^BINCETON, N. .^^- No. Case. Mr^^on „i^.QC. No. Sh^lf, s4C22.?.-Z^4 No. Booh; I LECTURES ON FEMALE SCRIPTURE CHARACTERS. BY WILLIAM JAY. AUTHOR OF THK "• MORNING AND KVICNINQ EXERCISKS," ETC. "Favor is deceitful, and beauly is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall bo praised.'' " Who can find a virtuous woman ? for her price Is far above rubies." Book of Proverbs NEW YORK: ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS, No. 285 BROADWAY. 1854. STBBKOTYPED BT THOMAS B. SMITH. 216 William St., N. Y. PRINTED BY E O. JENKINS, 114 Nassan St. DEDICATION. TO THE RIGHT HONOEABLE THE DOWAGER COUNTESS OF DUCIE. Madam, Influenced and encouraged by my knowledge of your character, and by tbe friendsbip you have shown me, I never, for a moment, thought of the publication of the following Lectures, with- out the desire and the purpose of inscribing them to your Ladyship. I have no relish for the common, fulsome, servile Dedications, which equally degrade their authors, and disgrace their receivers. I avail myself of Elihu's declaration: "I know not to give flattering titles ; in so doing, my Maker would soon take me away." iv DEDICATION. But I dedicate this work to your Ladyship, in token of my full persuasion — that you realize in your experience what it pleads for in doctrine — that you exemplify in your practice what it en- joins as duty — and that, while many in superior life desecrate their rank, talents, and influence in the service of pride, dissipation, and vice, you con- secrate all by which you are distinguished to the honor of God, and the service of your gener- ation : — and, therefore, that such a character is en- titled to public notice and respect, as well as to the acknowledgments of private regard and esteem. Your Ladyship has been recently visited with a loss, the magnitude of which it would be difficult to express. In the lamented death of Earl Ducie, has been removed the singularly attached husband ; the tender father of a large and noble family ; the de- light of his friends and acquaintances ; the praise of his neighborhood ; and the subject of a widened fame in the country of which he was the ornament and benefactor. It would not, perhaps, be easy to find another in the same elevated sphere, so free from preju- dice and bigotry ; so firm in the essentials, and so tolerant in the circumstantials of religion ; so open DEDICATION. V and fearless in the profusion of the Truth as it is in Jesus ; so abhorrent of hypocrisy, formahsm, and cant ; so attached to the Sacred Volume ; so concerned for its diffusion ; so regardful of the poor, and so anxious for their instruction. It must be a source of much consolation, and gratitude, that the solemn dispensation has been accompanied with such displays of Divine good- ness and grace in the experience of the deceased ; and that your Ladyship, under the mighty pres- sure, has been not only sustained, but resigned, and enabled to say, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." That the memory of one, so dear to your Lady- ship, may be blessed ; that his example may be followed ; that instead of the father may be the children; and that you may find the God whom you serve to be "a Judge of the widows, in His holy habitation ;" — and in your own ; Is the Prayer of Your Ladyship's Much obliged Friend and Servant, Wm. jay. Percy Place, Bath, December 1863. PREFACE. When, after a long and painfal illness, I re- covered a degree of ability for labor, thougli quite unequal to any kind of public service, I thought, that in order to be not wholly useless, T might do a little in some other way. For this purpose I began to look over sundry of my old manuscripts. Among them I found a number of Lectures which I had dehvered more than forty-eight years ago. They proved to be on the Female "Biography of the Old and New Testament Scriptures ; and were occasioned, at the time, by my reflecting on the importance of female character, and on the influence which women must naturally and necessarily have, in every con- dition, period, and relation in life ; so that if good should be done to them, good would be done to many, in a very wide and varied degree. But I was also aware of the difficulty and deli- cacy of addressing women from the pulpit distinct- ively. With regard to them, praise, though deserved, might seem flattery ; while just reproof might be construed into common-place reflection on the sex. Vin PEEFACE. But in commenting on absent characters, indelibly portrayed ages back, I saw that a preacher might feel himself unfettered ; and be able to deal freely with female excellencies and faults, leaving the application to the consciences and the discretion of his present audience. These Lectures I delivered on Sabbath evenings, from short notes; but afterwards, as soon as pos- sible, while the subjects were fresh in my recollec- tion, I wrote them at full length, or nearly so. This was the case with all of them except the Lectures on the Poof Widow, on the Elect Lady, and on the Mother of our Lord. The two former of these were, indeed, so far written out that I have recently been able, with tolerable ease, to com- plete them ; but those (for I had five) on the Virgin Mary, had been left in so very imperfect a state, that I found it was too much for me to think of filling them up at that time. Though indisposition, and various interruptions prevented me for awhile, I hoped for some future leisure moments, when I might recover and tran- scribe what I had delivered on this extraordinary personage ; but, alas ! the moments never came, or came in vain. I lament this, as I had thought much on the subject ; and had wished to steer between the PREFACE. IX idolatries of the Eomisli Cliurcli, and tlie excessive fears of some Protestants, whicli have betrayed them into a degree of the opposite extreme. The first Lecture turned upon Mary's descent, her condition in hfe, and her maternity : the second, on the salutation of the angel, her visit to Eliza- beth, and her song : the third, on her deliverance and purification: the fourth, on her residence at Nazareth, her finding her son among the doctors in the temple, and her conduct at the marriage in Cana of Galilee : the last, on her attendance at the cross, her being committed to the care of John, and her appearance in an npper room at Jerusalem with the eleven Apostles. Here would have been much to observe, much to wonder at, much to admire, much to imitate, but nothing to deify. She was doubtless a wise, pious, much-honored character ; but she was not free fi:'om human infirmities : entitled to great respect and veneration, but not to adoration and worship. Let me add, by way of advertisement to my readers ; — That my plan was not to comprehend even all the more remarkable females noticed in the sacred writings ; but to make such a selection from them as I thought might be rendered interesting and useful : — That, notwithstanding the avowed purpose of X PKEFACE, these Lectures, I never intelided to regard my female hearers so exclusively, as to have nothing for other attendants : — That, as to females themselves, my aim was not only to render them amiable, and prudent, and use- ful ; but also " partakers of the benefit," and "heirs of the grace of life :" — That, as I could not be satisfied without, in some measure, evangelizing my subject; for this purpose, I included several individuals, not so much as examples of female manners and virtues, as in- stances of the freeness and power of divine grace : — And that as the characters lectured upon were independent of each other, I did not treat them in the order of their occurrence in the Scriptures ; but in the order in which they excited and impressed my own mind. In like manner, with regard to the perusal, no advantage is lost by the want of con- secutiveness in the arrangement. They are thus famished by the sacred writers themselves. Percy Place, Bath, December 1853. *ju* While the last sheet of this work was passing through the press, the venerable Author was summoned to his rest. He died on Tuesday, December 27, 1853 ; aged 84.' " Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright ; for the end of that man is peace." CONTENTS. LECTURE I. THE SHUNAMITE.— Part I. Page " And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care ; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people." — 2 Kings, iv. 13 1 LECTURE IL THE SHUNAMITE-Part II. " And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunamite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said. Take up thy son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out." — 2 Kings, iv. 36, 37 11 LECTURE in. THE SHUNAMITE.— Part HI. " And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had Restored a dead body to life, that, behold the woman, whose XU CONTENTS. son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house, and for her laud. And Gehazi said. My Lord, King, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life." — 2 Kings, viii. 5 33 LECTUEE IV MARY MAGDALENE.— Part L " Mary, called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils." — Ltjke, viii. 2 . . • 49 LECTURE Y. MARY MAGDALENE.— Part II. " Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils." — Mark, xvi. 9 59 LECTURE VL HANNAH .—Part I. " And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed ; and the Lord hath given me my pe- tition which I asked of him."— 1 Sam. i. 26, 27 . . .VI LECTURE YIL HANNAH .—Part IL " For this child I prayed ; and the Lord hath given me my peti- tion which I asked of him." — 1 Sam. i. 2*7 . . . .85 CONTENTS. xiii LECTUEE VIII. ANNA, THE PROPHETESS. Page 'And there was one Anna, a proj^hetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser ; she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity ; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." — Luke, ii. 36-38 103 LECTUEE IX. THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. ' Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidou. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying. Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David ; my daughter if grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away ; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord ; yet the dogs eat of -the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, woman, great is thy faith : be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." — Matthew, XV. 21-28 .119 XIV ■ CONTENTS. LECTUEE X. THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUR'S HEAD. Page "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." — Mark, xiv. 9 136 LECTUEE XI. THE POOR WIDOW. "And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury ; and how many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them. Verily I say unto you. That this poor widow hath cast more in than all they who have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance ; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." — Mark, xii. 41-44 154 LECTUEE XIL THE PENITENT SINNER. " And he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman V — Luke, vii. 44 ... 168 LECTUEE XIII. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.— Part I. "There eometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink." — John, iv. 7 . . . 189 CONTENTS. XV LECTUEE XIV. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.— Part II. Page " Jesus saith unto her, I that speak uato thee am he." — John, iv. 26 206 LECTUEE XV. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.— Part III. " Come see a man, who told me all things that ever I did : is not this the Christ ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him." — John, iv. 29, 30 218 LECTUEE XVI. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.— Part IV. "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh har- vest ? behold, I say unto you. Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest." — John, iv. 35 . .238 LECTUEE XVII. LYDIA. " And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made ; and we sat down, and spake unto -the women who resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thy- atira, who worshipped God, heard us : whose heart the Lord opefied, and she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, XVI CONTENTS. Page she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us." — Acts, xvi. 13, 14, 15 247 LECTUEE XYIII. DORCAS. 'Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas : this woman was full of good works iind alms-deeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter \y;is there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he Avould not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with tliem. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber : and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments wliieh Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and j^rayed; and turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa ; and many believed in the Lord." — Acts, ix. 36-42 266 LECTURE XIX. THE ELECT LADY. " The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth ; and not I onlj^, but also all they that have known the truth ; for the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever." — 2 John, 1, 2 . . . . 