 
 straightway  sent  them  to  him."     ".  His  disciples 
 understood  not  at  first"  the  meaning  of  his  entry 
 into  Jerusalem  in  that  manner ;"  but  when  Jesus 
 was  glorified,  then  remembered  they  that  these 
 things  were  written  of  him,  and  that  they  had 
 done  these  things  unto  him."     Here  also  the  con- 
 viction produced  by  the  recollection  of  Zechariah's 
 prophecy,  would  strikingly  recal   to  their   minds 
 how   the   display   of  the   prophetic  character   of 
 Jesus  himself  preceded  the   fulfilment  of  Zecha- 
 riah's prediction ;  and  that  it  related,   though  in 
 a  manner  wholly  distinct,  to  a  circumstance  speci- 
 fied  by   that  prophet b.  —  Similar  remarks   might 
 be  made  on  the  foreknowledge  which  Jesus  again 
 exercised,  when  he  directed  the  disciples  where  to 
 find  a  place  for  the  celebration  of  that  passover. 
 They  found  as  he  had  said,  and  made  ready  for 
 that  last  passover,  at  which  he  delivered  his  fare- 
 well discourses,  and  his  intercessory  prayer,  so  full 
 of  promise   and    important   prophecy ;   at  which 
 also  he  instituted  the  perpetual  memorial  of  his 
 
 b  Matt.  xxi.     Mark  xi.     Luke  xix.     John  xii. 
 A  A  2 
 
SYZ  Lecture  XV. 
 
 approaching  death ;  and  immediately  after  which, 
 that  death,  and  all  the  other  transactions  which  he 
 had  predicted,  were  hastened  and  accomplished  V — 
 Thus  do  our  Lord's  own  predictions,  even  in  these 
 detached  instances,  shed  a  lustre  to  the  attestation 
 of  his  own  miracles  and  of  ancient  prophecy  ;  and 
 some  of  them  even  strengthen  the  conviction  pro- 
 duced by  others. 
 
 But  it  is  time  to  notice  his  predictions  of  those 
 important  events,  by  which  his  own  ministry  was 
 terminated,  by  which  the  great  object  of  his  mission 
 and  office  was  evinced,  and  which  fully  opened 
 the  way  for  the  display  of  its  full  evidence,  and 
 for  the  erection,  establishment,  and  perpetuity  of 
 his  Church.  Some  of  these  things,  in  a  less 
 explicit  and  precise  manner,  were  foretold  to  the 
 people  in  general ;  but  all  of  them  in  the  most 
 plain  and  circumstantial  manner  to  those  whom 
 he  had  chosen. 
 
 It  will  suffice  briefly  to  remind  you  of  some  of 
 the  principal  predictions  of  this  nature,  which 
 were  delivered  to  the  people  in  general. — They 
 are  concise  and  figurative,  yet  fully  explained  by 
 the  events  which  correspond  to  them.  The 
 earliest  of  them  was  one  which  referred  to  his 
 death  and  resurrection  ;  and  the  remembrance  of 
 it  by  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  had  an  important  influ- 
 
 a  Matt.  xxvi.  17,  Sec.      John  xiii.  17. 
 
Lecture  XV.  373 
 
 ence  in  inducing'  them  to  "  believe,  not  only  in  the 
 Scripture  prophecy,  but  also  in  the  word  which 
 Jesus  had  said."     A  sign  being  demanded  from 
 him  as  the  proof  of  his  authority,  He  answered, 
 "  Destroy  ye  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will 
 raise  it  up ;  speaking  of  the  temple  of  his  body b." — 
 To  Nicodemus,  and  to  his  hearers  on  two  other 
 occasions,  he  spoke  of  the  "  lifting  up  of  the  Son  of 
 man  ,"  of  the  fact  and  design  of  his  death,  under 
 the  phrase  that  he  would  "  give  his  flesh  for  the  life 
 of  the  world ;"  and  of  the  consequences  of  it  in 
 "  drawing  all  men  to  him,"  and  of  causing  much 
 success  to  attend  his  mission0.     He  several  times 
 promised   that   "  the   sign  of  Jonah  the  prophet 
 would  be  given  to  that  generation  ;"  and  that  " as 
 he  was  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  belly 
 of  the  whale,  so  the  Son  of  man  would  be  three 
 days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart  of  the  earth d." 
 — In  consequence  of  these,  and  perhaps  of  other 
 still  more  definite   predictions,   the   chief  priests 
 came  to  Pilate,  to  request  that  he  would  "  com- 
 mand that  the  sepulchre  be  made  sure  until  the 
 third  day ;"  because,  said   they,  "we  remember 
 that  that  deceiver  said,  while  he   was  yet  alive, 
 After  three  days  I  will  rise  again0."    Yet  all  these 
 
 b  John  ii.  19. 
 
 c  Ibid.  iii.  14  ;    viii.  28  ;    xii.  32  ;  vi.  51  ;  xii.  24. 
 A  Malt.  xii.  39,  40  ;  xvi.  4.     Luke  xi.  29,  30. 
 "  Matt,  xxvii.  62,  &c. 
 
374  Lecture  XV. 
 
 things  were,  notwithstanding,  accomplished.  It 
 was  even  by  their  own  "  counsel  and  deed,"  that, 
 Jesus,  as  he  had  predicted,  was  "cast  out  of  the 
 vineyard,  and  slain  by  the  wicked  husbandmen." 
 And  it  was  by  their  endeavour  to  prevent  the 
 accomplishment  of  his  predicted  resurrection,  that 
 the  evidence  of  that  event  was  strengthened  by 
 one  of  its  most  convincing  proofs.  And  equally 
 did  it  come  to  pass,  that  "the  Son  of  man,"  as  he 
 had  also  predicted,  "  was  seen  to  ascend  up  where 
 he  was  before3."  In  the  people  of  that  genera- 
 tion also  was  accomplished  the  parable  of  "  the 
 unclean  spirit  who  returned,  and  made  the  last 
 state  of  that  man  worse  than  the  first ;  and  Jesus 
 had  declared  that  so  it  would  be  to  that  wicked 
 generation15."  "The  stone,  which  they  rejected, 
 became  the  head  of  the  corner0;"  "false  Christs 
 and  false  prophets  deceived  many d ;"  "they  sought 
 the  true  Messiah  in  vain,  and  died  in  their  sinse ;" 
 and  by  the  subversion  of  their  whole  polity  was  it 
 brought  to  pass,  that  "  neither  at  Gerizim, 
 nor  at  Jerusalem  alone,  was  the  Father  wor- 
 shippedf."  For  our  Lord  had  hinted  to  the  Jews 
 at  Nazareth,  that  as  it  had  pleased  God,  in  the 
 time  of  their  fathers,  to  send  Elijah  to  relieve 
 a  woman  of  Sidon,  and  to  enable  Elisha  to  heal 
 
 a  John  vi.  62.  b  Matt.  xii.  43—45.  c  Matt.  xxi.  42. 
 
 *l  Matt.  xxiv.  24.        e  John  viii.  21.  f  John  iv.  21. 
 
Lecture  XV.  375 
 
 Naaman  the  Syrian  leper,  while  the  •'  many 
 widows  and  lepers,  that  were  then  in  Israel"  were 
 not  benefited,  so,  in  their  own  age,  he  would  send 
 the  Apostles  to  "  bring  many  from  the  east,  and 
 from  the  west/'  to  partake  of  the  privileges  of  that 
 kingdom,  of  which  they  thought  themselves  ex- 
 clusively the  children  s. 
 
 These  things  which  Jesus  himself  predicted 
 respecting  "the  Christ  crucified,"  were  as  un- 
 welcome to  the  twelve  disciples,  as  they  were  to 
 their  fellow-countrymen.  But  they  were  dis- 
 ciplined by  their  Master,  "as  they  were  able  to 
 bear  it,"  so  that  they  were  not  ultimately  ec  of- 
 fended in  him."  And  no  means  did  our  Lord 
 more  studiously  employ  to  secure  an  object,  so 
 necessary  for  evangelizing  the  world,  than  by  de- 
 tailing to  them,  during  the  time  that  he  remained 
 with  them,  all  the  leading  particulars  of  those 
 distressing  transactions  by  which  he  would  be 
 removed  from  them  ;  as  well  as  that  astonishing 
 change  from  death  to  life,  from  humiliation  to 
 glory,  from  apparent  weakness  to  divine  power, 
 which  shewed  that  though  he  had  first  suffered 
 many  things,  yet  hereby  "was  the  Son  of  man 
 glorified,  and  God  was  glorified  in  him  V  And 
 the  series  of  prophecies  which  Jesus  delivered  on 
 these  subjects,  is  so  perspicuous  and  comprehen- 
 
 s  Luke  iv.  25—2?.      Matt.  viii.  11,  12.  h  John  xiii.  31. 
 
376  Lecture  XV. 
 
 sive,  that  we  may  well  conceive  with  what  com- 
 plete satisfaction  the  disciples  in  due  season  called 
 to  mind  the  words  of  our  text,  and  several  other 
 similar  declarations  with  which  Jesus  accompanied 
 these  predictions  ;  ' '  Now  I  tell  you  before  it  come, 
 that  when  it  is  come  to  pass,  ye  may  believe  that 
 I  am  he." 
 
 No  sooner  had  the  disciples  avowed  to  Jesus 
 their  joyful  and  assured  confidence  that  he  was 
 'fthe  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,"  than  he  began  to 
 prepare  them  for  the  knowledge  of  these  events 
 by  the  declaration,  "Have  not  I  chosen  you 
 twelve,  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil a  (a  false  ac- 
 cuser)?" And  frhe  began  from  that  time  to  shew 
 unto  his  disciples  that  he  must  go  unto  Jerusalem, 
 and  that  the  Son  of  man  would  be  betrayed  unto 
 the  chief  priests  and  unto  the  Scribes,  and  that 
 they  would  condemn  him  to  death,  and  deliver  him 
 to  the  Gentiles,  to  mock,  and  to  scourge,  and  to 
 crucify  him.  And  that  the  third  day  he  would 
 rise  again  V  And,  repeating  these  things,  he 
 solemnly  prefaced  his  declaration  by  saying,  "  Let 
 these  sayings  sink  down  into  your  ears'* ."  These 
 particulars  are  for  the  most  part  specified  by  the 
 ancient  prophets.  But  the  circumstance  that  he 
 should  be  "  delivered  to  the  Gentiles,'"  was  a  pre- 
 diction wholly  original,  and  upon  the  completion 
 
 »  John  vi.  70.  b  Matt.  xvi.  21  ;  xx.  IS,  1<).        c  Luke  ix.  44. 
 
Lecture  XV.  377 
 
 of  it  depended,  both  the  peculiar  indignities  which 
 were  to  precede  his  crucifixion,  and  even  that 
 mode  of  execution  itself.  In  one  of  his  earlier 
 predictions  of  the  overthrow  of  Jerusalem,  he 
 noticed  the  previous  occurrence  of  his  own  suf- 
 ferings. "  But  first,  said  he,  must  the  Son  of  man 
 suffer  many  things,  and  be  rejected  of  this  gene- 
 ration d."  And  "  when  Jesus  knew  that  the  hour 
 was  come  that  he  should  depart  out  of  this  world 
 unto  the  Father,"  he  rendered  his  predictions  still 
 more  demonstrative  of  his  perfect  and  familiar 
 knowledge  of  all  things  that  were  coming  upon 
 him,  by  specifying  the  very  day  of  crucifixion. 
 "  Ye  know,"  said  he  to  his  disciples,  "  that  after 
 two  days  is  the  feast  of  the  passover,  and  the  Son 
 of  man  is  betrayed  to  be  crucified6."  Yet  even 
 after  this  prediction  was  delivered,  the  chief  priests 
 and  Scribes  came  to  a  resolution,  that  it  would  not 
 be  prudent  even  "to  take  him  by  subtilty,  and  to 
 kill  him,  on  the  feast  day,  lest  there  should  be  an 
 uproar  of  the  people."  They  abandoned  the 
 design  ;  and  they  would  not  have  resumed  it,  had 
 not  the  very  circumstance  which  Jesus  himself 
 previously  mentioned,  induced  them  to  do  so. 
 "  The  Son  of  man  was  betrayed  unto  them ;  for 
 they  accepted  the  offer  which  Judas  made  "  to 
 deliver  him  unto  them  in  the  absence  of  the  multi- 
 
 d  Luke  xvii.  i25.  c  Matt.  xxvi.  2. 
 
378  Lecture  XV. 
 
 tudeV  Thus  had  Jesus  twice  predicted  the 
 treachery  of  Judas  before  he  had,  as  it  appears, 
 even  conceived  the  design.  And  a  third  time,, 
 when,  humanly  speaking-,  it  seemed  incredible, 
 that  any  steps  would  be  taken  in  the  matter,  he 
 declared  still  more  particularly,  in  the  words  of 
 our  text,  his  perfect  knowledge  of  the  respective 
 characters,  of  those  whom  he  had  chosen.  He 
 was  aware  that  one  of  them  was  then  harbouring 
 the  design  of  betraying  him,  and  that  the  Scripture 
 would  in  that  very  way  be  fulfilled ;  because  it 
 had  described  one  so  circumstanced,  as  they  all 
 then  were,  one  ffwho  eat  bread  with  him/'  as 
 the  faithless  one  who  would  "  lift  up  his  heel  against 
 him."  Afterwards,  in  a  very  remarkable  manner, 
 he  pointed  out  to  them  the  very  individual ;  and 
 shewed  to  him,  though  the  others  misunderstood 
 his  words,  that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  his 
 purpose. 
 
 Judas,  "  having  received  the  sop,  went  imme- 
 diately out,"  to  "  do  quickly"  that  which  he  had 
 designed  and  covenanted  to  do.  "  It  was  night ;" 
 and  he  therefore  went  to  repair  to  "  the  garden, 
 whither,  as  he  knew,  Jesus  oft  times  resorted  with 
 his  disciples."  Jesus  knew  that  the  transactions, 
 which  he  had  so  often  predicted,  would  now  im- 
 mediately   take    place.      He    therefore    solemnly 
 
 a  Matt.  xxvi.  14—16'. 
 
Lecture  XV.  379 
 
 declared  to  the  remaining  eleven  the  importance 
 of  the  crisis  at  which  they  had  arrived;  and 
 during  the  short  time  that  intervened,  he  endea- 
 voured to  prepare  them  for  the  approaching  cir- 
 cumstances, and  reminded  them  of  some  of  his 
 public  intimations  respecting  them.  "  Now  is 
 the  Son  of  man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in 
 him.  If  God  be  glorified  in  him,  God  shall  also 
 glorify  him  in  himself,  and  shall  straightway  glorify 
 him.  Little  children,  yet  a  little  while  I  am  with 
 you.  Ye  shall  seek  me  ;  and,  as  I  said  unto  the 
 Jews,  whither  I  go  ye  cannot  comeV  He  pre- 
 dicted the  fears  and  desertion  of  all  them  that 
 very  night,  and  especially  the  actual  denial  of  any 
 knowledge  of  him  by  St.  Peter.  These  events 
 were  not  merely  contingent  upon  circumstances 
 which  had  occurred  very  suddenly,  and  which  were 
 as  yet  unknown  to  them,  but  they  appeared  in 
 every  respect  very  improbable  at  that  time.  For 
 both  Peter,  and  all  of  them,  made  the  most  solemn 
 protestations  of  inviolable  fidelity,  even  if  any 
 danger  occurred.  Little,  indeed,  had  they  been 
 willing  to  understand  his  former  intimations  to 
 the  same  effect.  And  they  were  quite  incapable 
 of  so  far  receiving  them,  as  to  remain  faithful  to 
 him,  and  to  acquiesce  in  this  sudden  disappoint- 
 ment of  their  darling  hopes.     Yet  their  Master 
 
 b  John  .\iii.  30,  &c. 
 
380  Lecture  XV. 
 
 proceeded  in  such  a  manner  to  instruct  and  to 
 pray  for  them,  and  to  foretel  the  things  that  were 
 approaching-,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow,  as 
 might  afterwards,  at  least,  from  their  recollection 
 of  his  words,  lead  them  to  a  right  view  of  the  design 
 of  these  transactions,  and  of  his  own  character/and 
 induce  them  still  more  confidently  than  ever  to 
 believe  in  him,  c '  because  of  whom  they  were  all 
 offended  in  that  calamitous  night."  When  he 
 foretold,  in  the  earlier  part  of  that  evening,  the 
 treachery  of  Judas,  he  assigned  that  reason  for 
 his  forewarning  them  of  it ;  and  he  now  con- 
 joined with  it  a  present  proof  of  that  his  unlimited 
 knowledge,  which  he  had  often  before  displayed, 
 and  which  caused  them  now  to  feel,  still  more 
 strongly  than  ever,  a  conviction  of  his  divine 
 mission,  and  very  earnestly  to  declare  it. 
 
 He  had  been  interrupted  in  his  discourse  by 
 the  protestations  of  Peter  and  his  companions  ; 
 and,  doubtless,  his  distinct  declaration,  that  they 
 would  not  act  suitably  to  their  late  protestations, 
 would  perplex  and  distress  them.  But  he  wished 
 to  console,  to  exhort,  and  to  inform,  as  well  as  to 
 caution  them\  "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled; 
 ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me.  I  go  to 
 prepare  a  place  for  you."  He  reminded  them  of 
 the  evidence  of  his  miracles  in  order  to  assure 
 
 a   See  John  xiv.  &c. 
 
Lecture  XV.  381 
 
 them  of  the  truth  of  these  various  and  mysterious 
 statements.  He  predicted  the  "greater  works  which 
 would  be  done  by  those  that  believed  on  him  ; 
 because/'  said  he,  "  I  go  unto  the  Father."  But  he 
 proceeded  to  predict  the  gift  of  "  another  Com- 
 forter to  abide  with  them  for  ever,"  after  his 
 departure,  ffeven  the  Spirit  of  truth;"  by  whom, 
 after  the  suspension  of  their  faith,  they  would 
 be  finally  convinced  that  "  he  was  in  the  Father, 
 and  the  Father  in  him  ;"  who  would  cc  teach  them 
 all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  their  remem- 
 brance, whatsoever  he  had  said  unto  them." 
 Having  exhorted  them  to  tranquillity,  conjured 
 them  not  to  be  afraid,  and  assured  them  that  his 
 return  to  the  Father  was  a  fitter  cause  for  joy 
 than  regret,  he  repeated  his  declaration,  that  "  he 
 told  them  these  things  before  they  came  to  pass, 
 that,  when  they  had  come  to  pass,  they  might 
 believe." 
 
 He  then  exhorted  them  to  persevere  in  their 
 obedience ;  and  proceeded  also  to  foretel  their 
 own  sufferings,  and,  repeating  the  promise  of  the 
 Comforter,  declared  that  "  he  would  testify  of  him  ; 
 and  that  they  also  would  testify  of  him,  because 
 they  had  been  with  him  from  the  beginning." 
 Fully  to  state  how  the  Comforter,  by  miracles, 
 and  knowledge,  and  the  gift  of  tongues, — and  the 
 Apostles,  by  their  testimony  and  miracles,  by 
 their  conduct  and  sufferings,  by  their  reasonings 
 
J82  Lecture  XV. 
 
 and  success,  testified  of  Jesus,  would  be  to  review 
 the  whole  history  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 Lastly,  as  an  immediate  assurance  of  the  truth 
 of  what  he  said,  Jesus  convinced  them  of  his 
 knowledge  of  their  own  thoughts,  and  doubts, 
 and  surmises,  and  availed  himself  of  their  con- 
 viction of  this  to  repeat  his  prediction  of  future 
 things,  and  also  the  reason  why  he  thus  foretold 
 them.  He  knew  that  although  he  had  so  repeat- 
 edly and  plainly  predicted  his  removal  from  the 
 world,  and  his  glorification  with  the  Father,  they 
 did  not  understand,  what  he  meant  by  the  state- 
 ment, "  A  little  while,  and  ye  shall  not  see  me  ; 
 and  again  a  little  while,  and  ye  shall  see  me, 
 because  I  go  to  the  Father."  He  knew  that  they 
 were  inquiring  among  themselves  respecting  it, 
 that  they  decided  that  "  they  could  not  tell  what 
 he  said,"  and  that  "  they  were  desirous  to  ask 
 him."  He  explained  it  unasked,  telling  them  that 
 he  was  aware  of  the  difficulties  which  they  had 
 felt.  And  they  exclaimed,  as  soon  as  he  had  con- 
 cluded, "  now  are  we  sure  that  thou  knowest  all 
 things,  and  needest  not  that  any  man  should  ask 
 thee  ;  by  this  ice  believe  that  thou  earnest  forth 
 from  God. —  Jesus  answered  them,  Do  ye  note 
 believe?  Behold,  the  hour  cometh,  yea,  is  now 
 come,  that  ye  shall  be  scattered,  every  one  to  his 
 own,  and  ye  shall  leave  me  alone,  and  yet  I  am 
 not  alone,  because  the  Father  is  with  me.     These 
 
Lecture  XV.  383 
 
 things  have  I  spoken  to  you,  that  in  me  ye  might 
 have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribu- 
 lation. But  be  of  good  cheer.  I  have  overcome 
 the   world." 
 
 Here  let  us  pause.  We  have  reviewed  a  vast 
 number  of  predictions,  which  were  uttered  by  the 
 mouth  of  Jesus,  and  all  of  which  we  know  to  have 
 been  accurately  fulfilled.  By  that  fulfilment  it  is 
 clearly  proved  to  us  that  he  was  sent  of  God,  and 
 an  original  Prophet ;  and  we  may  therefore  justly 
 believe  all  his  other  communications.  But  we 
 have  somewhat  more  than  this  evinced  to  us.  We 
 see  that  he  possessed  such  a  familiarity  with  all 
 the  detail  of  the  events  which  he  predicted,  as 
 shews  that  he  was  far  superior  to  all  preceding- 
 prophets  ;  for  they  seem  to  have  had  but  a  very 
 imperfect  knowledge  of  the  meaning  of  what 
 they  were  commissioned  and  inspired  to  deliver. 
 "  When  the  Spirit — that  was  in  them  testified 
 beforehand  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory 
 that  should  follow,  they  inquired  and  searched 
 diligently  what  or  what  manner  of  time  was  sig- 
 nified." Now  it  was  "  the  Spirit  of  Christ  that 
 was  in  them%"  and  we  believe  that  Jesus  was  the 
 Christ ;  for  we  have  seen  that  he  knew  fully  both 
 the  time,  and  the  manner,  and  the  object  of  all  these 
 transactions.     He  foretold  them,  and  they   were 
 
 *   1   Pet.  i.  10—  1  '2. 
 
.'JS4  Lecture  XV. 
 
 accurately  accomplished.  He  foretold  them,  and  in 
 him  they  were  accomplished.  He  foretold  them, 
 and  they  were  the  very  things,  which,  at  the  same 
 time  that  they  fulfilled  his  predictions,  fulfilled  all 
 those  of  the  ancient  prophets  respecting  the  suf- 
 ferings, and  death,  and  resurrection  of  the  Christ, 
 and  respecting  the  nature  and  establishment  of 
 his  kingdom.  He,  therefore,  who  foretold  events 
 of  such  a  nature,  and  having  such  consequences  ; 
 who  so  foretold  them,  as  to  prove  that  he  was 
 acquainted  with  the  whole  scheme  of  the  divine 
 counsels,  and  that  the  arrangement  of  the  means 
 and  events  by  which  they  were  accomplished,  was 
 known  to  him  in  such  a  manner  as  cannot  be 
 conceived  of  any  other  than  of  him,  "  between 
 whom  and  the  Father  was  the  counsel  of  peace," 
 — he,  I  say,  could  himself  be  no  other  than  "  the 
 Messiah,  who  was  "  to  be  cut  off,  but  not  for  him- 
 self," and  who  became  "  the  Author  of  eternal 
 salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him."  We  may 
 therefore  ourselves  derive  from  these  predictions, 
 a  conviction  such  as  the  Apostles  themselves  at- 
 tained thereby,  in  conformity  to  our  Lord's  own 
 declaration.  f  Now  I  tell  you  before  it  come, 
 that,  when  it  is  come  to  pass,  ye  may  believe  that 
 /  am  he."  When  all  these  things  had  taken 
 place,  Jesus  enforced  the  argument,  and  to  the 
 full  establishment  of  their  faith.  "  These  are  the 
 words  ichich  I  spake  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet 
 
Lecture  XV.  385 
 
 with  you,  that  all  things  must  be  fulfilled,  which 
 were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  pro- 
 phets, and  in  the  Psalms,  concerning  me."  They 
 had  then  seen,  and  they  believed;  and,  through 
 their  word,  we  also  may  believe  in  Jesus  as  the 
 Christ  of  God. 
 
 Since,  then,  the  foreknowledge  and  the  Mes- 
 siahship  of  Jesus  are  so  demonstrable,  we  may 
 expect  that  all  his  other  predictions  will  be  fulfilled 
 in  their  season.  Those,  of  which  the  accomplish- 
 ment is  yet  future,  may  exercise  our  confidence  in 
 the  perpetuity  of  his  Church.  We  may  believe 
 that  "■  the  gates  of  hell  will  not  prevail  against  it  V 
 We  may  in  hope  expect  the  day  when  "  the  times 
 of  the  Gentiles  will  be  fulfilled b,"  when  "the 
 Gospel  will  be  preached  to  every  creature0," 
 when  "  all  men  will  be  drawn  "  to  the  standard 
 of  him,  who  was  "  lifted  up  that  whosoever  be- 
 lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
 lasting lifed."  We  may  pray  that  "  his  kingdom 
 may  come6."  And  ere  long  also,  "all  that  are  in 
 the  graves  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
 man,  and  shall  come  forth,  they  that  have  done 
 good  to  the  resurrection  of  life,  and  they  that  have 
 done  evil  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation  V  The 
 Son  of  man  will  then  "  come  in  the  glory  of  his 
 
 a  Matt.  xvi.  18.  b  Luke  xxi.  24.         c  Mark  xvi.  15. 
 
 *  John  iii.  14;   xii.  32.  e  Matt.  vi.  10. 
 
 f  John  v.  28,  29. 
 
 B   n 
 
386  Lecture  XV. 
 
 Father,  with  his  holy  angels a."  Then  shall  we 
 indeed  know  that  he  is  the  Christ,  the  Holy  one 
 of  God,  the  Saviour.  May  we  now  so  believe  in 
 him,  as  not  to  be  confounded  before  him  at  that 
 day ;  that  we  may  not  then  be  "  denied  by  him 
 before  the  angels  of  GodV  But  rather  let  us 
 now  so  "  believe  in  God,  and  also  believe  in  him," 
 that  we  may  now  partake  of  the  consolation,  and 
 hereafter  share  in  the  accomplishment  of  those 
 delightful  and  animating  words:  "In  my  Father's 
 house  are  many  mansions  ;  if  it  were  not  so,  I 
 would  have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for 
 you.  And  if  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you, 
 I  will  come  again  and  receive  you  unto  myself, 
 that  where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  alsoc." 
 
 1  Matt.  xvi.  27.         b  Luke  xii.  9.         c  John  xiv.  1 — 3. 
 
LECTURE    XVI 
 
 THE  REMARKABLE  SAYINGS  OF  OUR  LORD  AT  THE 
 TIME  OF  HIS  APPREHENSION,  ON  HIS  TRIAL,  AND 
 ON  THE  CROSS,  CONSIDERED.  HIS  INSTITUTION 
 OF  THE  SACRAMENT  IN  COMMEMORATION  OF  HIS 
 DEATH. 
 
 St.  John  XVIII.  36,  37. 
 
 Jesus  answered,  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world ;  if  my 
 kingdom  were  of  this  world,  then  would  my  serva?its 
 fight,  that  I  should  not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews :  but 
 now  is  my  kingdom  not  from  hence.  Pilate  therefore 
 said  unto  him,  Art  thou  a  king  then  ?  Jesus  answered, 
 Thou  sayest  that  I  am  a  king.  To  this  end  was  I 
 born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world,  that 
 I  might  bear  witness  unto  the  truth.  Every  one  that 
 is  of  the  truth  heareth  my  voice. 
 
 When  the  Apostle  Paul  exhorted  Timothy  to 
 (t  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  and  to  lay  hold  on 
 eternal  life/'  he  gave  him  charge  to  keep  this 
 commandment  "  in  the  sight  of  God,  who  quick- 
 eneth  all  things,  and  before  Christ  Jesus,  who 
 before  Pontius  Pilate  witnessed  a  good  con- 
 fession"."    That  confession,  in  part  at  least,  you 
 
 a   1  Tim.  vi.  12—14. 
 BB   2 
 
388  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 have  heard  in  the  words  of  our  text.  If,  however, 
 we  agree  with  those,  who  so  understand  the 
 words  of  the  Apostle,  as  to  suppose  that  he  spoke 
 of  "  the  good  confession  which  Jesus  witnessed 
 in  the  days  of  Pontius  Pilate  a,"  we  shall  then 
 conceive  that  the  Apostle  also  referred  to  an 
 equivalent  confession  which  he  had  then  just 
 made  before  the  high  priest ;  and  we  shall  also 
 be  reminded  of  the  short  but  expressive  decla- 
 rations previously  made,  at  the  time  of  his  appre- 
 hension, and  afterwards  during*  his  crucifixion. 
 We  propose,  in  this  Lecture,  to  take  a  cursory 
 review  of  this  series  of  our  Lord's  sayings  ;  for 
 in  various  respects  they  strikingly  exhibit  to  us 
 the  character  and  office  of  Jesus,  and  they  will 
 also  suggest  many  considerations  respecting  the 
 evidences  of  his  divine  mission  and  Messiahship, 
 different,  perhaps,  from  any  upon  which  we  have 
 yet  touched. 
 
 In  the  conclusion  of  our  last  Lecture,  we 
 noticed  the  farewell  discourses  of  our  Lord  to 
 his  disciples,  which  were  followed  by  his  inter- 
 cessory prayer  to  the  Father  on  their  behalf b. 
 He  then  announced  to  them  his  approaching 
 sufferings  and   departure  ;   and  we  have  now  to 
 
 a  evioTitov — Xokttou   'ltjtrou   rov  fiaprvprjcravTOs  eVi    Tlovr'iov 
 UiXdrov  Tt}v  Ka\rjv  6po\oyiav.    ver.  13. 
 
 b  John  xvii. 
 
Lecture  XVI.  389 
 
 accompany  them  and  their  Master  to  the  garden 
 of  Gethsemane,  where  his  sufferings  were  to 
 commence,  and  where,  having  prepared  them,  he 
 was  about  to  prepare  himself  for  the  trying  scene. 
 Leaving  the  other  disciples  with  a  charge  to 
 (i  pray  lest  they  should  enter  into  temptation,  and 
 to  tarry  while  he  retired  to  a  little  distance  from 
 them  to  pray  also,"  he  took  with  him  Peter,  and 
 James,  and  John.  Having  told  them  of  the  "ex- 
 ceeding sorrow,  even  unto  death,"  which  had  come 
 upon  him,  "he  withdrew  about  a  stone's  cast"  from 
 them  also,  leaving  it  in  charge  to  them  "to  pray 
 and  to  watch."  The  words  and  the  subject  of  the 
 prayer,  which,  "being  in  an  agony,"  "he  poured 
 out  with  strong  crying  and  tears  unto  his  Father," 
 you  cannot  but  remember0.  Nor  need  I  remind 
 you  that  his  full  knowledge  of  "  the  iniquity  of  us 
 all,  which  was  about  to  be  laid  on  him,"  and  of 
 "  the  stripes  and  chastisement  which  he  was  about 
 to  undergo  for  our  peace  and  healing,"  put  him  to 
 grief,  deep  and  still  increasing.  Returning  from 
 his  more  earnest  supplication  for  "  the  third  time," 
 and  "  strengthened  by  an  angel  from  heaven," 
 by  the  annunciation,  perhaps,  that  he  "  had  been 
 heard  in  that  he  feared,"  he  comes  to  arouse  them 
 to  the  full  sense  of  their  danger  by  the  alarming  as- 
 surance, "  It  is  enough,  the  hour  is  come ;   behold 
 
 c  Matt.  xxvi.  36 — 44.     Isai.  liii.     Heb.  v.  7. 
 
390  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed  into  the  hand  of  sin- 
 ners. Rise  up,  let  us  go ;  lo,  he  that  betrayeth 
 me  is  at  hand  V  "  While  he  yet  spake,"  Judas 
 appeared  with  his  company.  And  the  contrast 
 exhibited  between  the  conduct  of  the  disciples 
 and  of  their  Master  was,  if  possible,  more  striking 
 than  ever.  They  acted  as  men ;  yet  as  those  in 
 whom  an  affection  for  their  Master  was  deeply 
 seated ;  whose  hasty  zeal  in  his  behalf,  and 
 whose  almost  immediate  fear  and  flight,  were 
 equally  natural  in  their  circumstances.  But  Jesus 
 in  his  words  displayed  a  composure,  a  courage, 
 and  a  perseverance  in  the  discharge  of  his  mission, 
 which  was  uniformly  supported  in  his  whole  de- 
 meanour, from  the  first  moment  of  danger,  even 
 until  the  last  struggle  of  dissolving  nature.  Let 
 us  then  attentively  consider  all  that  from  this  time 
 fell  from  his  lips,  and  also,  as  we  have  occasion  to 
 do,  the  intelligible  significancy  even  of  his  silence. 
 Jesus  fearlessly  advanced  to  meet  the  ap- 
 proaching company  of  armed  men  b.  ff  Knowing 
 all  things  that  should  come  upon  him,  he  went 
 forth,  and  said  unto  them,  Whom  seek  ye?"  When 
 he  had  told  them  that  he  was  the  person  they 
 sought,  "  they  went  backward,  and  fell  to  the 
 ground;"  either  overpowered  by  a  consciousness 
 of  his    innocence    and    prophetic    character,    or 
 
 a  Mark  xiv.  -H.  V-\  b  John  xviii.  4. 
 