286 CONTENTS. • XVU LECTURE XX. THE DEFORMED DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM. Page "And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infir- mity eighteen yeai'S, and was bowed together, and could in nowise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said \into her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her : and imme- diately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because \ that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work : in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said. Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day ? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." Luke, xiii. 10-17 304 LECTURE XXI. MARTHA AND MARY. " Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a cer- tain village : and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to sei've alone? bid her tlierefore that she help me. And Jesus an- swered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful XVlll • CONTENT,^. • Page and troubled about many things : but one thing is needful : and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her." — Luke, x. 38, 42 . . . . 819 LECTUEE XXII. LOT'S WIFE. " Remember Lot's "Wife." — Luke, xvii. 32 . . 882 LECTURE I. THE SHUNAMITE. PAJRT I. Aud he said unto bira, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care ; what is to be done for thee ? wouldest thou be spoken for to. the king, or to the captain of the host ? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. 2 Kings, iv. 13. Lord Bacon lias remarked, that tlie Bible is like the land of Canaan, wliicli flowed with milk and honey ; or, like the Garden of Eden, where the Lord God caused to grow out of the ground every tree that was pleasant to the sight, and good for food. The remark is as true as it is striking, and the more we examine the sacred volume, the more we shall perceive that it abounds not only Avith the nourishing but the deli- cious — not only with the profitable but the delightful. Its communications, improve us while they entertain, and entertain us while they improve. Take the historical narratives. In these there is a charm whicl;i it is impossible fully to describe. Yet who has not perceived it? Who does not, when reading, feel a certain quality, which, while it serves to demonstrate the truth of the facts, seizes, engrosses, enchains his attention ? 1 I LECTURE I. One cause of this effect is, that the relation always states things just as thej occurred, with the minute circumstances of time, place, and manner ; and states tliem so naturally, that thej are rendered present, and seem to strike not only our imagination, but our very senses. We find ourselves witnesses — we are parties concerned. What is related is so plain in language, that a child can understand it, and so replete with importance, that a preacher may derive pages and volumes of instruction from it. Nothing exemplifies this observation more than the narrative we are now going to review ; for who ever read it once that did not wish to read it again and again ? — It is the history of the Shunamite. We are told " She was a great woman." She was possessed of some considerable rank and fortune. But what are claims merely adventitious ? Character is personal, and does not depend upon of&ce, titles, or wealth ; and the Scripture lays so little stress on these things, that it never mentions them for their own sake, but only to remind us of their danger, to illustrate the grace of God in the preservation of those who are in- trusted with them, or to display moral and spiritual endowments to advantage. For if persons possessed of genuine religion occupy a higher station, they are not only more tried than others, but more seen, more exemplary, more influential, and have more opportu- nities and means of usefulness. While others, by the obscurity of their condition, are like a candle placed under a bushel, they are like " a candle set on a can- dlestick, which giveth light to all that are in the house." They are " a city set on a hill which cannot be hid." " Not many mighty, not many noble are called." THE SHUNAMITE. 3 But in all a""es there have been some who have brouG;ht all their distinctions to the foot of tlie Cross, willing to part with all to purchase the j^earl of great price. These have been so few, as to make it obvious that the cause of religion has not been indebted for its support to worldly greatness, but to the power of God ; while they have been sufficiently numerous to remove the reproach of those who would conclude that the Gospel is only suited to the vulgar and illiterate, and to keep from absolute despair those who find themselves awfully situated among the perils of eminence. " With God all things are possible." This Shunamite, therefore, will be found no less remarkable for her goodness than for her greatness. The place of her residence was Shunem, a town in the tribe of Issachar, in the road between Samaria and Carmel. This road Elisha often travelled, and one day as he was going by, she gave him an invi- tation to her house. It does not appear that at this time she had any particular knowledge of him. It was therefore an act of hospitality rather than of friendship. But friendship was soon the result of kindness ; and we may observe that some of the most remarkable friendships that have ever been formed, have been formed incidentally. They have not grown out of any previous design, but have risen from casual intercourse, from some agreeable word, some seasonable attention, or the performance of some obliging office. Indeed, while we are doing good to others, we are always in the way of finding good for ourselves ; and the event before us brings to our recollection the words of the Apostle to the Hebrews, " Be not for- 4 LECTURE I. getful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaAvarcs." This was the case with Abraham, this was the case with Lot, and this was nearly the case with the Shunaraite. While they accommodated some of the Heavenly Host, she wel- comes a Prophet of the most High God. We cannot suppose that this Avill ever be our case, but it will be well for us to find at the Day of Judgment, that by the exercise of benevolence and liberality towards the poor, and destitute, and helpless, we have entertained not a projDhet, nor an angel, but the Lord of all ; and to hear him say, " I was a stranger and ye took me in — inas- much as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me." Why was Elisha so backward to comply with thi^ generous invitation ? Did he feel the embarrassment which has often appeared so formidable to men of retired habits at their introduction to company ? Was he unambitious of mixing with those above him in rank ? Was he ignorant of the character of this great and good woman ? Was he unwilling to give trouble ? Would he ascertain his welcome by impor- tunity ? However this may be, importunity was necessary. " She constrained him." Elisha was so satisfied and delighted with the re- ception he met with, that from this time " as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread." But if she has gained his confidence, he has gained her veneratipn and esteen| ; and, struck with her ob- servation of the simplicity of his manners, the sanctity of his life, the frequency and fervency of his devotions, she said unto her husband, " Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passeth by us THE SHUNAMITE. O continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray tliee, on tlie wall ; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick ; and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither." There are two things in this design that are worthy of our remark. The one is, that she would not imdertake this business without the knowl- edge and consent of her husband. Nothing can atone for the want of confidence in the marriage state. By the very nature of their union, the parties have given up themselves to each other, and are no longer their own. They therefore should feel not only a com- munion, but a community of joys and sorrows, and maintain a unity of views and interests. Nothing is more likely to subtract from domestic happiness, than the discovery or apprehension of carrying on any separate design. How shameful is the conduct of some husbands. They gamble, they speculate in business, they entangle themselves in the affairs of this life, and pull down ruin upon their families, while their suffering wives (though perhaps reflected upon as in some measure the cause) know nothing till they feel the crash, and their hearts are desolate within them. You, therefore, my female friends, may see that I am far from wishing to consider this duty partially. But surely the obligation is mutual. Some would contend that it bears more strongly on you, owing to the order which Providence has established, and which the Scripture sanctions. But surely you will acknowledge that you are equally bound to observe it. Kemember, therefore, that by claim you ought to obtain everything that is reasonable; and by amiableness, by address, 6 LECTURE I. by frankness, you may gain everything that is desir- able ; but flee artifice and conceahnent ; they are always exceptionable, the instruments of low, of little, of ig- noble minds. The other is the manner in which her generosity is exercised. It has been said that in all great exigencies male friendship is preferable ; but where comfort is concerned, and where as much depends on the mode of administration as on the thing itself, a female friend is above all things estimable. Not only is her benevolence more watchful, and prompt, and active, but more feeling and delicate. We have frequently the substance of friendship without the ornament — we wound while we serve. Our hearts, like our fingers, are less tender, and we press the sore while we bind it up. We seldom know how to give importance to circumstances which have none in themselves. But how much of this do we discern in this Shunam- ite ? She discovers a sensibility that is never absent. It forgets nothing ; omits nothing. "With the ex- temporaneousness of sentiment, and the judiciousness of plan, she decides the whole case. She considers the office, the character, the dispositions and habits of the person she wishes to favor, and shows her respect in her kindness. No one circumstance of propriety and decency is overlooked. She considers that to a man of his turn of mind, retirement will be welcome. She determines, therefore, that his meditations shall not be disturbed and interrupted by the tumult of a family, and orders for him a separate apartment in the external part of the house. She reflects that it is a delicate thing to relieve a person so respect- able, and that in bestowing a benefit, the receiver THE SHUNAMTTE. 7 should not be made to feel unpleasantl}^ his obligation. She resolves, therefore, that he shall enjoy the pleasure, so natural to man, of having something that he can call his own, and which he may use at pleasure, and not be reminded of his dependence by each fresh invita- tion. She considers that a man of God will not look after finery and excess. Nothing, therefore, splendid or extravagant shall be. furnished, but every- thing that is needful for accommodation, repose, or use. " Let us set for him a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick." And herein the Shunamite appears to more advan- tage than Martha, who entertained our Lord and his disciples. Martha was a good woman, and what she did flowed from the kindness of her heart ; but she did not discern both time and judgment. " She was cumbered about much serving ;" and to have a number of things, and in the nicest order, she was hurried, be- came impatient and fretful, and reproached her sister. Had she been providing for a company of newly-made gentry, luxurious merchants, or any of those " whose god is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things," it would have been in character; it would have gratified their hopes and wishes; they would have been ready to canonize her ; with them she would have been St. Martha ; but all this was lost, more than lost, on one who " had not where to lay his head," whose " kingdom was not of this world," who was more disposed to feed than to be fed, " who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." The" conduct of the Shunamite reminds us that there are better ways of showing our regard to min- 8 LECTURE I. isters, than by entertainments nnsuited to their cir- cumstances and calling, and which, if they are in a proper state of mind, will give pain rather than pleasure. But while we would regulate, we would by no means wish to restrain the exercise of benevolence (if it be proper to call it so) towards those that watch for jowc souls. In our denominations, where they have no pa- rochial support, ministers are generally in dependent circumstances, and why should they blush to own it ? Expressions of kindness tend to keep alive affectionate regard ; but these expressions are more than needful and usefal ; they are just, and that man of God de- grades his of&ce who looks upon them as charity or alms. It is easy to see that he has claims upon us. By devoting his time and his talents to our service, he effect- ually excludes him-self from all those means of worldly aggrandizement that lie open to us, and which often enable us by inferior nbilitics to rise in life. We are commanded "to know them who labor among us, and are over us in the Lord, and admonish us, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake." "Let him," saj'S the Apostle, "that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teach eth in all good things." " For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadetli out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen ? or saith he it altogether for our sakes ? For our sakes, do doubt, this is written : that he that plougheth should plough in hope ; and that he that thresheth in hojje should be partaker of his hope. If Vv^e have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things ? Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel." THE SnUNAMITE. . 9 And who was ever a loser by anytliing he did for the cause of God ? " He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's re- ward ; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward ; and whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in nowise lose his reward." By making the Ark his guest, was Obed-edom a loser? "It was told King David saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed- edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the Ark of God." Was the Shunamite a loser ? Behold Elisha in his new little dwelling. A pious mind is always a grateful one, and gratitude consists in a disposition to return a favor received. He there- fore sends his servant with a message of thanks, and a proposal of recompense. " Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care ; what is to be done for thee ? Wouldst thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host ?" But how comes Elisha to be a favorite at court? And whence is it that he is able to introduce a petition with a probability of success, and to gain an honor or an office for a friend ? It was probably owing to the late miracle which he had wrought for Jehoram and his two royal allies, in furnishing them with water, and enabling the confederate army to gain a complete victory over the Moabites. However this may be, we behold here, what often takes place in life, wickedness connected with something like moral principle ; a re- gard for the godly, without any fear of God ; men 1* 10 • LECTUEE I. SO generous as to give up anything but their sins; willing to relieve ''the fetherless and widows in their affliction," but refusing to "keep themselves un- spotted from the world." Thus we see Jehoram, an idolater, yet honoring the man of God; resisting any attempt to procure a pious reformation, but ready to yield a political favor. In the Prophet we be- hold a most disinterested disposition. Far from making use of his influence to elevate himself, he employs it only to favor and gratify his friends. A good man will principally cultivate and value the intercourse he may have with the rich and great, as it may be the means of enabling him to do good by helping the wants of others. But this good woman needs nothing from the higher powers. " I dwell among mine own people." "I am satisfied," as if she said, "with my present state. If it be destitute of some few things, it abounds with others much more essential to my wel- fare. I must fix limits somewhere to my hopes and wishes, and why not here ? What probabihty is there that I should be happier by the change or the eleva- tion ? I am fixed ; I am rooted ; I am sheltered, and I would not hazard the risk of transplantation." Here she appears in a new, but very instructive part of her character ; and here, my female readers, we particularly wish to recommend her example to your imitation. We mean not to censure ; but I be- lieve you will readily acknowledge that it is not every one of your sex that would have resisted the force of such a fiery trial. , You must allow that your imagi- nations are lively, your impressions from certain ob- jects are rapid and strong, and your feelings, at the THE SHUNAMITE. 11 siglit of pomp and glitter, sometimes ratlier unmanage- able. It has been commonly, I do not say right- eously supposed, that you are a little more volatile and restless in your disposition than the other sex; more easily attracted by new forms of dress and new modes of li^Ting ; and more alive to flattering distinc- tions. Hence, the mere prospect of rising has too frequently swallowed up every other consideration in the change of your situation, or of your condition. Hence, not a few of your sisters have sacrificed youth and beaut}^ to disagreeable old age, tempted by finery and splendor — a carriage or a title. Hence, in the disposal of their children, they have been seduced by the glaring to neglect the useful. Hence, husbands have more than once been urged to leave a humble but profitable line of business, to attempt something more genteel and extensive, by w^hich they have been reduced and impoverished. Hence, now and then at least, launchings out beyond the income, in house, and table, and furniture, and apparel ; and dishonesty itself has appeared less disgraceful and intolerable than being out of the fashion. I feel therefore disposed to enlarge a little on this part of my subject,- and to submit not only to your attention, but the attention of all, a few remarks, suited, by the Divine blessing, to produce in your minds the sentiment of this sober and contented Shu- namitc. And, in the first place, let it be observed, that ambition has no bounds. You have now, perhaps, fixed your aim, and you imagine that if you could attain such a mark 3-ou should be satisfied, not re- collecting that when this is secured new necessities and desires will arise, and that the passions Avill always 12 LECTUEE I. be increased, not reduced, by indulgence. " Hence," says the excellent BisLop Hopkins, " whatever be our condition, we still long for change, and can no more rest in a high state than in a low one. The servant thinks he shall be happy when he is made free. Is the freeman happy ? No ; but he will, as soon as he has gained such an estate. Is the rich man happy ? No ; but he will, as soon as he is invested with such a title. Is the honorable happjf ? No ; but he will, as soon as he is supreme. Is the sovereign happy? No ; but he will, as soon as he has t^^rannized over all, and become universal monarch." Is Alexander happy ? He weeps for more worlds to conquer. " It was, therefore," saj^s the same writer, " a pertinent discourse which Oineas the jj^ilo^opl^er held with Pyrrhus, when dissuading him from war with Rome. And, sir, when you have conquered the Romans, what will you do next ? Then we will cross over and take Sicily. And what will you do then ? Then we will pass over to Africa and take Carthage. And what will you do after this ? Then we will fall upon Giieece and Macedon, and recover what we have lost there. And what then ? Then we will sit down and enjoy ourselves. And pray, sir, why cannot we do this now ?" O ! let us ask our hearts the same ques- tion whenever we are suspending our happiness upon the result of schemes and enterprises which will no more insure it than the circumstances in which we are now found. Secondly. We know not how we should feel in new and untried conditions of life. We can only judge according to our present views, but these are only suited to our present state. Different sentiments THE SHUNAMITE. 13 will arise' out of diflferent circumstances, and it is im- possible for us to assume the feelings before we re- alize the events. Situations to which we are not adapted by previous use, are likely to confound and embarrass us, rather than to afford us comfort or pleasure ; and habits are not easily formed or easily resigned. But the moral danger attending changes and elevations is still greater and more important ; and we ought always to be principally concerned for our spiritual safety and welfare. Surely a Christian will ask, is such a state more likely to wean me from the world, or advance the life of God in my soul ? Is it more likely to cherish devotion, or to chill my heavenly affections? And does not Hazael teach us that, in humbler life, we may sincerely execrate vices which success and prosperity may harden us to commit? Have we not seen persons who were so promising, that we would have depended upon them if placed in any state of trial, whose table has proved a snare, and Avhose prosperity has destroyed them ; so that, in the worst sense of the word, they have become new creatures, and seem, as they rose, not only to have left their virtue, but even themselves behind ? And when so many have fallen — and we cannot be sure that we should stand — how is it that we are so anxious to be set in slippery j)laces ? Thirdly. If happiness depends at all on worldly circumstances, it is to be found in a mediocrity equally distant from indigence and superfluity — below envy and above contempt — and neither excluding solitude or society. A bed is desirable, but who sleeps the sounder for having the posts gilt? One staff in a journey is useful, but a large bundle of staves would 14 LECTUEE I, only encumber the traveller. The garment that hangs off loose, and that which presses too tightly, are both unpleasant ; the thing is, to have something tliat will fit. So it is here ; and hence the wise as well as the good have always prayed with Agur — " Give me neither poverty nor riches ; feed me with food con- venient for me; lest I be full and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord; or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain," But fourthly, The truth is, that happiness does not depend upon external things, but upon the principles and dispositions of the mind ; and therefore, that it is ns accessible to us in our present state, as in any imag- inable one. Observe those who have risen in life. Have they advanced in contentment as they have in- creased in wealth or honor? They have gained by the ascent more awful responsibility, more arduous duty, more anxious care, more exposure to temptation. But what have they gained in solid satisfaction, in tranquillity, in liberty ? Ah ! how often have they re- turned to the edge of the hill, and, even with regrets, surveyed the vale below, where once they walked with God, and passed their days in innocence and repose ! What is the confession of Solomon/ after a thousand trials ? — " All is vanity and vexation of spirit." God never designed that any of these things should satisfy us. In vain, therefore, we seek the living among the dead. In every such pursuit we only resemble children ascending hill after hill to catch the sky, which rests on none of them ; or a number of patients, who, by a change of posture, are seeking for the rehef which can only come from an inward cure. We blame our portion for what is wrong in ourselves, and THE SHUNAMITE. 15 forget tliat the ground of our discontent is not our wants, but our wishes. There is scarcely any con- dition so low but may satisfy our wants ; and there is none so high as to satisfy our desires. If we live according to the laws of nature and reason, we shall never be poor ; if we live according to those of fancy and opinion, we shall never be rich. Cultivate, therefore, happiness within. Seek it not in a superior station, but in a contented mind. En- deavor to reduce your wishes, rather than to enlarge^ your means. Guard against a roving mind. Be keepers and lovers of home. Make the most of pres- ent enjoyment, and of actual, possession, in distinction from future and imaginary. Enter that school in whicli the Apostle studied, and was enabled to say, " I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound : everywhere, and in all things, I am instructed botli to be full and to be hun- gry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ, which strengthened me." Confide in the providence of your heavenly Father, as concerned in fixing the bounds of your habitation, and as engaged to make all things work together for your good. Leave him to choose your inheritance for you, and then, in the end, you will be able to acknowl- edge, " The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places ; yea, I have a goodly heritage." You would do well, also, to remember that this is not your rest ; that you are only strangers and pilgrims upon earth ; ' and that, in a very little time, it will be a matter of indifference to you whether you have been poor or rich, splendid or obscure. Seek after a well-grounded hope of heaven. This will 16 LECTUEE I. reconcile you to any privations you may be called to bear upon earth ; and, should you even walk in the midst of trouble, this will revive you, and you will be enabled to say, " I reckon that the sufferings of this present tim-e are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed." "For our light afflic- tion, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the , things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." LECTURE IL THE SHUNAMITB. PAET II. And he called Geliazi, and said, Call this Shunaniite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said. Take up thy son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the gromid, and took up her son, and went out. — 2 Kings, iv. 36, 87. Fetv will deny the utility of illustrating principles and dispositions by examples ; and tlie importance of presenting vices and virtues, not abstracted in tlieir definitions, but embodied in action, and enlivened in cbaracter. Hence so large a proportion of the Word of God is occupied with the account of particular per- sons. We have never, indeed, the whole life given us ; but a few bold sketches are exhibited which dis- criminate the individual, and interest and instruct the observer. In this number, no one appears to more advantage than the Shunamite, on whose history we have al- ready entered. Our last lecture left her declining the offer of advancement which had been made her. It was a trial which very few could have borne ; but she nobly' answered, " I dwell among mine own people." " It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes ;" and the influence which Elisha 18 LECTURE II. is forbidden to use with the king on her behalf, he is resolved to employ in another direction. He consults with his servant what is to be done for her, Gehazi reminds him that slie is childless, and her husband old ; and that as there was no heir to whom the patrimonial estate would descend, the family would be soon extinct in Israel ; and, therefore, if he could obtain from God the favor of a son, he would effect- ually remove her grievance, and gratify her in the most acceptable manner. Who can help observing here the imperfection attached to our present state ? On how many things does our happiness depend, the absence of any one of which destroys or impairs the whole ? And who can say, every wish of my heart is accomplished ; I now want nothing ? Alas ! some- thing is alwaj'S wanting in the quality or the degree. To-day we complain of chilling cold, to-morrow the sun beats upon our head, and we are ready to faint. Alone we sigh for company, in company we long for solitude. Here is a large family with scanty means of subsistence, there every kind of abundance is attended with the lack of offspring ; and thus human happiness and misery are more equally dispensed than we are prone to imagine. Endowments 9,nd defi- ciencies are wisely balanced. All have something — none have all. " Lo ! children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward ;" and of nothing were women of old so anxious, as the enjoyment of offspring. This eagerness has been frequently ac- counted for on the supposition, that they hoped to be the mother of the Messiah. This was indeed a very enviable distinction, and when we reflect upon THE SHUNAMITE. 19 our Saviour's glory, we cannot Lclp exclaiming with the woman of the company, " Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked !" But the probability of the possession of this honor would not, at least generally^ actuate the Jewish women, especially after the more particular revelation of the Messiah's descent ; for after it was known that He was to spring from the tribe of Judah, and the family of David, no female of any other tribe or family could reasonably expect it. The cause is to be sought for in human nature — in the force of opin- ion — in the desire of respectability — in the feeling of importance — in the concern to please — ^in the ap- pointment of heaven. In the case of the Shunamite the boon would be rendered peculiarly welcome, because it had been so long denied, and now came unjooked for; therefore when it was announced, she knew not how to credit the report — " Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid." It has been said, tliat it is easy to believe what we wish, but common feeling contradicts this assertion. On the contrary, it is well known that the more we prize a thing, and the more eager we are to obtain it, the more alive are we to uncertainty, suspicion, and fear ; and the more we crave every kind and degree of assurance. And this will be found to apply in another case, and with regard to a greater blessing than the promise of a child. They are the careless that presume ; they are the unawak- ened and unconvinced who never question their state. But the man that hungers and thirsts after righteous- ness, and is asking. What must I do to be saved ? he will find how hard it is to hope, and will never think 20 LECTURE II, that lie can have too much evidence to assure his heart before God — and that solicitude to know that he is safe, and that difl&dence of himself which leads to so much self-examination, (though considered by some as a kind of unbelief,) are really the effect of genuine faith. Smoke is not fire, but there is no smoke where there is no fire. Doubting, therefore, is generally a good prognostic. It shows that a man is impressed with the importance of his condition, and is unable to neglect it. But the Shnnamite need not fear. She has the word of a prophet — a prophet of the God of truth, with whom all things are possible. The event soon confirms and fulfils the prediction — " And the woman conceived and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life." And thus, she who built a chamber for the man of God, has the prospect of her- house being built up in Israel ; and she who had distinguished herself by her gen- erosity and friendship, is rewarded by the gift of a life the most precious. Who does not congratulate her for joy that a man is born into the world ! Behold her now nursing her charge, and attending the child of promise and of prayer ! With what pleasure she marks the progress of his body and of his mind, as he grows in wisdom and in stature ! With what pleasure she sees him beginning to walk alone ! With what pleasure she listens to the first lisping of his tongue, and keeps all his sayings, and ponders them in her heart ! Nothing, perhaps, in this world is more delightful than the growth of a fine healthy infant. But how precarious is every earthly possession ! THE SHUNAMITE. 21 Have we riches? they make to themselves wings and flee away. Have we honor? it hangs on the waver- ing tongue of the multitude, and shakes before every blast of disrespect. Have we health, the balm of life ? our strength is not the strength of stones, nor are our bones brass ; we are crushed before the moth — we are destroyed from morning to evening. Have we chil- dren ? O let us hold them with a loose hand ! What certain cares ! what uncertain comforts are they ! One half of their number dies in a state of infancy. How many seeds of disorder are sown in their tender frames, which a few unfriendly influences render malignant — while they are exposed to so many accidents and dan- gers from without, that we should despair of ever see- ing a child reach maturity, did not our Saviour inform us, their angels do always make them their charge. It was now harvest — the father was early abroad with the reapers — the child seeks him out — ^the father sees him running towards him through the gate, and feels himself young again while he is entertained with his innocent prattle. But whether it was that the beams of the sun were too strong, or some internal complaint began to operate, we know not; but the dear child is seized with pain, and "cries unto his father. My head, my head." What nature urges this child to do, grace should teach us to do. In all our troubles we should immediately go and divulge them to our Heavenly Father, who is always nigh, always accessible ; who pities us more than a father pities his children ; and who not only allows us, but commands us in everything by prayer and supplication, to make known our requests unto God. " Carry him," says the father, " carry him to his 22 LECTUEE II. mother." Was this expressive of indifference ? Does it mean, that he was so engrossed with his farm and his grain, that he comparatively disregards his child? Were we to judge from the character of too man}^ hus- bandmen at such a busy season, we should be led perhaps to this conclusion; for such men have not always been very remarkable for sensibility. But no. It is obvious that he was not aware of anything more than a slight temporary indisposition. But he deems it a proper precaution to send him home. His moth- er would be the best judge of his complaint, and with her he would want no attention. What a refuge, what a solace are a mother's arms and a mother's bo- som ! O ! the importance of a mother ! " As one whom his mother comforteth." My dear little children, be thankful if your mothers are spared to you by a kind Providence ; and oh, pity those bereaved children who have no mother. Their mother lies in the cold church- yard ; in vain they repair to the place, and use a name which, if anything was able, would awake her in the grave — "my mother;" but their cries, if oppressed, cannot reach her ears ; nor, if well-treated, can the news gladden her heart. Some of these are only commit- ted to the care of hirelings ; in other cases, substitutes are provided to supply the place of the maternal re- lation. But this is impossible. A wife may be replaced ; a mother cannot. Let a successor be ever so amiable, ever so gentle, ever so attentive, (and there are such who cannot be too highly praised,) yet they never bore them, never brought one forth, never nursed them at their own breast — do not, cannot feel the ties which bind a mother to the son of her womb. THE SnUNAMITE. 23 I see the lad hanging on the neck of the man who bears liim liome — and ! when they enter the 3^ard, how would all the mother rise up and feel ! She in- stantly takes him — " and he sat on her knees till noon, and then died." Well in the morning, a corpse long before evening ! No care, no tenderness, no tears, can retain his spirit. ! what were the workings of her heart during the hours of suspense ? What were her feelings when she saw the lip quiver, and felt his life poured into her bosom ? It is easy to imagine into what an agony, frenzy, perturbation, and confusion many a mother would have been thrown. But here we have another fine open- ing into the character of this illustrious female. It is her self-possession. Self-possession is that state of mind in which, though a person cannot hinder his feel- ings, he can govern them ; and though he may be alarmed and distressed, yet he preserves his recollec- tion ; and can use his feet, hands, eyes, ears, his reason, and if he has any, hjs religion. Behold the temper and the demeanor of this woman. Here is nothing frantic, no rending of garments, no plucking off the hair, no peevish murmuring, no sullen discon- tent. " Weej)ing does not hinder sowing." She perceives everything that should be done, and lo ! she is at once applying herself to the doing of it. The affliction must have been the greatest she could have endured, and the affliction was also very sudden, and nothing so overpowers and distracts as the sudden- ness of a calamity. But nothing prevents the exercise of her ^yisdom and her grace. What was the principle of her conduct ? We learn, from the authority of God himself", in the Epistle to 24 LECTURE II, the Hebrews, that it was " faith." She was a daugh- ter of Abraham, and, like liim, in hope, believed against hope ; accounting that God was able even to raise her son also from the dead. This influenced her, and this explains the steps she took. She lays the child, not on his own little couch, but upon the Prophet's bed ; and she fastens the door after her, discovering no consternation that could betray or hinder her design. She sends to her husband for conveyance and attend- ance to go to the man of God ; but though she acquaints him with her journey, she does not mention the cause of it, "And he said. Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day ? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath, And she said, it shall be well." From hence we see — Ist, That this good woman had been accustomed, with others, to repair to the usual residence of Elisha, to hear, doubtless, the Word of God from his mouth, and to join in the devotions of prayer and of praise ; and, 2dly, It appears that the father at this time had no suspicion of the child's^ death, but acquiesces in the assurance she had given liim of the propriety of the measure she was taking, for his heart safely trusted in her. Elisha discerns her afar off, and in a moment all the concerns of her family rushed into his tender and grateful heart, and he sends his servant to meet her with the inquirj^, "Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband ? Is it well with thy child ? And ~~^ she answered. It i s welU ', What does she mean ? Her answer may be considered three ways. It was the language of diversion; wishing to waive any further inquiry of the servant till she reached the master. It was the language of confidence; hopeful, if not per- THE SHUNAMITE. 