Lecture  XVI.  391 
 
 because  Jesus  himself  exerted  upon  them  a  mi- 
 raculous power.  When  they  arose.,  still  deter- 
 mined to  persevere  in  their  design,  Jesus  pleaded 
 for  the  personal  safety  of  his  disciples  only ;  "  that 
 the  saying  which  he  had  just  spoken  might  be 
 fulfilled,  Of  those  that  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  lost 
 nonec."  "  I  have  told  you/'  said  he  again,  "  that 
 I  am  he  ;  if  then  ye  seek  me,  let  these  go  their  way." 
 Three  other  separate  addresses  he  made  at 
 the  same  season. — When  Judas  advanced  to  give 
 the  signal,  upon  which  he  had  agreed  with  the 
 officers  beforehand,  Jesus  intimated  to  him  his 
 knowledge  of  the  plan  which  he  had  concerted, 
 and  of  its  object.  "Friend,  wherefore  art  thou 
 come  ?  Betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  man  with  a 
 kiss?"  The  officers,  emboldened  by  the  perse- 
 verance of  their  guide,  laid  hands  on  Jesus,  and 
 bound  him. — And  is  he  then  bound,  and  led  away 
 as  a  malefactor,  who  is  surrounded  by  those  who 
 professed  their  readiness  to  "  go  with  him  even 
 unto  prison,  and  unto  death?"  He,  who  claimed 
 the  peculiar  co-operation  and  protection  of  his 
 heavenly  Father ;  who  had  wrought  so  many 
 wonders  of  mercy  and  of  power;  who  had 
 "spoken  as  never  man  spake?"  Is  he  now 
 found  unaided,  and  powerless,  and  silent  ?  He  is 
 not  indeed  delivered.     Yet  he  shewed,  once  and 
 
 c  John  xviii.  0.     See  xvii.  12. 
 
392  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 again,  that  he  could  even  then  be  rescued,  though 
 by  no  human  arm ;  that  he  could  escape  out  of 
 their  hands,  in  such  a  manner  as  he  had  done 
 aforetime.  And  he  at  this  juncture  so  expressed 
 himself,  as  to  leave  his  character  as  a  divine 
 teacher  unimpaired  by  these  apparently  humi- 
 liating incidents,  and  to  prepare  us  to  expect 
 consequences  from  them  of  the  highest  import- 
 ance, and  of  the  deepest  interest.  He  spoke 
 such  things  both  to  his  own  disciples,  and  to  his 
 enemies. 
 
 His  disciples  eagerly  inquiring  whether  they 
 should  smite  with  the  sword,  and  Peter  having 
 actually  done  so,  Jesus  charged  him  to  "  put  up 
 again  his  sword  into  its  place."  "  For,"  said  he, 
 "  all  they  that  take  the  sword,  shall  perish  with 
 the  sword.  Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot  now  pray 
 to  my  Father,  and  he  shall  presently  give  me  more 
 than  twelve  legions  of  angels?  But  how  then  shall 
 the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled,  that  thus  it  must  bea? 
 The  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  me,  shall 
 I  not  drink  itb?" — He  had  before  apprised  them 
 of  the  approaching  fulfilment  of  prophecy  by  the 
 delivery  of  the  Son  of  man  into  the  hands  of  sin- 
 ners. They  had  also  just  heard  him  declare  to 
 his  heavenly  Father  his  acquiescence  in  his  will, 
 and   his   readiness  to  drink  the  cup   which   was 
 
 A  Matt.  xxvi.  52—54.  b  John  xviii.  11. 
 
Lecture  XVI.  393 
 
 presented  to  him,  since  it  was  not  to  "pass  from 
 him,  except  he  drank  it."  They  might  there- 
 fore collect  from  his  present  observations  that 
 nothing-  had  come  upon  him  which  he  had  not 
 foreseen.  And  if,  by  such  a  destiny,  Scripture  was 
 fulfilled,  and  the  Father's  will  accomplished  ;  and 
 if  he,  who  had  to  drink  the  bitter  cup,  was 
 himself  unmoved  and  resigned,  and  exhorted  them 
 to  be  so ;  they  might  reasonably,  not  only  so  far 
 submit,  as  to  abstain  from  actual  resistance,  but 
 they  might  also  contentedly  acquiesce  in,  and 
 await  the  approaching  developement  of  the  pur- 
 poses of  God. 
 
 To  those,  who  came  to  apprehend  him,  Jesus 
 spoke  in  a  different  manner.  Their  present  con- 
 duct was  prompted  by  the  spirit  of  malignant 
 unbelief,  rather  than  occasioned  by  the  infirmity 
 of  human  nature.  With  them  therefore  he  ex- 
 postulated, not  at  all  with  the  design  of  procuring 
 his  liberation,  but  that  he  might  shew  them  the 
 injustice  and  cowardly  baseness  of  their  present 
 procedure,  and  also  announce  to  them  that  while 
 they  followed  the  suggestions  of  their  own  de- 
 pravity, they  would  unwittingly  be  the  agents  for 
 the  fulfilment  of  Scripture.  But  he  prefaced  his 
 words  by  the  miraculous  cure  of  the  wounded 
 Malchus,  thereby  once  more  demonstrating  the 
 authority  of  that  doctrine,  for  which  he  was  "  an 
 ambassador  in  bonds."     Having  checked  the  too 
 
394  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 forward  zeal  of  his  disciples,  he  thus  addressed  those 
 who  had  apprehended  him.  "  Are  ye  come  out,, 
 as  against  a  thief,  with  swords  and  staves  for  to 
 take  me?  I  sat  daily  with  you  teaching-  in  the 
 temple,  and  ye  laid  no  hold  on  me.  But  all  this 
 has  been  done  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  prophets 
 might  be  fulfilled a.  This  is  your  hour,  and  the 
 power  of  darknessV 
 
 Not  far  dissimilar  were  his  remarks  when, 
 brought  before  the  Sanhedrim,  assembled  in  the 
 house  of  Caiaphas,  he  stood  alone,  forsaken  of  all 
 his  disciples,  and  was  questioned  by  the  high 
 priest  respecting  his  disciples,  and  his  doctrine. 
 "  I  spake  openly  to  the  world :  I  ever  taught  in 
 the  synagogue,  and  in  the  temple,  whither  the 
 Jews  always  resort,  and  in  secret  have  I  said 
 nothing.  Why  askest  thou  me?  ask  them  which 
 heard  me,  what  I  have  said  unto  them.  Behold, 
 they  know  what  I  saidc." — The  rulers  knew  that 
 they  could  bring  forward  no  witnesses  who  could 
 give  evidence  upon  which  he  might  be  capitally 
 convicted.  That  nothing  less  than  this  would 
 satisfy  them,  or  answer  their  purpose,  is  evident 
 from  their  former  watching  of  Jesus,  and  from 
 their  consultations  *  how  they  might  put  him  to 
 
 a  Tovto  6e  b\ov  yeyovev,   "va  TrXrjpoidwcnv  ai  ypcupai   twv  irno- 
 (ptirtiv.     Matt.  xxvi.  55,  56'. 
 
 b  Luke  xxii.  53.  c  John  xviii.  '20,  21. 
 
Lecture  XVI.  395 
 
 death;"   and   their  whole  conduct  both  in  their 
 own  court,  and  before  Pilate,,   proved  the  same. 
 In  default  of  evidence,  Caiaphas  was  desirous  to 
 draw  from  him  some  incautious  expression,  which, 
 being-  publicly  heard,   might  supply  a  pretext  for 
 his   condemnation.      He    might    hope,    when   he 
 questioned  him  concerning  his  disciples,  and  his 
 doctrine,  to  be  able  either  to  convict  him  of  tumul- 
 tuous   proceedings,    or  of  impugning  the  law  of 
 Moses,  or  of  blasphemy.     But  this  mode  of  proce- 
 dure was  as  unavailing,  as  it  was  unjust.     Jesus 
 knew   that    even    his    condemnation,   which  was 
 shortly  to  follow,  would  be  found  perfectly  con- 
 sistent with  his  innocence,  and  that  it  would  even 
 furnish    many   unequivocal   proofs   of  it;   and   he 
 therefore  challenged  them  to  bring  forward  those 
 who   had    heard    him    in    public.     He   manfully 
 and   calmly    maintained   his   ground,    even  when 
 angrily  smitten,  by  one  of  the  officers  that  stood 
 by,  because  he  had  "  so  answered  the  high  priest." 
 "  If/'  said  he,  "  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of 
 the  evil ;  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  med  V'    His 
 answer  to  the  high  priest  was  perfectly  just  and 
 respectful,  unless  it  could  be  proved  that  he  had 
 taught  some  dangerous  doctrine.     He  required  of 
 the  officer  to  do  so,  if  he  could  bring  witness  of  any 
 such.     An  endeavour  was  made  by  the  rulers  to 
 
 tl  John  xviii.  22,  23. 
 
396  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 establish  such  an  accusation,  but  in  vain.  "  False 
 witnesses  were  sought,"  and  when  at  length  they 
 found  them,  their  testimony  was  contradictory, 
 and  insufficient1.  They  were  obliged  to  abandon 
 this  method  of  prosecution. — Let  it,  therefore., 
 be  borne  in  mind,  that  Jesus  could  be  convicted  of 
 no  moral  or  political  crime.  He  had  advanced 
 nothing-  in  his  doctrine,  which  calumniated  or 
 opposed  the  laws  and  institutions  of  Moses;  he 
 had  stated  nothing-  respecting  himself,  which  he 
 had  not  established  by  argument,  and  confirmed 
 by  miracles.  And,  in  the  face  of  such  demonstra- 
 tion, they  ventured  not  at  this  time  to  repeat  their 
 former  imputations  of  blasphemy,  lest,  as  afore- 
 time, he  should  baffle  their  designs. — He  was  ques- 
 tioned again  as  to  his  defence  of  himself  against 
 these  varied,  though  inadmissible  accusations. 
 "  The  high  priest  stood  up  in  the  midst,  and 
 asked  Jesus,  saying,  Answerest  thou  nothing? 
 What  is  it  which  these  witness  against  thee? — 
 But  he  held  his  peace,  and  answered  nothing." — 
 He  left  them  to  their  own  conviction  of  the 
 insufficiency  of  the  testimony  ;  and  would  enter 
 on  no  defence,  when,  in  fact,  there  was  no  crime 
 even  apparently  proved. 
 
 But  the  trial  soon  took  a  different  turn.     The 
 high  priest  proposed  a  definite  and  leading  ques- 
 
 a  Matt.  xxvi.  59,  &c.    Mark  xiv.  55,  &c. 
 
Lecture  XVI.  397 
 
 tion,  and  accompanied  it  with  an  adjuration ;  in 
 order  that  Jesus,  in  obedience  to  a  specific  pre- 
 cept of  Moses,  might  be  compelled  to  give  an 
 answer5.  "  1  adjure  thee  by  the  living-  God,  that 
 thou  tell  us  whether  thou  be  the  Christ."  And 
 he  said  unto  them,  If  I  tell  you,  ye  will  not 
 believe ;  and  if  I  also  ask  you,  ye  will  not  answer 
 me,  nor  let  me  go."  He  thus  stated  that  he  was 
 fully  aware  of  the  manner  in  which  they  would 
 receive  his  answer ;  yet  he  gave  it,  and  said, 
 "  I  am."  And  that  they  might  learn  that  although 
 he  hitherto  appeared  in  humility,  yet  he  did  not 
 disavow  a  claim  to  the  glories  ascribed  to  the 
 Lord's  Christ,  he  assured  them  that  though  the 
 time  was  not  yet  come  for  his  exaltation,  it  would 
 hereafter  be  known  and  recognized.  He  applied 
 to  himself  the  prophetic  descriptions  of  the  second 
 and  hundred  and  tenth  Psalms,  and  of  a  passage 
 in  the  book  of  Daniel.  "  Nevertheless,  I  say 
 unto  you,  that  hereafter  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of 
 man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  the  power  of 
 God,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven."  They 
 all  exclaimed  in  consequence  of  this  declaration, 
 "  Art  thou  then  the  Son  of  God?"    He  said  to 
 
 b  'JLjjopKi^ti}  ere  Kara  tov  Qeov  tov  £wi/to?  "va  tjfx?u  e'lTTf/?, 
 k.t.X.  Matt.  xxvi.  63.  — See  the  precept  concerning  the  <pa>vri 
 SpKta-fxov  in  Lev.  v.  1.  And  see  also  1  Sam.  xiv.  24,  0,6. 
 1  Kings  ii.  42,  43;  viii.  31,  32;  xxii.  l6.  Prov.  xxix.  24. — 
 eav  bpnov  TrporedevTos  aKov<rai'Te$  a>j  dvajyaXtocri.     Septuagint. 
 
398  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 them,  "  Ye  say  that  I  am."  He  assented  to  the 
 justness  of  their  supposition,  that  he  asserted  his 
 right  to  that,  as  well  as  to  every  other  dignity  of 
 the  Messiah ;  and  they  all,  contending  that  he 
 had  spoken  blasphemy  in  their  presence,  declared 
 that  he  was  worthy  of  the  capital  punishment 
 assigned  to  blasphemers  by  the  law  of  Moses  \ 
 
 If  he  was  not  the  Christ,  he  was  justly  con- 
 demned to  death.  If  by  that  death  itself  he  was 
 not  glorified,  if  he  was  not  redeemed  from  the 
 power  of  the  grave,  then  the  hopes  of  all  that 
 trusted  in  him  were  buried  for  ever  with  him. 
 But  assuredly  he  did  burst  through  the  bands,  in 
 which  death  for  a  season  detained  him  ;  "  because 
 it  was  not  possible  that  he  should  be  holden  of  it." 
 He  died  in  the  character,  the  avowed  character, 
 of  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  As  the  Christ  he 
 died.  As  the  Christ  he  is  risen  from  the  dead, 
 and  "  declared  thereby  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 
 power."  He  has  "  sat  down  on  the  right  hand 
 of  the  Majesty  on  high."  But  if  he  were  the 
 Lord's  Anointed,  he  was  anointed  to  inherit  a 
 kingdom.  And  the  next  question  to  be  deter- 
 mined, is,  what  is  the  nature  and  object,  and  who 
 are  the  subjects  of  his  kingdom  ?  This  we  shall 
 find  stated  in  due  time  by  Jesus,  when  he  was 
 accused  to  Pilate  by  the  high  priest  of  asserting 
 himself  to  be  "  Christ,  a  kingb." 
 
 *  Lev.  xxiv.  l6.  b  Luke  xxiii.  1 — 3. 
 
Lecture  XVI.  399 
 
 It  was  not  lawful  for  those,  who  had  decided 
 that  a   cause   of  death  was  found   in    Jesus,   to 
 execute  that  punishment  without  the  authority  of 
 the  Roman  governour ;    who  required  of  course 
 to  be  satisfied  that  the  sentence  was  just.    It  was 
 not  sufficient  that  they  assured  Pilate  that  "  if  he 
 were  not  a  malefactor,  they  would  not  have  de- 
 livered Jesus  unto  himc."     They  were  required 
 to  "  take  and  judge  him  according  to  their  law." 
 But  that  would  not  content  them,  because  they 
 could    not    inflict   that   punishment  which  alone 
 would   satisfy  them.     They  therefore   contended 
 that  he  was  guilty  of  sedition,  by  assuming  the 
 title  of  the  Christ,  and  therefore  "  making  himself 
 a  king,  and  speaking  against  Cesar ;"  adding  that 
 he  "  forbad  to  give  tribute  to  Cesar ;"  an  asser- 
 tion which  they   did  not  attempt  to  prove,  and 
 which  was  directly  contrary  to  the  truth*1.    The 
 question   which   Pilate   had   first  to   decide,  was 
 whether    he    really    declared    himself   the    king 
 of  the  Jews ;    for  they  brought  no  witnesses  to 
 prove  it.     He   asked   Jesus  whether  he   was  so. 
 Jesus  demanded  in  return,    "  whether  he  asked 
 this  of  himself,    or  whether  others  had  told  it  to 
 him?"     Pilate    implied   that   the   latter  was    the 
 only   source  whence    he,   a   Roman,   could  have 
 
 -  John  xviii.  29—31. 
 
 A  Luke  xxiii,  2. — See  Matt.  xvii.  2? ;  xxii.  21. 
 
400  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 learnt  it.  "  Am  I  a  Jew  ?  Thine  own  nation 
 and  the  chief  priests  have  delivered  thee  unto  me. 
 What  hast  thou  done?"  He  answered  in  the 
 words  of  our  text ;  not  merely  alluding  to  the  ab- 
 sence of  any  proof  that  he  had  done  any  thing  which 
 could  be  considered  seditious,  but  even  appealing 
 to  fact  to  shew  the  contrary  ;  and  applying  that 
 circumstance  in  illustration  of  the  nature  of  the 
 kingdom  to  which  he  advanced  a  claim.  "  My 
 kingdom  is  not  of  this  world;  else  would  my 
 servants  fight  that  I  should  not  be  delivered  to  the 
 Jews.  But  now  is  my  kingdom  not  from  hence." 
 There  was  therefore  nothing  which  brought 
 his  claims  under  the  cognizance  of  Pilate.  He 
 avowed  his  right  to  a  kingdom  ;  but  not  such  as 
 either  had  occasioned,  or  would  occasion,  any 
 disturbance  to  the  political  order  and  civil  govern- 
 ment of  the  world.  He  had  taught  indeed  the 
 approach  of  a  kingdom,  but  it  was  the  kingdom 
 of  God ;  for  admittance  into  which  repentance, 
 and  the  belief  of  promises  relative  to  religious 
 blessings,  were  requisitea.  He  had  taught  that 
 this  kingdom  "  cometh  not  with  observation,"  but 
 that  it  is  situated  in  the  hearts  of  menb.  He 
 had  avoided  every  thing  that  might  encourage 
 tumults  and  insurrections  for  his  temporal  exalta- 
 tion0.    He  had  refused  to  act  as  "  a  judge  and 
 
 »  Mark  i.  15.   Luke  iv.  21.       b  Luke  xvii.  20.       c  John  vi.  15. 
 
Lecture  XVI.  401 
 
 a  divider"  even  among-  his  own  followers'1.  He 
 had  checked  and  endeavoured  to  eradicate  those 
 anticipations  of  earthly  grandeur,  which  arose  in 
 the  minds,  either  of  the  multitude,  or  of  his  own 
 disciples6.  The  topics  of  his  instruction  had  been 
 the  duties  of  morality, — the  attributes  of  God, 
 his  promises  and  his  will, — the  evidences  and 
 spiritual  purposes  of  his  own  mission.  Thus  had 
 he  ever  taught,  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it,  that 
 "his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world;"  and  the 
 same  truth  he  now  declared  in  "  his  good  confes- 
 sion before  Pontius  Pilate."  In  the  former  part 
 of  this  avowal  of  his  character,  for  we  can  scarcely 
 call  it  a  defence,  he  had  declared  himself  to  be 
 the  Christ.  This  he  declared  to  Jezos,  who  were 
 qualified  to  judge  of  his  claim  to  that  title.  But 
 when  arraigned  before  Pilate,  he  further  declared, 
 that  the  kingdom  which  belonged  to  him  as  such, 
 was  not  in  any  sense  of  a  political  nature,  and 
 that  he  was  not  thereby  rendered  accountable  to 
 a  civil  ruler. 
 
 But  if  such  were  his  kingdom,  did  he  then 
 profess  himself  to  be  a  king?  Pilate  put  this  ques- 
 tion also.  And  the  answer  of  Jesus  was  to  the 
 same  purport  as  before ;  but  he  did  not  now  speak 
 so  much  of  the  nature  of  the  dispensation  which 
 
 *'  Luke  xii.  14. 
 
 '  John  vi.  7, 12.  Matt.  xvi.  17;   xx,  17—28;  xxii,  41—46", 
 C  c 
 
102  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 he  was  introducing-,  as  of  the  employment  and 
 procedure  by  which  it  has  been  his  commission 
 to  introduce  it.  "  For  this  end  was  1  born,  and 
 for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world,  that  I  might 
 bear  witness  unto  the  truth.  Every  one  that  is  of 
 the  truth,  heareth  my  voice."  He  declared  that 
 those  were  the  subjects  of  his  kingdom,  who  obeyed 
 his  commands  as  a  teacher  of  moral  and  religious 
 truth.  In  such  a  character  he  had  appeared,  and 
 all  his  statements  and  labours  had  been  suitable  to 
 it.  He  had  been  born  in  order  to  promote  the 
 establishment  of  a  spiritual  kingdom  of  truth  and 
 righteousness.  He  had  gone  forth  into  the  world 
 to  fulfil  the  end  for  which  he  was  born.  He  had 
 borne  witness  to  the  truth.  Those  only  he  ex- 
 pected to  be  his  followers,  who  were  of  the  truth, 
 and  were,  therefore,  willing  "  to  receive  the  truth 
 in  the  love  of  it."  No  others  would  obey  him,  for 
 none  but  they  had  correct  apprehensions  respecting 
 the  purposes  of  his  mission.  His  kingdom  not 
 being  of  this  world,  he  retjuired  not  in  his  subjects 
 any  of  the  qualifications  for  the  warlike  or  diplo- 
 matic transactions  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth. 
 It  had  not  been  proved  by  his  accusers  that  he  had 
 given  any  handle  for  such  an  imputation  ;  nor  did 
 they  afterwards  establish  the  truth  of  the  state- 
 ments, which  they  had  so  repeatedly  advanced. — 
 But  Jesus  thenceforth  made  no  declaration  whatever 
 until  the  ground  of  accusation  was  changed  ;  and 
 
Lecture  XVI.  403 
 
 not   even   then   until   an  occasion  was  given  by 
 a  remark  from  Pilate. 
 
 In  answer  to  the  observations  of  Jesus,  Pilate 
 exclaimed,  "  What  is  truth?"  '  Why  do  you  speak 
 of  truth  ?  What  connection  can  that  have  with 
 the  accusation  of  the  chief  priests?  They  have 
 brought  no  evidence  to  support  their  accusation; 
 and  it  does  not  appear,  from  your  professions, 
 that  you  have  given  them  any  ground  for  it.' 
 He  therefore  went  out  to  the  accusers,  who  stood 
 without  Pilate's  judgment-hall,  cc  lest  they  should 
 be  defiled,"  and  disqualified  for  the  celebration  of 
 the  passover.  He  announced  to  them  that  "  he 
 found  in  Jesus  no  fault  at  all,"  and  would  fain 
 have  released  him,  according  to  the  usual  custom 
 at  the  time  of  the  passover.  But  they  requested 
 the  release  of  Barabbas,  who,  indeed,  not  only  had 
 headed  an  insurrection,  but  had  committed  murder. 
 Determined  to  accomplish  their  purpose,  they 
 changed  their  plea ;  and,  as  they  could  convict 
 Jesus  of  no  political  delinquency,  they  endeavoured 
 to  obtain  the  sanction  of  Pilate  to  their  own  pre- 
 vious sentence1.  "By  our  law,"  said  they,  "  he 
 ought  to  die,  because  he  made  himself  the  Son  of 
 God. — When  Pilate  heard  that  saying,  he  was  the 
 more  afraid."  Perhaps  he  was  already  disposed  to 
 think,   from  what  he  had  now  seen,   and  might 
 
 *  John  xix.  7,  &c. 
 C  C  2 
 
404  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 formerly  have  heard,  that  Jesus  was  a  remarkable 
 personage;  or  some  superstitious  fears  were  awaken- 
 ed in  his  mind  ;   or  finding1,  not  only   that  "  the 
 Jews  had  delivered  him  for  envy/'   but  that  the 
 occasion    of    their    enmity    was   connected    with 
 questions  of  their  own  religion  and  law,  he  was 
 alarmed   by   the    indications   of  an  inclination  to 
 rebel,  and  to  accuse  him  to  Cesar,  if  he  refused  to 
 give  up  Jesus  to  their  will.     He  therefore  asked 
 Jesus,  "  Whence  art  thou  1"     But  no  answer  was 
 given  to  the  Gentile  ruler.     The  title  of  the  Son 
 of  God   was   by   the    prophets    ascribed    to    the 
 Messiah,   but  it  was   one   of  which  Pilate,   as  a 
 Gentile,  could  not  judge;    and    he    had  already 
 proved  to  Pilate  that  he  was  clear  of  every  charge 
 which   came    under  his    cognizance.     But   when 
 Pilate  pleaded  for  an  answer  on  the  ground  that 
 ic  he  had  power  to  crucify  him,  and  had  power  to 
 release  him,"  then  Jesus  made  his  final  declaration 
 to  the  same  purport  as  those  made   at  the  time 
 of  his   apprehension.     "  Jesus  answered,    Thou 
 couldest  have  no  power  at  all  against  me,  except  it 
 were  given  thee  from  above  ;   therefore  he  that 
 delivered    me   unto   thee   hath   the  greater   sin." 
 The  rulers  knew,  and  by  their  recent  proceedings 
 in  their  own  Council  had  in  fact  allowed,  that  the 
 Messiah  was  to  be  the  Son  of  God.     Yet  they 
 had  separated  the  claim  to  the  latter  character; 
 and  had  condemned  Jesus,  regardless  of  his  own 
 
Lecture  XVI.  40o 
 
 declaration  that  he  was  the  Christ,  and  forgetful 
 of  all  the  arguments  and  evidences  by  which  he 
 had  supported  his  divine  authority.  They  had 
 endeavoured  upon  false  pretences  to  procure  his 
 condemnation  by  Pilate ;  and  when  they  men- 
 tioned the  real  one,  upon  which  they  had  them- 
 selves proceeded,  they  did  in  fact  still  make  an 
 improper  and  imperfect  statement.  The  declara- 
 tion, however,  which  Jesus  made  to  Pilate,  was 
 quite  consistent  with  his  former  statements  to  him; 
 and,  if  he  were  the  Son  of  God,  it  was  evidently  in 
 character.  It  certainly  increased  the  fear  of 
 Pilate,  and  his  reluctance  to  condemn  him  ;  for 
 "  he  sought  thenceforth  to  release  him,"  and  not 
 Barabbas.  But  cc  the  voice  of  the  multitude  and 
 of  the  chief  priests  prevailed."  "  He  gave  sentence 
 that  it  should  be  as  they  required,  and  delivered 
 Jesus  to  their  will." 
 
 Thus  did  the  trial  of  Jesus  proceed  in  such  a 
 manner,  as  to  produce  the  most  various  and  incon- 
 trovertible attestations  of  his  complete  innocence 
 with  reference  to  man.  Occasions  also  arose  which 
 called  forth  declarations  of  the  character  in  which 
 he  professed  to  be  sent  of  God,  viz.  that  he  was 
 the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  hereafter  to  come  in 
 power,  as  then  he  appeared  in  humility  ;  and  that 
 he  was  born,  and  sent  into  the  world  that  he  might 
 testify  of  the  truth,  and  declare  "  not  the  wisdom 
 of  the   world,  nor  of  the  princes  of  this   world. 
 
406  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 which  come  to  nought/'  but  the  necessity  of  re- 
 pentance for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  of  obedience 
 to  his  precepts  in  all  such  as  were  willing-  that  he 
 should  reign  over  them,  and  who  desired  to  enter 
 into  those  mansions  which  he  would  prepare  for 
 his  faithful  soldiers  and  subjects.  He  declared  also 
 that  the  issue  of  his  trial  and  condemnation  not 
 only  was  conformable  to  the  predictions  of  the 
 prophets,  but  to  the  will  of  God ;  and  that  Pilate 
 was  indeed  permitted  to  authorize  it,  but  that, 
 without  that  permission,  his  power  would  have 
 been  ineffectual. 
 
 Connect  these  declarations  with  what  we  have 
 already  heard  from  the  lips  of  him  who  made 
 them ;  of  him,  who  had  appeared,  at  a  former 
 period  of  his  ministry,  before  the  tribunal  of  the 
 Jewish  council ;  and  who  then  fully  stated  to  them 
 his  authority  and  the  proofs  of  it.  And  though  his 
 hour  was  now  come,  and  the  day  of  Jerusalem's 
 visitation  expiring,  yet  are  not  the  words  that  we 
 have  this  day  considered,  the  words  of  one  sent 
 of  God ;  of  one  who  was  about  to  "  finish  the  work 
 which  the  Father  had  given  him  to  do?"  Such 
 indeed  he  was,  though,  after  cruel  mockeries  and 
 humiliating  indignities,  "  he  went  forth  bearing  his 
 cross,"  and  touching  the  tenderness  of  the  female 
 heart  with  pity  even  to  tears.  He  was  going  forth 
 to  offer  himself  for  the  life  of  the  world.  But  he 
 foresaw  the  obstinacy,  and  unbelief,  and  ruin  of 
 
Lecture  XVI.  40? 
 
 that  generation ;   and  well  might  he  exhort  "  the 
 daughters  of  Jerusalem  to  weep  for  themselves, 
 and  for  their  children,"  upon  whom  the  guilt  of 
 that   innocent  blood   had    so    thoughtlessly   been 
 imprecated   and   entailed a.      Well   did   he  know, 
 and  often  would  he   fain   have  taught  them,  the 
 things  that  would  have  made  for  their  peace.    But 
 now  he  could  only  pray,  as  they  nailed  him  to  the 
 tree,  cc  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not 
 what  they  dob."     Yet  behold  again  the  authority 
 and   power,  and  benevolence  of  him,    who    was 
 then  made  "a  spectacle  to  angels  and  to  men." 
 He  could  confidently  anticipate  his   Father's  ac- 
 ceptance of  his  sacrifice,  and  could  declare  to  the 
 penitent   thief  who  attested  his    innocence,   and 
 prayed  to  be  remembered  in  his   kingdom,    that 
 "  That  day  he  should  be  with  him  in  Paradise0." 
 Soon  did  he  perform  the  last  office  of  filial  affection 
 to  his  earthly  parent;   and,   declaring*  in   several 
 ways   that   "all  things   were   accomplished,"    he 
 commended    his    Spirit    into    the   hands    of    his 
 Father,  and  gave  up  the  ghostd.     The  darkened 
 heavens,    and  the  convulsed  earth,    the  opening- 
 graves,  and  the  unveiled  sanctuary,  rebuked  the 
 madness  of  the  agents  in  that  scene  ;  and  declared 
 
 a  Matt,  xxvii.  25.     Luke  xxiii.  28—31.     Acts  v.  28. 
 b  Luke  xxiii.  34.  c  Luke  xxiii.  39—43. 
 
 d  Matt,  xxvii.  46",  50.     John  xix.  30.     Luke  xxiii.  46". 
 
40S  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 to  them  and  to  every  child  of  Adam  that  hears  of 
 these  transactions,  that  "  truly  this  was  the  Son 
 of  God/'  who  had  then  "  brought  in  an  ever- 
 lasting- righteousness,"  and  finished  the  work 
 which  the  guilt  of  man  required,  and  which  the 
 mercy  of  God  had  promised. 
 
 And  is  not  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  word  of  God. 
 and  by  the  preaching  of  his  ministers,  evidently  set 
 forth  among  you  as  Christ  crucified  ?  And  is  not 
 an  institution  observed  amongst  us,  which  purports 
 to  be  a  commemorative  ordinance,  designed  to  be 
 celebrated,  even  unto  the  end  of  time,  wherever 
 a  Christian  church  exists,  that  Christians,  "  eating 
 of  that  bread,  and  drinking  of  that  cup,  may  shew 
 forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come  1"  We  have 
 derived  the  custom  from  our  forefathers,  who 
 believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified. 
 They  derived  it  from  those,  who  first  preached 
 to  them  these  great  truths.  And  in  what  did  it 
 originate,  in  what  could  a  commemorative  ordi- 
 nance originate,  but  in  the  fact  which  it  comme- 
 morates? We  can  account  for  the  first  observance 
 of  this  rite,  only  by  believing  that  it  is  an  historical 
 fact  that  Jesus  died.  And  it  was  observed  in 
 obedience  to  his  injunctions,  and  in  consequence 
 of  his  celebration  of  it  before  he  died.  And  how 
 should  any  but  an  innocent  person,  one  who  knew 
 that  his  innocence  would  be  undeniably  attested,, 
 institute  a  rite  to  keep  up  "  a  perpetual  memory" 
 
Lecture  XVI.  409 
 
 of  his  public  and  ignominious  death  ?  Again,  why 
 should  he  wish  it  to  be  celebrated,  and  why  should 
 any  others  even  be  persuaded  to  celebrate  it, 
 unless  they  discerned  in  the  Lord's  body  and 
 blood,  somewhat  in  which  they  had  a  great 
 concern  ?  And  what  does  this,  and  every  other 
 argument  in  support  of  the  Gospel,  prove  to  us, 
 but  that  he  spoke  not  only  with  foreknowledge 
 of  the  fact,  but  with  a  full  acquaintance  with 
 its  design,  and  success,  when  he  declared,  "  This 
 is  my  body  which  is  broken  for  you;  This  is  my 
 blood  of  the  New  Testament  which  is  shed  for 
 you  and  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Do 
 this  in  remembrance  of  Me"." 
 
 These  benefits,  doubtless,  will  be  commemo- 
 rated, and  be  received  by  multitudes,  even  till 
 the  Lord,  by  whose  death  they  were  obtained, 
 shall  come  again  in  such  manner  as  he  has  de- 
 clared that  he  will  come.  Our  share  in  keeping 
 up  the  remembrance  of  them  is  confined  within 
 a  very  brief  portion  of  these  latter  times  ;  but  that 
 portion  is  to  us  <c  the  accepted  time,  and  the  day 
 of  salvation."  We  must  therefore  meditate  on 
 the  design  of  this  event,  on  the  necessity  for  it, 
 on  the  purposes  accomplished  by  it,  on  the  con- 
 sequences of  it  here  and  hereafter.  And  it  should 
 be  our  prayer  and  endeavour,  that  "  by  the  merits 
 
 ■>  Matt.  xxvi.  26"— 29.     Mark  xiv.  22— 26'.     Luke  xxii.  17—22. 
 
410  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 and  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  through  faith  in 
 his  blood,  we  and  all  his  whole  church  may  obtain 
 remission  of  our  sins,  and  all  other  benefits  of  his 
 passion."  If  we  can  with  heartfelt  gratitude  and 
 joy  "  glory  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ/' 
 and  if  "  by  it  the  world  is  crucified  unto  us,  and 
 we  unto  the  world,"  then  "  all  things  are  our's, 
 whether  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things 
 to  come,  all  things  are  our's ;  for  then  are  we 
 Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's." 
 
 Let  us  remember,  however,  that  the  cup,  of 
 which  Jesus  drank  even  the  last  bitter  dregs,  will 
 one  day  be  presented  to  our  lips  ;  and  we  too 
 must  drink  of  it.  And  if  the  draught  be  not 
 sweetened,  by  a  hope  of  deliverance  from  its 
 deadly  consequences  in  eternity ;  if  we  have  not 
 a  well-grounded  hope  that  the  sufferings  of  this 
 present  time,  and  the  pains  of  dissolution,  will 
 issue  in  the  attainment  of  "  a  far  more  exceeding 
 and  eternal  weight  of  glory ;"  then  has  Jesus  died 
 in  vain  for  us,  and  in  vain  have  these  things  been 
 written,  that  <c  through  patience,  and  comfort  of 
 the  Scriptures,  we  might  have  a  good  hope"  of 
 inheriting  the  promises.  How  strong  and  how 
 fatal  a  delusion  must  have  come  upon  us,  if,  when 
 death  approaches,  and  makes  us  feel  his  presence 
 and  his  power,  we  are  in  such  a  moment  still 
 insensible  to  our  guilt  and  danger,  still  regardless 
 of  the  judgments   and   of  the   mercies  of  God! 
 
Lecture  XVI.  411 
 
 And,  on  the  other  hand,  how  agonizing  will  be 
 our  reflections,  if  an  awakened  conscience  then 
 utters  her  voice,  and  can  give  no  other  testimony 
 than  this,  ffThy  sins,  which  are  many,  are  not 
 forgiven  thee ! "  Yet  it  is  not  always  thus,  even 
 When  the  summons  is  most  sudden  and  unex- 
 pected. "  The  righteous  hath  hope  in  his  death." 
 Death  still  is  clad  in  the  garb  of  the  king  of 
 terrors,  but  he  delivers  a  message  of  peace.  He 
 is  still  an  enemy,  but  he  is  "  the  last  enemy"  of 
 the  Christian,  and  one  day  he  will  "  be  destroyed." 
 Even  his  present  hostilities  have  by  our  Redeemer 
 been  converted  into  blessings.  By  the  antici- 
 pation of  these  we  are  the  more  readily  induced 
 to  "  take  to  ourselves  the  whole  armour  of  God." 
 l<  Arming  ourselves  with  the  same  mind  which 
 was  in  him,  who  once  suffered  for  us  in  the  flesh, 
 we  cease  from  sin."  We  are  no  longer  "sub- 
 jected to  bondage  through  the  fear  of  death." 
 "  God  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ." 
 
 We  hear  from  time  to  time  how  thickly  the 
 shafts  of  death  fly  around  us  ;  how  one  fellow- 
 creature  is  cut  off  in  his  sins,  another  in  the  midst 
 of  his  virtuous  and  useful  designs;  one  because 
 threescore  years  and  ten  have  worn  out  his  short- 
 lived frame,  another  in  the  vigour  of  youth ;  one 
 by  the  disorders  of  the  body,  another  by  some 
 unlooked  for  accident.     These  dealings  of  Provi- 
 
41^  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 dence,  while  they  answer  wise  ends  with  respect 
 to  the  individuals  taken  away,  are  also  intended 
 to  remind  us  of  our  own  insecurity.  And  yet  we 
 are  marvellously  forgetful  of  so  important  a  con- 
 sideration. The  soldier,  indeed,  in  the  field  of 
 battle,  is  heedless  of  the  thousands  that  fall  around 
 him.,  and  of  the  weapons  which  may  the  next 
 moment  level  him  with  his  dying  comrades.  But 
 this  may  be  accounted  for.  It  is  said  that,  at  the 
 first  onset,  a  pale  terror  sits  on  every  brow,  and 
 that  those  of  the  stoutest  heart  feel  a  momentary 
 conviction  of  the  awful  situation  in  which  they  are 
 placed.  But  the  instant  that  they  are  engaged,  this 
 gives  way  to  an  earnestness  and  exertion,  which 
 leaves  no  time,  almost  no  possibility,  for  fear  and 
 reflection.  Reflection,  and  fear,  and  even  the 
 thought  of  death  is  then  certain  destruction. 
 With  us  the  case  is  different.  We  have  time  for 
 reflection,  and  it  is  our  security.  The  busiest 
 has  more  than  time  so  to  ff  number  his  days,  as 
 to  apply  his  heart  unto  wisdom."  Why  then  are 
 we  as  heedless  as  the  soldier,  though  perhaps 
 really  in  as  great  peril?  Not  because  we  cannot 
 reflect — not  because  time  has  been  wanting — 
 not  because  it  increases  our  danger.  None  of 
 these  suppositions  are  true  in  point  of  fact.  The 
 reason  is  that  we  are  unwilling.  We  dread  the 
 thoughts  of  death,  because  we  "love  the  world 
 and  the  things  of  the  world," — because  the  things 
 
Lecture  XVI.  413 
 
 unseen  have  little  hold  upon  our  affections — be- 
 cause we  are  sinners  by  nature,  by  practice,  and 
 almost  by  determination — because  we  cc  hate  to  be 
 reformed" — because  with  the  thought  of  death  is 
 associated  the  fear  of  "  a  judgment  to  come."  We 
 tremble  when  we  realize  such  things  to  our  minds, 
 and  we  therefore  hate  the  recollection  of  them, 
 and  scarcely  dare   to   encourage  it. 
 
 It  is  true  that  such  subjects  are  solemn,  me- 
 lancholy, and  alarming.  But  are  they  unprofitable? 
 Is  it  better  to  attend  to  them,  or  to  dismiss 
 them — to  avoid  them — to  drown  the  remembrance 
 of  them  in  vanity  and  indulgence  ?  Such,  in- 
 deed, is  the  way  in  which  the  worldling  acts. 
 "  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die," 
 is  his  law  and  gospel.  "  Let  us  banish  care  and 
 sorrow,"  is  his  resolution.  But  what  says  the 
 wisest  of  men  ?  "  The  day  of  death  is  better  than 
 the  day  of  one's  birth.  It  is  better  to  go  to  the 
 house  of  mourning,  than  to  go  to  the  house  of 
 feasting  ;  for  that  is  the  end  of  all  men,  and  the 
 living  will  lay  it  to  heart.  Sorrow  is  better  than 
 laughter ;  for  by  the  sadness  of  the  countenance 
 the  heart  is  made  better.  The  heart  of  the  wise 
 is  in  the  house  of  mourning."  This  is  at  all  times 
 more  satisfactory,  and  it  has  a  far  greater  blessed- 
 ness in  reserve.  It  is  more  safe,  for  it  presents 
 fewer  temptations.  It  is  more  profitable,  for  it 
 shews  us  the  value  of  those  principles  and  hopes. 
 
414  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 which  in  the  house  of  feasting-  we  may  undervalue 
 or  forget.  We  come  away  from  thence  improved 
 in  heart,,  and  strengthened  in  every  holy  purpose. 
 It  lies  most  directly  in  the  road  to  heaven;  and  it 
 displays  to  us  the  operation,  and  directs  us  to  the 
 acquirement  of  "  that  consolation  wherewith  we 
 ourselves  may  be  comforted  of  God." 
 
 But  alas  !  Solomon  did  not  speak  as  a  prophet 
 when  he  said,  "  The  living  will  lay  it  to  heart." 
 He  knew  that  too  g-enerally  they  would  do  far 
 otherwise.  At  the  same  time  he  also  knew,  and 
 so  do  we,  that  if  the  living  are  wise,  if  they  are 
 prudent,  if  they  are  not  content  to  inherit  "  shame 
 and  everlasting-  contempt,"  "  they  will  lay  it  to 
 heart."  We  know  that  all  men  must  die.  But 
 we  must  apply  the  truth  to  our  own  case.  The 
 mercies  of  God's  providence,  and  the  wonders  of 
 his  grace,  the  compassion  and  sufficiency  of  a  cru- 
 cified Redeemer,  will  be  worse  than  lost  upon  us, 
 unless  our  hearts  and  consciences  whisper  to  us 
 daily — I  too  must  die — I  must  then  be  ready — I 
 must  prepare  to  meet  the  Son  of  man — I  must 
 make  him  my  friend — I  must  glory  in  his  cross — I 
 must  have  faith  in  his  blood — I  must  rely  upon 
 his  intercession — I  must  be  sanctified  by  his  Spirit 
 —  I  must  live  a  life  of  faith,  and  devotedness,  and 
 holy  obedience.  Nothing  less  than  this  is  "  to 
 lay  it  to  heart."  Nothing  less  than  this  is  "  to  be 
 of  the   truth,   and   to   hear  the  voice  of  Jesus." 
 
Lecture  XVI.  415 
 
 Have  you  done  this  ?  are  you  disposed  to  do  it  ? 
 Go  on  in  this  way,  and  "  in  due  season  you  shall 
 reap,  if  you  faint  not."  But ic  be  ye  always  ready  ; 
 for  in  such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not,  the  Son  of 
 man  cometh."  "  Have  your  loins  girt,  and  your 
 lights  burning/'  and  then,  "through  the  grave, 
 and  gate  of  death,  you  will  pass  to  your  joyful 
 resurrection,  for  his  merits  who  died,  and  was 
 buried,  and  rose  again  for  us,  Jesus  Christ  our 
 LordV 
 
 a  It  may  probably  occur  to  those  who  read,  as  it  did  to  some 
 who  heard  this  Lecture,  that  some  particular  circumstance  must 
 have  suggested  the  reflections  with  which  this  Lecture  concludes.  On 
 the  day  before  it  was  delivered,  the  Author  had  seen  removed  from 
 his  own  house  the  corpse  of  a  Clergyman,  whose  useful  life  had  sud- 
 denly been  terminated  in  consequence  of  the  injuries  which  he  acci- 
 dentally received  on  the  preceding  Thursday.  When  the  Author 
 left  that  which  had  so  unexpectedly  become  "  the  house  of 
 mourning,"  and  sat  down  to  finish  this  Lecture,  the  preparation  of 
 which  had  been  suspended  by  that  melancholy  event,  the  recol- 
 lection of  the  uncertainty  of  life,  and  of  the  blessedness  of  a  state 
 of  preparation  for  death,  mixed  itself  with  all  his  thoughts.  The 
 contemplation  of  our  Saviour's  death  also  directed  his  thoughts 
 into  the  same  channel ;  and  perhaps  it  was  not  surprising  that  he 
 should,  under  such  circumstances,  endeavour  to  communicate  to 
 others  the  lessons  which  himself  had  so  profitably,  and  yet  so 
 painfully,  been  receiving.  For  he  had  witnessed  the  last  hours  of 
 one  to  whom  death  had  given  a  sudden  summons ;  yet  who 
 received  it  with  a  rare  and  enviable  composure,  and  submitted  to 
 the  stroke  in  faith,  and  hope,  and  resignation.  He  had  "  adorned 
 the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  by  his  life,"  and  it  was  suffi- 
 cient to  support  him  in  the  hour  of  death. — Another  exemplary 
 
 Clergyman, 
 
41(i  Lecture  XVI. 
 
 Clergyman,  whom  the  Author  had  known  from  childhood,  was  in 
 Cambridge  when  the  next  Lecture  was  delivered,  and  with  him  the 
 Author  conversed  respecting  the  recent  accident,  of  which  that 
 friend  had  heard  on  his  way  to  Cambridge.  And  little  did  it 
 then  seem  likely  that  he  also,  within  eight  days  from  that  time, 
 would  be  removed  to  another  state  of  being.  The  Author  cannot 
 refrain  from  embracing  this  opportunity  of  bearing  testimony  to 
 the  steady  and  beneficent  lustre  of  those  truly  Christian  virtues, 
 which  characterised  the  lives  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Wilson,  and 
 the  Rev.  Walter  Smith.  Their  memory  will  doubtless  ever  be 
 embalmed  in  the  hearts  of  their  parishioners,  and  relatives,  and 
 friends  ;  and  "  though  they  have  been  punished  in  the  sight  of 
 men,  yet  was  their  hope  full  of  immortality." — The  former  died 
 Oct.  12;   the  latter  Oct.  29.   a.  d.  1821. 
 
LECTURE   XVII. 
 
 THE  METHOD  IN  WHICH  OUR  LORD  EVIDENCED  THE 
 REALITY  OF  HIS  RESURRECTION,  AND  HIS  REA- 
 SONINGS    ON     PROPHECY     AFTER    THAT     EVENT. 
 
 THE      DISTINGUISHING      PECULIARITIES       OF      THE 
 CHRISTIAN    FAITH. 
 
 St.  Luke  XXIV.  44—48. 
 
 And  he  said  unto  them,  These  are  the  words  which  I 
 spake  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all 
 things  must  be  fulfilled,  which  were  written  in  the  law 
 of  Moses,  and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms  con- 
 cerning me.  Then  opened  he  their  understandings, 
 that  they  might  understand  the  Scriptures,  and  said 
 unto  them,  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behoved 
 Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third 
 day,  and  that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should 
 be  preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations,  beginning 
 at  Jerusalem.      And  ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things. 
 
 These  words  are  ascribed  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth ; 
 to  him,  into  whose  name  we  were  baptized,  and 
 whose  religion  we  profess.  And  what  are  the 
 things  of  which  he  spoke,  but  those  indignities, 
 and  sufferings,  which  did  indeed  end  in  death, 
 but  which  were  followed  by  his  resurrection  from 
 the  dead?  He,  whose  words  we  have  read,  had 
 D  D 
 
418  Lecture  XVII 
 
 been  apprehended,  condemned,  and  crucified  by 
 the  Jews.  He  had  died,  and  he  had  been  buried. 
 But  he  now  visibly  appeared,  and  stood  alive  be- 
 fore those,  who  had  so  lately  misunderstood,  and 
 denied,  and  forsaken  him;  and  who,  even  then, 
 scarcely  had  recovered  from  their  disappointment 
 and  despondency.  At  this,  as  well  as  at  all  pre- 
 vious seasons,  Jesus  is  found  to  be  his  own  apolo- 
 gist. No  sooner  are  the  requisite  data  furnished, 
 and  circumstances  brought  into  a  posture,  which 
 admits  an  explanation  and  defence  of  his  preten- 
 sions, than  he  proceeds  to  obviate  the  doubts  and 
 difficulties  of  those  around  him,  and  to  draw,  from 
 familiar  and  acknowledged  facts,  the  most  import- 
 ant inferences  respecting  the  evidence,  nature, 
 and  purposes  of  his  mission. 
 
 Whether,  or  not,  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  be 
 found  to  rest  upon  satisfactory  evidence,  there  can 
 at  least  be  no  hesitation,  in  the  most  sceptical 
 mind,  with  respect  to  the  reality  of  his  death. 
 If,  indeed,  there  could  be  any  doubt  of  that 
 event,  it  would  be  mere  trifling  to  talk  of  his 
 having  risen  from  the  dead.  But  the  proofs  that 
 Jesus  truly  died  were  both  public  and  various. 
 Not  to  mention  the  miraculous  circumstances 
 which  attended  the  death  of  Jesus,  and  which 
 added  an  awful  solemnity  to  the  conviction  of 
 its  reality  ;  would  not  the  attention  of  the  sur- 
 rounding multitude  be  attracted  by  the  loud  voice 
 
Lecture  XVII.  419 
 
 with  which  he  cried  out,  "It  is  finished/'  and 
 "commended  his  Spirit  into  the  hands  of  the 
 Father*?"  Even  if  the  darkness,  which  until  the 
 ninth  hour  overspread  the  land,  prevented  some 
 from  seeing  how  "  he  bowed  his  head,"  when 
 "he  gave  up  the  ghost;"  would  they  not  draw 
 near,  to  behold  the  paleness  of  death  sitting  on  his 
 brow  ?  Would  not  a  decided  conviction  of  the 
 fact  have  been  universal  among  "all  the  people 
 that  came  together  to  that  sight,"  ere  they,  "be- 
 holding the  things  that  were  done,  smote  their 
 breasts  and  returned13?"  What  was  the  declara- 
 tion of  the  centurion,  "  who  stood  over  against 
 Jesus,"  but  a  testimony  to  the  character  of  one, 
 whom  he  believed  to  be  dead ;  occasioned  indeed 
 by  his  "  seeing  him  so  cry  out  and  give  up  the 
 Ghost0?"  Why  did  they  omit  to  break  the  legs 
 of  Jesus,  as  they  did  those  of  the  malefactors,  but 
 because  they  saw  that  he  was  already  dead d  ?  The 
 symptoms  of  a  violent  and  painful  death  are  not 
 indeed  either  imitable  or  equivocal.  But  lest  we 
 should  have  any  ground  for  supposing  that  they 
 continued  such  in  the  case  of  Jesus,  while  he  yet 
 remained  on  the  cross,  the  spear  of  the  soldier 
 pierced  his  side ;  and  that  weapon  which  would 
 have  produced  the  extinction  of  life,  if  any  had 
 
 ■  Matt,  xxvii.  50—53.  Johnxix.  30.  b  Luke  xxiii.  44^-49. 
 c  Matt,  xxvii.  54.     Mark  xv.  39.  d  John  xix.  31— 33. 
 
 D  D  2 
 
420  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 remained,  gave  the  demonstration  that  life  had 
 then  already  departed,  by  the  out-pouring  of 
 blood  and  water.  Of  which  transaction,  St.  John, 
 "  who  saw  it,  has  borne  record,  and  his  record 
 is  true,  and  he  knew  that  he  said  what  was 
 true,  that  we  might  believe  V  When  Joseph 
 applied  for  permission  to  take  down  the  body 
 from  the  cross,  he  too  must  have  had  the  full 
 conviction,  that  it  was  in  a  state  fit  only  for 
 interment.  Pilate,  who  "  marvelled  if  Jesus  were 
 already  dead,"  inquired  of  the  centurion  himself; 
 and  not  until  he  knew  it  of  the  centurion  did  he 
 give  the  body  to  Joseph  b."  And  assuredly  both 
 Joseph  and  Nicodemus,  who  wound  the  body  in 
 linen  clothes  with  spices,  as  the  manner  of  the  Jews 
 is  to  bury  ;  and  the  women  also,  who  sat  over 
 against  the  sepulchre,  and  beheld  both  where,  and 
 how  the  body  was  laidc ;  all  these  could  have  no 
 reason  but  to  be  fully  satisfied  that  they  had  thus 
 committed  to  the  sepulchre  a  lifeless  corpse;  and, 
 if  it  were  otherwise,  they  must  have  discovered  it. 
 And  those,  who  had  accomplished  the  execution 
 of  Jesus,  could  have  no  doubt  that  they  really  had 
 taken  away  the  life  of  Jesus.  For  if  otherwise, 
 why  did  they  "  make  the  sepulchre  sure,  and  seal 
 the  stone,  and  set  a  watch?"  Why  this  precaution, 
 
 »  John  xix.  34,  35.  b  Mark  xv.  42—45. 
 
 c  Matt,  xxvii.  59— 6l.      Mark  xv.  46,  47.      Luke  xxiii.  50 
 —56.     John  xix.  39—42. 
 
Lecture  XVII.  421 
 
 lest  the  disciples  should  "  steal  away"  his  dead 
 body  d  ? — We  can  in  no  respect  suggest  a  doubt  as 
 to  the  reality  of  that  event,  which  was  a  subject  of 
 lamentation  and  despair  to  the  friends  of  Jesus,, 
 and  of  a  malignant  complacency  and  expected 
 triumph  to  his  enemies.  It  was  witnessed,  and 
 attested  by  the  leading  individuals  of  either  party  ; 
 and  also  by  Pilate,  and  the  centurion,  and  the  sol- 
 diers, who  were  less  interested  in  the  issue. 
 
 Well  might  the  Infidel  triumph,  and  the 
 Christian  despair,  if  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
 from  the  dead  were  not  also  ascertained  by  the 
 most  satisfactory  evidence.  Then  should  we  have 
 no  reason  to  hope,  as  now  we  do,  that  "  they  which 
 are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  have  not  perished  ;" 
 and  "we  should  be  yet  in  our  sins."  "Our 
 preaching,  and  your  faith,  would  alike  be  vain6." 
 Vain  also  would  have  been  the  instructions  and 
 the  miracles,  the  promises  and  the  sufferings  of 
 Jesus.  The  religion,  of  which  he  had  laid  the 
 foundations,  would  either  never  have  been  estab- 
 lished, or  long  since  would  have  fallen  to  decay, 
 had  not  his  resurrection,  as  the  key-stone,  com- 
 pleted, and  strengthened,  and  adorned  the  whole. 
 — But  we,  as  the  ministers  of  Jesus  who  was 
 crucified,  maintain  that  he  "both  died  and  rose 
 again;"   and  "for  this   end,    that   he    might   be 
 
 d  Matt,  xxvii.  62—66.  c  1  Cor.  xv.  14,  17,  1! 
 
422  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 Lord  both  of  the  dead,  and  of  the  living."    And 
 such  was   the   personal   character  of  those   who 
 were    witnesses  of   these  things  to   the   world — 
 they  gave  their  testimony  with  such  exhibitions  of 
 divine  approbation — yet  under  circumstances  which 
 would  have  been  so  trying  to  those  whose  con- 
 sistency was  supported  by  any  other  principle  that 
 a  conviction  and  a  love  of  truth — that  we  need  little 
 more,  to  justify  a  reliance  upon  their  authority, 
 than  to  be  satisfied  that  they  were  not,  and  could 
 not   have  been,  deceived  into  a  persuasion,  that 
 Jesus  "  shewed  himself  alive  after  his  passion  by 
 many  infallible  proofs*."     If  we  recall  the  train 
 of  events  to  our  recollection,  we  shall  be  able  to 
 place  ourselves  in  the  circumstances  of  those,  to 
 whom  the  words  of  our  text  were  addressed,  and 
 to  ascertain  both  how  the  resurrection   of  their 
 master  was  evidenced  to  them,  and  what  he  taught 
 them  after  that  event. 
 
 I.  The  chief  priests  and  rulers  of  the  Jews 
 waited  only  for  the  arrival  of  the  third  day,  in 
 the  hope  that  they  should  then  be  able  finally 
 to  disabuse  the  people  of  their  opinions  respecting 
 Jesus,  by  demonstrating  the  failure  of  the  pre- 
 diction that  ci  after  three  days  he  would  rise 
 again/1  His  own  disciples  were  already  so  com- 
 pletely confounded,  as  to  have  no  disposition  to 
 
 1  Acts  i.  3. 
 
Lecture  XVII.  423 
 
 occasion  any  further  jealousy.  They  had  given 
 up  all  for  lost;  and  the  prediction,  which  had 
 occasioned  the  precaution  of  the  rulers,  had  left 
 almost  no  trace  on  the  minds  of  those,  who  were 
 occupied  by  all  the  contending  emotions  of  dis- 
 appointed ambition.  As  far  as  Jesus  was  con- 
 cerned, they,  who  had  slept  when  they  attended 
 him  in  the  garden,  had  now  sunk  into  a  deep 
 mental  lethargy.  None  of  his  followers  were 
 found  in  motion,  save  only  a  few  women,  who 
 having,  on  the  eve  of  the  sabbath,  "  prepared 
 spices  and  ointments,  and  rested  the  sabbath-day 
 according  to  the  commandment/'  went  early  on 
 the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  pay 
 their  last  tribute  of  affection  and  respect  to  the 
 remains  of  their  entombed  friend b.  Little  did 
 they  think  that  the  body,  which  they  were  desirous 
 to  embalm,  would  cc  never  see  corruption."  They 
 had  no  opportunity  to  accomplish  their  purpose. 
 The  stone  which  had  closed  the  sepulchre  was 
 rolled  away,  and  "  entering  in,  they  found  not  the 
 body  of  Jesus  c."    Whilst  Mary  Magdalene  ran  to 
 
 b  Luke  xxiii.  54 — 56  ;  xxiv.  1 . 
 
 c  Luke  xxiv.  2,  3,  &c.  Compare  also  Matt,  xxviii.  Mark  xvi. 
 John  xx. — This  short  notice  of  the  very  numerous  events  of  the 
 morning  of  the  resurrection  is  of  course  not  designed  as  any  thing 
 more  than  a  general  statement,  and  does  not  profess  to  include  all 
 the  incidents,  or  notice  all  the  feelings,  and  surmises  of  those 
 concerned. 
 
424  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 inform  Peter  and  John,  that  the  Lord  had  been 
 "  taken  away  from  the  sepulchre,  and  laid  they 
 knew  not  where/'  an  angel  appeared  to  her 
 companions,  on  the  spot  within  the  sepulchre 
 where  they  had  before  seen  Jesus  laid.  They 
 were  doubting  concerning  the  matter,  when  the 
 angel  informed  them  of  the  fact,  reminded  them 
 of  the  predictions  of  Jesus,  and  sent  them  to  com- 
 municate to  his  disciples  the  intelligence  they 
 had  received.  "  Be  not  afraid;  I  know  that  ye 
 seek  Jesus  who  was  crucified.  Why  seek  ye  the 
 living  among  the  dead.  He  is  not  here,  but  is 
 risen ;  come,  see  the  place  where  they  laid  him. 
 Remember  how  he  spake  unto  you  while  he  was 
 yet  in  Galilee,  saying,  The  Son  of  man  must  be 
 delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinful  men,  and  be 
 crucified,  and  the  third  day  rise  again.  And  go 
 quickly,  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  is  risen  from 
 the  dead;  and  behold,  he  goeth  before  you  into 
 Galilee;  there  shall  ye  see  him,  as  he  said  unto 
 youa."  "  They,"  says  the  Evangelist  St.  Luke,  "  re- 
 membered his  words,  and  returned  from  the  sepul- 
 chre, and  told  all  these  things  unto  the  eleven,  and 
 to  all  the  rest." — Peter  and  John  also  came  to  the 
 sepulchre,  and  found  the  intelligence  of  Mary  Mag- 
 dalene confirmed  by  their  own  observation.  She, 
 again  coming  to  the  sepulchre,  beheld  two  angels 
 
 a  Matt,  xxviii.  5—7-     Mark  xvi.  6,  7.     Luke  xxiv.  5 — 7- 
 
Lecture  XVII.  425 
 
 sitting  therein ;  and  her  lamentations  to  them 
 respecting  the  body,  were  followed  by  the  first 
 appearance  of  Jesus,  who  sends  her  to  the  disci- 
 ples with  an  assurance  of  his  approaching  ascen- 
 sion15. But  her  report  was  disbelieved.  Jesus 
 again  appeared  to  the  other  women,  and  confirmed 
 the  direction  of  the  angel  to  go  and  tell  the 
 disciples  that  they  should  ffgo  into  Galilee,  and 
 there  they  should  see  him."  To  the  disciples  these 
 things  as  yet  "  seemed  as  idle  tales,  and  they 
 believed  them  notc."  Yet  Jesus  brought  them,  ere 
 that  day  closed,  to  a  full  conviction  of  the  fact  of 
 his  resurrection. 
 
 Two  disciples,  in  the  course  of  the  same  day, 
 journeyed  towards  Emmaus,  having  left  Jerusalem 
 before  they  had  received  an  accurate  report  of 
 all  the  incidents  which  we  have  just  noticed d. 
 But  they  were  very  deeply  impressed  by  the 
 events  of  those  days.  They  could  think  of 
 nothing  else,  they  could  talk  of  nothing  else. 
 These  things  had  happened  in  a  manner  the  very 
 reverse  of  all  that  they  had  wished,  and  hoped, 
 and  expected.  They  therefore  communed  to- 
 gether respecting  them,  in  the  hope  that  they 
 might  assist  each  other  in  reviewing  and  account- 
 ing for  them,  and  in  judging  of  the  prudence  and 
 
 b  Matt,  xxviii.  9,  10.     John  xx.  14—18. 
 
 c  Luke  xxiv.  10,  11.  d  Luke  xxiv.  13—32. 
 
426  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 propriety  of  their  past  conduct.  But  they  saw 
 evident  difficulties.  They  had  various  doubts. 
 They  were  perplexed.  They  were  sad. — A  stranger 
 who  joined  them  observed  their  sadness.  He  asked 
 its  cause.  He  concluded  that  it  could  be  no  other 
 than  the  subject  of  their  earnest  discourse  together. 
 He  would  fain  be  made  acquainted  with  it.  Their 
 minds  were  indeed  so  full  of  it,  that  they  scrupled 
 not  for  a  moment  to  communicate,  even  to  a 
 stranger,  the  subject  of  their  grief,  and  all  its 
 particulars.  But  indeed  what  need  had  they  to 
 detail  the  events,  by  which  they  were  overwhelmed 
 with  such  despondency  ?  '  Though  a  stranger  to 
 us,  said  they,  "  Art  thou  only  a  stranger  in  Je- 
 rusalem, and  hast  not  known  the  things  which 
 are  come  to  pass  there  in  these  days  V '  They 
 entered  into  a  disclosure  of  their  feelings  respect- 
 ing them.  They  were  shocked  and  distressed  by 
 the  proceedings  which  had  taken  place  respecting 
 Jesus  of  Nazareth.  They  confessed  that  they 
 were  his  disciples,  his  devoted  followers.  They 
 could  not  even  now  doubt  that  he  was  ec  a  prophet, 
 mighty  in  deed  and  word  before  God  and  all  the 
 people."  And  yet  how  could  they  still  rationally 
 believe  it  ?  For  "  the  chief  priests  and  the  rulers 
 had  delivered  him  to  be  condemned  to  death,  and 
 had  crucified  him."  God,  whose  Messenger  they 
 had  conceived  him  to  be,  appeared  to  have  dis- 
 owned and  abandoned  him.     Yet  they  had  here- 
 
Lecture  XVII.  427 
 
 tofore   even  ventured  to  hope  "  that  it  was  he, 
 who  should  redeem   Israel,"    and  fulfil  the  pro- 
 mises   made  of  God  to  Israel  by  the  prophets. 
 Yet  he,  whose  exaltation  to  a  throne  they  had 
 expected,  had  been  executed  as  a  malefactor,  had 
 died,  had  been  buried !     Their  hopes  were  at  an 
 end  !   And  yet  had  they  not  had  reason  to  believe 
 them  just  and  reasonable?     And   even  now  the 
 matter  was  pregnant  with  fresh  and  yet  unex- 
 plained wonders.     "Besides,"  added  they,  "this 
 is  the  third  day  since  these  things  were  done." 
 e  We  remember  certainly  that  he  did  speak  some- 
 thing, which  we  never  could  comprehend  till  the 
 event  explained  it,  about  being  delivered  up,  and 
 crucified.    And  he  spoke  also  of  rising  again  on 
 the  third  day.     That  day  has  arrived,  and,  though 
 we  have  certainly  had  no  convincing  proof  that  he 
 has  fulfilled   a  promise   of  such   a   nature,    yet, 
 strange  to  tell,  some  women  and  others  have  been 
 to  the  sepulchre,  but  have  found  it  empty !    They 
 have  reported  also  that  they  had  "  seen  a  vision  of 
 angels,  which  said  that  he  was  alive.    And  certain 
 of  them  that  were  with  us  also  went  to  the  sepul- 
 chre, and  found  it  even  so  as  the  women  had  said; 
 but  him  they  saw  not."    What  are  we  to  think  ?' — 
 Their  companion  was  not  slow  to  answer,  and  not 
 incompetent  to  teach  them  what  they  ought  to 
 think;    what   indeed   they    would   have   thought 
 before,  had  not  their  understanding  of  the  Scrip- 
 
428  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 tures  been  imperfect,  had  they  not  been  "  slow  of 
 heart  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  had  spoken." 
 They  expected  one  "  to  redeem  Israel."  They  for- 
 merly believed  that  Jesus  was  anointed  of  God  for 
 that  end  ;  nor  were  present  circumstances  at  all  in- 
 consistent with  that  supposition.  Had  they  attended 
 to  all  that  the  prophets  had  spoken,  they  would 
 have  seen  that  "  the  Christ  ought  to  have  suffered 
 those  things,  which  they  knew  that  Jesus  had  suf- 
 fered, and  to  enter  into  his  glory."  "  Beginning, 
 therefore,  at  Moses  and  all  the  Prophets,  he  ex- 
 pounded to  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things 
 concerning  himself."  For  it  was  Jesus — whom 
 they  had  confessed  to  be  the  Christ,  but  of  the 
 validity  of  whose  pretensions  they  were  now  in 
 doubt — who  then  addressed  them.  He  shewed 
 them,  while  he  remained  unknown  to  them,  that 
 their  belief  of  the  Messiahship  of  their  Master 
 ought  not  to  be  destroyed  by  his  sufferings  and 
 death;  and  that  they  might  justly  expect  that  he 
 would  rise  from  the  dead.  Soon  he  removed  their 
 doubts  on  that  subject  also  by  revealing  himself 
 to  them ;  thus  shewing  that  he  who  had  died, 
 had  already  risen,  and  that  they  had  for  some  time 
 seen  and  conversed  with  him.  cc  He  took  bread, 
 and  blessed  it,  and  brake,  and  gave  to  them. 
 And  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew 
 him."  They  saw  him  administer  to  them  that 
 ordinance,   which   he  had  celebrated  with    them 
 
Lecture  XVII.  429 
 
 before  his  death,  then  explaining  its  design,  and 
 commanding  them  to  continue  it  "  in  remembrance 
 of  him."  But  in  the  joyful  moment  of  recog- 
 nition, "  he  vanished  out  of  their  sight ;"  and 
 left  them  to  their  own  reflections  on  all  that  he 
 had  taught  them  from  the  Scriptures,  in  con- 
 nection with  the  fact  that  he  had  risen  from  the 
 grave,  and  was  alive.  They  had  even  before 
 been  deeply  interested  in  the  conversation  of  this 
 stranger;  and  therefore  was  it  that  they  requested 
 him  to  "abide  with  them"  on  their  arrival  at  "the 
 village  whither  they  went."  And,  after  his  mira- 
 culous departure,  recollecting,  in  the  fulness  of 
 their  conviction,  every  circumstance  which  con- 
 tributed to  communicate  and  confirm  it,  they 
 observed  to  each  other,  Ci  Did  not  our  heart  burn 
 within  us,  while  he  talked  with  us  by  the  way, 
 and  while  he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures  ?"  It 
 was  Jesus  himself,  still  speaking  "  with  authority 
 and  with  power,"  as  one  "  who  had  the  words  of 
 eternal  life." 
 