25 STiaded of the issue in her favor. It was also the language of submission; conscious that all that had taken place, as well as what she hoped would take place, was wise, righteous, and kind ; and that all was working together for good. In this view, indeed, it was something more than submission ; it was acquiescence ; it was approbation. And this is the exalted kind of resignation which a believer in God should seek after. It should not be enough for him to say, " This is my grief, and I must bear it ;" but " Good is the word of the Lord ;" — " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord." — " He hath done all things well." Even this kind of resignation, however, is very dis- tinguishable from stupidity and indifference. It does not consist in the absence of feeling, but in the regu- lation of it — ^in the improvement of it. It is by no means incompatible with a sense of the pressing evils of our situation, or a desire of redress. We see this in our Saviour himself in the garden, who prayed, " Father, if it be pdssible, let this cup pass from me : nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." Thus the Shunamite " fell down and caught him by the feet ;" and a flood of tears seems to have been all her language for the time ; and when the officious, unfeeling Geliazi came near to thrust her away, the more merciful master said, " Let her alone ; for her soul is vexed ^vithin her : and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me." The supernatural powers possessed by the Prophets and Apostles of old were not at their own control. The exercise of them was limited by the giver 2 26 LECTUEE II. Hence Paul, who wrought so many miracles in his journey, was obliged to leave Trophimus at Melita sick: he could not cure his beloved son Timothy, but only advises him what regimen to use under his frequent in- firmities. Elisha had done many wonderful works, but he could not do everything. He could foretell the birth of this child, even before his conception, but he knew nothing of his sickness and death, even after the event. God revealed himself as he pleased ; and this sorrowful intelligence he had withholden, in order that he might learn it from the mother herself. And how does she divulge it ? Never was anything so exquisitely simple and expressive. Few words — no introduction — it is the heart that speaks. " Then she said. Did I de- sire a son of my Lord ? Did I not say. Do not deceive me?" And if she had said, " Had I obtained a child by importunity, I might have feared that he gave me a son in his anger, and took him away in his wrath — for what we extort from God never prospers^ — ^but it was a free-will offering. Why was I anguished to bring him into the world ? What end has his exist- ence answered ? Was a child granted me to bring forth, and not to rear ? O how much easier it was to en- dure the want of this blessing than to bear the loss of it ! O thou man of God, thy prayers obtained liini, cannot thy prayers restore him ?" It is easy to conclude that, in all her affliction, Elisha would be afflicted. But in applying a remedy to her grief, he does a - thing which has exceedingly perplexed commentators. He sends Gehazi Avith speed "to lay his staff upon the face of the child." It may be asked, why he did this ; and whence the inefficacy of the action ? Was it done of his own conceit, without a THE SHUNAMITE. 27 divine impulse ? It is the opinion of some — Would not God honor by his countenance and sanction such a vile character as Gehazi ? It is the conjecture of others — Or was it because the faith of this woman did not go along with it? This seems most probable. Our Lord always required faith in the suppliants who applied to him, and no cure was dispensed without it. And this woman had faith in the master, but not in the servant; in the praj^ers of the Prophet, but not in his staff. She therefore cleaves to Elisha, and affirms that she will not leave him. He therefore arose and followed her. " And when he was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in, therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth uj)on his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands ; and he stretched him- self upon the child ; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro ; and went up and stretched himself upon him : and the child sneezed seven times ; and the child opened his eyes." And here we have reached a scene in which we must all take a symj^athetic and lively part : — The mother called in to receive her son, en- deared by the pangs and the joys of a second birth 1 With what emotions of transj^ort would she " take up her son " that " was dead, and is alive again — was lost, and is found." But even here the character of this illustrious wo- man appears. As when in her grief she was not swal- lowed up of overmuch sorrow, so as to forget the duties of adversity ; so in her deliverance she is not 28 LECTURE II. intoxicated with delight. She doubtless felt a joj that strangers intermeddle not with, and which no one who is not in the same circumstances can estimate ; but it does not betray her for one moment into a vio- lation of any of the duties or decencies of prosperity. A mother in such a condition as this might surely be expected to rush towards the bed, and take up the child first, and press him to her bosom, and see, hear, think of nothing else. And who would not have excused her ? But the Shunamite has nothing to excuse. She stands on higher ground. She is in everything exemplary. Propriety, dignity attends all her actions, not to ward off censure, but to command praise. Not even the feelings of a mother — of a mother placed in circumstances so affecting — shall cause her to neglect the prior claims of hutoble and fervent adoration and gratitude. " Then she went in, and fell at Ids feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out." — " Many daugh- ters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." A fanciful turn has been given to the whole of this marvellous transaction. It has been supposed that this miracle forms an outline of what is clearly taught us in the book of God, concerning the renovation of mankind ; and we have seen a published sermon on the subject, by a man of some judgment, as well as much imagination. According to him this woman holds forth the church,— 'often compared to a female, and a mother — and concerned for the spiritual life of her children. The dead child typifies those of the people of God who are yet dead in trespasses and sins, and " have neither voice nor hearing." THE SHUNAMITE. 29 Elisha stands forth a striking emblem of him Avho is the resurrection and the life, and who in the days of his flesh said, " 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." In vain is the servant sent, and in vain is the staff imposed ; nothing is done till the master himself comes, and applies his power to the work. Thus ministers of our Lord go forth and dispense the word of truth ; but there is no re- vival, till he, by his own Spirit, breathes upon these dry bones, that they may live. The renewed life is produced by degrees, and requires, as here, fresh ap- plications of divine energy. But as this child, as soon as he was restored to life, was given in charge to the mother, so the enlivened heir of glory is committed to the church, there to be fed and nourished " unto a per- fect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." We shall not take upon us to determine whether the miracle was designed to furnish such a prefigura- tion. If the narrative be fairly capable of such an accommodation, I know not that it is wrong to make it. K such an application promises usefulness, we would not hinder it by rigid criticism. If imagina- tion succeeds in impressing such interesting truths on the mind, let her alone, she has wrought a good work. Yet we should be cautious, lest we cause the way of truth to be evil spoken of; or by turning facts into fiction, and fiction into facts, spiritualize the Scrip- ture, till it seems to have no determinate and certain meaning. Let us conclude by an inference, which is not only useful, but which the history was designed to afford. 80 LECTURE II. Behold the power of prayer. It has commanded the heavenly bodies ; it has controlled the elements ; it has raised the dead. Behold the power of faith. " But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall re- ceive anything of the Lord." '" Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." And what says the Apostle of the ancient worthies, and of faith ? " The time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jej^thas ; of David also, and Samuel, and of the Prophets : who through faith sub- dued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained prom- ises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword ; out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received THEIR DEAD RAISED TO LIFE AGAIN." Above all, behold the power of God, who wounds and who heals, who kills and who makes alive ! We are not to ex|)ect miracles, but we are not to limit the Holy One of Israel. Improbabilities are not to discourage us. In all our difficulties, we have one to trust in "who is able to do exceeding abun- dantly above all that we ask or think." We have one to trust in for whom nothing is too hard ; in whom the exiled can find refuge, the i:)Oor riches, the weak strength, the dying life, and the dead life everlasting. We are not to expect a repetition of this miracle in this world. But there is another world, in which we shall see greater things than these. And " why THE SHUNAMITE. 31 should it be thouglit a thing incredible that God should raise the dead ?" He has not only given us promises of it, but furnishes us with actual and undeniable in- stances. Let us apply this consolatory truth to our own death and the death of others. Have any of you been called to bury the desire of your eyes ? Eelig- ion does not forbid your grief; it does not expect that you should put your fingers upon their eyes, and lay them, after years of intimacy, in the darksome grave, and leave them there, and return home without a sigh or without a tear. But it says, " we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." Martha-, " thy brother shall rise again. Believest thou this ?'' Have any of you buried promisuig hopes ? Rachel, are you weeping for your children ? Are you saying, " happy Shunamite ! your loss was soon repaired, but my wound is incurable ; I shall never embrace my son, Alas, no Elisha is near ?" Refuse not to be comforted because they are not. They are. Their souls are in the bosom of their heavenly Shepherd. Their bodies are under his keeping ; 3^ou shall see them again, hear them again ; they will be delivered back, dressed in immortal charms. "It is sown in corruption ; it is raised in incorruption : it is sown in dishonor ; it is raised in glory : it is sown in weakness ; it is raised in power ; it is sown a natural body ; it is raised a spiritual body." But you must die yourselves, and death is the 32 LECTURE II. King of Terrors. It has often filled even the Chris- tian with dread. But trembling on the brink of the grave, he takes courage while his God addresses him, and saj-s, " Be not afraid to go down, I will go down with thee, and I will bring thee up again." — " I know that mj Eedeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth ; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see -God ; whom I shall see for myself,- and mine eyes shall behold, and not another ; though my reins be consumed Vvithin me." Let us seek after an interest in the blessedness of those " who have part in the first resurrection ;" for " on such the second death hath no power." Let us live with " our conversation in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself" LECTURE III. THE SHUNAMITE. PAET III. And it came to pass as he was telling the Kiug how he had re- stored a dead body to life, that, behold the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the Iving for her house, and for her laud. And Gohazi said, My lord, O Kiug, this is the woman, aud this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. — 2 Kixgs, viii. 5. The Providence of God was held forth to Ezekiel in vision, under the representation of a wheeh The motion of a wheel is revolutionary ; the parts are con- tinually ascending and descending, and the highest and the lowest alternately succeed each other in the mire and in the air. And thus it is with empires, thus it is with families, and thus it is with individuals. All human affairs are administered in a state of per- petual vicissitude. From small beginnings the poor grow into wealth, while the rich are hurled from afflu- ence into beggary, and have their present distress em- bittered by the remembrance of the former plenty that surrounded them. The ignoble emerge into fame, while the honorable of the earth are stripped of their