 This  conference  very  fully  discovers  to  us  the 
 views  and  feelings  of  the  disciples  at  this  junc- 
 ture, when  they  had  heard  of  the  absence  of  the 
 body  of  Jesus  from  the  tomb,  and  that  angels 
 had  declared  that  it  was  not  in  consequence  of 
 the  removal  of  the  body,  but  of  the  resurrection 
 of  Jesus  from  the  dead.  The  same  hesitation  was 
 manifested   by   the    whole   body,   when   the   two 
 
430  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 disciples,  returning  immediately  to  Jerusalem, "  told 
 the  eleven  what  things  were  done  in  the  way,  and 
 how  Jesus  was  known  to  them  in  the  breaking 
 of  bread."  They  were  also  told,  "  The  Lord  is 
 risen  indeed,  and  hath  appeared  unto  Simon/' 
 Yet  the  report  which  they  made  seems  not  to  have 
 obtained  full  credit,  though  it  had  now  come  to 
 their  ears  that  Jesus  had  appeared  to  three  of  the 
 disciples,  as  well  as  to  the  women a.  The  intelli- 
 gence was  unexpected,  and  surprising.  It  was 
 too  good  to  be  true !  It  put  their  expectations  as 
 to  futurity  to  the  full  stretch.  For  if  Jesus  were 
 such  as  they  had  known  him  to  be,  when  among 
 them  before  his  death,  what  would  be  his  glory, 
 and  power,  and  proceedings,  and  what  would  be 
 the  consequences,  if  he  had  indeed  risen? 
 
 The  evidence  of  the  fact  was  not  yet  so  de- 
 cisive and  infallibly  convincing  as  it  afterwards 
 was.  Jesus  had  not  yet  been  seen  by  all  of  them. 
 There  had  been  an  appearance  of  some  one  like 
 him  ;  but  how  were  they  to  be  assured  that  it  was 
 not  Ms  disembodied  spirit?  There  could  remain 
 no  doubt,  if  they  not  only  saw  and  heard  him,  but 
 also  beheld  him  yet  more  nearly,  and  saw  the 
 wounds  in  his  hands,  and  side,  and  feet,  and  could 
 perfectly  identify  them  as  the  Jesus  who  was  cruci- 
 fied ;  and  if  it  were  also  proved  that  he  had  risen 
 
 a  Luke  xxiv.  33-35.     Mark  xvi.  12,  13. 
 
Lecture  XVII  431 
 
 in  the  body,  by  palpable  evidence  that  he  pos- 
 sessed a  material  body,  and  that  he  exercised  all 
 the  faculties  of  one  existing  in  the  body.  They 
 were  now  prepared  for  this  conclusive  demon- 
 stration ;  and  they  received  it. — "Jesus  himself 
 stood  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said  unto  them, 
 Peace  be  unto  you.  But  they  were  terrified  and 
 affrighted,  and  supposed  that  they  had  seen  a 
 spirit."  But  their  master  removed  all  these  ap- 
 prehensions, by  removing  every  doubt  which  could 
 occasion  them  ;  for  he  gave  them  the  complete 
 and  joyful  assurance  that  he  had  truly  risen. 
 "Why  are  ye  troubled?  said  he  to  them.  And 
 why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your  hearts  ?  Behold 
 my  hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself  ;  handle 
 me,  and  see ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  Jiesh  and  bones, 
 as  ye  see  me  have.  And  when  he  had  thus 
 spoken,  he  shewed  them  his  hands  and  his  feet. 
 And  while  they  yet  believed  not  for  joy,  and 
 wondered,  He  said  unto  them,  Have  ye  here  any 
 meat?  And  they  gave  him  a  piece  of  a  broiled  fish, 
 and  of  a  honey  comb.  And  he  took  it,  and  did 
 eat  before  them." 
 
 We  must  not  here  omit  to  notice  that  there 
 was  an  appeal  made  by  our  Lord  on  this  occasion, 
 to  the  understandings,  as  well  as  to  the  senses  of 
 the  disciples.     He  not  only  gave  them  evidence 
 
 b  John  xvi.  17,  &c;  xxrx.  30.  c  John  xx.  26'— 28. 
 
432  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 of  the  reality  of  his  bodily  presence,  and  of  his 
 identity,  but  also  invited  their  attention  to  the 
 circumstances  which  proved  it,  with  an  express 
 and  pointed  reference  to  those  secret  fears  and 
 surmises  of  their  minds,  which  they  had  neither 
 time  nor  inclination  to  state  in  words.  By  thus 
 alluding-  to  "the  thoughts  which  arose  in  their 
 hearts,"  and  directly  answering  them,  he  in  another 
 way  identified  himself.  For  he  thereby  shewed 
 that  he  was  the  same  Jesus  who  had  often,  during 
 his  ministry,  displayed  his  knowledge  of  the  hearts 
 of  all  men.  Their  feelings,  therefore,  must  now 
 have  been  the  same,  as  when  they  exclaimed  on 
 a  similar  occasion,  "Now  are  we  sure  that  thou 
 knowest  all  things,  and  needest  not  that  any  man 
 should  ask  thee ;  by  this  we  believe  that  thou 
 earnest  forth  from  GodV 
 
 The  same  union  of  both  these  proofs  is  also 
 observable,  in  the  method  by  which,  eight  days 
 afterwards,  our  Lord  convinced  Thomas,  who  on 
 this  occasion  was  absent.  Jesus  did  not  in  the 
 intermediate  time  continue  his  intercourse  with  the 
 disciples ;  but  he  entered  among  them,  on  the 
 eighth  day,  in  the  same  miraculous  manner  as 
 before.  Introducing  himself  with  the  same  bene- 
 dictory salutation,  he  shewed  that  he  was  perfectly 
 aware  of  the   resolute   perseverance   of  Thomas 
 
 a  John  xvi.  30. 
 
Lecture  XVII.  433 
 
 in  disbelieving  the  report  of  his  brethren.  For 
 immediately  he  said  to  him,  "  Reach  hither  thy 
 finger,  and  behold  my  hands ;  and  reach  hither; : 
 thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my  side ;  and  be  not 
 faithless,  but  believing."  Unable  any  longer** to 
 resist  a  conviction  of  the  truth,  for  which  he  had 
 been  prepared  by  the  testimony  of  others,  and  of 
 which  he  himself  now  had  such  perceptible  and 
 varied  demonstration,  he  answered  in  faith  and 
 with  joy,  "My  Lord  and  My  God." 
 
 II.  We  have  reviewed  the  circumstances,  and 
 the  declarations  of  Jesus,  which  preceded  the  deli- 
 very of  the  words  of  our  text.  They  were  addressed 
 to  those,  who  by  a  series  of  clear  and  satisfactory 
 proofs,  had  ascertained  the  certainty,  not  only  of 
 the  death,  but  also  of  the  resurrection   of  their 
 Master.     His  body  was  not  found  in  the  sepulchre. 
 The  women  who  first  discovered  this,  saw  a  vision 
 of  angels,  who  said  that  he  was  alive.     The  dis- 
 ciples ascertained  the  absence  of  the  body ;   Peter 
 and  John  found  the  sepulchre  in  such  an  orderly 
 state,  as  indicated  the  probability  that  the  body 
 had  not  been  surreptitiously  removed.     Peter  saw 
 Jesus.    Mary  Magdalene,  and  the  other  women 
 also  saw  him.     The  two  disciples  going  to  Em- 
 maus  for  some  time  conversed  with  him.    He  then 
 appeared  to  the  eleven,  and  proved  to  them  that 
 he  was  risen  in  the  body,  and  in  the  same  body 
 in  which  he  had   died.     This   complete  identity 
 
 E  E 
 
434  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 was  also  still  further  evinced  by  his  celebration 
 of  his  recently  appointed  ordinance,  by  the  subject, 
 and  comprehensiveness,  and  impressiveness  of  his 
 instructions,  by  his  supernatural  knowledge  of  the 
 human  heart,  and  by  his  miraculous  disappearance 
 and  re-appearance.  And,  in  the  words  of  the  text, 
 spoken  at  his  interview  with  the  eleven,  he  takes 
 occasion  from  the  full  demonstration  given  of  his 
 resurrection,  and  from  the  conviction  which  his 
 disciples  had  attained  of  its  reality,  to  re-establish 
 and  advance  them  in  the  knowledge  and  belief 
 of  his  divine  mission  and  Messiahship,  as  fully 
 and  decisively  proved  by  this  event.  And  he  also 
 announced  to  them  the  purposes  which  were  now 
 accomplished,  the  blessings  which  were  from  that 
 time  to  be  published  to  the  world,  and  the  means 
 through  which  their  publication  was  to  commence, 
 with  sufficient  evidence  to  convince  mankind. 
 We  can  do  little  more  than  call  your  attention  to 
 the  several  considerations  which  Jesus  proposed 
 to  the  disciples  at  this  interesting  crisis.  But 
 such  a  brief  notice  as  we  can  take,  will  bring  to 
 a  close  our  review  of  the  evidences  of  Christianity, 
 as  stated  and  defended  in  the  discourses  of  its 
 founder. 
 
 The  first  argument  upon  which  Jesus  entered 
 on  this  occasion  was  that  derived  from  his  own 
 prophecies;  and  though  some  of  them  were  wholly 
 original,   yet   they   were   more   generally   an   ap- 
 
Lecture  XVII.  435 
 
 plication  of  the  ancient  prophecies  to  himself, 
 and  to  the  events  in  which  he  would  be  the 
 principal  agent  or  sufferer.  He  cited  and  ap- 
 plied those  predictions  in  such  a  manner,  as  to 
 shew  that  he  was  previously  aware  of  the  true  in- 
 terpretation of  them  ;  and  described  in  literal  terms 
 the  events,  which,  at  an  earlier  period,  had  been 
 described  in  figurative  language.  He  specified 
 many  additional  particulars,  announced  the  speedy 
 fulfilment  of  them  in  his  own  person,  and  even 
 limited  the  precise  day  for  their  accomplishment. 
 His  prophetic  character  was  shewn  not  only  by 
 the  exact  accomplishment  of  these  numerous 
 predictions,  but  by  the  peculiar  nature  of  those 
 unexpected  incidents,  which  so  rapidly  fulfilled 
 his  anticipations.  The  events  themselves  had 
 now  become  familiar  to  the  minds  of  his  disciples. 
 The  predictions  had  perplexed  and  distressed  them 
 at  the  time  of  delivery ;  the  fulfilment  was  more 
 deeply  and  sensibly  afflictive.  But  from  con- 
 sidering both  in  connection,  from  remembering 
 his  words  before  the  events  occurred,  and  from 
 observing  that  none  of  those  words  had  failed, 
 they  might  derive  consolation  and  conviction. 
 We  may  well,  therefore,  conceive  what  entire  satis- 
 faction would  possess  their  minds,  when  Jesus 
 directing  them  to  these  considerations,  said  unto 
 them,  "  These  are  the  words  which  I  spake  unto 
 you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things  must 
 
 E  E  2 
 
4.%  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 be  fulfilled  which  are  written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
 and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms  con- 
 cerning me." — We  have  in  a  former  Lecture 
 considered  the  entire  series  of  our  Lord's  pre- 
 dictions, and  shewn  how  he  stated  beforehand  the 
 purpose  for  which  he  delivered  them,  in  order 
 that  ' '  when  the  things  referred  to,  came  to  pass, 
 they  might  remember  that  he  told  them  of  those 
 things  ;  and,  thus  remembering  his  words,  might 
 believe/'  And  when  ' c  all  things  were  brought  to 
 their  remembrance,  whatsoever  he  had  said  unto 
 them,"  every  previous  fear  that  they  might  have 
 been  deceived  in  Jesus,  was  replaced  by  the  most 
 perfect  confidence  in  him,  and  the  most  consola- 
 tory belief  of  his  divine  mission.  Nor  do  I  know 
 any  consideration  more  convincing  to  ourselves, 
 than  that  Jesus  distinctly  foresaw,  accurately  de- 
 scribed, and  with  the  utmost  composure  and 
 complacency  looked  forward  to  those  painful 
 transactions,  which  terminated  his  ministry,  and 
 produced  consequences  so  astonishing,  and  so 
 permanent. 
 
 It  obviously  appears  from  the  resurrection  of 
 Jesus,  that  God  did  not  disown  him,  though  he  did 
 not  deliver  him  from  sufferings,  and  from  death. 
 Nay,  those  very  sufferings  were  almost  immediately 
 followed  by  that  event,  which  confirmed  his  words  as 
 a  prophet,  and  established  his  authority  as  a  divine 
 teacher.     But  in  order  to  the  complete  discovery 
 
Lecture  XVII.  437 
 
 of  his  character,  we  must  advance  still  further, 
 and  once  more  advert  to  the  consideration,  that 
 the  things,  which  had  happened  to  him,  were  such 
 as  had  been  described  by  the  Prophets.  Jesus 
 was  therefore  one,  whose  mission  had  long  before 
 been  designed  in  the  counsels  of  God.  But  this 
 may  also  be  said  of  Cyrus  and  of  John  the  Baptist. 
 A  comparison  of  the  sufferings  and  resurrection  of 
 Jesus,  with  the  predictions  respecting  them,  en- 
 ables us  to  ascribe  to  him  a  more  exalted  cha- 
 racter ;  no  other  than  that  of  the  Messiah,  whose 
 coming  had  been  foretold  to  the  Jews,  and  who 
 was  by  them   expected  to  come. 
 
 Jesus  himself  enlarged  upon  this  subject  to 
 his  disciples  after  his  resurrection,  then  entering 
 upon  the  more  particular  detail  of  those  state- 
 ments, which,  as  we  have  shewn  in  a  preceding 
 Lecture,  he  frequently  made  before  his  death. 
 **  These  are  the  words  which  I  spake  unto  you, 
 while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things  must  be 
 fulfilled,  which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
 and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms,  con- 
 cerning Me."  Even  a  very  general  and  superficial 
 view  will  discover  to  us  that  the  circumstances  of 
 the  birth  of  Jesus,  the  character  and  office  of  his 
 forerunner,  and  his  own  character,  ministrations, 
 and  miracles,  were  certainly  conformable  to  pro- 
 phetic description.  If,  then,  his  claim  to  be  the 
 Messiah  is  established  as  far  as   these  are  con- 
 
438  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 cerned,  are  his  sufferings  and  death  sufficient  to 
 refute  his  pretensions  ?  They  still  more  strongly 
 confirm  them.  For  these  very  things  are  as  dis- 
 tinctly and  variously  specified  <c  in  the  law  of 
 Moses,  and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms/' 
 as  any  of  the  others a.  And  in  order  to  shew  this 
 important  truth  to  his  disciples,  and  thus  perfectly 
 to  instruct  them  unto  the  kingdom  of  God,  Jesus 
 advanced  still  farther  than  to  announce  the  mere 
 fulfilment  of  the  prophecies  in  himself;  for  he 
 applied  the  obvious  fact  to  establish  them  in  the 
 belief  of  his  Messiahship,  and  in  the  right  know- 
 ledge of  the  purposes  of  his  now  finished  commis- 
 sion. C(  Then  opened  he  their  understandings 
 that  they  might  understand  the  Scriptures ;  and 
 said  unto  them,  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it 
 behoved  the  Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from 
 the  dead  the  third  day,  and  that  repentance  and 
 remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his  name 
 among  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem." 
 
 He  led  them  to  see  that  one  consistent  and 
 ever  growing  testimony  to  the  character,  and 
 office,  and  proceedings  of  the  Messiah,  is  ob- 
 servable in  the  prophetic  writings ;  and  that  all 
 their  sublime,  and  varied,  and  seemingly  contra- 
 
 a  As  the  establishment  of  this  position  would  occupy  more 
 room  than  the  plan  pf  these  Lectures  will  allow,  the  Author 
 must  content  himself  with  referring  to  Mede,  Discourse  13.  and 
 to  Dr.  Hales's  Chronology,  Vol.  II.  Tart  II.  p.  929. 
 
Lecture  XVII.  439 
 
 dictory  descriptions  were  fulfilled  in  those  things 
 which  had  happened  to  himself.  They  had  seen 
 reason,  before  his  "  delivery  into  the  hands  of 
 wicked  men,"  to  acknowledge  his  Messiahship. 
 But  his  death  had  wholly  staggered  them;  for 
 ie  as  yet  they  knew  not  the  Scripture,  that  he 
 must  rise  from  the  dead."  But  that  death  which 
 had  overwhelmed  them  with  despair,  and  that 
 resurrection  which  they  had  so  little  expected, 
 and  of  which  they  were  with  such  difficulty  con- 
 vinced, were  as  necessary  as  any  other  particulars, 
 to  prove  his  Messiahship.  For  "  thus  it  was 
 written,  and  thus  it  behoved  the  Christ  to  suffer, 
 and  to  rise  again  the  third  day/'  Since  therefore 
 such  things  were  predicted  of  the  Christ,  and 
 since  they  had  been  fulfilled  in  himself,  he  was 
 by  new  and  decisive  evidence  proved  to  have 
 a  just  claim  to  that  title. 
 
 He  announced  to  them  further,  that  "  it  be- 
 hoved the  Christ  thus  to  suffer,  and  rise  from  the 
 dead,"  not  in  order  that  he  might  be  exalted  to 
 an  earthly  throne,  but  that  "  repentance  and  re- 
 mission of  sins  might  be  preached  among  all 
 nations.'1  For  thus  also  "  it  is  written "  of  the 
 Christ.  The  occasion  and  the  terms  of  the 
 original  promise  of  the  deliverer  from  evil — the 
 succeeding  promises  and  predictions  of  the  pa- 
 triarchal ages — the  typical  observances  of  the  law 
 —  the    prayers   and    promises,    and    predictions, 
 
440  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 found  in  the  writings  of  the  later  prophets — all 
 these  asserted  and  explained  the  spiritual  nature 
 of  the  blessings  which  it  was  his  office  to  procure 
 and  to  bestow. — And  although  the  Messiah  was 
 to  be  born  in  Judea,  and  "  the  word  of  recon- 
 ciliation "  was  to  be  ministered  by  Jews,  and  to 
 begin  at  Jerusalem,  yet  all  nations  have  ever  been 
 contemplated  as  having  an  interest  in  this  design. 
 So  had  it  been  expressed  in  all  the  earlier  pro- 
 phecies ;  nothing  had  been  stated  to  the  contrary 
 in  the  later  ones ;  and  to  all  nations  would  this 
 grand  scheme  in  due  time  be  made  known. 
 
 Although  only  the  heads  of  that  discourse,  in 
 which  our  Lord  unfolded  and  illustrated  these 
 things,  are  recorded  in  the  Gospels,  yet  in  the 
 citations  of  prophecy,  and  allusions  to  it,  by  all 
 the  Evangelists,  and  by  the  Apostles,  in  their 
 discourses  recorded  in  the  Acts,  and  in  their 
 Epistolary  writings,  we  are  furnished  with  ample 
 aid  for  taking  a  survey  of  the  whole  prophetic 
 scheme,  and  for  ascertaining  the  fulfilment  of  the 
 prophecies,  and  the  accomplishment  of  the  divine 
 promises,  in  the  character,  and  office,  and  work 
 of  Jesus.  Enough,  probably,  is  already  familiar 
 to  each  of  us  to  enable  us  not  only  to  comprehend 
 the  reasonings  of  our  Saviour  in  the  text,  but  also 
 to  derive  from  thence  a  conviction  of  the  truth  of 
 the  Gospel,  and  an  illustration  of  its  nature.  And 
 Jesus  having  thus  instructed  his  disciples,  in  the 
 
Lecture  XVII.  441 
 
 purposes  and  previous  design  of  these  events, 
 added,  "  And  ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things. 
 And  behold,  I  send  the  promise  of  my  Father 
 upon  you ;  but  tarry  ye  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem, 
 until  ye  be  endued  with  power  from  on  high" 
 He  had  before  his  death  given  the  promise  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit;  he  now  predicted  its  speedy 
 communication  and  the  design  and  consequences 
 of  it.  ' c  John  truly  baptized  with  water ;  but 
 ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  not 
 many  days  hence."  "  Ye  shall  receive  power, 
 after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you  ; 
 and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me  both  in  Jeru- 
 salem, and  in  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto 
 the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth  V  As  Jesus 
 predicted,  so  it  came  to  pass;  and  we  have  reason 
 to  cherish  feelings  of  the  most  lively  gratitude 
 to  God  for  those  inspired  writings  which  the 
 Evangelists  and  Apostles  have  bequeathed  to  the 
 world,  and  for  the  wisdom,  and  boldness,  and 
 success,  with  which  they  were  enabled  to  dis- 
 charge the  ministry  committed  to  them. 
 
 The  commission  which  Jesus  gave  to  his 
 Apostles  was  suitable  to  the  declarations  which 
 we  have  been  considering.  "  Go  ye  into  all  the 
 world/'  said  he  to  them,  "  and  preach  the  Gospel 
 to  every  creature.     He  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
 
 *  Acts  i.  5 — 8. 
 
442  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 tized  shall  be  saved;  and  he  that  believeth  not 
 shall  be  damned V  This  is  an  alarming  sanction, 
 a  fearful  penalty.  If  these  things  be  so,, — if  he, 
 who  declared  these  things,  had  that  dignity  and 
 authority  which  has  been  so  abundantly  evidenced 
 to  us,  then  a  great  responsibility  rests  upon  us, 
 who  have  been  made  acquainted  with  the  glad 
 tidings  of  salvation  through  him.  We  shall  here- 
 after have  to  consider  the  danger,  as  well  as  the 
 causes  of  infidelity.  Let  us  now  ask,  what  does 
 the  Christian,  who  fully  comprehends  the  pur- 
 port of  the  title  which  he  bears,  profess  to  believe  ? 
 — Our  text  will  furnish  us  with  an  answer. 
 
 "  Thus  it  is  written — that  the  Christ  should 
 suffer,  and  rise  again  the  third  day,  and  that 
 repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preach- 
 ed in  his  name  among  all  nations." — Promises  of 
 such  things,  and  predictions  of  their  accomplish- 
 ment in  the  fulness  of  time,  had  existed  for  ages 
 before  the  Christian  era.  And  the  fulfilment  of 
 such  previously  existing  intimations  may  convince 
 the  Gentile,  as  well  as  the  Jew,  that  the  com- 
 munications of  God's  mercy,  and  the  interpo- 
 sitions of  his  providence,  have  not  been  made  in 
 vain.  Important  purposes  were  thereby  to  be 
 answered,  or  these  things  would  neither  in  such 
 a  manner,  nor  even  at  all,  have  been  foretold  and 
 transacted. 
 
 a  Mark  xvi.  15,  16'. 
 
Lecture  XVII.  443 
 
 And  not  only  "thus  is  it  written,"  but  "thus 
 it  behoved  the  Christ  to  suffer."  There  was 
 a  moral  necessity  for  it,  the  whole  extent  of  which 
 we  can  but  imperfectly  comprehend ;  but  the 
 nature  and  occasion  of  which  we  know.  The 
 same  God  who  "  created  man  upright/'  when  man 
 fell  from  the  security  of  innocence  into  the  peril 
 of  guilt,  gave  to  him  the  promise  of  restoration 
 and  deliverance.  That  general  intimation  of 
 mercy,  and  the  perfect  and  explicit  revelation  of 
 it  through  the  Christ,  are  the  only  ground  of 
 present  consolation  and  future  hope,  amidst  the 
 depravity  and  sinfulness  of  our  nature.  Hence 
 alone  the  assurance  of  pardon  of  sin,  the  means 
 of  sanctification,  and  the  hope  of  future  glory. 
 The  origin  and  prevalence  of  evil  does  indeed 
 still  perplex  us  ;  but  we  may  justly  believe,  that 
 all  will  finally  issue  in  the  glory  of  God,  and 
 that,  through  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  there  is 
 "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace, 
 good  will  towards  men." — <e  God  was  in  Christ 
 reconciling  the  world  to  himself  ;"  and  therefore, 
 "it  behoved  the  Christ  to  suffer,"  <c the  just  for 
 the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God." — It 
 was  necessary  that  we  should  have  sufficient 
 grounds  for  faith  and  hope  in  him  ■  and  therefore 
 "  it  behoved  the  Christ  to  rise  from  the  dead." — 
 It  was  necessary,  in  order  that  the  world  might  be 
 reformed  and  regenerated,    that  these   facts  and 
 
444  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 their  design  should  be  made  known  to  the  sons  of 
 men ; — and,  therefore,  it  behoved  that  repentance 
 and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  among 
 all  nations."  We  have  still  in  our  hands  those 
 records,  which  shew  us  how  the  merciful  design 
 was  at  first  formed  and  promised,  how  it  was 
 carried  on,  and  how  it  was  completed. 
 
 The  facts  and  miracles,  the  types  and  prophe- 
 cies, by  which  the  divine  intention  respecting 
 "  so  great  a  salvation,"  is  evinced,  form  the  highest 
 possible  moral  demonstration.  All  is  harmonious 
 and  consistent ;  all  tends  to  the  great  and  import- 
 ant end,  the  salvation  of  man  through  a  long  pre- 
 dicted, divine,  incarnate,  and  crucified  Redeemer. 
 The  demonstration  is  as  complete  in  its  kind  to 
 prove  the  mercy  of  God  to  his  sinful  creatures, 
 as  is  that,  by  which,  from  the  wonders  and  order 
 and  arrangement  of  the  material  world,  we  deduce 
 the  existence  and  wisdom  and  power  of  the  Creator. 
 And  so  abundant  is  the  evidence,  and  so  satis- 
 factory to  all  who  will  seriously  consider  it,  that 
 it  is  as  little  needful  that  Jesus  should  now  repeat 
 his  miracles,  and  that  all  the  other  proofs  both  of 
 his  divine  mission,  and  of  the  success  of  it,  should 
 again  be  exhibited,  as  that  the  world  should  be 
 created  anew,  to  prove  the  being  and  attributes 
 of  the  Creator. 
 
 What  then  remains  for  us  but  to  tc  believe 
 in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  that  we  may  be  saved?" 
 
Lecture  XVII.  445 
 
 His  words  and  his  works,  his  sufferings  and  his 
 exaltation,  are  all  recorded  for  our  instruction, 
 "written"  with  the  pen  of  inspiration,  "that  we 
 may  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  that  believing  we  may  have  life  through 
 his  name."  Therefore  were  we  "baptized  into 
 Christ,  that  we  might  put  on  Christ,"  "  baptized 
 in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,"  the  authors  of  our  salvation. 
 Therefore  are  we  "taught  to  observe  all  things 
 whatsoever  Jesus  hath  commanded  us."  We  also 
 have  the  sure  and  encouraging  promise,  "  Lo  I  am 
 with  you  alway  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 
 
 One  other  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel, 
 was  noticed  by  our  Lord,  the  exhibition  of  which 
 depends  upon  ourselves;  which,  through  the 
 "  special  grace  of  God  preventing  and  following 
 us,"  we  may  be  enabled  to  illustrate,  and  than 
 which  none  will  be  more  effectual  for  our  own 
 consolation,  and  for  the  conversion  and  establish- 
 ment of  others  in  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 
 Our  Lord  himself  prayed  for  us  and  for  all  men, 
 after  he  had  prayed  for  the  Apostles,  who  were 
 to  be  his  witnesses  to  all  men  of  "what  they  had 
 seen  and  heard."  "Neither  pray  I  for  these 
 alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on 
 me  through  their  word,  that  they  all  may  be  one, 
 as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that 
 they  also  may  be  one  in  us ;  that  the  world  may 
 
446  Lecture  XVII. 
 
 believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  And  the  glory 
 which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them  ;  that 
 they  may  be  one  even  as  we  are  one ;  I  in  them, 
 and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect 
 in  one  ;  and  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou 
 hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them  as  thou  hast 
 loved  me. — And  /  have  declared  unto  them  thy 
 name,  and  will  declare  it ;  that  the  love  wherewith 
 thou  hast  loved  me,  may  be  in  them,  and  I  in 
 them"." 
 
 May  therefore  "  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  our  only  Saviour,  the  prince  of 
 peace,  give  us  grace  seriously  to  lay  to  heart  the 
 great  dangers  we  are  in  by  unhappy  divisions. 
 May  he  take  away  all  hatred  and  prejudice,  and 
 whatsoever  else  may  hinder  us  from  godly  union 
 and  concord  ;  that  as  there  is  but  one  body,  and 
 one  Spirit,  and  one  hope  of  our  calling ;  one 
 Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism ;  one  God,  and 
 Father  of  all ;  so  we  may  henceforth  be  all  of  one 
 heart,  and  of  one  soul,  united  in  one  holy  bond 
 of  truth  and  peace,  of  faith  and  charity,  and  may 
 with  one  mind  and  one  mouth  glorify  God, 
 through  Jesus  Christ  our   Lord1'." 
 
 a  John  xvii.  20,  &c. 
 
 b  Collect  in  the  Service  for  the   Anniversary   of  the   King's 
 Accession. 
 
HULSEAN  LECTURES 
 
 FOR  1821. 
 
 Part  III. 
 LECTURES   XVIII  — XX. 
 
 — 0 — 
 
 ouh  lord's  notice  of  the  rejection  of  his  claims  by  the  jews: 
 
 and  of  the  causes,  progress,  and  consequences  of 
 
 infidelity. 
 
LECTURE    XVIII 
 
 our    lord's    notice    of    the    rejection    of    his 
 
 claims  by  the  jews. he  specifies  some  of 
 
 the  moral  causes  of  infidelity. 
 
 St.  John  V.  40—46. 
 
 Ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life.  I  receive 
 not  honour  from  men.  But  I  know  you,  that  you 
 have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you.  I  am  come  in  my 
 Father's  name,  and  ye  receive  me  not ;  if  another  shall 
 come  in  his  own  name,  him  ye  will  receive.  How  can 
 ye  believe,  which  receive  honour  one  of  another,  and 
 seek  not  the  honour  that  comet h  from  God  only  ?  Do 
 not  think  that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the  Father :  there 
 is  one  that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses,  in  whom  ye  trust. 
 For  had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed  me; 
 for  he  wrote  of  me.  But  if  ye  believe  not  his  writings, 
 how  shall  ye  believe  my  zvords? 
 
 We  have  cited  in  our  text  the  whole  of  the  third 
 and  concluding  division  of  that  discourse  of  our 
 Lord  before  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  the  former 
 portions  of  which  have  occupied  so  much  of  our 
 attention  in  the  course  of  these  Lectures.  We 
 have  done  this  in  order  that  we  might  at  once 
 announce  the  subject  of  this  day's  Lecture. 
 
 F  F 
 
450  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 You  cannot,  I  conceive,  have  heard  these 
 words,  without  calling-  to  mind  the  infidelity  of 
 the  Jews.  You  must  already  have  pictured  to 
 yourselves  that  sullen  perverseness  and  watchful 
 malignity,  which  exposed  our  Lord,  during1  his 
 public  ministry,  to  contradiction,  calumny,  and 
 persecution;  that  enmity,  which  continually  be- 
 came more  fixed,  determined,  and  extensive,  till, 
 through  the  machinations  of  the  rulers,  and  with 
 the  consenting  plaudits  of  the  multitude,  they 
 finally  rejected  and  crucified  him.  Carrying  for- 
 ward your  recollections  to  the  days,  when  the 
 Apostles,  "  with  great  power,  gave  witness  of  the 
 resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  and  wrought 
 those  cc  notable  miracles*,"  which  the  rulers  could 
 not  deny,  yet  by  which  they  were  not  persuaded 
 to  embrace  the  Christian  faith,  you  observe  them 
 rejecting  and  persecuting  the  servants,  in  like 
 manner  as  they  had  before  hated  their  Master. 
 You  behold  every  Jewish  prejudice  and  jealousy 
 rousing  them  to  vehement  and  desperate  opposi- 
 tion to  the  doctrine  of  Christ ;  amidst  the  excesses 
 of  which  "  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness," 
 and  partly  through  its  instrumentality,  their 
 "  faith  became  faction,"  their  polity  was  sub- 
 verted, and  their  name  and  place  as  a  nation 
 removed. 
 
 *  Acts  iv.   l(). 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  451 
 
 But  we  must  not  even  here  terminate  our 
 survey  of  the  fate  and  fortunes  of  this  misguided, 
 but  remarkable  people,  as  if  then  they  ceased  to 
 exist,  as  if  they  could  no  longer  be  traced  amidst 
 the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  We  may  follow 
 them  from  kingdom  to  kingdom,  and  from  century 
 to  century,  till  we  come  to  look  upon  the  times  in 
 which  we  ourselves  live,  and  traverse  the  cities 
 and  kingdoms  through  which  our  race  is  distri- 
 buted. In  these,  the  Pagan,  the  Mahometan,  and 
 the  Christian,  partake  of  the  general  characteristics 
 of  their  several  countries  and  manners.  The 
 conquerors  and  the  conquered  become  assimilated 
 to  each  other.  All  other  distinctions  change  and 
 cease,  except  those  by  which  the  Jew  is  known, 
 amidst  every  revolution,  and  in  every  age,  country, 
 and  nation  ;  the  same  in  his  religious  and  civil 
 peculiarities,  in  his  person,  and  in  his  sufferings. 
 It  is  not  enough  to  say,  that  all  this  is  unprece- 
 dented ;  it  is  a  miracle,  which  has  hitherto  been 
 lasting  and  universal,  and  which  appears  destined 
 to  continue  for  ages  yet  to  come ;  for  there  is  yet 
 little  appearance  of  its  cessation.  The  Jew  as  yet 
 retains  his  infidelity,  and,  therefore,  his  distin- 
 guishing characteristics.  His  ancestors  rejected 
 the  lesson  taught  them  by  those  miracles  which 
 were  a  counteraction  and  suspension  of  the  laws 
 of  nature,  and  therefore  the  laws  of  providence, 
 which  mould  and  affect  the  destiny  of  all  other 
 f  f  2 
 
452  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 nations,  are  still,  since  the  Christian  era,  as  well 
 as  before  it,  suspended  with  respect  to  them  ;  that 
 they  may  be  a  standing  miracle,  obvious  to  the 
 view  and  apprehension  of  every  people,  and 
 nation,  and  language.  And  what  does  it  testify, 
 but  that  truly  they  have  been  so  separated,  and  so 
 governed,  and  so  preserved,  by  a  divine  council 
 and  design,  for  important  and  still  progressive 
 purposes  ;  for  purposes  which  respect  every  nation 
 of  the  earth,  since  in  all  are  they  present,  and  to 
 all  they  may  establish  the  same  truths?  They 
 hold  in  their  hands  the  oracles  of  ancient  revela- 
 tion, delivered  by  Moses  and  the  prophets,  and 
 they  account  them  divine.  We  also  hold  in  our's 
 the  writings  of  the  Evangelists  and  Apostles,  and 
 them  also  we  account  divine.  The  antiquity  and 
 divinity  of  both  is  proved  by  their  unbelief  and 
 marvellous  history,  for  these  are  an  exact  and 
 abiding  fulfilment  of  what  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
 of  what  Jesus  and  his  Apostles,  have  foretold. 
 Although  they  deny  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
 although  they  <c  would  not  come  to  him  that  they 
 might  have  life,"  yet  by  what  they  believe  and  by 
 what  they  disbelieve,  by  what  they  do  and  by 
 what  they  suffer,  they  condemn  their  own  infi- 
 delity, and  they  justify  our  faith.  This  we  believe 
 to  be  "  eternal  life,  to  know  the  only  true  God, 
 and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  has  sent."  The  oracles 
 t>f  God  committed  to  the  Jews,  and  which  they 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  453 
 
 themselves  received  as  the  record  and  charter  of 
 eternal  life,  did  "  testify  of  Jesus."  The  same 
 testified  also  of  their  infidelity,  and  of  its  punish- 
 ment; and  their  prejudices,  their  peculiarities, 
 and  their  fortunes,  remain  unaltered  after  the 
 lapse  of  near  two  thousand  years,  and  are,  there- 
 fore, proved  to  be  not  transitory,  but  abiding. 
 This  is  a  fact,  which  at  once  bespeaks  the  interpo- 
 sition of  God  in  the  ages  that  are  present,  and 
 evidences  both  his  interposition  and  foreknowledge 
 in  the  ages  that  are  past,  and  the  more  remarkable 
 consequences  of  which  are  reserved  to  be  seen  in 
 ages  yet  to  come. 
 
 Behold,  then,  the  solitary  individuals  of  that 
 nation,  who  in  almost  every  town  offer  themselves 
 to  your  observation.  Behold  them  congregated  in 
 your  metropolis.  Cross  the  sea,  and  see  them  in 
 still  greater  numbers  inhabiting  the  metropolis  of 
 Holland,  and  the  cities  of  Poland.  See  them  abid- 
 ing alike  under  Christian,  Mahometan,  and  Pagan 
 dynasties  in  every  quarter  of  the  globe ;  some- 
 times restricted,  persecuted,  and  oppressed,  some- 
 times enjoying  a  portion  of  liberty  and  prosperity, 
 but  still  unmixed  and  readily  recognized.  Ask 
 yourself  what,  and  of  what  original,  is  this  strange 
 tribe,  whose  fortunes  and  peculiarities  form  one 
 solitary  exception  in  the  history  of  mankind.  One 
 people  alone  is  found  destitute  of  those  affinities, 
 by  which  men  of  like  faculties,  and  opportunities, 
 
454  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 and  pursuits,  are  ever  amalgamated,  and  united  in 
 the  same  political  and  social  relations?  The  drama, 
 the  fictitious  narrative,  and  the  historical  annals 
 of  our  own  and  other  nations,  shew  the  universal 
 belief  and  experience,  that  such  as  they  are,  such 
 have  they  long  been.  If  we  search  the  records  of 
 classical  writers,  and  those  which  the  sacred  and 
 ordinary  writers  of  their  own  nation  have  handed 
 down  to  us,  we  identify  the  same  people,  then 
 subsisting-  as  a  nation,  and  then  as  remarkable  in 
 their  theology,  and  character,  and  fortunes,  as  they 
 have  since  been.  The  fact  admits  of  no  denial  ; 
 the  conclusions  drawn  from  it  are  certain  and 
 satisfactory.  The  infidel  cannot  either  refute,  or 
 weaken  the  argument.  He  rather  directs  his 
 attention  to  one  particular  period  of  the  Jewish 
 history,  and  contends  that  their  rejection  of  the 
 Gospel  is  a  valid  objection  to  the  claims  of  Jesus, 
 and  to  the  reality  of  the  evidences  in  favour  of 
 Christianity.  Now  we  contend  that,  in  some 
 respects,  the  case  is  completely  the  reverse  of  his 
 representation,  and  that  he  cannot,  in  any  respect, 
 establish  the  validity  of  his  inference. 
 
 We  undoubtedly  grant,  that  the  infidelity  of 
 the  Jews  is  an  astonishing,  and,  in  some  respects, 
 a  mysterious  fact.  Of  course  the  entire  body  of 
 the  Jews  of  the  present  day  are  characterized  by 
 a  rejection  of  the  Gospel.  But  we  cannot  say  so 
 of  those  who  lived  in  the  reign  of  Augustus,  and 
 
Lecture  XV 11 1.  455 
 
 who  heard  the  instructions,  beheld  the  miracles,  and 
 were  witnesses  of  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus.  Great 
 multitudes,  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  Judea,  and  in  the 
 other  countries  in  which  they  were  dispersed,  did 
 embrace  the  Gospel,  and  no  longer  were  ranked  with 
 their  unbelieving  fellow-countrymen,  but  with  the 
 Christians.  The  numerous  and  increasing  society, 
 which  received  that  title  first  at  Antioch  import- 
 ing their  convictions  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was 
 the  Christ,  consisted,  for  many  years,  only  of 
 believing  Jews  ;  who  are,  therefore,  not  incompe- 
 tent, but  admissible  witnesses  of  the  miraculous 
 works  of  Jesus  and  his  Apostles.  The  reality  of 
 these  miracles  was  not  indeed  denied,  even  by  those 
 who  remained  in  unbelief.  We  know  that  these 
 unbelieving  Jews  did  not  admit  that  the  prophe- 
 cies were  fulfilled  in  Jesus.  But  we  must  still  bear 
 in  mind  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  nation 
 thought  otherwise ;  and  that  more  of  those  in 
 power  were  not  of  that  number,  renders  the  argu- 
 ment which  is  supplied  by  the  conviction  of 
 others,  more  satisfactory.  For  the  circumstance, 
 that  those  who  had  the  disposition,  had  also  the 
 power  to  persecute  the  early  Christians,  is  a  very 
 decisive  demonstration  of  the  assurance  and  sin- 
 cerity of  that  belief,  which  impelled  men  to  join 
 the  standard  of  the  cross,  when  the  warfare  to 
 which  it  engaged  them  was  so  hazardous,  and 
 even  when  the   hottest    fire   of  persecution    was 
 
456  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 directed  against  the  company  of  the  Apostles  and 
 their  followers.  If  we  consider  the  inhabitants 
 even  of  this  land,  where  Christianity  is  established, 
 and  where  it  has  an  influence  so  extensive,  I  know 
 not  whether  Ave  should  find  that  the  number  of 
 converts  in  Jerusalem  fell  very  far  short  of  the 
 number  of  those  who,  among  ourselves,  give  evi- 
 dence of  their  Christian  faith,  by  regularly  attend- 
 ing on  the  worship  and  sacraments  of  the  Christian 
 Church,  and  by  a  life  which  adorns  the  doctrine 
 of  God  their  Saviour.  Surely,  then,  there  is  no 
 view,  which  can  rightly  be  taken  of  the  infidelity 
 of  the  Jews,  which  can  at  all  impair  our  con- 
 viction of  the  reality  of  the  Christian  miracles,  of 
 the  justness  of  the  Christian  interpretation  of  the 
 prophecies,  and  of  the  cogency  of  the  various  other 
 arguments,  which  persuade  us,  with  "  the  full  as- 
 surance of  understanding,  with  the  full  assurance 
 of  faith,  and  in  the  full  assurance  of  hope,"  to 
 think  that,  "  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
 we  have  eternal  life  offered  to  us  by  Jesus  Christ, 
 as  the  only  Mediator  between  God  and  man,"  and 
 that  "  to  him  we  must  be  willing  to  come  that  we 
 may  have  life." 
 
 But  we  may,  and  ought  to  proceed  still  further 
 in  considering  the  infidelity  of  the  Jews ;  we 
 must  fix  our  attention  more  exclusively  on  those 
 who  remained  and  persevered  in  unbelief.  We 
 must    investigate   the   causes,    and   motives,   and 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  457 
 
 operations  of  this  unbelief.  This  will  in  two 
 respects  be  useful  to  us.  It  will  shew  that  the 
 Gospel  was  rejected  from  no  just,  defensible,  or 
 sufficient  motive,  and,  therefore,  that  their  infi- 
 delity need  not  hinder  us  from  seeking  the 
 blessedness  of  those,  "  who  have  not  seen,  and  yet 
 have  believed."  It  will  also  give  to  us  an  impres- 
 sive and  salutary  caution,  lest  we  fall  after  the 
 same  example  of  unbelief. 
 
 It  must  suffice  merely  to  remind  you  of  those 
 erroneous  interpretations,  or  rather  of  that  partial 
 selection  of  Scripture,  which  led  them  to  reject 
 a  spiritual  and  suffering  Messiah ;  to  believe  in 
 the  perpetuity  and  sufficiency  of  the  Mosaic  ritual ; 
 and  to  claim  an  interest  in  the  promises  made  to 
 Abraham  in  virtue  of  their  lineal  and  natural 
 descent  from  him,  and  also  an  unconditional  and 
 indefeisible  right  to  the  land  of  Canaan.  It  was  not, 
 however,  until  the  scheme  of  the  Gospel  was  fully 
 unfolded,  and  found  to  be  directly  opposed  to 
 these  favourite  notions,  which  they  had  embraced 
 so  firmly,  and  which  so  many  refused  to  abandon, 
 that  the  Jews  became  (C  exceedingly  jealous  of  the 
 traditions  of  the  Fathers,"  and  mad  against  the 
 Christians.  Those  principles  had  then  their  full 
 operation  ;  and  the  topics  just  mentioned  became 
 the  subjects  of  open  controversy  between  those 
 who  embraced,  and  those  who  rejected  the  Gospel 
 of  Christ.    Those  topics  had  been  slightly  touched 
 
41)8  Lecture  XVIU 
 
 upon  even  by  the  Baptist.  They  were  also  occa- 
 sionally adverted  to  by  our  Lord  ;  and  in  one  or 
 two  instances  became  the  subjects  of  his  discourses, 
 parables,  and  reasonings  with  the  Jews.  But,  in 
 general,  as  in  the  words  of  our  text,  we  find  our 
 Lord  unfolding  the  moral  causes  of  infidelity ; 
 causes  which,  of  themselves,  if  unchecked  and 
 predominant,  are  sufficient  to  choke  the  good  seed 
 of  Evangelical  truth,  and  to  render  it  unfruitful. 
 And  when  to  these  moral  impediments  preju- 
 dices and  errors  were  added,  such  as  those  just 
 noticed,  we  may  cease  to  wonder  that  the  Jew 
 remained  incapable  of  conviction,  and  proof  against 
 every  argument  which  might  persuade  him  to 
 embrace  the  Christian  faith. 
 
 These  moral  obstacles,  which  are  the  sub- 
 stratum in  which  all  other  accidental  ones  inhere, 
 and  whence  the  latter  derive  their  strength  and 
 permanency,  are  not,  alas !  confined  to  the  Jew. 
 They  result  from  that  "  fault  and  corruption  of 
 the  nature  of  every  man  that  naturally  is  engen- 
 dered of  the  offspring  of  Adam,  whereby  he  is  of 
 his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil/'  and  "  is  not  sub- 
 ject to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be." 
 For  so  long  as  "  the  flesh  thus  lusteth  against,  the 
 spirit/'  it  will  produce,  amongst  its  other  deadly 
 fruits,  "  heresies1 ;"  some,  it  may  be,  only  slightly 
 
 ■  Gal.  v.  20. 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  459 
 
 deviating-  from  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus/'  but 
 others  also  those  "  damnable  and  destructive  ones, 
 by  which  men  even  deny  the  Lord  that  bought 
 them,  and  draw  back  unto  perdition b."  But  let 
 us  remember  the  judgments  which  came  upon  that 
 generation  among  whom  our  Lord  preached  •  and 
 let  us  also  reflect  that  these  things,  as  well  as  those 
 that  befel  their  fathers  in  the  wilderness,  "  hap- 
 pened unto  them  for  ensamples,  and  are  written 
 for  our  admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the 
 world  are  come0/'  Let  the  judgments,  then,  with 
 which  the  Lord  visited  his  once  favoured  and 
 peculiar  people,  excite  us  to  "  remember  how  we 
 have  received  and  heard,  and  to  hold  fast,  and  to 
 repent,  if  peradventure  our  works  have  not  been 
 found  perfect  before  God,  lest  our  candlestick  be 
 removed  out  of  its  place d."  Hereby  also  let  us  be 
 individually  warned  to  prepare  for  the  terrors  and 
 justice  of  that  day,  when  "  the  Son  of  man  shall 
 come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  his  holy 
 angels  ;"  when  "  all  the  nations  shall  be  gathered 
 before  him,"  when  "  he  will  take  vengeance  on 
 them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the 
 Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  We  have 
 been  "  grafted"  into  the  body  of  his  Church,  and 
 "  partake  of  the  root  and  fatness  of  the  olivec  : 
 
 b  2  Pet.  ii.  l.  «  1  Cor.  x.  11. 
 
 H  Rev.  ii.  .5 ;  iii.  2,  3.  c  Rom.  xi.  17,  &c. 
 
460  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 the  natural  branches  being  broken  off,  that  we 
 might  be  grafted  in."  "  Well ;"  says  the  Apostle 
 to  each  one  of  us,  cc  because  of  unbelief  they 
 were  broken  off,  and  thou  standest  by  faith.  Be 
 not  high-minded,  but  fear.  For  if  God  spared  not 
 the  natural  branches,  take  heed  lest  he  also  spare 
 not  thee.  Behold,  therefore,  the  goodness  and 
 severity  of  God;  on  them  which  fell  severity;  but 
 toward  thee  goodness,  if  thou  continue  in  his 
 goodness ;  otherwise  thou  also  shalt  be  cut  off. 
 And  they  also,  if  they  abide  not  in  unbelief,  shall 
 be  grafted  in  ;  for  God  is  able  to  graft  them  in 
 again." — Here  is,  indeed,  a  salutary  and  awaken- 
 ing caution.  And  its  concluding  words  forcibly 
 remind  us  of  that  glorious  season,  which  is  rapidly 
 advancing  on  the  wheels  of  time,  when,  "  the 
 times  of  the  Gentiles  being  fulfilled,"  the  cc  blind- 
 ness which  hath  in  part  happened  unto  Israel" 
 shall  cease. 
 
 Let  us  now  more  particularly  direct  our  atten- 
 tion to  the  remaining  words  of  our  text,  with 
 which  our  Lord  concluded  his  discourse  before  the 
 Sanhedrim.  In  them  he  upbraided  the  Jews  for 
 their  unbelief  and  hardness  of  heart ;  and  in  such 
 a  manner  as  will  also  upbraid  us,  if  we  are  not 
 "  holding  fast  the  form  of  sounds  which  we  have 
 heard,  in  faith  and  love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
 
 Did  Jesus,  as  he  passed  on  from  laying  before 
 Ihe  Jews  the   evidences   of   his    divine   mission, 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  461 
 
 declare  that  they  "  would  not  come  to  him  that 
 they  might  have  life?"  Had  he  declared,  in  the 
 former  part  of  his  discourses,  that  "  whoso  heareth 
 his  word,  and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  him, 
 hath  everlasting-  life ;  and  that  all  judicial  authority 
 was  committed  to  the  Son,  that  all  men  should 
 honour  the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father?" 
 Was,  then,  the  applause,  respect,  and  adulation  of 
 man  the  object  at  which  he  aimed?  This  he 
 explicitly  renounced;  this  he  ever  refused. — "  I  re- 
 ceive not  honour  from  men." — He  claimed  it  not, 
 as  if  he  needed  any  such  thing ;  nor  as  if  that 
 could  accomplish  his  purposes,  or  increase  his  joy. 
 He  sought  it  not,  except  so  far  as  it  might  lead  to 
 higher  and  more  holy  principles ;  he  demanded 
 it  not,  except  upon  the  motive  that  "  he,  who 
 honoureth  not  the  Son,  honoureth  not  the  Father 
 which  had  sent  him."  If  it  were  not  of  this  cha- 
 racter, he  rejected,  exposed,  and  repressed  it. 
 And  little  did  he  find  of  the  honour  which  was 
 due  to  him,  who  left  the  bosom  of  the  Father  that 
 he  might  be  made  in  the  likeness  of  men.  He  was 
 fc  by  men  despised  and  rejected  ;  they  hid,  as  it 
 were,  their  faces  from  him,  and  esteemed  him  not." 
 "  He  came  to  his  own,  and  his  own  received  him 
 not." 
 
 Do  we  inquire  into  the  cause  of  their  strange 
 infatuation  ?  We  may  learn  it  from  the  mouth  of 
 him,  "  who  knew  all  men,  and  who  needed  not 
 
462  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 that  any  should  testify  of  man,  because  he  knew 
 what  was  in  man  ;"  who  exhibited  throughout  his 
 ministry  this  intimate  knowledge  of  the  thoughts 
 of  the  heart,  who  thereby  confounded  his  enemies,, 
 and  drew  from  Nathanael.,  and  the  woman  of 
 Samaria,  and  his  own  disciples,  an  acknowledg- 
 ment of  his  divinity  and  prophetic  character. 
 iC  I  know  you* ,"  said  he  to  the  Jewish  rulers, 
 V  that  ye  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you."  Do 
 we  say,  this  is  a  hard  saying?  Yet  can  we  not 
 discover  evident  proofs  of  it  in  their  principles  and 
 conduct  ?  Though  "  to  love  the  Lord  their  God 
 with  all  their  heart,  and  soul,  and  strength,"  was 
 "  the  first  and  great  commandment  of  their  law," 
 did  they  not,  "  while  they  made  their  boast  of  the 
 law,  through  breaking  the  law  dishonour  God  ?" 
 Did  they  not  "  make  void  his  commandment 
 through  their  traditions ;  and  omit  the  weightier 
 
 a  We  took  some  notice,  in  one  or  two  former  Lectures,  of  this 
 instance  of  our  Saviour's  superhuman  knowledge.  It  is  often 
 expressly  stated  by  the  Evangelists,  and  in  many  other  cases  it 
 supplies  a  valuable  illustration.  See  Newcome's  Observations  on 
 our  Lord's  Conduct.  Chap.  ii.  Sect.  7,  8.  Dr.  Gerard  observes, 
 that  our  Lord  "  scarce  ever  urged  or  appealed  to  it  as  an  evidence." 
 (Dissertations,  p.  165.)  He  certainly  never  noticed  it  in  the  same 
 form  as  he  did  the  other  arguments.  But  it  appealed  so  directly 
 to  the  heart  and  conscience  that  it  was  not  so  necessary  to  do  it. 
 But  he  did  expressly  notice  it,  and  in  a  very  varied  manner.  See 
 John  i.  50.  Matt.  ix.  2,4.  Luke  vii.  39—50;  viii.  45—48; 
 ix.  47.  John  xiii.  10,  11  ;  18 — 27  ;  xvi.  30,  31.  Luke  xxii.  6l. 
 Mark  xvi.  14.   Luke  xxiv.  38.   John  xx.  27. 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  463 
 
 matters  of  the  law,  judgment  and  mercy,  and  the 
 love  of  God?"  Did  not  a  scrupulous  and  spiritless 
 formality  and  a  specious  hypocrisy  distinguish 
 some,  while  profaneness  and  licentiousness  cha- 
 racterized others  ?  Undoubtedly  so  it  was  ;  and, 
 therefore,  we  cease  to  wonder  at  those,  who,  in 
 the  face  of  a  public  miracle  wrought  on  the  sab- 
 bath, arraigned,  and  then  would  fain  have  stoned 
 Jesus,  because  he  called  God  his  Father ;  and 
 who  scrupled  to  enter  into  the  judgment-hall  lest 
 they  should  be  denied,  at  the  very  time  when,  by 
 a  foul  conspiracy,  they  employed  bribery  and 
 subornation  to  put  Jesus  to  death,  in  order  to 
 satisfy  their  malignity. — But  let  us  beware  how 
 we  judge  them,  lest  we  condemn  ourselves.  For 
 how  imperfectly  do  we  obey  the  word  of  Jesus, 
 and  believe  in  him  that  sent  him  !  How  little  are 
 we  impressed  with  the  majesty  of  God  !  How  little 
 do  we  seek  his  glory,  dread  his  wrath,  or  seek  his 
 favour  !  Hereby  do  we  prove  that  we  are  not 
 Christians  in  deed  and  in  truth,  and  that  "  the 
 love  of  God  is  not  in  us;"  and  we  are  not 
 Christians  in  deed  and  in  truth,  if  "  the  love  of 
 God  is  not  in  us."  For  he  loveth  the  Father,  who 
 loveth  the  only-begotten  Son  who  hath  declared 
 him  ;  whom,  c<  though  he  has  not  seen  him  in  the 
 flesh,  he  loves,  and  in  whom,  though  he  sees  him 
 not,  yet  believing,  he  rejoices  with  joy  unspeak- 
 able and  full  of  glory."      If  we   say  that  we  love 
 
464  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 God,  where  then  are  the  effects  of  it  1  ''  He  that 
 loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can 
 he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  1"  "  This 
 is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  command- 
 ments." "  If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of 
 the  Father  is  not  in  him.  For  all  that  is  in  the 
 world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  lust  of  the 
 eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the  Father, 
 but  of  the  world."  Now  if  it  be  an  evident  and 
 notorious  truth,  that  there  is  much  unchecked 
 disobedience,  and  little  habitual  obedience,  even 
 in  the  Christian  world ;  does  not  this  prove  a  pro- 
 portionate want  of  the  love  of  God  ?  If  it  be  true, 
 that  he  who  loveth  another  will  desire  to  possess 
 a  conformity  of  disposition,  it  follows  that  if  we 
 are  not  "  partakers  of  a  divine  nature,  so  as  to 
 escape  the  pollutions  that  are  in  the  world  through 
 lust,"  we  do  not  love  God,  and  cannot  be  his 
 obedient  children ;  and,  therefore,  cannot  rightly 
 value,  esteem,  and  believe  in  him,  whom  God  hath 
 sent  to  "  call  us  with  a  holy  calling*." 
 
 But  mark  another  symptom  and  operation  of 
 unbelief.  "  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name,  and 
 ye  receive  me  not;  if  another  shall  come  in  his 
 own  name,  him  ye  will  receive." — The  history  of 
 the  Jews,  both  as  it  respects  their  rejection  of 
 Jesus,  and  also  their  readiness  to  follow  any 
 impostor,  who,  for  his  own  purposes,  deluded 
 them,  affords  a  lamentable  illustration  of  the  just- 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  465 
 
 ness  of  this  declaration.  We  find  them  despising, 
 opposing,  and  calumniating-  him  who  called  them 
 to  holiness,  and  gave  to  his  followers  the  promise 
 of  eternal  life.  Yet  he  alone  came  with  the  witness 
 of  the  law,  of  the  prophets,  of  the  Baptist ;  with 
 the  witness  of  his  miraculous  works,  and  of  the 
 Father  himself.  He  alone  "  sought  not  his  own 
 glory."  All  his  instructions  and  labours  and  suffer- 
 ings tended  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  to  the  benefit 
 of  mankind.  In  what  dark  and  melancholy  colours, 
 therefore,  does  the  infatuation  of  the  Jews  appear, 
 when  we  behold  that  "  deceivableness  of  unright- 
 eousness," which  led  myriads  to  follow,  and  perish 
 with  every  interested,  ambitious,  and  deluded 
 upstart ;  who  succeeded  so  far,  not  because  he 
 could  offer  any  evidence  of  his  mission,  but  because 
 he  came  in  his  own  name,  and  encouraged  those 
 temporal  hopes,  to  which  that  unhappy  people  have 
 ever  clung  with  such  unparalleled  pertinacity,  even 
 amidst  the  ruins  of  their  city  and  temple,  and  in 
 every  country  through  which  they  have  been  dis- 
 persed.— But  they  have  not  been  the  only  people 
 thus  deluded.  Not  Jews  only,  but  Pagans,  and 
 even  Christians,  received  and  followed  the  Arabian 
 impostor,  treading  in  the  path  of  lust,  murder, 
 and  ambition,  without  a  single  argument  but  such 
 as  would  appeal  to  men's  interests  or  sensuali- 
 ties.— But  here  again  let  us  also  look  at  ourselves. 
 Do  we  not  live  in   times    "  when   men   will  not 
 
 G  G 
 
466  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 endure  sound  doctrine  ?"  Does  not  every  novelty, 
 whether  in  ceremony,  manner,  or  doctrine,  how- 
 ever unmeaning,  and  however  dangerous,  attract 
 its  thousands  both  from  among-  those  who  have 
 not  been  taught  better  things,  and  from  among 
 those  who  have?  The  Christian  minister  pro- 
 claims the  truths  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  realities 
 of  eternity,  to  empty  seats,  to  unwilling  ears,  to 
 reluctant  hearts ;  while  the  ravings  of  pretended 
 prophets,  the  rhapsodies  of  a  Swedenbourg,  a 
 Brothers,  and  a  Southcott,  and  even  the  venal 
 prognostications  of  the  fortune-telling  beggar,  can 
 awaken  the  fears,  obtain  the  confidence,  and  call 
 forth  the  self-denial  of  deluded  thousands.  Nay, 
 do  we  not  all,  because  our  interest  is  concerned  in 
 it,  receive  "the  witness  of  men"  without  suspicion, 
 even  after  we  have  repeatedly  been  deceived,  and 
 although  we  know  that  they  are  so  powerfully  bi- 
 assed by  interest?  Yet  by  how  many  is  "  the  wit- 
 ness of  God,  which  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Son/' 
 neglected  and  undervalued,  if  not  actually  rejected! 
 — These  surely  are  facts,  indicative  of  human  folly, 
 and  humiliating  to  human  pride  !  They  show  how 
 liable  the  mass  of  mankind  is  to  imbibe  the  most 
 gross  delusions,  how  much  all  are  occupied  by 
 present  interest  and  gratification,  how  calamitously 
 they  are  beguiled  even  with  respect  to  terrestrial 
 and  sensible  objects,  and  how  little  they  are  dis- 
 posed to  rise  to  the  contemplation  of  spiritual 
 thing's,  and  to  look  forward  to  eternal  realities. 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  467 
 
 But  to  proceed  with  our  Lord's  further  remarks 
 on  the  operation  of  such  a  frame  of  mind.  f'  How 
 can  ye  believe",  which  receive  honour  one  of 
 another,  and  seek  not  the  honour  which  cometh 
 from  God  only?"  Those  there  are,  in  every  age, 
 who  never  even  frame  a  wish  for  divine  appro- 
 bation, or  whose  conduct,  at  least,  is  never  in- 
 fluenced by  such  a  motive.  Those  of  our  Lord's 
 contemporaries  who  were  of  such  a  description, 
 would  of  course  be  negligent  of  his  instructions, 
 and  little  anxious  to  inquire  into  the  nature  of  his 
 claims.  Nay,  to  such  persons  every  system  and 
 modification  of  religion  would  be  a  subject  of 
 little  interest,  and  would  excite  no  attention, 
 except  so  far  as  a  compliance  with  custom  might 
 be  necessary  to  preserve  their  reputation  with 
 others.  But  "  the  fear  of  man  brought  a  snare  -' 
 even  upon  some  who  were  otherwise  minded. 
 It  led  some  who  believed  in  Jesus,  "not  to  confess 
 him,  lest  they  should  be  put  out  of  the  syna- 
 gogue ;  because  they  loved  the  praise  of  men 
 more  than  the  praise  of  God."  The  observance 
 of  their  own  religious  ordinances,  and  the  dis- 
 charge of  the  duties  of  morality,  were  in  others 
 rendered  useless  to  their  own  hearts,  and  worthless 
 in  the  sight  of  God,  because  they  "  did  all  their 
 works  to  be  seen  of  men."     "  Verily,  they  had 
 
 *   rico?  AYNA20E  J/jter?  Tri<rT£v<rai,  k.t.\. 
 GG  2 
 
468  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 their  reward,"   for  the  praise   of  men   is   easily 
 obtained.    But  "they  had  no  reward  from  their 
 Father  which  is   in   heaven;"   for  they  did   not 
 these  things  "  as  seeing  him  who  is  invisible,  nor 
 as  having  respect  unto   the   recompense   of  the 
 reward,"  which  he  will  bestow.     But  he  requires 
 the    service    of    the   heart ;     and   will    ''  reward 
 openly/'  because  he  has  "  seen  in  secret." — Has 
 this  fear  of  human  censure,  this  love  of  human 
 applause,  ceased  to  affect  the  external  conduct, 
 and  to  influence  the  motives  of  mankind?   Does 
 it  not  still  afford  an  inducement  to  "  obey  man 
 rather  than  God,"  to  suppress  the  convictions  of 
 conscience,  to  disobey  the  dictates  of  the  under- 
 standing, to  sacrifice  integrity  to  interest,  and  to 
 purchase  the   friendship   of  the   world  by   sinful 
 compliances  with  its  irreligious  maxims  and  un- 
 holy customs  1    Yet  if  our  ears  are  attuned  only 
 to    the   praises    uttered    by    human   lips,    if  our 
 feelings  and  our  fears  depend  for  their  quietness 
 upon  the  smiles  and  frowns  of  our  fellow-men, 
 we  cannot  look  forward  in  faith  and  hope  to  the 
 time,  when    "  the    Lord   will  make  manifest  the 
 counsels  of  the  hearts,  and  when  every  man  shall 
 have  praise  of  God."     We  can  derive  no  comfort 
 from  that  prospect,  if  we  are  doing  "  those  things 
 which,  although  highly  esteemed  among  men,  yet 
 are  abomination  in   the  sight   of  God," — if  our 
 "  hearts  are  not  right  in  his  sight," — if  we  "  seek 
 
Lecture  XV I II.  469 
 
 viot  the  honour  which  cometh  from  him  only," 
 by  doing-  his  will,  and  living-  to  his  glory.  If 
 this  be  not  our  desire  and  endeavour,  ci  we  cannot 
 believe  in  him,  nor  in  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  has 
 sent."  We  shall  find  religion  an  enemy  to  our 
 peace;  and  our  every  wish  and  feeling  will  have 
 a  fatal  tendency  to  make  us  shrink  from  the 
 consideration  of  our  present  duty,  and  of  our  final 
 accountableness.  "  We  cannot  serve  both  God 
 and  Mammon."  The  service  of  two  masters  of 
 opposite  interests,  and  therefore  of  contrary  com- 
 fnands,  is  impracticable.  The  duties  and  events 
 of  every  day  will  call  upon  us  to  make  our  choice 
 between  them.  We  must  give  a  preference  to 
 the  one  or  to  the  other.  Our  habitual  conduct  in 
 consequence  of  that  preference,  will  determine 
 whether  we  "seek  for  the  honour  that  cometh 
 from  God  only,"  or  whether  we  are  pursuing  such 
 a  course,  as  will  one  day  bring  us  to  that  sense  of 
 woful  desertion,  and  to  that  feeling  of  unavailing 
 regret,  which  once  prompted  the  well  known 
 words,  "  If  I  had  served  my  God,  as  faithfully 
 as  I  have  served  my  King,  he  would  not  have 
 forsaken   me  at  my  latter  end." 
 