dignity— 2* 34 LECTURE III. Here, he exalts neglected worms, To sceptres and a crown ; Anon, the following page he turns, And treads the monarch down. Not Gabriel asks the reason why, Nor God the reason gives. Nor dares the favorite angel pry, Between the folded leaves. But, thoiigli " clouds and darkness are round about him, justice and judgment are the habitation of bis throne ; mercy and truth go before his face," Though these changes may seem casual, they are divinely appointed. Though they may appear uneven 'and irregular, they are all order and harmony. Though they may be misunderstood and misimproved, import- ant ends are to be answered by them all, in the cor- rection of the wicked, in the trial of the godly, in the glory of Him that worketh all in all. Happy will it be for us ^ we have principles and dispositions that will enable us to accommodate our- selves to all the varying dispensations of Divine Prov- idence, and to say with the Apostle, " I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound ; everywhere, and in all things, I am instructed both to be .full and to be hungry, both to aboiind and to suffer need." We left the Shunamite at a very interesting period. She had just received her dead child raised to life again, and was feeling that lively joy which arises more from the recovery than the continued possession of a valued blessing. But we must always rejoice with trembhng. The mountain never stands so THE SHUNAMITE. S5 strong but it may be moved; the sky wliicli serenity has cleared may again be overcast, and the clouds return after the rain. We are never out of the reach of disappointment in this vale of tears. We are vulnerable in our persons, in our connections, in our possessions. Innumerable troubles of a private or of a public nature, which no prudence could foresee, no diligence ward off, may frustrate our schemes, sepa- rate us from our friends, drive us from the bounds of our habitation, and compel us to go out, not know- ing whither we go. " I will bring the bhnd by a way that they knew not ; I will lead them in paths that they have not known : I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." After a few years of domestic tranquillity and en- joyment, the Shunamite is constrained to leave not only her own dwelling, but even her native country. Here we have an opportunity to drop a few words concerning removals in general. We are not abso- lutely confined to one spot. " The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;" and, as they laughed at his folly, in Terence, who said there was a much better moon at Athens than there was at Corinth, so it would be absurd to suppose that there is a better God in one place than in another. Where'er we seek him, he is found, And every place is hallowed ground. While place we seek, or place we shun, , The soul finds happiness in none ; But with a God, whose grace I know, 'Tis equal joy to stay or go. Could I but cast where thou art not, That were indeed a dreadful lot ; 36 LECTURE III. But regions none foi-loin I call, Secure of finding Thee in all. Yet removals should always be undertaken, not from fickleness and levity, but from proper and weiglity reasons. Some men are never fixed, but always rov- ing hitber and tbitber; and exemplify tbe proverb — "A rolling stone gatbers no moss." A tree often transplanted seldom radicates well, and its fruit is weak and sickly. It was tbe advice of a beatben, " Wbere tbou art well, keep tbyself well, lest tbinking to meet witb better, tbou findest worse." Many difficulties sbould surely be borne, before people tbink of emigrating from tbeir own country. Tbe risk is commonly great, botb as to profit and pleasure. Tbe representations of travellers are not always to be depended upon. How many of tbose wbo bave left England ("England ! witb all tby faults, I love tbee still "), and bave gone abroad, bave ruined tbemselves, and mourned tbeir inability to return. Witb few exceptions, Avbere Providence bas brougbt us fortb, and brougbt us up, we sbould be willing to abide, especially remembering wbo bas said — " Trust in tbe Lord, and do good, and dwell in tbe land, and verily tbou sbalt be fed." But necessity, bas no law. It was famine tbat drove tbe Sbunamite from ber own country. " Tben spake Ebsba unto tbe woman wbose son be bad restored to life, saying. Arise, and go, tbou and tbine bousebold, and sojourn wberesoever tbou canst sojourn ; for tbe Lord batb called for a famine ; and it sball also come upon tbe land seven years'." Tbis is one of tbe most dreadful arrows in God's quiver. Happily for us wbo bve in a land wbicb tbe Lord batb cared for, we are incapable of knowing tbe borrors of it from experience. THE SHUNAMITE. 87 But, ah! think what it would be if the heaven over you was "brass, and the earth nnder 3'ou was iron — if a proph- et like Joel should come and saj, " That which the palmer-worm hath left hath the locust eaten ; and that which the locust hath left hath the canker-worm eaten ; and that which the canker worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten. The meat-offering and the drink- offering is cut off from the house of the Lord ; the priests, the Lord's ministers, moui'n. The field is wasted, the land mourneth ; for the corn is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen ; howl, O ye vine-dress- ers, for the wheat and for the barley, because the har- vest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, and the fig-tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered; because joy is withered away from the sons of men. The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down for the corn is withered. How do the beasts groan ! the herds of cattle are perplexed, be- cause they have no pasture ; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate." Think what it would be to feed on roots and garbage, and animals the most offen- sive, and even human flesh, as delicious viands. It was this that gave rise to the pitiful lamentation, " They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger ; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own chfldren ; they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people." But observe how long this famine was to continue : 88 LECTUKE III. no less than seven years ! and secondly, see how it came ; " The Lord hath called for a famine," says Elisha. David has exjoressed himself in similar lan- guage — " Moreover, he called for a famine upon the land ; he brake the whole staff of bread." It is to in- timate what is clearly affirmed in other parts of Scrip- ture, that God is to be acknowledged in judgments as well as in mercies; and that, whatever may be the second cause, he is always the first. " Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?" " The inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good ; but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jeru- salem." Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work ; and I have created the waster to destroy." " Out of him came forth the ar- row, out of him the nail, out of him the battle-bow, out of him every oppressor together," It also shows us with what ease he can punish or destroy. He has but to speak and the judgment obeys his call. He has evils of every kind and of every degree awaiting his pleasure. He says to one come, and it cometh ; to another go, and it goeth. Their direction is unerringly prescribed; — ^their ob- jects are sj)ecified ; their continuance is limited; all they are commissioned to perform they Tuust exe- cute. " He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven ; and among the. inhabitants of the earth ; and none can stay his hand, or say unto Him, what docst thou?" One word from God would bring disease, and stop the progress of the most vic- torious army ;' one word from God would raise the stormy wind, and sink a navy like lead in the mighty THE SHUNAMITE. 89 ■waters. that we may feel our entire dependence upon God, and acknowledge Him in all our ways ; wliose eye is upon us, and we are not ! But look at this woman, and learn that it is as easy for God to save as to destroy. " The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation ;" while " he reserves the ungodly unto the day of judg- ment to be punished." Sometimes, indeed, his own people are involved in common calamities : he then indemnifies them in some other way ; and though they suffer with others, they do not suffer like them. But he has often interposed for their exemption, and sometimes he has appeared for them so sensibly as to constrain their enemies to acknowledge, that " verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth." Thu.s, Noah was saved and the world drowned. Thus, Lot was res- cued from the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus, in all the plagues inflicted by Moses, God put a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites. And thus, in the dreadful calamity that was coming upon Judea, and from which so many must have suffered and died, the Shunamite has a way made for her escape ; God informing the Prophet and the Prophet informing her : " Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn ; for the Lord hath called for a famine ; and it shall also come upon the land seven years." This Avas a trial of her faith. It is probable that at this season' there was no natural appearance of such a dearth ; and had the man of God addressed this to many, he would have seemed to them as one that mocked ; and they would have said, " Well, we'll 40 LECTUEE III. wait and try ; we shall do as well as others." But the Shunamite believed his word ; and, as faith can only be j)roved by works, she immediately acts according to his suggestion ; and taking a long farewell of home, she goes forth — " All the world before her, where to chose Her place of rest, and Providence her guide." The famine was not universal ; it did not rage in the neighboring country of the Philistines. Thither therefore she bends her steps, with her husband and her only child (who would ask many an artless question by the way) ; and looking to God for protection, she enters a land generally hostile to Israel, but she finds favor in their eyes. Though nothing is said of her while in this state of exile, we may be assured that her conduct was in character with her circumstances and her profession ; that the same principles which had enabled her to appear to advantage in every former trying scene, would qualify her to act properly in this new exi- gency ; that ghe would not faint in the day of adver- sity, but submit herself under the mighty hand of God, who could exalt her in due time ; that though ac- customed to ease and indulgence before, she would stoop to labor, and frugality, and self-denial ; that as in such a situation the eyes of many would be upon her, who would judge of her religion by her, she would be careful to give no offence, that the name of God should not be blasjihemed among the Gentiles by her means ; yea, to be useful, to recommend amiably her godliness to others, dropjDing occasional instruc- tion, and walking in wisdom towards them that were THE SIIUNAMITE. 41 without. This is what the Apostle enjoins upon all Christians — " That ye may be blameless and harm- less, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world ; holding forth the word of life ; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain." And Avho knows of what utility, during her residence among the Philistines, this woman was the instrument ? But the seven years are at length elapsed, and she thinks of returning home. She would doubtless re- turn with feelings very different from those with which she went forward. But alas ! we are oftener deceived on the side of our hopes than of our fears. She finds better entertainment among strangers and foreigners than among her own countrymen. Bitlier some persons had seized the estate by vio- lence, or probably those enlrusted with the manage- ment in her absence, had proved false, and would neither resign, nor come to any settlement. If the latter supposition bs true, it shows us what little principle there is in the world, and reminds us of Solo- mon's words : " Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint." However this may be, it furnishes us with another proof of the precariousness of treasure upon earth, where not only "moth and rust doth corrupt, but where thieves^ break through and steal." Well arc the rich called upon, not to " trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who givcth us richly all things to enjoy;" and "that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to com. 42 LECTURE III. municate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come." For ^e l^iow " not what evil shall be upon the earth." It is well, therefore, to have something certain to look to in distress, and this may be secured by benevolence and liberality ; for " blessed is he that considers the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble." " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." " He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord ; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." Nothing is like making Provi- dence our banker. Nothing is like our securing his blessing and friendship, who has all hearts in his hands, and all events under his control. While the Shunamite had property, she did good with it, and she had no reason to repent. She was vfell paid for her accommodation of the Prophet, in the gift and resurrection of her son, in keeping herself and her family alive in famine, and in the recovery of her estate. This is the event that concludes her history, and it is a ver3'^ instructive one. " She went forth to cry unto the King for her house and for her land " — and behold the marvellousness of the occurrence. " The King was talking with Gehazi of all the great things which Blisha had done," at the very time the woman approached with her suit, yea, at the very time when she herself happened to be the subject of conver- sation. " And it came to pass, as he was telling the King how he had restored a dead body to life, that behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the King for her lioiise, and for her land. And Gehazi said. My Lord, King, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life." THE SHUNAMITE. 