 "  Do  not  think,"  said  our  Lord  in  conclusion, 
 "  that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the  Father :  there  is 
 one  that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses,  in  whom  ye 
 trust.  For  had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have 
 believed  me  ;    for  he  wrote   of  me.      But   if  ye 
 
470  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 believe  not  his  writings,  how  shall  ye  believe  my 
 words  ?"  That  an  actual  disbelief  both  of  Moses 
 and  of  the  Prophets  prevailed  very  extensively 
 among1  the  Jews  in  our  Lord's  time,  we  have  the 
 express  testimony  of  Josephus ;  and  it  is  obviously 
 assigned  by  our  Lord  as  one  leading  cause  of  their 
 rejection  of  himself.  If  they  had  had  a  firm  belief 
 in  Moses,  and  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  his 
 predictions  and  institutions,  and  with  his  account 
 of  those  of  the  earlier  ages,  they  would  have 
 allowed,  upon  his  authority,  that  they  might  ex- 
 pect the  Messiah  to  be  a  Prophet  like  their  ori- 
 ginal legislator,  a  spiritual  Deliverer  from  moral 
 evil,  "  a  blessing  to  all  nations."  His  writings 
 they  had  it  in  their  power  to  study,  and  to  com- 
 pare with  later  revelations.  If  they  disbelieved 
 them,  or  if  their  prejudices  and  interested  views 
 were  stronger  than  their  convictions,  or  if  they 
 were  ignorant  of  them, — from  whatever  cause  they 
 believed  not  what  Moses  taught,  it  was  not  likely, 
 that  they  would  receive  the  doctrine  of  Jesus ;  for 
 "  Moses  wrote  of  him."  It  is  asserted  that  a 
 similar  infidelity  is  far  from  uncommon  among  the 
 Jews  of  this  day,  It  would  of  course  be  of  little 
 avail  to  attempt  to  convince  any  such,  that  Jesus 
 was  the  Messiah.  We  must  consider  them  as 
 consenting  with  all  other  Deists  in  a  denial  not 
 only  of  the  fact  of  Revelation,  but  also  of  its  im- 
 portance, and  necessity,  and  probability 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  471 
 
 All  who  profess  Christianity,  thereby  imply 
 a  confession  of  the  divine  authority  both  of  the 
 Old  and  New  Testaments.  Why,  then,  is  the 
 efficacy  of  Christianity  so  incomplete  ?  Why,  but 
 because  all  the  causes  and  motives  which  we  have 
 already  considered  do  in  fact  weaken,  if  they  do 
 not  destroy,  the  belief  of  its  certain  and  au- 
 thoritative truth  ?  If  it  is  really  believed,  why 
 not  also  valued,  and  obeyed?  A  firm  conviction 
 of  those  things,  which,  if  true,  involve  such  an 
 awful  responsibility,  and  lead  to  such  momentous 
 consequences,  would  at  least  excite  our  desires, 
 and  arouse  us  to  diligent  endeavours.  If  we 
 really  are  not  disposed  to  deny  the  truth  of  the 
 Scriptures,  our  obedience  may  be  imperfect,  and 
 our  impression  of  their  importance  insufficient 
 and  inefficacious,  because  our  attention  to  them 
 has  probably  been  too  slight.  Yet  will  not  the 
 religion  which  we  profess,  and  the  Scriptures 
 which  we  believe,  convict  us  of  criminality  in  this 
 unhappy  negligence? — If,  again,  we  repose  our 
 hopes  of  salvation  on  merely  outward  conformity 
 to  the  ceremonial  of  Christianity,  or  if  we  hope 
 that  our  obedience  to  some  commands  will  com- 
 pensate for  our  neglect  of  others,  will  not  the 
 Scriptures,  which  command  and  require  all  these, 
 in  this  case  also  condemn  us  ?  if  we  think  that 
 the  dictates  of  unassisted  reason  are  sufficient,  and 
 if  therefore  we  are  not  careful  to  appeal  "  to  the 
 
472  Lecture  XVlll. 
 
 law  and  to  the  testimony,"  will  not  our  own 
 consciences  tell  us  that  our  imperfect  obedience 
 requires  that  more  perfect  rule,  and  that  better 
 righteousness,  which  the  Scriptures  teach  us  ? 
 And  if  we  place  our  trust  in  the  general  belief 
 of  the  mercy  of  God,  will  not  the  Scriptures  again 
 condemn  us.,  because  God  has  not  promised  mercy 
 except  to  those,  who  have  "  repentance  towards 
 him,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ?  If  we 
 trust  in  uncertain  riches,  and  in  the  sufficiency  of 
 our  own  skill  and  diligence,  will  not  our  own 
 experience  of  the  vanity  and  uncertainty  of  all 
 earthly  things,  and  the  testimony  of  the  Scripture 
 to  the  certainty  and  importance  of  the  things 
 unseen,  again  condemn  us  ? — Jesus  as  yet  con- 
 demns us  not.  He  now  is  preached  to  us  as  a 
 Saviour.  There  is  "an  appointed  day,"  in  which 
 he  will  be  our  Judge.  He  needs  not  to  accuse  the 
 sons  of  men.  Moses  and  the  prophets  will  accuse 
 the  Jews.  Their  word,  and  that  which  Jesus 
 spoke,  and  the  writings  of  his  Apostles,  will 
 accuse  us.  cc  The  same  will  judge  us  at  the 
 last  day.*'  And  it  will  then  appear,  however  it 
 may  seem  to  us  now,  that  in  whatsoever  way  we 
 have  "  departed  from  the  living  God,"  we  have 
 evidenced  the  existence,  and  been  subject  to  the 
 influence  of  "  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief."  To  all 
 who  are  in  such  a  state  cc  the  Gospel  is  hid."  Its 
 promises  do    not  invite,   and   its    terrors  do  not 
 
Lecture  XVIII.  473 
 
 impress  them.  They  feel  not  their  need  of  pardon, 
 and  righteousness,  and  salvation  ;  and  the  Gospel, 
 therefore,  is  not  to  them  cc  the  power  of  God  unto 
 salvation/'  because  it  is  so  only  "to  him  that 
 believeth." 
 
 "Examine  yourselves,  therefore,  whether  ye 
 be  in  the  faith."  For  if  this  Gospel  was  "  first 
 spoken  to  us  by  the  Lord,  and  confirmed  to  us  by 
 them  that  heard  him,  how  shall  we  escape  if  we 
 neglect  so  great  salvation  ?"  If  we  abide  in  un- 
 belief, in  error,  or  in  unholiness,  we  shall  have 
 no  sufficient  plea  to  be  excused,  but  shall  be 
 counted  unworthy  to  be  partakers  of  that  "  eternal 
 glory  to  which  we  are  called  by  Christ  Jesus." 
 Are  ye  then  meet  for  that  inheritance  ?  Seriously, 
 I  beseech  you,  consider  that  question. — Ere  an- 
 other sabbath  arrives,  most  of  you,  that  are 
 present  here  this  day,  will  have  separated  from 
 each  other  for  a  considerable  season3.  If  the  last 
 week  has  announced  to  us  the  removal  from  life 
 of  too  of  the  younger  members  of  our  body,  what 
 may  be  the  events  of  so  long  a  period  ?  J  may  not 
 be  permitted  to  conclude  my  appointed  labours ; 
 some  of  you  may  never  return  to  resume  your's. 
 But,  even  if  this  should  not  be  the  case,  are  we 
 prepared  to  meet  the  trials  which  may  come  upon 
 
 *  This  Lecture  was  delivered  June  3,  1S21,  two  days  after  the 
 division  of  the  Easter  term,  and  it  completed  the  Spring  course. 
 
474  Lecture  XVIII. 
 
 us,  should  we  be  continued  in  life?  How  are  we 
 fitted  to  endure  the  reverses  of  fortune,  the  re- 
 moval of  our  dearest  relatives,  and  the  lengthened 
 days  of  sickness?  Are  we  armed  with  patience? 
 Are  we  prepared  to  receive  such  visitations  "  to 
 our  profit,  that  we  may  be  partakers  of  God's 
 holiness  ?"  But  religion  is  requisite  not  only  to  sup- 
 port and  instruct  us  in  the  hour  of  adversity,  but 
 to  keep  us  from  falling  in  the  still  more  slippery 
 path  of  prosperity,  to  direct  us  in  every  duty,  to 
 preserve  us  in  every  temptation.  It  is  c  our  light 
 in  darkness,  and  our  life  in  death.'  Therefore, 
 "beloved,  building  up  yourselves  on  your  most 
 holy  faith,  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  keep  your- 
 selves in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  lifeV 
 
 a  Jude  90.21. 
 
LECTURE    XIX 
 
 THE  INFIDELITY  OF  THE  JEWS  IN  ITS  MORE  ADVANCED 
 STAGE      NOTICED     BY    OUR     LORD    WITH     ALLUSION 
 
 TO    A    PASSAGE    OF    ISAIAH. THE    OCCASION     AND 
 
 PURPORT  OF  HIS  REMARKS;  AND  A  SIMILAR  AP- 
 PLICATION     OF      THE      SAME       PASSAGE       BY       THE 
 
 EVANGELIST     ST.     JOHN. OTHER     CAUTIONS     AND 
 
 DIRECTIONS  GIVEN  BY  OUR  LORD  RESPECTING 
 THE  TEMPER  AND  METHOD  PROPER  FOR  RELIGIOUS 
 INQUIRY. 
 
 St.  Matt.  XIII.  14— 16. 
 
 And  in  them  is  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Esaias,  which 
 saith,  By  hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  under- 
 stand; and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  shall  not  perceive. 
 — For  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears 
 are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  they  have  closed; 
 lest  at  any  time  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear 
 with  their  ears,  and  should  understand  with  their  heart, 
 and  should  he  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them. 
 
 To  bestow  on  mankind  a  remedy  for  the  diseases 
 of  the  soul,  and  to  heal  the  wounds  which  sin  had 
 inflicted,  was  the  office  and  merciful  purpose  of 
 him  whose  words  we  have  cited.  But  the  'com- 
 fortable words'  in  which  he  offered  these  benefits, 
 gave  the  assurance  of  them  only  to  such  as  ( truly 
 turned  to  him;'  to  those  who  were  converted  from 
 
476  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 the  error  of  their  ways,  who  recognized  both  their 
 own  need  of  healing-,  and  his  power  to  heal  ;  who 
 "came  unto  God  by  him/'  who  "loved  him,  and 
 kept  his  saying."  None  but  persons  of  such 
 a  character  could  rightly  esteem,  and  desire  his 
 interposition  on  their  behalf,  or  even  be  fitted  to 
 participate  in  its  benefits. 
 
 Those  who  are  described  in  the  words  of  our 
 text,  were  as  yet  far  from  having-  attained  to  such 
 a  state  of  mind.  They  had  yet  to  perceive  his 
 divine  character,  and  the  commission  with  which 
 he  was  charged.  They  had  yet  to  understand  the 
 spiritual  nature  of  Messiah's  kingdom,  and  to  dis- 
 cern "the  signs  of  the  times"  which  indicated  its 
 approach.  They  had  to  purge  their  hearts  from 
 the  grossness  of  their  unscriptural  opinions  and 
 carnal  expectations  ;  to  lend  a  willing-  ear  to  state- 
 ments which  combated  their  favorite  prejudices, 
 and  which  demanded  of  them  conduct  and  sacri- 
 fices little  congenial  to  their  wishes.  They  had  to 
 open  the  eyes,  which  had  hitherto  regarded  only 
 sensible  and  temporal  good,  to  contemplate  the 
 blessedness  and  glory  of  that  heavenly  kingdom 
 which  should  dignify  them  with  spiritual  and  eternal 
 privileges.  They  had  to  retrace  the  steps  by  which 
 they  were  now  fast  advancing  towards  a  determi- 
 nation not  to  believe,  and  towards  a  voluntary 
 insensibility  to  the  force  of  the  most  decisive 
 evidence. — When  Jesus  had  noticed  the  symp- 
 
Lecture  XIX.  477 
 
 toms  and  fatal  operation  and  increasing-  influence 
 of  unbelief,  he  passed  on  to  congratulate  and  en- 
 courage   the    faithful  few,   who  were  afterwards 
 to  be  his  witnesses  throughout  the  world,  and  who, 
 though   yet    deficient    in   knowledge,    discovered 
 a  readiness  and  desire  to  obtain  an  increase  of  it. 
 "  But  blessed,"  said  he,  "  are  your  eyes,   for  they 
 see  ;    and  your  ears,  for  they  hear.     For  verily 
 I  say  unto  you,  That  many  prophets  and  righteous 
 men   have  desired  to  see  those  things  which  ye 
 see,  and  have  not  seen  them ;  and  to  hear  those 
 things  which  ye  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them." 
 We  also,   through   the  labours   and   writings 
 of  these  disciples  of  Jesus,  have  been  made  ac- 
 quainted with  those  "mysteries  of  the  kingdom 
 of  heaven,"  which  were  unfolded  to  them.     Yet 
 although  these  heavenly  truths  were  in  old  time 
 the  subjects  of  promise  and  of  prophecy,  and  the 
 objects  of  earnest  expectation  to  those  who  had 
 not   as  yet   seen   their  accomplishment ;    and  al- 
 though  they   have   exercised   the    faith   and  joy 
 and  gratitude  of  thousands,  who,  since  their  full 
 revelation,  have  derived   from    them  consolation, 
 and   hope  and   victory ;    yet   comparatively   few, 
 even  now,  are  they,  who  see  and  hear  and  un- 
 derstand them,  so  as  to  seek  and  embrace  them, 
 and  to  hold  them  fast.     Many  are  they  who  reject 
 and  despise  them,    and   who   even  endeavour  to 
 beguile  others  of  their  consolations  in  time,  and 
 
478  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 of  their  hopes  for  eternity,  by  the  revival  of 
 objections  long-  since  refuted,  and  often  wholly 
 groundless.  Many  are  they  also,  whose  instability, 
 self-indulgence,  and  depravity  make  them  rejoice 
 in  any  pretext,  by  which  they  may  entrench  them- 
 selves in  the  short-lived  and  perilous  security  of 
 unbelief. — Yet  is  truth  ever  the  same ;  and,  like 
 its  divine  Author,  hath  cc  no  variableness,  neither 
 shadow  of  turning."  The  hope  set  before  us, 
 the  grounds  of  that  hope,  and  the  character  of 
 those,  to  whom  alone  it  belongs,  change  not. 
 Nay,  even  error  and  infidelity,  though  diversified 
 in  form,  and  modified  by  circumstances,  are  in  all 
 ages  substantially  the  same  as  to  their  sources, 
 and   motives,  and  operations. 
 
 We  observed  in  the  commencement  of  our 
 Lectures,  that  our  Lord's  discourses  very  fre- 
 quently touch  upon  this  important  head.  He 
 seldom  either  states  to  us  his  pretensions  and 
 doctrine,  or  enlarges  upon  the  evidence  of  them, 
 without  in  some  way  appealing  to  the  conscience, 
 and  laying  open  the  depravity  and  waywardness 
 of  the  human  heart.  Almost  every  passage  which 
 has  been  made  the  subject  of  our  meditation  has 
 furnished  some  appropriate  topic  of  practical  ap- 
 peal; and  our  last  Lecture  was  wholly  occupied  in 
 the  consideration  of  the  infidelity  of  the  Jews,  and 
 of  those  moral  causes,  to  which  our  Lord  ascribed 
 its  origin  in  the  close  of  his  discourse  before  the 
 
Lecture  XIX.  479 
 
 Sanhedrim.  In  our  two  remaining  Lectures  we 
 purpose  to  take  some  further  notice  of  several 
 detached  passages  on  the  same  subject.  In  this, 
 such  will  be  noticed  as  speak  of  infidelity  in  a 
 more  advanced  stage,  and  those  also  which  may 
 caution  us  against  its  approaches,  and  apprize  us 
 of  that  temper  and  method,  which  must  be  pur- 
 sued by  the  impartial  and  successful  inquirer. 
 In  our  next  we  shall  have  to  consider  infidelity 
 in  its  last,  confirmed,  and  irremediable  stage,  and 
 those  sanctions  and  declarations,  by  which  our 
 Lord  required  us  to  "  believe  the  Gospel." 
 
 The  occasion  of  the  words  of  our  text  was, 
 the  inquiry  of  the  disciples  why  Jesus  adopted 
 the  use  of  Parables.  The  propriety  and  meaning 
 of  his  answer  will  readily  be  discovered,  if  it  be 
 remembered,  that  he  spoke  to  the  people  without 
 parables,  until  the  time  that  his  miracles  were 
 attributed  to  the  co-operation  of  Beelzebub,  and 
 "a  sign  from  heaven"  was  demanded  by  those, 
 whom  all  his  former  miracles  had  failed  to  con- 
 vince, and  yet  whose  cavils  against  them  had  been 
 unanswerably  refuted 3.  This  obduracy  continued 
 to  characterize  a  large  proportion  of  our  Lord's 
 hearers,  more  especially  a  majority  of  those  in 
 power.  Yet  had  he  many  truths  yet  to  declare 
 to   them,    some   of  which   were    even   still   more 
 
 ;<  See  Matt.  xii.  and  xiii. 
 
480  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 likely  to  excite  their  prejudice  and  opposition  ; 
 and  therefore,  because  of  their  unbelief,  he  veiled 
 them  under  the  figurative  language  of  parables. 
 Frequently  they  were  able  to  perceive  the  general 
 design  of  what  he  delivered  in  this  manner,  and 
 were  on  such  occasions  offended  and  exasperated. 
 Not  that  such  truths  were  designed  to  be  concealed 
 from  them  for  ever.  They  were  only  partially 
 concealed  even  for  a  time.  But  this  method  of 
 delivery  was  sufficient  to  prove  that  Jesus  had 
 himself  stated  all  these  unwelcome  truths ;  and 
 not  only  did  he  explain  all  things  to  his  disciples 
 in  private,  but  informed  them  that  they  were  de- 
 signed for  universal  publication,  after  the  objection 
 occasioned  by  his  humble  appearance  was  removed, 
 and  the  evidence  of  his  character  and  authority 
 was  completed  by  his  entering  into  glory a.  Our 
 Lord  expressly  assigns  these  reasons  for  his 
 adoption  of  the  parabolic  mode  of  instruction. 
 The  more  teachable  character  of  his  disciples 
 enabled  him  to  proceed  in  imparting  to  them 
 fuller  instructions;  and  the  office,  which  they  were 
 afterwards  to  sustain  when  the  full  publication  of 
 the  Gospel  should  commence,  rendered  it  necessary 
 thus  to  inform  and  discipline  them.  But  in  con- 
 sequence of  the  non-improvement  and  rejection 
 
 a  See  Matt.  xiii.  36,   51,  52.       Mark  iv.  10—25,  33,  34. 
 Matt.  x.  25—2?.      Luke  viii.  10—18. 
 
Lecture  XIX.  481 
 
 of  what  he  had  before  taught,  it  was  both  just 
 and  necessary  to  refrain  from  communicating  to 
 others  the  same  knowledge.  It  could  as  yet  serve 
 no  good  end,  though  he  "  spake  to  them  the  word 
 in  parables,  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it."  "It  is 
 given  unto  you/'  said  he  to  his  disciples,  "to 
 know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; 
 but  to  them  it  is  not  given.  For  whosoever  hath, 
 to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  more 
 abundance ;  but  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him 
 shall  be  taken  away  even  that  he  hath.  Therefore 
 speak  I  to  them  in  parables ;  because  they  seeing 
 see  not,  and  hearing  they  hear  not,  neither  do 
 they  understand.  And  in  them  is  fulfilled  the 
 prophecy  of  Esaias,  which  saith,  By  hearing  ye 
 shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand ;  and  seeing 
 ye  shall  see,  and  not  perceive.  For  this  people's 
 heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are  dull  of 
 hearing,  and  their  eyes  have  they  closed ;  lest  at 
 any  time  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and 
 hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their 
 heart,  and  should  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal 
 them." 
 
 In  the  text  our  Lord  distinctly  asserts  that 
 unbelief  was  generally  prevalent  among  those,  to 
 whom  he  ministered  the  words  of  eternal  life; 
 and  he  so  describes  it,  in  the  prophetic  language 
 of  Isaiah,  as  to  shew  that  he  knew  that  it  had 
 already  assumed   a   decided   and   confirmed    cha- 
 
 H  H 
 
482  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 racter.     He  had  previously  declared,    before  the 
 council,  that  he  was  aware  that  t(  they  were  not 
 willing-  to  come  to  him  that  they  might  have  life;" 
 and   he   then    endeavoured   to    awaken   them    to 
 serious   reflection   by  referring   them    to   several 
 sinister  and  unholy  principles  which  were  likely  to 
 entangle  them  in  the  fetters  of  unbelief.    The  fact 
 was  soon  found  to  be  such  as  he  had  intimated. 
 The  longer  he  laboured  among  them,  the  more 
 were   prejudice,    and    calumny,    and    opposition 
 excited.    "  Because  he  told  them  the  truth^  they 
 would  not  believe  him."     They  closed  their  ears 
 against  the  reception  of  truths  so  unwelcome,  and, 
 as  they  thought,  so  needless.     Hearing  with  the 
 outward  ear,  they  understood  not  with  the  heart  ; 
 like  their  fathers  of  old  to  whom  the  prophets  had 
 been  sent.     Every  faculty  of  the  soul  was  armed 
 and  fortified  against  the  supposition   that  such  a 
 teacher  could  be  their  Messiah,  or  that  they  had 
 need  of  any  change  in  religion,  or  indeed  of  any 
 blessing  which  the  Messiah  could  bestow,  except 
 deliverance    from    national    subjection,    and    the 
 possession   of  national  glory.      Seeing   therefore 
 with  their  eyes  the  miracles  of  Jesus,  they  per- 
 ceived not   the  finger   of  God  therein  revealing 
 itself,  and,  as  it  were,  pointing  out  Jesus  as  that 
 "  his  beloved  servant,   on  whom   he  had  put  his 
 Spirit."    Not  that  they  could  disprove,  or  that 
 they  ever   attempted  to  deny  the  reality  of  the 
 
Lecture  XIX.  483 
 
 miracles.  But  they  were  not  disposed  to  admit 
 their  evidence,  because  they  had  no  inclination  to 
 admit  the  pretensions  of  him  who  wrought  them. 
 They  could  behold  the  exhibition  of  the  most 
 signal  miracles,  without  any  other  emotion  than 
 a  feeling-  of  jealousy  and  indignation.  Some,  in 
 consequence  of  having  been  eye-witnesses  of  the 
 raising  of  Lazarus,  immediately  went  to  inform 
 the  Pharisees;  and  they,  avowedly  on  the  very 
 ground  of  the  reality  and  notoriety  of  these  "  many 
 miracles,"  coolly  deliberated  on  the  safest  and 
 surest  method  of  putting  him  who  wrought  them 
 to  death.  Yet,  at  the  same  time,  they  cc  built  the 
 sepulchres  of  the  prophets,  and  boasted  how,  if 
 they  had  lived  in  the  days  of  their  fathers,  they 
 would  not  have  been  sharers  in  their  blood- 
 guiltiness." — The  pure,  perspicuous,  and  heart- 
 searching  discourses  of  Jesus  seemed  to  have  as 
 little  permanent  influence  as  his  miracles.  Many 
 even  listened  with  no  other  feeling  or  design, 
 than  "  that  they  might  entangle  him  in  his  talk, 
 and  have  somewhat  of  which  to  accuse  him/'  So 
 that  fact  fully  justified  the  assertion  of  Jesus 
 respecting  them,  in  allusion  to  the  words  of  Isaiah. 
 "Their  heart  had  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  were 
 dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  had  they  closed,  ia 
 such  a  manner  as  if  they  had  determined  to  secure 
 themselves  against  any  probability  that  at  any 
 time  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with 
 h  n  2 
 
484  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 their  ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart,  and  be 
 converted,  and  he  should  heal  themV 
 
 Our  Lord  applies  the  words  of  the  prophet 
 more  especially  to  their  rejection  of  his  doctrine. 
 But  still,  as  we  have  just  observed,  that  rejection 
 had  then  recently  been  shewn  to  be  decided  and 
 irrecoverable,  because  the  doctrine  was  rejected 
 in  defiance  of  those  miracles,  by  which  he 
 established  its  divine  authority,  and  because  they 
 had  even  ventured  to  propagate  the  most  malig- 
 nant cavils  both  against  Jesus  and  his  miracles. 
 But  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  St.  John  cites  the 
 same,  and  also  another  passage  of  Isaiah,  with 
 more  immediate  reference  to  the  miracles  of  Jesus, 
 after  he  closed  his  own  narrative  of  them.  He 
 had  recorded  the  caution  of  Jesus  to  the  people  to 
 "  walk  while  they  had  the  light,  lest  darkness 
 should  come  upon  them/'  "  But,"  adds  the 
 Evangelist,  "  though  he  had  done  so  many  mira- 
 cles before  them,  yet  they  believed  not  on  him. 
 That  the  saying  of  Esaias  the  prophet  might  be 
 fulfilled,  which  he  spake,  Lord,  who  hath  believed 
 our  report,  and  to  whom  hath  the  arm  of  the 
 Lord  been  revealed?  Therefore  they  could  not 
 believe,  because  that  Esaias  said  again,  He  hath 
 blinded  their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart,  that 
 they  should  not  see  with  their  eyes,  nor  understand 
 
 a  Isai.  vi.  9,  10.— Compare  Ezek.  xii.  2. 
 
Lecture  XIX.  485 
 
 with  their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  should 
 heal  themb."  To  this  state  of  mind  the  Evangelist 
 attributes  an  incapacity  for  believing  the  report  of 
 the  prophets  respecting  him,  ""  who,  when  he  was 
 seen,  was  without  form  or  comeliness,  and  had  no 
 beauty  that  men  should  desire  him  ;  and  whom, 
 therefore,  they  despised  and  rejected,  and  esteemed 
 not."  By  all  who  were  affected  in  this  manner 
 <c  the  arm  of  the  Lord,"  which  upheld,  and  co- 
 operated with  Jesus,  was  not  discovered ;  and 
 therefore  he  who  was  ce  sent  of  the  Father,  and 
 sealed  and  sanctified  by  him,"  was  esteemed 
 "  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted."  No 
 other  than  such  delusion,  and  obduracy,  could  be 
 the  consequence  of  the  state  of  mind  which  is 
 described  by  the  prophet,  and  which  is  brought 
 before  our  notice,  both  by  our  Lord  and  his 
 Apostles0. 
 
 But  St.  John  seems  to  cite  the  words  as  if  it 
 were  God  who  had  thus  "  blinded  their  eyes,  and 
 hardened  their  heart."  And  St.  Mark  and  St. 
 Luke  also  report  our  Lord's  citation  of  the  passage, 
 as  if  Jesus  adopted  the  use  of  parables  in  order  to 
 give  occasion  to  this  blindness  and  unbelief'1. — We 
 have  already  remarked  that  it  is,  in  a  sense,  true 
 that   Jesus    employed   parables   to    conceal   some 
 
 b  John  xii.  o7,  &c.         c  See  also  Acts  xxviii.  26.  Rom.  xi.  S. 
 d  Mark  iv.  11  —  13.    Luke  viii.  10. 
 
486  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 obnoxious  truths  for  a  time.  But  it  is  also  equally 
 clear,  that  St.  Matthew  teaches  us  that  this  very 
 blindness  and  unbelief  was  itself  the  occasion  of 
 his  first  use  of  the  parabolic  method.  But  if  we 
 consult  the  passage  as  it  stands  in  the  prophet 
 himself,  we  find  that  Jesus,  in  the  latter  words 
 of  our  text,  has  rather  interpreted  than  cited  the 
 latter  part  of  the  prophecy.  For  the  prophecy 
 itself  has  the  form  of  expression  which  is  found  in 
 the  other  three  Evangelists.  "  Go  and  tell  this 
 people,  Hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand  not,  and 
 see  ye  indeed,  but  perceive  not.  Make  the  heart  of 
 this  people  fat,  and  make  their  ears  heavy,  and 
 shut  their  eyes ;  lest  they  see  with  their  eyes,  and 
 hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their 
 heart,  and  convert,  and  be  healed."  But  it  does 
 follow  even  from  hence,  that  this  "  shutting  up  in 
 unbelief"  is  wholly,  and  in  the  first  instatice  to  be 
 ascribed  to  divine  influence  on  the  mind.  This  is 
 a  phraseology  adopted  in  many  other  places  of  the 
 prophetic  writings  ;  and  it  is  designed  only  to 
 express  the  lamentable  certainty  with  which  the 
 event  is  foretold.  And  we  will  illustrate  this  pecu- 
 liarity of  the  prophetic  style  by  one  citation  from 
 the  prophet  Jeremiah.  cc  The  Lord  said  unto  me, 
 Behold,  I  have  put  my  words  in  thy  mouth.  See, 
 I  have  this  day  set  thee  over  the  nations  and  over 
 the  kingdoms,  to  root  out,  and  to  pull  down>  and  to 
 destroy,  and  to  throw  down,  and  to  build,  and  to 
 
Lecture  XIX.  487 
 
 plant."  This  passage  evidently  speaks  only  of  the 
 commission  given  to  the  prophet  to  announce  the 
 certainty  with  which  those  things  could  come  to 
 pass,  of  which  he  is  figuratively  said  to  be  the 
 instrument.  No  other  interpretation  could  for 
 a  moment  be  entertained.  Upon  the  very  same 
 principle  should  we  interpret  the  passage  under 
 consideration.  It  predicts  the  existence,  and 
 prevalence,  and  fatal  strength  of  unbelief  among 
 those,  who  heard  the  words  of  God,  and  had  the 
 arm  of  the  Lord  revealed  before  them.  But  it 
 ascribes  not  the  effect  to  God  as  the  cause.  The 
 cause  was  in  themselves,  and  resulted  from  the 
 depravity  of  the  human  heart.  It  is  not  the  God 
 of  heaven,  but  "  the  god  of  this  world  that  blinds 
 the  minds  of  them  that  believe  not3."  cc  No  man 
 can  say  when  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempted  of 
 God  ;  for  he  is  but  drawn  away,  and  enticed  of  his 
 own  lustb."  The  Spirit  of  God  strives  with  man, 
 to  convince,  recover,  and  reform  him.  But  we 
 must  add,  with  all  faithfulness  and  admonition, 
 that  he  does  not  always  strive  with  man  ;  that  he 
 may  be  grieved  and  resisted,  and  that  his  holy 
 influence  may  be  quenched.  Then,  indeed,  do 
 we  allow  that  man  is  given  over  to  a  judicial 
 blindness;  that  they,  "  who  like  not  to  retain 
 God  in  their  knowledge',   who    believe   not  the 
 
 -  2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4.         b  James  i.  13— 17-         c  Rom.  i.  28. 
 
488  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 truth,  and  have  pleasure  in  unrighteousness,  are  at 
 length  given  over  to  a  reprobate  mind."  Because 
 they  "  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they 
 might  be  saved,  God  sends  upon  them  strong 
 delusion,  that  they  should  believe  a  liea."  And 
 therefore  are  we  called  upon  to  "  suffer  the  word 
 of  exhortation"  respecting  this  matter.  There- 
 fore are  we  bound  to  "  teach  every  man,  and  to 
 warn  every  man."  Therefore  do  we  beseech  every 
 one  to  inquire  respecting  himself,  whether  he  has, 
 with  the  heart,  and  with  a  true  and  lively  faith, 
 believed  in  Jesus  Christ ;  or  whether  there  be  any 
 unsatisfied  doubt,  any  secret  reserve,  any  unmorti- 
 fied  lust  still  abiding  within  him.  For  ought  he 
 knows,  such  disorders  of  the  soul,  if  they  receive  not 
 a  timely  check,  may  generate  in  the  end  a  deadly 
 and  incurable  malady.  The  understanding  may 
 be  blinded,  the  will  become  alienated  from  the  life 
 of  God,  and  the  conscience  be  rendered  insensible 
 to  every  warning  and  visitation.  He  who  is  not 
 recovered  from  such  a  state,  "  will  wax  worse  and 
 worse,  deceiving  and  being  deceived/'  and  "  not 
 having  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  therefore  being  none 
 of  his,"  may  finally  "  make  shipwreck  of  faith,  and 
 of  a  good  conscience  ;"  and  "  not  understand,  nor 
 be  converted,  nor  be  healed." 
 
 "  But,  beloved,  we  are  persuaded  better  things 
 
 il  '2  Thess.  ii.  10-^1  2. 
 
Lecture  XIX.  489 
 
 of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation, 
 though  we  thus  speak."  Yet  our  Lord  himself 
 exhorted  his  disciples  to  "  watch  and  pray,  lest 
 they  should  enter  into  temptation;"  and  assigned 
 for  the  precept  a  reason,  which  our  own  expe- 
 rience very  abundantly  confirms,  that  even  when 
 "  the  spirit  of  man  is  willing,  the  flesh  may  be 
 weakV  Let  us  not,  therefore,  shrink  from  the 
 most  minute  and  awakening  view  of  the  dangers 
 which  beset  us ;  that  thus  we  may  be  excited  to 
 seek  the  peace,  and  rest,  and  joy,  which  Jesus 
 promised  and  bequeathed  to  his  disciples.  If  we 
 have  already  followed  him,  let  us  not,  "  having 
 put  our  hand  to  the  plough,  look  back,''  and  thus 
 "  unfit  ourselves  for  the  kingdom  of  God  V  But 
 rather  let  us  cc  sit  down,  and  count  the  cost,  and 
 consider  whether,  having  begun  to  build,  we  shall 
 be  able  to  finish."  Let  us  ascertain  our  strength 
 for  this  long  and  arduous  warfare,  and  see  ic  whe- 
 ther we  be  able,  with  ten  thousand,  to  meet  him 
 that  cometh  against  us  with  twenty  thousand*1."  If 
 ec  in  the  world  we  have  tribulation,"  let  us  be 
 cheered  by  the  recollection  that  cc  our  Master  hath 
 overcome  the  world6."  And  when,  "  because  ini- 
 quity abounds,  the  love  of  many  waxes  cold,"  and 
 when  others,  who  "  have  endured  for  a  season, 
 
 b  Matt.  xxvi.  41.  c  Luke  ix.  62. 
 
 J  Luke  xiv.  28  —  30,  31.  e  John  xvi.  33. 
 
490  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 in  time  of  temptation  fall  awaya,"  let  us  remem- 
 ber the  words  which  Jesus  repeated  on  more  than 
 one  occasion,  "  He  that  endureth  to  the  end, 
 the   same  shall  be  saved b." 
 
 We  have  not  alluded  to  difficulties  and  temp- 
 tations which  have  no  existence,  or  of  which 
 Jesus  did  not  forewarn  mankind,  when  stating 
 to  them  the  nature  and  design  of  his  Religion. 
 There  are  "fightings  without,  and  fears  within." 
 There  are  trials  to  be  endured,  and  sacrifices  to 
 be  made,  if  need  and  occasion  be,  which  deter 
 the  unbeliever,  and  try  the  stedfastness  of  the 
 believer.  It  was  not  without  reason  that  Simeon 
 declared  of  the  holy  child  Jesus,  "  Behold  this 
 Child  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising  again  of  many 
 in  Israel,  and  for  a  sign  that  shall  be  spoken 
 against,  that  the  thoughts  of  many  hearts  may 
 be  revealed0."  It  was  a  declaration  which  Jesus 
 himself  afterwards  confirmed.  Both  by  various 
 general  statements,  and  in  his  instructions  to  his 
 disciples,  and  also  in  his  answers  to  several  who 
 professed  a  readiness  to  follow  him,  he  has  suf- 
 ficiently made  it  known  that  ' '  if  any  man  come 
 after  him,  he  must  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his 
 cross  daily,  and  follow  himd."  He  prepared  his 
 Apostles  and  early  followers  to  expect  "  scourg- 
 
 a  Matt.  xxiv.  12.     Mark  iv.  17.     Luke  viii.  13. 
 b  Matt.  x.  22 ;   xxiv.  13.      c  Luke  ii.  34,  35.      d  Luke  ix.  23. 
 
Lecture  XIX.  491 
 
 ings,  and  persecutions,  and  death,  and  to  be  hated 
 of  all  men,  and  of  all  nations,  for  his  name's  sake," 
 even  by  all  that  numerous  class  in  all  ages,  who 
 "  have  not  known  the  Father  nor  himV  He 
 distinctly  told  them  that  though  "  in  him  they 
 should  have  peace"  of  mind,  yet  "  he  came  not 
 to  send  external  peace  on  earth,  but  a  sword;"  and 
 that  "  a  man's  foes  would  be  those  of  his  own 
 household {."  —  Yet  he  made  no  allowance  for 
 apostacy  even  in  this  extreme  case  :  he  appealed 
 to  them  for  the  reasonableness  of  what  he  spoke, 
 by  the  question,  "  What  would  a  man  be  profited, 
 if  he  should  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 
 own  soul?"  For  what  earthly  thing  is  so  precious, 
 as  to  be  "  given  in  exchange  for  the  souls?" 
 He  therefore  distinctly  stated  the  absolute  ne- 
 cessity of  stedfastness,  the  danger  of  swerving 
 from  it,  and  the  reward  and  true  policy  of  main- 
 taining it.  cc  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother 
 more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me ;  and  he  that 
 loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me,  is  not 
 worthy  of  me.  And  he  that  taketh  not  his  cross, 
 and  followeth  after  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me. 
 He  that  findeth  his  life  shall  lose  it,  and  he  that 
 loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it h."     "  He 
 
 e  Matt.  x.  17,  22  ;   xxiv.  9.     John  xv.  20  ;    xvi.  3. 
 
 f  John  xvi.  33.     Matt.  x.  31—36'.  -  Matt.  xvi.  2f). 
 
 11  Matt.  x.  37—3.0. 
 
492  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 that  is  ashamed  of  me,  and  of  my  words, — he  that 
 shall  deny  me  before  men, — of  him  will  I  be 
 ashamed,  and  him  will  I  deny  before  the  angels 
 of  Goda.  Those  that  confess  me  before  men, 
 I  will  confess  before  the  angels  of  God."  He 
 promises  to  those,  that  forsake  all  for  his  sake, 
 that  ffthey  shall  receive  manifold  more  in  this 
 present  time,  toith  persecutions,  and  in  the  world 
 to  come  life  everlasting b."  Now  it  is  clear,  from 
 the  very  nature  of  the  case,  that  all  this  is  neither 
 unreasonable  nor  unnecessary ;  and  although  we 
 of  this  age  and  country  are  not  called  to  endure 
 such  persecutions,  in  testimony  either  of  our 
 fidelity  to  the  Gospel  itself,  or  to  its  essential 
 doctrines,  yet  we  know  not  how  soon  it  may 
 come  upon  us.  A  generation  has  scarcely  passed 
 away  since  such  a  trial  came  upon  all  the  pro- 
 fessing Christians  of  a  neighbouring  nation. 
 Though  we  are  not  likely  to  experience  the 
 persecuting  intolerance  of  Paganism,  nor  the 
 effects  of  the  "  exceeding  madness  "  of  a  Jew's 
 malignity  against  the  Gospel,  nor,  we  trust,  the 
 restoration  to  power  of  the  most  intolerant  pro- 
 fessors of  the  Christian  faith,  who  once  lighted 
 up  the  fires  of  persecution  in  the  cities  and  Uni- 
 versities of  England,  and  perpetrated  the  most 
 unheard   of  massacres; — yet  have  we   not  found 
 
 a  Mark  viii.  38  ;   Matt.  x.  32,  33.  b  Mark  x.  2S— 30. 
 
Lecture  XIX.  493 
 
 that  Deism  itself,  which  so  proudly  boasts  of  its 
 philanthropy,  and  disclaims  all  bigotry  and  into- 
 lerance, can  surpass  all  other  systems  in  the 
 cc  cruelty  of  its  tender  mercies,"  and  in  the  dead- 
 linessof  its  hatred  to  Christianity?  The  intimations 
 of  those  things  "  that  are  to  come  hereafter," 
 recorded  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth,  do  not  permit 
 us  to  hope  that  such  scenes  will  never  again  be 
 exhibited  on  this  earth.  Have  we,  then,  that 
 Jirm  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel^  and 
 of  the  value  and  certainty  of  its  promises,  and 
 that  devotedness  also  to  the  cause  of  God  and  of 
 truth,  which  would  enable  us  to  retain  our  in- 
 tegrity in  such  a  fiery  trial  ?  Those  who  are  not 
 ready  to  make  such  sacrifices,  and  to  practise 
 such  self-denial,  if  any  circumstances  should  arise 
 to  require  them,  cannot  be  the  disciples  of  Jesus. 
 Yet  how  many  are  even  unable  to  endure  the 
 contemptuous  look  and  the  slanderous  word!  How 
 many  are  more  than  ashamed  of  Christianity,  and 
 even  are  proud  of  their  disregard  both  of  its  threats 
 and  promises !  This  fear  of  man,  this  unhappy 
 vanity,  this  love  of  self  and  of  this  world,  are 
 fertile  sources  of  infidelity  and  inconsistency. 
 
 Our  Lord  has  also  cautioned  us  against  the 
 unhappy  influence  of  worldly  wealth.  "  How 
 hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches — they  that  trust 
 in  riches — enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God c!"    We 
 
 c  Mark  \.  23,  24. 
 
494  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 know  too  well  how  readily  our  hearts  become 
 attached  to  the  "  good  things  of  this  life/' — how 
 soon  they  are  "  overcharged  with  the  cares  of 
 this  life," — how  rapidly  covetousness  is  generated, 
 and  how  firmly  it  seats  itself  in  the  soul, — not  to 
 understand  how  soon  (C  the  word  of  God  becometh 
 unfruitful ^  when  choked  by  the  cares  of  the  world, 
 and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches  V — ci  Take  heed 
 then,  and  beware  of  covetousness b;"  and  seek 
 first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness0;" 
 like  the  merchant  in  the  parable,  "  even  selling 
 all  that  ye  have,  to  purchase  the  pearl  of  great 
 price d." 
 
 But  not  only  must  the  love  of  riches  be  aban- 
 doned, and  "  poverty  of  spirit "  be  cultivated,  but 
 purity  of  heart  must  also  be  maintained.  The 
 love  of  sin  naturally  disposes  us  to  "  love  darkness 
 rather  than  light,  because  our  deeds  are  evilV 
 Yet  the  sin  that  most  easily  besets  us,  though  as 
 dear,  and  seemingly  as  necessary  to  our  comfort, 
 as  "  a  right  hand,  or  a  right  eye,"  must  be  "  cut 
 off  and  cast  from  us,  that  we  may  enter  into  lifeV 
 We  must  bring  into  our  Christian  life,  not  only 
 the  hatred  of  sin,  but  also  the  love  of  holiness, 
 and  a  readiness  to  practise  it,  if  we  are  rightly  to 
 
 a  Luke  xvi.  25  ;    xxi.  34.     Matt.  xiii.  22. 
 
 b  Luke  xii.  15.  c  Matt.  vi.  33.  d  Matt.  xiii.  46. 
 
 e  John  iii.  19.  f  Matt,  xviii.  8,  9. 
 
Lecture  XIX.  495 
 
 apprehend  either  the  divinity  and  excellency  of 
 our  religion,  or  to  make  progress  therein,  or  not 
 to  dislike  and  shrink  from  it.  cc  If  any  man  be 
 willing-  to  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine 
 whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak  of  my- 
 self e." — And  we  must  make  continual  advances  in 
 every  good  and  holy  purpose,  improving  the  graces 
 to  which  we  have  already  attained,  and  desiring 
 and  seeking  after  an  increase  of  them.  For 
 Ci  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he 
 shall  have  more  abundantly  ;  but  whosoever  hath 
 not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  he 
 hath'V  After  we  have  "done  all,"  we  are  but 
 "  unprofitable  servants;"  but  he,  who  is  ffan  un- 
 profitable servant"  because  he  hath  not  employed 
 the  talent  committed  to  him,  "  will  be  cast  into 
 outer  darkness." — And  that  the  necessity  of  walk- 
 ing in  all  purity  of  heart  and  life  may  be  more 
 deeply  impressed  upon  our  minds,  let  us  hear 
 other  declarations  of  our  Lord.  cc  That  servant, 
 which  knew  his  Lord's  will,  and  prepared  not 
 himself,  neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be 
 beaten  with  many  stripes.  But  he  that  knew  not, 
 and  did  commit  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be 
 beaten  with  few  stripes.  For  unto  whomsoever 
 much  is  given,  of  him  shall  be  much  required  ; 
 and  to  whom  men  have  committed  much,  of  him 
 
 s  John  vii.  17.  h  Matt.  xiii.  12. 
 
4%  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 they  will  ask  the  more  V  "  In  that  day,"  said  our 
 Master  and  our  future  Judge,  "  I  will  profess  unto 
 them,  that  have  not  done  the  will  of  my  Father 
 which  is  in  heaven,  1  never  knew  you,  depart  from 
 me,   all  ye  that  work  iniquity b." 
 
 Coming  to  the  study  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
 Jesus,  with  purity  of  heart  and  purposes  of  obe- 
 dience, we  must  also  come  with  docility  and  in 
 humility.  "  For  except  we  be  converted  and  be 
 as  little  children,"  and  receive  the  kingdom  of  God 
 as  meek,  teachable,  guiltless  infants,  "  we  shall 
 not  enter  therein0."  We  shall  never  either  rightly 
 apprehend  its  nature,  or  be  impressed  by  its  pro- 
 mises. They  that  are  "  proud/'  as  well  as  "  they 
 that  do  wickedly/'  will  inherit  not  favour,  but 
 shame.  For  said  Jesus  again,  cc  Whosoever 
 exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased,  but  he  that 
 humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted*1." 
 
 And  lastly,  in  carrying  on  the  important  in- 
 quiry after  divine  truth,  we  must  ever  remember 
 that  it  must  be  learnt  from  God;  from  his  written 
 word,  from  the  words  and  upon  the  authority  of 
 Jesus,  who  "  spoke  as  the  Father  gave  him  com- 
 mandment,"— and  through  the  enlightening,  and 
 sanctifying,  and  transforming  influence  of  that 
 Holy  Spirit,  who  can   '  give  us  a  right  judgement 
 
 a  Luke  xii.  47,  48.        b  Matt.  vii.  21 — 23.       c  Matt,  xviii.  3. 
 A  Mai.  iv.  ].    Luke  xiv.  11.  and  xviii.  14. 
 
Lecture  XIX.  49? 
 
 in  all  things,  cleanse  the  thoughts  of  our  hearts 
 by  his  holy  inspiration,  that  so  we  may  think 
 those  things  that  be  good,  and  by  his  merciful 
 guiding  perform  the  same.'  This  our  Lord  has 
 distinctly  taught  in  that  important,  though  difficult, 
 discourse  respecting  the  "  living  bread  which  came 
 down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world." 
 — "  But  I  said  unto  you,  That  ye  also  have  seen 
 me,  and  believe  not.  'All  that  the  Father  giveth 
 me  shall  come  to  me,  and  him  that  cometh  to  me 
 I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.'  '  This  is  the  Father's 
 will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath 
 given  me  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise 
 it  up  again  at  the  last  day.  And  this  is  the  will 
 of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one  which  seeth 
 the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  ever- 
 lasting life ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
 day.'  c  Murmur  not  among  yourselves.  No  man 
 can  come  unto  me,  except  the  Father,  which  hath 
 sent  me,  draw  him.  It  is  written  in  the  prophets, 
 And  they  shall  be  all  taught  of  God6.  Every 
 man,  therefore,  that  hath  heard,  and  hath  learned 
 of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me.  Not  that  any 
 man  hath  seen  the  Father,  save  he  which  is  of 
 God,  he  hath  seen  the  Father f." — I  need  scarcely 
 to  repeat  to  you,  what  I  have  already  stated,  as 
 collected   from    a    careful   examination    of  these 
 
 •  Isai.  liv.  13.     Jer.  xxxi.  33,  34.  f  John  vi.  3J — 46". 
 
 1  I 
 
4i)8  Lecture  XIX. 
 
 words,  that  if  we  are  so  to  believe  on  the  Son 
 as  to  obtain  at  the  last  day  a  resurrection  to  eter- 
 nal life,  we  must  learn  of  the  Father  by  the 
 witness  which  he  has  given  of  his  Son.  We  must 
 be  taught  of  him  through  his  word,  and  be  drawn 
 by  his  Spirit,  by  that  holy  Spirit  of  his  promise, 
 which  "  he  giveth  to  them  that  ask  him  ;"  and 
 which  "  shall  be  in  us  a  well  of  water  springing 
 to  everlasting  life;"  refreshing  and  fertilizing  our 
 souls,  and  causing  us  to  "  wait  for  the  hope  of 
 righteousness  by  faith". " 
 
 We  must,  therefore,  diligently  avail  ourselves 
 of  those  means  of  grace,  by  which  the  know- 
 ledge of  God  may  be  obtained  and  increased, — 
 our  affections  drawn  heaven -wards, — our  holy 
 resolutions  strengthened ;  until  we  are  brought 
 into  that  happy  state,  of  which  our  Saviour  speaks 
 in  those  mysterious,  yet  consolatory  words :  "  If 
 a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words ;  and  my 
 Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him, 
 and  make  our  abode  with  him."  But  if,  on  the 
 other  hand,  we  neglect  those  '  means  of  grace' 
 which  are  designed  to  communicate  a  c  hope  of 
 glory,' — if  we  neglect  to  pray  for  "God's  con- 
 tinual help,' — if  we  are  wilfully  ignorant  of  his 
 word, — if  we   are   puffed  up  with   a  conceit   of 
 
 ■  See  1  Johnii.  20—27;    iv.  1—6,  and  12—16;  v.  9—13. 
 Luke  xi.  13.    John  iv.  14.    Gal.  v.  5.    James  i.  5,  17,  &c. 
 
Lecture  XX.  499 
 
 our  own  sufficiency  and  wisdom, — if  we  are 
 averse  from  the  holy  ways  and  requirements  of 
 God,  and  prefer  the  lusts,  and  riches,  and  in- 
 dulgences of  the  world,  to  the  promised  blessings 
 of  eternity,  —  if  we  are  unwilling  to  practise 
 patience  and  self-denial,  —  if  the  fear  of  man 
 deters  us  from  duty,  and  the  applause  of  man  is 
 more  esteemed  than  the  approbation  of  God, — if 
 we  are  suffering  any  of  these  propensities  to  grow 
 and  gather  strength  within  us,  then  are  we  in 
 imminent  danger  of  apostacy  and  infidelity. 
 
 Let  our's,  then,  be  the  endeavour  and  the 
 prayer,  that  we  may  ever  share  in  the  character 
 and  hopes  of  those,  of  whom  Jesus  said,  "  My 
 sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they 
 follow  me ;  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and 
 they  shall  never  perish ;  neither  shall  any  man 
 pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father,  which 
 gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all,  and  no  man  is 
 able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand.  I 
 and  my  Father  are  oneV  For,  upon  hearing 
 such  words  as  these,  we  may  say  with  the  beloved 
 Apostle,  "  We  know  that  the  Son  of  God  is  come, 
 and  hath  given  us  an  understanding,  that  we  may 
 know  him  that  is  true  ;  and  we  are  in  him  that 
 is  true,  even  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  This  is 
 the  true  God,  and  eternal  lifeV 
 
 h  John  x.  27—30.  e  l  John  v.  20. 
 
 I  I  '2 
 
LECTURE    XX 
 
 OUR        LORD  S        NOTICE       OF       INFIDELITY        IN        ITS 
 
 LAST    AND    CONFIRMED     STAGE. THE     BLASPHEMY 
 
 AGAINST  THE  SON  OF  MAN,  AND  THAT  AGAINST 
 THE  HOLY  GHOST. THE  DEMAND  OF  ADDI- 
 TIONAL      EVIDENCE,        WHEN        THAT        WHICH        IS 
 
 OFFERED       HAS       BEEN       REJECTED. SANCTIONS 
 
 WITH     WHICH     THE     GOSPEL     IS     ACCOMPANIED. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 St.  Lure  XII.  8— 10. 
 
 Also  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  confess  me  before 
 men,  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  also  confess  before  the 
 angels  of  God:  but  he  that  denieth  me  before  men, 
 shall  be  denied  before  the  angels  of  God.  And  who- 
 soever shall  speak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it 
 shall  be  forgiven  him ;  but  unto  him  that  blasphemeth 
 against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven. 
 
 Conformably  to  the  directions  of  the  pious  foun- 
 der of  this  Lecture,  I  now  appear  before  you  for 
 the  twentieth  time,  that  I  may  on  this  day  complete 
 the  task  assigned  to  me.  It  has  been  my  endea- 
 vour to  lay  before  you,  in  the  very  words  of  Jesus 
 himself,  the  claims  which  he  advanced,  and  the 
 arguments  by  which  he  supported  them.  Adopting 
 the   same    method.    I    have   also  considered   the 
 
Lecture  XX.  501 
 
 infidelity  of  the  Jews,  in  connexion  with  those 
 moral  causes  in  which  it  originated ;  also  calling 
 your  attention,  to  the  statements  in  which  our 
 Lord  himself  has  specified  those  dispositions  of 
 mind,  which  alone  can  lead  to  an  honest,  im- 
 partial, and  successful  inquiry.  But  I  should  be 
 leaving-  unnoticed,  an  important  department  of  my 
 subject,  did  I  not  proceed  to  consider  infidelity, 
 in  its  last,  and  confirmed,  and  irremediable  stage  ; 
 and  also  to  bespeak  your  attention  to  some  of 
 those  passages,  in  which  our  Lord  has  declared 
 the  awful  responsibility  of  mankind,  with  regard 
 to  their  reception,  or  rejection  of  his  message. 
 
 Among  the  circumstances  which  finally  ope- 
 rated to  confirm  the  infidelity  of  a  great  body  of 
 the  Jewish  people,  we  may  reckon  the  opposition 
 and  ultimate  triumph  of  the  rulers, — and  the  dis- 
 appointment of  those  hopes  of  a  temporal  king- 
 dom, which  the  multitude  had  entertained,  and 
 which  had  probably  been  revived  by  the  solemn 
 entry  of  Jesus  into  Jerusalem.  None  of  the 
 rulers  or  Pharisees  had  openly  professed  their 
 belief  in  him  ;  and  those  who  were  disposed  so 
 to  do,  suppressed  their  convictions,  because  the 
 majority  of  their  brethren  had  decided  upon  the 
 excommunication  of  all  such,  and  had  issued  a 
 proclamation  for  the  apprehension  of  Jesus.  The 
 same  motives,  strengthened  by  the  example  of 
 their  superiors,  operated  very  powerfully  on  the 
 
502  Lecture  XX. 
 
 multitude,  so  that  they  concurred  cc  with  loud 
 voices/'  in  the  demand  that  he  should  be  crucified. — 
 When  Jesus  had  predicted  that  "the  Son  of  man 
 should  be  lifted  up,"  they  had  objected,  in  answer 
 to  his  remark,  that  they  conceived  "  from  the  law, 
 that  Christ  abideth  for  ever." — Again,  both  the 
 people  and  their  rulers  knew,  from  the  prophets, 
 that  "  the  Christ  would  come  from  Bethlehem, 
 the  city  of  David."  But  they  took  it  for  granted, 
 that,  because  Jesus  had  principally  resided  in 
 Galilee,  he  was  a  Galilean. — But  they  had  also  other 
 doubts  respecting  his  Messiah  ship.  They  thought 
 that  they  knew  "  whence  he  was/'  that  he  was 
 "  the  Son  of  Joseph/'  and  that  "  his  brethren 
 were  living  among  them  ;"  whereas  they  expected 
 that  "  when  Christ  should  come,  no  man  t  would 
 know  whence  he  was."  Besides,  the  mean  occu- 
 pation and  obscurity  of  his  supposed  parents,  and 
 the  poverty  and  external  lowliness  of  his  own 
 condition,  contributed  still  further  to  increase 
 their  prejudices  against  his  claims  to  be  the 
 Messiah. — As  a  person  obviously  professing  sanc- 
 tity of  character,  and  the  office  of  a  divine  teacher, 
 he  also  appeared  to  act  inconsistently,  and  in 
 opposition  to  the  precepts  of  their  laws,  and  the 
 custom  of  their  own  teachers,  by  adopting  an 
 unreserved  and  familiar  intercourse  with  persons 
 of  all  ranks  and  characters.  "  He  came  eating  and 
 drinking,"  observing  no  particular  abstinence,  as 
 
Lecture  XX.  503 
 
 they  supposed  that  a  prophet  ought  to  do  ;  and 
 they  were  therefore  disposed  to  call  him  cc  a  glut- 
 tonous man  and  a  wine-bibber."  He  was  "the 
 friend  of  publicans  and  sinners/'  and  went  to  eat 
 bread  with  them.  He  suffered  them  ffto  touch 
 him/'  as  if  he  had  not  known  their  real  character, 
 as  a  prophet  ought  to  have  done.  He  did  not, 
 either  by  his  actions,  or  by  his  remarks  in  defence 
 of  them,  appear  to  pay  sufficient  respect  to  the 
 sabbath  ;  and  they  therefore  contended  that  he  was 
 "  not  of  God,  because  he  kept  not  the  sabbath- 
 day,"  in  the  manner  conformable  to  their  notions. 
 These  objections  proceeded  from  their  own 
 ignorance  of  the  law  and  prophets,  of  his  real 
 history  and  original,  and  of  the  design  of  his 
 mission; — or  from  an  impatient  wish  that  he  should 
 shew  himself  openly  to  the  world, — or  from  the 
 fear  of  the  ruling  Jews, — or  from  inattention  to 
 the  miracles  which  he  wrought  before  them,  to 
 the  arguments  by  which  he  defended  himself,  and 
 to  the  future  evidences  which  he  predicted  ;  by 
 which  all  their  objections  to  his  lowly  original, 
 and  humble  demeanour  would  be  answered.  Even 
 at  the  time,  they  saw  that  there  were  many  cir- 
 cumstances, for  which  they  could  not  consistently 
 account,  except  upon  principles  which  would  in- 
 duce them  to  believe  in  him.  For  "  how  could 
 he  know  letters,  having  never  learned?"  "'Whence 
 had  he  such   wisdom,  and  such  mighty  works?" 
 
504  Lecture  XX. 
 
 They   were   "astonished   at   his  doctrine/'   they 
 allowed  that  he   was  "a  good   man;"  and  they 
 justly   asked  each  other,  ''When  Christ  cometh, 
 will  he  do  more  miracles  than  this  man  doeth?" 
 So  there  was  "  a  division  among  the  people  con- 
 cerning him."    And  though  some  of  them  thought 
 that  "  the  words,  which  he  spoke,  were  not  the 
 words  of  one  possessed,"  yet  many  scrupled  not  to 
 assert  that  to  his  face,  and  to  propagate  the  same 
 insinuation  among  the  people. — When  he  alluded 
 to  the  murderous  designs  harboured  against  him, 
 they  answered,  (f  Thou  hast  a  devil ;  who  goeth 
 about  to  kill  thee?"  implying  that  he  was  under 
 the  influence  of  a  lying  Spirit3. — When  he  ap- 
 peared to  attack  their  supposed  privileges  as  the 
 children   of  Abraham,   they  answered,   "  Say   we 
 not   well   that  thou  art  a  Samaritan,  and  hast  a 
 devil?"  Imputing  to  him  the  enmity  of  a  Samari- 
 tan against  their  law  and  national  privileges ;  and 
 the  erroneous  views  of  one  possessed  \ — And  when 
 he  further  told   them,    that  "  if  a  man  kept  his 
 saying,  he  should  never  see  death,"  they  answered, 
 "Now  we  know  that  thou  hast  a  devil c." — And 
 some  of  those  who  thought  that  he  "deceived  the 
 people,"  said  to  their  associates,  "  He  hath  a  devil 
 and  is  mad ;  why  hear  ye  him d  ?" 
 
 *  John  vii.  20.  b  John  viii.  48.  c  Ver.  52. 
 
 •'  Ibid,  x;  20,  21. 
 
Lecture  XX.  505 
 
 Such,  and  so  various,  were  the  instances  of 
 that  which  our  Lord  terms  cc  the  blasphemy  against 
 the  Son  of  man ;"  which,  as  it  proceeded  in  a 
 great  measure  from  ignorance,  and  from  pre- 
 judices for  which  there  was  at  that  time  a  plau- 
 sible excuse,  might  therefore  be  repented  of,  and 
 obtain  forgiveness.  But  the  same  imputation  was, 
 upon  some  other  occasions,  propagated  with  a 
 different  connexion  and  application,  which  may 
 perhaps  be  found  to  approach  at  least  to  crimi- 
 nality of  a  deeper  dye,  if  not  actually  to  constitute 
 that  guilt  to  which  forgiveness  is  denied.  The 
 blasphemy  or  evil  speaking,  was  not  merely 
 directed  against  the  person,  and  conduct,  and 
 doctrine  of  the  Son  of  man,  but  even  against  the 
 evidences  by  which  the  divinity  of  his  mission 
 was  supported.  The  cavils  to  which  we  allude 
 were  of  two  kinds,  one,  which  imputed  the  miracles 
 already  zorought  to  diabolical  agency  ;  the  other, 
 which  complained  of  the  absence  of  a  particular 
 species  of  evidence,  which  they  chose  to  require, 
 implying,  at  the  same  time,  that  nothing  less  than 
 a  compliance  with  their  demand,  would  obtain  their 
 acquiescence  in  his  pretensions. 
 
 The  occasion,  and  intent,  and  invalidity  of  the 
 first  of  these  cavils  we  have  formerly  considered6." 
 "  He  hath  Beelzebub,  and  by  the  prince  of  the 
 
 *  Lecture  X. 
 
506  Lecture  XX. 
 
 devils  he  casteth  out  devils."  We  endeavoured 
 to  shew  the  reality  of  possessions,  and  the  reality 
 of  that  class  of  our  Lord's  miracles.  We  con- 
 sidered at  the  same  time  his  refutation  of  the  cavil 
 of  the  Pharisees,  and  the  meaning  and  justice  of 
 the  other  and  only  tenable  inference  from  those 
 miracles,  "  If  I  by  the  finger  of  God  cast  out 
 demons,  no  doubt  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come 
 upon  you."  That  remark  was  followed  by  the 
 solemn  declaration  respecting  the  blasphemy 
 against  the  Holy  Spirit*,  some  brief  notice  of 
 which  is  required  by  the  subject  of  our  present 
 Lecture. 
 
 I.  "  Wherefore  I  say  unto  you,  All  manner  of 
 sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men, 
 but  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall 
 not  be  forgiven  unto  men.  And  whosoever 
 speaketh  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall 
 be  forgiven  him ;  but  whosoever  speaketh  against 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him, 
 neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to 
 come ;"  or  as  St.  Mark  records  it,  ec  hath  never 
 forgiveness,  but  is  in  danger  of  eternal  damna- 
 tion \" 
 
 I  almost  fear  to  enter  on  a  subject  at  once 
 so  awful  and  difficult  as  this,  more  particularly  as 
 
 *  Matt.  xii.  31,  &c.     Mark  iii.  28,  &c.  b  Mark  iii.  30. 
 
Lecture  XX.  507 
 
 I  shall  be  unable  to  enter  on  an  enlarged  dis- 
 cussion respecting*  it,  because  several  other  topics 
 must  be  adverted  to  in  this  concluding  Lecture. 
 Three  questions,  however,  obviously  suggest 
 themselves  ;  first,  Whether  those,  whom  our  Lord 
 addressed,  were  then  guilty  of  this  irremissible 
 sin ;  secondly,  What  reference  his  declaration  had 
 to  the  period  which  followed  his  personal  minis- 
 try;  and  thirdly,  Whether  we  are  liable  to  incur 
 the  guilt  by  him  stated  to  be  unpardonable. 
 
 1 .  With  respect  to  the  first  of  these  questions 
 it  may  be  observed,  that  many  suppose  that  the 
 Pharisees  were  at  the  time  guilty  of  this  sin,  and 
 also  contend  that  it  was  almost  peculiar  to  them. 
 They  ground  this  supposition  on  the  connexion 
 of  this  declaration  with  the  cavil  of  the  Pha- 
 risees*, — on  the  words  ascribed  by  St.  Matthew 
 to  our  Lord  himself,  that  he  "cast  out  demons 
 by  the  Spirit  of  GodA ;" — and  on  the  remark 
 immediately  subjoined  by  St.  Mark,  after  he  has 
 repeated  the  denunciation  itself,  "Because  they 
 said,  He  hath  an  unclean  Spirit6."  But  this 
 observation  of  St.  Mark  seems  more  properly 
 referable  to  the  whole  answer  of  our  Lord  to  the 
 cavil  of  the  Pharisees,  than  to  the  last  clause  of  it 
 only.  And  with  regard  to  the  expression,  "  If 
 I  cast  out  demons  by  the  Spirit  of  God,"  it  may 
 
 c  Matt.  xii.  24— 31.  d  Matt.  xii.  28.  *  Mark  iii.  30. 
 
508  Lecture  XX. 
 
 be  observed  that  from  the  absence  of  the  article 
 in  the  original,  it  cannot  with  certainty  be 
 understood  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  personally  re- 
 ferred to,  but  that  it  would  with  more  probability 
 be  rendered,  cc  If  I  cast  out  demons  by  divine  co- 
 operation;" a  translation  which  is  rendered  still 
 more  probable  by  the  parallel  expression  of 
 St.  Luke,  "  If  I  by  the  Jinger  of  God  cast  out 
 demons  V  And  certainly  when  our  Lord  speaks 
 of  his  miracles,  he  seems  to  ascribe  them  to  the 
 Father,  rather  than  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  "  My 
 Father  which  dwelleth  in  me,  he  doeth  the 
 works1'." 
 
 But  the  question  still  recurs,  whether  it  does 
 not  follow,  from  considering-  the  occasion  on  which 
 these  words  were  spoken,  that  our  Lord  meant 
 to  imply  that  the  Pharisees  had  incurred  this 
 extremity  of  guilt.  I  must  confess,  though  I  do 
 it  with  diffidence,  that  I  conceive  that  he  is  not  so 
 to  be  understood.  This  was  the  very  first  cavil 
 which  had  been  advanced  against  the  evidences 
 of'his  mission ;  and  it  was  probably  on  the  second 
 occasion  on  which  it  was  brought  forward,  that 
 our  Lord  entered  upon  these  statements  respecting 
 it.  But  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  words 
 will  equally  bear  to  be  understood,  as  if  spoken 
 
 a   Et  he  iyvi  ev  irvev/xart   Qeov  eKpaWw   ret   oai/idcia, — Matt, 
 xii.  28. — Ei  hi  iv  SctKTuAw  Qeov,  k.  t.  A. 
 b  John  xiv.  10. 
 
Lecture  XX.  509 
 
 only  by  way  of  caution.  Such  a  caution  was 
 needful ;  because,  in  consequence  of  the  same 
 disposition  which  induced  them  then  to  circulate 
 such  an  insinuation,  they  would  be  likely  both  to 
 remain  in  the  same  obduracy  with  regard  to  the 
 evidence  afforded  during-  his  personal  ministry, 
 and  also  to  reject  the  future  and  still  greater 
 demonstration  of  his  resurrection,  and  of  the  gifts 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost.  We  know  that  in  several 
 forms,  and  on  many  occasions,  he  spoke  of  the 
 evidence  of  his  mission  as  not  yet  actually  com- 
 pleted. He  specified  the  time  which  followed 
 "  the  lifting  up  of  the  Son  of  man,"  as  being  that 
 in  which  they  "  should  know  that  he  was  the 
 Messiah  ;"  and  he  told  them  that  then,  "  if  they 
 believed  not,  they  would  die  in  their  sins."  Hence, 
 although  their  cavil  was  not  directed  personally 
 against  the  Son  of  man,  so  much  as  against  the 
 evidences  of  his  authority,  yet  it  seems  probable 
 that  it  did  not  amount  to  the  "blasphemy  against 
 the  Holy  Ghost." 
 
 2.  Again,  our  Lord  evidently  spoke  of  the 
 blasphemy  as  directed  personally  against  the  Holy 
 Ghost".  Yet  the  personal  operations,  and,  as  it 
 were,  the  distinct  dispensation  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 
 c   'II  ce  tov  Tn/ev/xaTo^   /5X«<r0>//xi'a- — -Matt.    xii.  31.    o?   o'  av 
 
 u                           k              ->                               -        t     »                                'art              "     V'        '  ! 
 
 fATTt]      KOTO.      TOV      TTveV/XaTCX;     TOV      aytOV. VPr.     .),'.      Til)     06      €(?  TO 
 
 ayiov  irveofia   ftXarrcptju^rravTi. — -Luke    xii.   10. 
 