43 Upon this consideration of circumstances depended tlie immediate recovery of her property and arrears. " And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain of&cer, say- ing, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now." Everything in our world is providential. Our Saviour teaches us that nothing is beneath His notice, however minute. A sparrow falleth not to the gTound without our Heavenly Father ; and the hairs of our head are all numbered. But besides the' ordinary course of Providence, there are two classes of occurrences men- tioned often in the Scripture. The one is miraculous^ the other is what we call eventful. The former is con- trary to the laws of nature, or above them ; the latter is not an immediate effect produced by an exertion of divine power, but a display of wisdom taking things as they are, and giving them a jDcculiar union and result. In a word, though it be not miraculous, it is marvellous, and shows much of the agency of God ; and this sort of occurrences concerns us more than the miraculous. For miracles have ceased, but God continues to rule over all ; and by his secret influence can so direct persons, circumstances, and events, as to make tliem easily work together for our good. This being premised, observe how critical was this moment for the Shunamite. The king talking with Gehazi, and Gehazi talking of her. Shall we call this chance, fortune, luckiness ? How much depended upon Joseph's elevation ; even the salvation of Egypt and of his fathers house. This depended upon his interpretation of Pharaoh's dream. This depended 44 LECTURE III. upon liis imprisonment with the chief butler and baker. This depended upon his being a servant in Potiphar's house. But all depended upon his life ; and how came he to be saved alive ? His brethren hated him, and when he comes into the field thej agree to murder him. But one little circumstance diverted them from their purpose — " And they sat down to eat bread : and they hfted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, what profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood ? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him ; for he is our brother, and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites, merchantmen ; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver ; and they brought Joseph into Egypt." Was their passing by at this moment, and in this part of the plain, accidental? Moses was doomed to perish by a cruel edict. Three months his mother hid the fair child ; but " when she could no longer hide hun, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein ; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's sid-e ; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child ; and behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, this is one of the Hebrews' cliildren." What THE SHUNAMITE. 45 brought her down at this j uncture, and to this ver}'' spot ? When we consider Moses as a historian, a lawgiver, a dehverer ; and that all' — his life, his gi'oatness — all was suspended upon these circumstances, can we suppose that the circumstances were contingent ? David's first fame was derived from his carrying victuals to his brethren in the army ; and from his arrival, just at the time when the Philistines came forth and defied the armies of the living God, and they fled back from his approach. Saul pursued after him in the wilderness of Maon ; " And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain ; and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul ; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about, to take them. But there C3,me a mes- senger unto Saul, saying. Haste thee, and come ; for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore, Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines ; therefore they called that place Sela-hamma-lekoth." Upon what hangs Mor- decai's elevation ? Upon an hour's restlessness. " On that night could not the king sleep ; and he com- manded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king." Forty men had banded together, and bound themselves under a curse that they should not eat or drink till they had killed Paul. He was delivered, not by miracle, but by the report of his sister's son, who had casually heard the scheme of the assassins. And who, in the course of a few years, has not met with , some remarkable incidents of this nature ? Though it is not necessary to publish them, yet we should do well to remember them, for the purposes 46 LECTURE III. of gratitude and encouragement. " He that will observe Providences will never want Providences to observe," says an old divine ; and says David, " Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." Eli- jah's receiving his food by ravens was miraculous, and so was the multiplication of the widow's oil ; but is not the hand of God to be seen in giving us day by day our daily bread, in giving us skill to seize opportunities and advantages, in raising us up friends, in bringing us relief from very unlikely sources? Thus far we have traced the history of this female worthy. More we should have been glad to know respecting her, but the Scripture now becomes silent. We have seen that she was "a great woman" even in circumstances. But this vv^as the least part of her praise, and no part of her character. She did not derive her importance from external pageantry, from rank, or fortune, but from personal and religious endowments. Her goodness is not, like her greatness, expressly mentioned. This was to be read in her life, in her temper, in her actions ; and there it has undeniably appeared. I have held up the picture ; and while I wish you to observe the whole figure, you cannot fail to observe particular features — her kindness, her discre- tion, her contentment, her faitli, her self-possession, her obedience to the leg-dings of Providence. These excellencies are seen in her, not separately and inde- pendently, but aiding each other, and blending together like the colors in the rainbow, to make a beautiful whole. THE SHUNAMITE. 47 She shines by not seeking to shine. There is nothing eccentric in her motions. She does not throw herself out of her own proper sphere of action ; she never despises the duties of relative, and domestic, and common life. She not only attends to the sub- stance of duty, but to all its decencies^ to all the pro- prieties of time and place and manner. But she was not untried — and we are glad she was not. A person that pa.^ed through the world smoothly and without changes, would be a poor insipid character, and a poor unedifying example. Polishing is the effect of friction. The Son of God himself was " made perfect through suffering," and the afflictions of his peoj^le " work out for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Much of the excellency of this woman was derived from her difficulties ; her graces, like the stars, shining in and by the darkness of the night. My female readers, " be not slothful, but followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises." And bo not discouraged ; what she was, why may not you become ? With Him is the resi- due of the Spirit, " who gives to all liberally, and upbraideth not." And though, in your resemblance of her, your name may not be published to the world or handed down to future generations, yet be sure that unos- tentatious goodness in your circumstances will not wholly escape the notice of others, while it will be recorded in a book of remembrance, and acknowl- edged before an assembled imiverse. The Judge of worth estimates actions, not accord- ing to bulk and splendor, but according to their 48 ' LECTURE III. utility, their importance, and the humble and self-deny- ing principles from which they are performed ; and in his view, a female moving along the vale of life, filling up her station with cheerfulness and decorum, and discharging duties which, though they are com- mon and seem little, are the most essential to the welfare and happiness of the human race, is worthy of more praise than a Semiramis or a Zenobia, ruling nations, heading armies, and lauded to the skies. LECTURE IV. MAEY MAGDALENE. PAET I. Mary, called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils. Luke, viii. 2. This female, it has commonly been supposed, was a woman of infamy, and the sinner who in the house of the Pharisee washed the Saviour's feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head ; and hence it is that a place in our own metropolis, appropriated to an unhappy class of beings, is named after her, and called " The Magdalene." If we do not accede to this conclusion, it is not from a wish to be singular, or from a disposition that seems offended at the sovereignty of divine goodness. For has he not a right to do what he will with his own ? and is our eye evil because he is good ? "If God, willing to make his power known," and " to show the exceeding riches of his grace," sometimes calls the vilest of the vile, it surely becomes us to adore the author, and to congratulate the subject of such a wonderful salvation. But it is because we ought not to believe without evidence ; and th'ere is no evidence, 3 60 LECTUEE IV. whatever, to prove tliat she was such a character as she has generally been imagined. She was of Magdala, and all we know of her con- cerns her singular affliction ; the regard she paid to her deliverer ; and the honor she received from him. Her affliction is expressed by her having "seven devils." This is several times mentioned as something well known, and by which she was distinguished. The question is, what does the expression import ? Some suppose that she was possessed with a num- ber of real individual personages or beings, called demons. According to them, about the time of our Saviour's . incarnation, evil spirits were permitted to inhabit even the bodies of men, in order to render his dominion over the powers of darkness more obvious ; and to show, by sensible instances, that he came to " destroy the works of the devil." Much has been said in favor of this notion, and it has been defended principally by two arguments. First, that, in several places, the possessed of devils are distinguished from all other patients ; and second^, that things were uttered by them, implying consciousness and intelli- gence, which could not have proceeded from any who were only physically diseased. Others have been disposed to inquire, how the phrase was understood by those among whom it was originally and familiarly used. Now, say they, it is certain that the Jews were accustomed to personify mental and bodily quahties, and that they employed the Avords " evil spirit," and " devil," to signify any noted malady or grievous infirmity. Thus, Saul's mprbid melancholy was called an " evil spirit, and which, therefore, music drove away. MARY MAGDALENE. 51 Eeferring to what they judged the mopish and ill-na- tured reserve and abstemiousness of John, his enemies said, "He hath a devil." With regard to the supposed extravagance of our Saviour, the Scribes and Pha- risees said, "He hath a devil, and is mad ; why hear ye him?" And, regarding the woman bowed down with a spirit of infirmity, our Lord says, " Ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath-day ?" For it was sup- posed that, as Satan was the first introducer of evil and the original of all misery, so he exercised a peculiar agency still, in the production of evils, as was seen in the story of Job's successive inflic- tions. The word " seven devils " means not a precise and certain, but a large and an indefinite number; and hence we see in what a state of dreadful suffering and peril this woman was found laboring. But from this complication of evils and maladies, our Saviour had delivered her ; nor was she insensible of the obligations she was under to his pity and power on her behalf. "We read of her, therefore, " with Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many other women," as " ministering unto him of their substance." This, with regard to our Saviour himself, implies indigence and dependence. He who " was rich for our sakes became poor "^ — so poor as that, while " foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests, the Son of man had not where to lay his head " — so poor as to be a pensioner, suppHed by the very creatures he made and sustained. 