510  Lecture  XX. 
 
 by  his  divers  gifts  and  influences  did  not  commence 
 until  after  the  ascension  of  our  Lord3.  We  must 
 therefore  understand  our  Lord  as  speaking  by 
 anticipation  of  that  future  dispensation,  and  of 
 the  increased  responsibility  which  it  would  bring-, 
 and  of  the  heinous  guilt  which  they  would  incur, 
 if,  when  more  abundant  proof  was  offered,  their 
 malignant  and  calumniating  propensities  should 
 continue  to  gather  strength,  and  confirm  them  in 
 infidelity,  instead  of  yielding  to  the  force  of  that 
 evidence  which  demanded  their  assent.  The  evi- 
 dences of  the  Gospel  would  then  be  more  nume- 
 rous, more  perceptible,  and  complete.  To  those 
 which  had  already  been  exhibited,  would  be  added 
 many  others.  Of  all  these  "  the  disciples  would  bear 
 witness  ;"  and  "  not  they  only,  but  also  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  which  God  would  give  to  them  that  should 
 obey  Jesus."  For  as  "  the  Advocate  of  Jesus," 
 and  as  "  the  Spirit  of  truth,"  he  would  "  testify  of 
 Jesus,"  and  "  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  because 
 they  believed  not  in  him." — The  principal  and 
 original  causes  of  disbelief,  both  at  the  time  at 
 which  our  Lord  spoke,  and  afterwards,  were  vir- 
 tually the  same.    But  some  of  those,  who  remained 
 
 a  The  Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet  (given),  because  Jesus  was  not 
 yet  glorified.  John  vii.  39.  The  word  given  is  supplementary, 
 and  somewhat  obscures  the  sense  of  the  passage.  Ouww  yap  yv 
 vrvevfxu  ayiov,  on,  k.  t.\. — Compare  Acts  xix.  2. 
 
Lecture  XX.  511 
 
 under  the  unhappy  influence  of  such  delusive 
 views  during  the  time  of  Christ's  humiliation, 
 might  see  reason  to  abandon  them,  when  after 
 Christ's  entrance  on  his  glory,  the  Holy  Spirit 
 was  poured  out.  And  probably  many  of  them 
 actually  did  repent,  and  were  converted,  and  be- 
 lieved, and  joined  the  company  of  primitive 
 believers ;  even  though,  perhaps,  a  still  greater 
 number  still  "  mocked,  and  contradicted,  and 
 blasphemed*  .*' 
 
 These  considerations  seem  to  render  it  most 
 probable,  that  the  declaration  of  our  Lord  respect- 
 ing "  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost"  was 
 not  immediately,  much  less  exclusively,  applicable 
 to  those  whom  he  then  addressed.  It  seems  rather 
 to  have  been  intended  as  a  timely  caution  to  those, 
 who  had  already  begun,  not  only  to  resist,  but  to 
 cavil  at  the  evidence  which  was  furnished  ;  inti- 
 mating to  them  the  danger  in  which  they  would 
 be  involved  at  a  future  period,  if  they  persevered 
 in  their  malignity. 
 
 The  words  of  our  text  afford  a  very  strong 
 confirmation  of  this  opinion.  The  same  declara- 
 tion respecting  this  unpardonable  blasphemy  is 
 there  found  in  a  connexion  wholly  different. 
 I  have  adopted  this  passage  as  my  text  in  order 
 to  give  the  greater  prominence   to  it ;    because 
 
 b  Acts  ii.  13  ;  xiii.  45. 
 
512  Lecture  XX. 
 
 I  am  not  aware  that  it  is  generally  attended  to 
 in  inquiries  upon  this  subject.  The  context 
 seems  distinctly  to  shew,  that  this  important 
 statement  of  our  Lord  had  a  prospective  refe- 
 rence to  the  time  when  the  Gospel  was  published 
 by  the  Apostles,  that  is,  after  the  evidences,  as 
 well  as  the  great  transactions  of  the  Gospel,  had 
 been  completed,  and  that  salvation,  *'  which  first 
 began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord,  was  confirmed 
 to  mankind  by  them  that  heard  him,  God  also 
 bearing  them  witness,  both  with  signs  and 
 wonders,  and  divers  miracles,  and  gifts  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost."  The  last  of  these  divine  attesta- 
 tions, which  was  a  distinct  and  most  convincing- 
 species  of  evidence,  our  Saviour  specially  notices 
 in  the  words  which  follow  our  text.  The  discourse 
 in  which  they  occur  was  certainly  delivered  subse- 
 quently to  the  occasion,  which  at  first  called  forth 
 this  denunciation  of  our  Lord.  But  it  was  deli- 
 vered, though  in  the  presence  of  the  multitude, 
 only  to  his  disciples ;  and  with  reference  to  their 
 future  ministrations  and  sufferings,  in  promul- 
 gating the  Gospel.  For  he  first  exhorted  his 
 disciples  to  "  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Phari- 
 sees, which  is  hypocrisy,"  having  directed  them 
 "  to  proclaim  upon  the  house-tops  even  all  that 
 he  had  spoken  to  them  in  private,"  he  states  that 
 they  ought  not  to  "  fear  man,  but  God,  who  could 
 both  kill  and  cast  into  hell  ;"  and  he  also  assures 
 
Lecture  XX.  513 
 
 them  of  the  protection  of  God's  providence.  He 
 then  adds  ;  "  Also  I  say  unto  you,  whosoever 
 shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  shall  the  Son  of 
 man  also  confess  before  the  angels  of  God;  but 
 he  that  denieth  me  before  men  shall  be  denied 
 before  the  angels  of  God.  And  whosoever  shall 
 speak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  for- 
 given him;  but  unto  him  that  bias phemeth  against 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven.  And 
 when  they  bring  you  unto  the  synagogues,  and 
 unto  magistrates,  and  powers,  take  ye  no  thought 
 how  or  what  thing  ye  shall  answer,  or  what  ye 
 shall  say  ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  teach  you  in 
 the  same  hour  what  ye  ought  to  say."  —  To 
 the  Apostles  were  given  "  a  mouth  and  wisdom, 
 which  all  their  adversaries  were  not  able  to 
 gainsay  nor  resist3."  To  "  one  also  was  given 
 by  the  Spirit  the  word  of  wisdom ;  to  another  the 
 word  of  knowledge  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  ano- 
 ther faith  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another  the  gifts 
 of  healing  by  the  same  Spirit;  to  another  the 
 working  of  miracles  ;  to  another  prophecy  ;  to 
 another  discerning  of  spirits;  to  another  divers 
 kinds  of  tongues ;  to  another  the  interpretation 
 of  tongues  V  In  that  day  the  Gospel  came  unto 
 mankind,  "  not  in  word  only,  but  in  power,  and 
 in  the  Holy   Ghost,   and   in   much  assurance0." 
 
 a  Luke  xxi.  15.  b  1  Cor.  xii.  8—10.  c   1  Thess.  i.  5. 
 
 K  K 
 
514  Lecture  XX. 
 
 Its  designs  were  accomplished,  its  offers  universal, 
 and  its  evidence  complete ;  and  it  was  accom- 
 panied with  "  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  and 
 of  power3."  The  offence  of  the  cross  had  not 
 ceased ;  but  it  was  no  longer  that  which  perplexed 
 the  understanding,  but  which  was  contrary  to  the 
 prejudices  of  mankind,  and  to  the  pride  and  de- 
 pravity of  their  hearts.  To  all  that  heard  it, 
 it  brought  either  the  means  of  salvation,  or  the 
 increase  of  condemnation. 
 
 Yet  final  negligence,  and  final  impenitence, 
 though  undoubtedly  they  also  end  in  condemna- 
 tion, are  not  the  same  thing  with  "  the  blasphemy 
 against  the  Holy  Spirit;"  the  grand  characteristic 
 of  which  is,  that  it  shuts  out  from  the  hope  of  for- 
 giveness. And  if  that  be  the  consequence  of  this 
 guilt,  and  of  this  guilt  only,  as  our  Lord  expressly 
 declares,  we  shall  find  several  other  descriptions 
 of  it  in  the  writings  of  the  Apostles,  though  it  is 
 there  considered  in  a  somewhat  different  point  of 
 view.  And  perhaps  we  may  state,  that  nothing- 
 amounts  to  this  most  awful,  and  only  irremissible 
 sin,  but  a  wilful,  malignant,  open,  and  determined 
 opposition  to  those  truths,  of  which  we  have  per- 
 ceived the  evidence,  and  of  the  divine  origin  of 
 which  we  have  in  our  consciences  been  convinced. 
 Yet  it  should  seem  that  such  was  the  conduct,  in  the 
 
 a  1  Cor.  a.  5. 
 
Lecture  XX.  515 
 
 Apostolic  times,  not  only  of  many  of  those  who 
 never  embraced  the  Gospel,  but  even  of  some  who 
 had  received  and  understood  it,  and  yet  apos- 
 tatized from  it;  who,  by  their  wilful,  deliberate, 
 and  malignant  renunciation  and  opposition,  com- 
 mitted that  "  sin  which  is  unto  death,"  and  of 
 which  St.  John  declared  that  "he  did  not  say 
 that  they  should  pray  for  it ;"  for,  in  fact,  it  invol- 
 ved the  impossibility  of  repentance,  as  well  as  of 
 pardonb.  "For,"  says  St.  Paul  to  the  Hebrews, 
 "  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once  enlight- 
 ened, and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and 
 were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have 
 tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of 
 the  world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew 
 them  again  to  repentance ;  seeing  they  crucify  to 
 themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put  him  to 
 an  open  shame  V  And  again  ;  "  If  we  sin  wil- 
 fully, after  that  we  have  received  the  knowledge 
 of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice 
 for  sins."  And  he  more  fully  describes  the  trans- 
 gression of  this  voluntary  offender,  by  stating, 
 that  he  is  one  "  who  hath  trodden  underfoot  the 
 Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  cove- 
 nant, wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing, 
 and  hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace*." 
 
 b    1  John  v.  l6,  17.  c   Heb.  vi.  4—6. 
 
 d    Heb.  X.  2t)— 39.  'FjKovo-'iw.  yap  upapTavoi>T(i>i'  rjfxwv,   k.  t.  A. 
 R    K  2 
 
516  Lecture  XX. 
 
 3.    It  is  evident  from  these  descriptions,   that 
 no  one,  who  retains  the  profession  of  Christianity, 
 can  be  supposed  to  be  included  in  any  of  these 
 denunciations.     Indeed  they  are  not  applicable  to 
 any   bnt  those,    who,    from  malignity  of  heart, 
 reject  or  apostatize  from   the   Gospel,    and  who 
 endanger  the  comfort  and  stability  of  others  by 
 an  open,  active,  acrimonious  cavilling  against  its 
 evidences  and  doctrines.    And  as  wilful  apostacy 
 and  opposition,  arising  from  depravity  of  heart, 
 alone  produces  the  full  measure  of  guilt,   none 
 but   they  who  have  the  gift  of  "  discerning  of 
 spirits  "   can  be  authorized  to  ascribe  this  guilt 
 to  any  of  their  fellow-sinners.     We  cannot  now 
 incur  it   by    opposition  to  sensible   and   present 
 miracles.     Yet  what  the  evidence  of  the  Gospel 
 now  wants  in  that  respect,  is  perhaps  abundantly 
 counterbalanced  by  many  circumstances,  which, 
 since  the  Apostolic  times,  have  augmented,  and 
 strengthened,    and   made   still   more   satisfactory, 
 the   arguments   in   behalf   of   the   Gospel.     We 
 therefore  cannot  deny  the  possibility  of  the  crime, 
 even  in   our  own   circumstances;    but   we  must 
 rather   dread   its   approaches   in   ourselves,   than 
 venture  to  impute  it  to  others.     And  as  it  is  a 
 crime   which   is   brought  into  full   operation   by 
 actually  leading,  not  only  to  suppressed  infidelity, 
 but  to  open  revilings  directed  against  the  Gospel, 
 we  shall,  at  least,  do  well  in  suffering  the  caution. 
 
Lecture  XX.  517 
 
 which  our  Lord  subjoined  to  this  denunciation, 
 to  work  its  full  effect  upon  that  "  unruly  member 
 the  tongue,"  and  upon  that  corrupt  fountain  the 
 heart,  "out  of  the  abundance  of  which  the  tongue 
 speaks."  cc  Either  make  the  tree  good,  and  his 
 fruit  good ;  or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt,  and 
 his  fruit  corrupt ;  for  the  tree  is  known  by  hi* 
 fruit.  O  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye,  being 
 evil,  speak  good  things  ?  for  out  of  the  abundance 
 of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh.  A  good  man 
 out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart  bringeth 
 forth  good  things,  and  an  evil  man  out  of  the 
 evil  treasure  bringeth  forth  evil  things.  But 
 I  say  unto  you,  that  every  idte  word  that  men 
 shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the 
 day  of  judgment.  For  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be 
 justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  con- 
 demned." 
 
 II.  I  observed  that  a  second  cavil  was  also 
 advanced  against  the  sufficiency  of  the  proofs,  by 
 which  the  mission  of  Jesus  was  supported,  in  the 
 demand  of  a  particular  species  of  evidence  which 
 the  Jews  chose  to  require.  One  of  the  occasions 
 upon  which  it  was  advanced,  was  after  our  Lord 
 had  refuted  the  former  one.  "  Then  certain  of 
 the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  answered,  saying, 
 Master,  we  would  see  a  sign  from  thee."  This 
 demand  was  however  made  on  several  occasions  ; 
 and  it  is  more  fully  expressed  by  St.  Mark,  when 
 
518  Lecture  XX. 
 
 he  mentions  the  repetition  of  it  after  the  feeding 
 of  the  four  thousand.  "  The  Pharisees  came 
 forth,  and  began  to  question  with  him,  seeking  of 
 him  a  sign  from  heaven,  tempting  him.  And  he 
 sighed  deeply  in  his  Spirit,  and  saith,  Why  doth 
 this  generation  seek  after  a  sign  ?  There  shall  no 
 sign  be  given  to  this  generation3."  No  sign, 
 such  as  they  required,  would  be  exhibited  to 
 them.  For  alas !  they  knew  as  little  what  they 
 asked,  as  do  those  who,  in  playful  but  thoughtless 
 depravity,  invoke  '  damnation  on  their  souls.' 
 They  referred  to  the  sign  of  ce  the  Son  of  man 
 coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,"  of  which  Daniel 
 had  spoken.  But,  as  our  Saviour  observed  with 
 reference  to  the  same  prophecy,  cc  When  the  Son 
 of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy 
 angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne 
 of  his  glory,  and  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all 
 nations,  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from 
 another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from 
 the  goats  ;  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right 
 hand,  but  the  goats  on  his  left. — And  these  shall 
 go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  but  the 
 righteous  into  life  eternalb."  There  was  a  time, 
 however,  when  Jesus,  avowing  his  Messiahship 
 to  the  high  priest,  said  with  awful  significancy, 
 
 a  Mark  viii.  11,  12. 
 
 b  Matt  xxv.  31 — 46.     Compare  this  with  Dan.  vii.  9—14. 
 
Lecture  XX.  519 
 
 "Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting 
 on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming-  in  the 
 clouds  of  heaven0."     Yet,  even  after  that  decla- 
 ration,   they    continued    the    same    "  blasphemy 
 against    the    Son    of    man,"   the    same    neglect, 
 and  even  contempt  of  the  various  evidences  which 
 he  had  exhibited  of  his  authority,  and  again  spe- 
 cified that  particular  evidence,  which  alone  would 
 induce    them    to   abandon    their    unbelief.     ffHe 
 saved  others,  himself  he  cannot  save.     Let  Christ, 
 the  king  of  Israel,  descend  now  from  the  cross, 
 that  we  may  see  and  believed."    Again,  they  knew 
 not  what  they  asked.    Jesus  came  to  destroy  every 
 enemy  of  man's  salvation,  by   "  triumphing  over 
 them  on  his  cross."     To  have  complied  with  their 
 demand,  would  have  been  to  have  left  undone  the 
 work  which  he  was  then  about  to  finish.     Jesus 
 made   not  any  answer  to  them  from  the  cross ; 
 for  he  knew  that  the  glory,  wfyich  would  follow 
 his  sufferings,  would  be  made  known  by  his  resur- 
 rection from  the  dead,  and  that  the  gifts,  which  he 
 would  receive  for  men,  would  soon  be  poured  down 
 from  on  high.  But  on  the  former  occasions,  though 
 unwittingly  they  had  made  a  demand  with  which 
 it  was  impossible  to  comply,  he  answered  them 
 
 c  Matt.  xxvi.  64. 
 
 d  Mark  xv.  29 — 32.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  this  allows 
 the  miracles  of  Jesus,  and  that  he  had  advajiced  a  claim  to  be  the 
 Messiah. 
 
520  Lecture  XX. 
 
 according'  to  their  intention.  For  they  meant 
 to  require  another  evidence,  in  addition  to  all  that 
 had  previously  been  afforded.  And  although  no 
 such  sign,  as  that  to  which  they  had  alluded, 
 would  be  given  to  that  generation,  another  would 
 be  given,  which  he  described  under  the  phrase 
 "  the  sign  of  the  Prophet  Jonas."  "  For,"  added 
 our  Lord  in  explanation,  "  as  Jonas  was  three 
 days  and  three  nights  in  the  whale's  belly,  so  shall 
 the  Son  of  man  be  three  days  and  three  nights  in 
 the  heart  of  the  earth  \" 
 
 In  what  manner  that  prediction  was  fulfilled, 
 it  is  unnecessary  to  repeat.    But  let  it  be  observed 
 that,  in  two  different  respects,  the  spirit  of  infi- 
 delity ignorantly  and  erroneously  objected  to  the 
 sufficiency  of  the  proofs  that  Jesus  was  what  he 
 claimed  to  be. — They  hastily  complained  of  the 
 supposed  deficiency,  when  a  little  patience  would 
 have  furnished  them  with  decisive  evidence.  It  was 
 not  indeed  of  the  precise  kind  which  they  demand- 
 ed ;  but  the  question  which  they  ought  to  have  con- 
 sidered was,  whether  it  was  not  sufficient. — And 
 again,  they  insisted  on  the  want  of  such  exhibitions 
 of  the  power  of  Jesus  as  could   not  have  been 
 given  consistently   either   with  the  intentions  of 
 God,   or   the   good  of  mankind.     Yet   infidelity 
 still   continues    to    make    similar    objections    and 
 
 a   Matt.  Nil.  39.  &e. 
 
Lecture  XX.  521 
 
 demands.  We  must,  however,  take  the  evidence  as 
 we  find  it.  It  is  such  as  God  has  seen  fit  to  furnish, 
 and  it  is  sufficient  to  prove  that  fC  he  has  spoken 
 by  his  Son."  It  is  obvious  even  to  our  own  limited 
 discernment,  that  many  of  the  demands  of  the 
 infidel   are   unreasonable ;    they   would   probably 
 appear  still  more  so,  if  we  were  more  fully  ac- 
 quainted with  the  scheme  of  the  divine  counsels. 
 There  are  evidences  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel 
 still  in  reserve.     And  since  we  can  even  now  give 
 a  sufficient  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  us,  why 
 should  we  be  dissatisfied  that  the  Gospel   is  yet 
 incompletely  promulgated,  and  that  all  the  pro- 
 phecies  are   not   completed  ?    These   are   proofs 
 reserved  for  the  conviction  of  those  of  the  latter 
 days ;  and  one  day  we  shall  all  see  u  the  sign 
 of  the   Son    of   man   coming   in   the   clouds   of 
 heaven." 
 
 Our  Lord  took  occasion  from  the  allusion  to 
 Jonah  the  Prophet,  to  shew,  by  a  beautiful  and 
 impressive  contrast,  the  criminality  of  those  who 
 rejected  his  words.  "  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall 
 rise  in  judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall 
 condemn  it ;  because  they  repented  at  the 
 preaching  of  Jonah ;  and  behold  a  greater  than 
 Jonah  is  here.  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise 
 up  in  the  judgment  with  this  generation,  and 
 shall  condemn  it ;  for  she  came  from  the  uttermost 
 part  of  the   earth  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon; 
 
5&2  Lecture  XX. 
 
 and  behold  a  greater  than  Solomon  is  here."  Has 
 he  not  been  proved  to  be  all  that  he  claimed  to 
 be,  by  demonstration  at  once  varied  and  con- 
 vincing ?  And  "  he  that  believeth  on  Jesus,  be- 
 lieveth  on  him  that  sent  him."  And  that  heavenly 
 Messenger  himself  has  declared,  "  He  that  re- 
 jecteth  me,  and  receiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one 
 that  judgeth  him;  the  word  that  I  have  spoken, 
 the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day\"  Nay, 
 he  has  even  told  us,  and  it  ought  to  be  seriously 
 considered  by  all  that  have  heard  of  his  name, 
 that  "  he  that  believeth  not  in  him  is  condemned 
 already,  because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name 
 of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God,"  who  has  been 
 "lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
 not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life  \"  "  If  he 
 had  not  come  and  spoken  to  us,  and  done  the 
 works  which  no  other  man  did,  we  had  not  had 
 sin;  but  now  have  we  no  cloke  for  our  sinc." 
 And  though  we  have  not  seen  him  in  the  flesh, 
 and  have  not  heard  him  ourselves,  we  must 
 not  conceive  that  hereby  we  can  be  excused. 
 For  he  declared  to  those,  who  were  to  record  his 
 instructions,  and  to  disperse  them  through  the 
 world ;  "  He  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me ; 
 and  he  that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  him  that  sent 
 
 »  John  xii.  44,  &c.  b  John  iii.  l6— 18. 
 
 c  John  xv.  22 — 24. 
 
Lecture  XX.  523 
 
 med."  For  Jesus  was  "  that  stone,  which  was  laid 
 in  Zion  for  a  foundation  ;"  and  "  whosoever"  said 
 he  again,  "shall  fall  upon  that  stone  shall  be 
 broken,  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  will 
 grind   him  to  powder6." 
 
 We  must  then  believe,  and  obey.  We  must 
 "  endure  unto  the  end  ;"  for  it  is  even  "  better, 
 as  the  Apostle  tells  us,  never  to  have  known  the 
 way  of  righteousness,  than,  having-  known  it,  to 
 turn  away  from  the  holy  commandment  delivered 
 unto  us."  And  not  an  Apostle  only,  but  Jesus 
 himself  has  given  us  the  same  admonition,  in  the 
 concluding  portion  of  that  discourse,  which  was 
 occasioned  by  the  two  cavils  which  we  have 
 noticed  in  this  Lecture.  He  borrows  from  the 
 case  of  the  demoniacs,  by  his  undoubted  miracles 
 upon  whom  they  had  not  been  convinced,  a 
 striking  illustration  of  the  fatal  progress  of  infi- 
 delity. "  When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of 
 a  man,  he  walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest, 
 and  findeth  none.  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return 
 into  my  house,  from  whence  I  came  out ;  and 
 when  he  is  come,  he  findeth  it  empty,  swept,  and 
 garnished.  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh  with  him- 
 self seven  other  spirits  more  wicked  than  himself, 
 and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there ;   and  the  last 
 
 d  Luke  x.  16.  '  Isai.  xxviii.  l6\     Matt.  xxi.  42 — 44. 
 
5£4  Lecture  XX. 
 
 state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the  first.  Even  so 
 shall  it  be  also  unto  this  wicked  generation  \" 
 
 It  concerns  us,  who,  though  Gentiles,  have 
 become  "  fellow-heirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  with 
 the  chosen  people  of  God,  and  partakers  of  his 
 promise  in  Christ  by  the  Gospel,"  to  take  heed 
 lest  we  also  "  frustrate  the  grace  of  God," — lest 
 we  "  draw  back  unto  perdition, — lest  we  do  not 
 believe  to  the  saving  of  the  soul."  For  shall  any- 
 thing, but  our  unbelief,  "separate  us  from  the  love 
 of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord?" 
 Remember,  then,  that  the  Gospel  gives  us  the 
 offer  of  pardon,  and  the  promise  of  sanctification. 
 It  is  "  the  new  covenant  established  upon  better 
 promises.  It  comes  to  us  with  sanctions  of  pro- 
 mise and  of  threatening.  It  comes  recommended 
 and  enforced  by  numerous  evidences,  which  appeal 
 both  to  the  understanding  and  to  the  heart,  and 
 which  have  brought  conviction  to  the  minds  both 
 of  the  learned,  and  of  the  unlearned. 
 
 Do  you  delight  to  peruse  the  histories  of 
 past  ages?  Are  you  interested  and  edified  by 
 tracing  events  up  to  their  causes,  and  by  pursuing 
 
 *  2  Pet.  ii.  20 — 22.  Matt.  xii.  43 — 45.— These  two  passages 
 illustrate  each  other.  And  we  might,  from  this  parabolic  des- 
 cription given  by  our  Lord  of  the  progress  of  the  infidelity  of  the 
 Jews,  deduce  an  additional  argument  in  support  of  the  opinion 
 defended  in  the  former  part  of  this  Lecture,  that  our  Lord  spoke 
 of  the  unpardonable  blasphemy  by  way  of  anticipation. 
 
Lecture  XX.  525 
 
 the  order  in  which  they  produced  their  conse- 
 quences ? —  Consider  then  the  existence.,  the 
 operation,  and  the  effects  of  Christianity.  As 
 inquisitive  men,  as  Scholars,  as  Philosophers,  as 
 Christians,  examine  this  remarkable  era  in  the 
 history  of  the  human  intellect, — this  event  which 
 was  prepared  by  all  preceding  ones, — which  has 
 since  so  materially  influenced  the  opinions  and 
 the  civilization  of  the  world, — which  predicts  the 
 future  universality  of  its  own  propagation.  Come 
 to  some  decision  respecting  these  things,  which  are 
 important  with  regard  to  the  faith  and  guidance  of 
 your  fellow-men,  and  still  more  so  as  they  concern 
 yourselves.  —  While  you  investigate  the  laws  and 
 phenomena  of  the  material  world,  forget  not  that 
 there  is  a  spiritual  world,  hereafter  to  be  revealed, 
 and  that  we  are  the  destined  heirs  of  an  immor- 
 tality, which  will  be  happy,  or  miserable,  according 
 to  our  characters  here.  And  remember,  that  for 
 the  knowledge  which  is  requisite  in  this  matter, 
 you  can  go  to  none  but  to  Christ  Jesus;  for 
 "  he  alone  hath  the  words  of  eternal  life." 
 
 Remember,  that  while  many  are  doubting,  and 
 investigating,  and  deriving  from  human  learn- 
 ing almost  as  much  hindrance  as  assistance, 
 many  a  poor  and  unlettered  peasant  in  our  own 
 land,  many  an  uncivilized  heathen  in  foreign  lands, 
 is  laying  hold  on  eternal  life ;  and  finds  in  the 
 purifying  and  consolatory  tendency  of  the  Gospel 
 
526  Lecture  XX. 
 
 the  most  satisfactory  evidence  both  of  its  truth 
 and  utility.  For  he  finds  it  a  provision  for  all  the 
 wants  which  he  previously  felt.  And  if  it  dis- 
 covers to  him  more  extensive  views  of  his  own 
 guilt  and  danger,  and  of  the  perfections  and  re- 
 quirements of  God,  it  does  but  discover  that,  of 
 which  he  allows  the  justice  and  the  propriety. 
 And  in  proportion  as  he  is  thereby  more  humbled 
 before  his  God,  he  also  derives  more  abundant 
 consolation  from  his  word,  and  exercises  a  more 
 confirmed  confidence  in  his  promises.  And  thus, 
 being  made  perfect  in  love,  and  growing  in  grace 
 and  holiness,  he  waits  for  the  hope  of  righteous- 
 ness by  faith. 
 
 The  same  meetness  for  heaven  is  attainable 
 by  all,  and  is  necessary  for  all.  But  we  must 
 "give  earnest  heed  to  the  things  which  we  hear," 
 if  we  are  to  "  live  and  grow  thereby."  The  same 
 arguments  which  have  convinced  so  many  of  the 
 truth  and  of  the  importance  of  our  religion,  are 
 still  sufficient  to  satisfy  us.  And  we  must  be 
 content  to  receive  the  Gospel  as  it  is  offered  to 
 us,  neither  dissatisfied  because  of  the  absence  of 
 any  evidence  which  we  may  suppose  ought  to 
 have  been  furnished,  nor  objecting  to  the  doctrines 
 which  are  revealed  by  it.  Our  Lord  referred 
 the  Jews  to  the  witness  of  their  own  Scriptures  ; 
 but  he  declared  that  "  if  they  heard  not  Moses 
 and  the  prophets,  neither  would  they  be  persuaded 
 
Lecture  XX.  527 
 
 though  one  rose  from  the  dead3."  He  declared 
 that,  while  some  cavilled  at  the  character  in  which 
 the  Baptist  appeared,  and  others  at  his  own, 
 ft.  wisdom  would  be  justified  of  all  her  children  V 
 And  assuredly,  though  "  the  Jews  required  a  sign, 
 and  the  Greeks  sought  after  wisdom,"  we  can 
 shew  that  each  of  those  demands  was  unreason- 
 able, if  they  were  made  in  any  view  which  disposed 
 them  to  a  rejection  of  the  Gospel.  For  it  is  most 
 abundantly  demonstrable,  that  "  Christ  crucified 
 is  both  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of 
 God  V 
 
 But  if  we  allow  the  evidence,  and  value,  and 
 necessity  of  the  Gospel,  let  us  not  remain  in 
 ignorance  of  what  is  thereby  revealed.  We  not 
 unfrequently  meet  with  some,  even  in  a  Christian 
 country,  who  have  had  such  opportunities,  and 
 have  arrived  at  such  an  age,  that,  "  for  the  time, 
 they  ought  to  be  teachers;  yet  who  have  need 
 to  be  taught  again,  which  be  the  first  principles 
 of  the  oracles  of  God d."  That  ignorance  is  some- 
 times openly  avowed;  and  those  who  make  the 
 avowal  sometimes  even  appear  to  be  proud  of  it. 
 Yet  a  young  Athenian  would  have  been  ashamed 
 to  be  thought  so  ignorant  with  respect  to  the 
 philosophical  systems  of  his  age  and  city.     Nay, 
 
 »  Luke  xvi.  31.  b  Matt.  xi.  iy.  c   1  Cor.  i.  24. 
 
 "  Heb.  v.  12. 
 
528  Lecture  XX. 
 
 would  not  many  among;  ourselves  be  ashamed  to 
 be  thought  ignorant  of  the  laws,  and  literature, 
 and  science  of  our  own  country,  who  are  yet 
 negligent  of  the  doctrine,  and  precepts  of  Jesus? 
 Yet  there  is  a  more  important  knowledge  than 
 any  that  relates  to  terrestrial  objects ;  there  is  a 
 teacher  more  divine,  and  of  more  authority  than 
 any  that  we  can  "call  Master  upon  earth3." 
 He  calls  upon  us  to  hear,  and  to  believe  in  him  ; 
 to  repent,  and  follow  him.  He  declares  to  us  the 
 authority  with  which  he  is  invested,  and  the  re- 
 sponsibility which  rests  upon  ourselves. — "  All 
 power  is  given  to  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
 Go  ye,  therefore,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
 creature. — He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall 
 be  saved;  and  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned!' 
 We  have  to  conjure  you,  therefore,  by  the 
 dignity  of  him,  whom  the  Father  sanctified,  and 
 sent  into  the  world, — by  the  miracles  which  he 
 wrought, — by  the  prophecies  which  he  fulfilled, — 
 by  the  greatness  of  the  salvation  which  he  pur- 
 chased,— by  the  promises,  and  by  the  terrors  of  the 
 Lord, — by  the  shortness  of  life,  and  the  approaches 
 of  death, — by  the  realities  of  eternity,  and  the 
 inestimable  value  of  your  immortal  souls — that 
 you  "turn  not  away  from  him  that  speaketh  from 
 heaven." — If  we  have  at  all  increased  your  ad- 
 
 a  Matt,  xxiii.  10. 
 
Lecture  XX.  529 
 
 miration  of  the  beauty  and  comprehensiveness 
 of  the  word  of  God,  from  whence  we  have  drawn, 
 and  ever  shall  draw,,  our  arguments  and  repre- 
 sentations,— if  we  have  disposed  you  to  peruse  it 
 more  frequently  and  attentively, — if  we  have  been 
 able  to  strengthen  your  conviction  of  its  truth, 
 to  impress  you  with  a  sense  of  its  importance,  and 
 to  persuade  you  to  a  compliance  with  its  dictates 
 — our  labours  will  not  have  been  in  vain.  And 
 if  those,  who  are  able,  will  defend  the  Gospel 
 against  its  adversaries,  and  turn  to  righteousness 
 those  that  profess  it, — and  if  all  f  that  profess  and 
 call  themselves  Christians,'  will  adorn  the  doctrine 
 of  God  their  Saviour  by  a  sober,  righteous,  and 
 godly  life,  "endeavouring  to  keep  the  unity  of 
 the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace," — then  will  our 
 heavenly  Father  be  glorified.  Our  Saviour  will 
 then  "see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satis- 
 fied ;" — and  we  shall  one  day  be  "  with  him,  and 
 behold  his  glory." 
 
 Ll 
 
ERRATA.     . 
 
 P.  79- 
 
 1.   9. 
 
 for  the  text  read  this  passage. 
 
 80. 
 
 1.  7- 
 
 for  text  read  test. 
 
 99- 
 
 1.17- 
 
 for  was  read  were. 
 
 292. 
 
 1.   3. 
 
 for  him  read  that  he. 
 
 
 
 1.21. 
 
 for  untraced  read   embraced. 
 
 372. 
 
 1.   5. 
 
 for  ^o  read  on. 
 
Princeton  Theological  Semlnanr-Sp 
 
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