62 LECTURE IV. With regard to Mary, this reminds us of three things : — 1st, Of lier condition in life. She was a woman of " substance." A very few of such adhered to our Lord in the days of his flesh ; and in no age of the Church have they been numerous. To them his cause has never been greatly indebted, and they have seldom done so much for its support and spread as the lower classes and common people. Their mode of life often disables them. They live up to their means, if not beyond them. They are not satisfied with a decent and allowable distinction from the vul- gar. They must be fine and splendid — others must not outshine them. The same system also must be perpetuated in their family ; and hence so much anxiety to lay up for the children. It is lamentable to think that a small part of what is often wasted in dress and furniture, in table luxury and fashionable amusement, would be sufficient to evangelize a vil- lage, support a school for the children of the needy, succor the poor who are ready to perish, and make the widow's heart to sing for joy. Secondly, It reminds us of Mary's generosity and liberality. She was aware of the design and value of property. She answered the claims, and enjoyed the pleasure of benevolence. She did good, was "rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate." Thirdly, It shows her gratitude. Her liberality, indeed, in this case, was not so much charity, as a proper return for the benefits she had received from her Lord. What was a little property to the free- dom, and ease, and health, and enjoyment to which MARY MAGDALENE. 53 she was now restored ? Had lier maladies continued, liow mncli Avould she have expended upon hired at- tendants, useless remedies, and physicians of no value ? If religion makes frequent calls on the liberality of Christians, Christians should remember Avhat demands it has upon them. How much do we owe to it, even as to temporal good things, for " godliness has the promise of the life that now is," as well as " of that which is to come." Had not the Gospel taught them to ab- stain from vices which consume property, and ener- vate the constitution ; induced them to nise early instead of wasting their strength by lying late in bed, and to be active and diligent instead of being slothful and self-indulgent — what poor creatures might they have been, and how much of what they now possess might they have expended in vanity and vexation of spirit. But where have I led you ? Mary was under greater obligations to her Lord and Saviour than what were derived from her bodily deliverance. He had saved her soul with an everlasting salvation ; he had blessed her with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places ; he had numbered her with his saints, and admitted her into the household of faith ; — and would not his love in all this, constrain her to live not to herself but to him ? Come forward. Christian, and tell us what he has done for thy soul. Has he not delivered thee from the wrath to come ? Has he not freed thee from the bondage of 'corruption, and brought thee into the glorious liberty of his children? Has he not called thee to inherit a kingdom prepared before the foun- dation of the world ? Has he not redeemed thee by his precious blood? And is he not ever living to 64 LECTUKE IV. make intercession for thee, and to make all things work together for thj good ? And will you refase him a little pecuniary assistance ? What ought to be the one question with you, but " What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me?" and what your resolution, but — AH that I am and all I have, Shall be for ever tbiue ; Whate'er my duty bids me give, My cheerful bauds resign. Yet, if I might make some reserve, And duty did not call, I love my God with zeal so great. That I should give him all. But you ask, can we " minister" to him now ? Had I lived when he was upon earth, I would gladly have shown him every token of regard, I would have pressed him to my dwelling, and I would have made every sacrifice to meet not only his wants but his desires. Well, he is still in the world ; not indeed corpo- really, yet in such a manner as to try and prove the sincerity of your professed affection. Look to his church, look to his ministers, look to his members, look to his poor, and hear him say, "he that receiveth these receiveth me ;" " inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me." He who cured Mary by a miracle, could, by the exertion of the same power, have easily maintained himself without her ministrations ; but he was pleased to be indebted to her bounty, and to make the relief she dispensed, the means of dignifying her charajcter. And thus it is now. He is Almighty, and indepen- dent of us in his resources, bvit not in his dispensations MARY MAGDALENE. 55 and condescension. He could fulfd his designs and carry on his work without us ; but he chooses to engage and employ us, for our sakes rather than his own ; to evince our dispositions, to exercise our tal- ents, to improve our graces, and to honor and reward our services. But we are led to view this female not only as a grateful and generqus^ontributgrjo his support, but Y as an attendant on his ministry. " He vv^ent through- out every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God ; and the twelve were with him, and certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities ;" and the first of the number is said to be Mary, called Magda- lene." We cannot wonder at this part of her conduct. Who would not, if it had been in their power, have followed such a teacher whithersoever he went, hang- ing upon his lips, and wondering at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth? Yet this part of her conduct is, perhaps, liable to an exception- able kind of imitation. It may be necessary there- fore to observe that there was something peculiar in this case. The excitement was extraordinary, " never man spake like this man," Our Lord was near to justify her. Mary was a woman of property, and it would seem had no family ties ; nor is it likely that she thus always attended our Saviour, but only on particular and occasional excursions. However this may be, we -are sure that her example is not recorded to sanction those females who are idle, wandering about .from house to house, even in religious habitudes, and roving after favorite preachers, to the neglect of common and relative duties. Eccentric zeal is 66 LECTURE IV. commonly more hurtful than beneficial ; public and ostentatious actions are much more to be suspected than the regular sober engagements of our stations ; which, being performed without notice, require prin- ciple to produce them. In the course of my own observation, I have met with females whose zeal has exceeded their discretion ; they have been led astray by their favorite preachers ; and through their un- seasonable absences from home, and the frequency and lateness of their services, they have injured maternal economy, disaffected the minds of their husbands, deranged domestic order, and caused their good to be evil spoken of. Yet when reproved, they have resented it ; and when reproached, they have considered them- selves as suffering for righteousness' sake. The Lord preserve you from errors on the right hand as well as on the left ; may he teach and enable you to " walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise ;" and may " your love abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that you may approve things that are excellent," and be not only " sincere," but " without offence till the day of Christ." Mary attended our Saviour in his last journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, and was a mournful spectator of his crucifixion, " Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopha^ and Mary Magdalene." These good women were not there with any view to his deliverance ; for what in silch a case could they have effected? — but to sympathize with him, to observe his behavior, to hear and record his dying words, and to show how willing they were to be known as his followers, and to suffer with him. MARY MAGDALENE. 67 And herein tliey appear to peculiar advantage : for when all tlie disciples, (except John, and he at first fled,) had forsaken their Lord, tli£sc females were not deterred bj the dreadfulnoss of the scene, the re- proaches of the priests and scribes, or the furj of the populace. What affection and courage were here ! and one of these was produced by the other ; for " per- fect love casteth out fear." In difficult duties and trials, much depends upon conviction, but more upon affection. " Love is strong as death — many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." Our Saviour has now yielded up the ghost, and w^e find Mary Magdalene one of the few who attended his burial. For when Joseph had gone "to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus, he took it down and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid ;" and " the women, also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after ^ and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid, and they returned and prepared spices and ointments." This was in order to embalm his precious corpse. The action was of a mixed nature. It was expressive of attachment, but it betrayed a want of reflection and faith. Had they remembered the language of David's prophecy, had they believed what he himself had often told them, that he should rise again the third day, they would not have thought of embalming him who could see no corruption. But " a bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax will he not quench." He will not cast away his people for their imperfections. He look- eth to the heart, and in their endeavors to honor him, he pardons the evil and accepts the good. Mary's 3* 58 LECTURE IV. conduct, therefore, notwithstanding its infirmity and error, is recorded with approbation. Nothing can be -more interesting than the remain- ing passages of her history, but the review of these must be reserved to another opportunity. In the meantime keep in memory what you have received, and be experimental and practical proofs, that " whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." — " Be ye not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." LECTURE V. MARY MAGDALENE. PAET II. Now when Jesus was riseu early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. — Maek, xvi. 9. We now resume the history of this extraordinary female. We have seen her our Lord's patient, and delivered by him from a tremendous calamity. We have seen her grateful, and ministering to his temporal wants. We have seen her a zealous attendant on his ministry, an heroical spectator of his death, and a deep mourner at his burial. Let us now proceed. Mary sleeps, but her heart waketh, and she is up early, and " at the sepulchre while it is yet dark." This was the first day of the week, and the first Christian Sabbath, called the " Lord's Day," in memory of his rising from the dead and resting from his work of redemption, as God did from his work pf creation ; and equally and infinitely deserving to be pronounced " very good." Since then, how many of these all-important seasons have revolved. 60 LECTUEE V. Fifty-two of tliese " days of the Son of man " have annually returned. How many, then, in 1853 years, have blessed the world ! And in these ninety-six thousand, three hundred and fifty-six sabbaths, how many prayers have been offered, how many praises have been sung, how many words of eternal life have been delivered, how many have been turned from darkness to light, and what signs and wonders have been done " in the name of the holy child Jesus :" — and how many, encouraged, refreshed, and strengthened in the way everlasting, have " called the Sabbath a de- light, the holy of the Lord, honorable," and have gratefully and adoringly said, " This is the day the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it !" Mary leads us back to the very commencement of the first of this immense and all-important series. Early as she was at the sepulchre, some one had been there before her, for " she saw Jihe stone taken away." This had occasioned her great anxiety as she was coming ; but when arrived she saw how groundless her apprehensions had been. This is not the only instance in which the followers of Christ have found things better than their forebodings and fears. Duties, in prospect and imagination deemed impracticable, and trials insupportable, have been easily performed and endured, when the proper and actual season came. " All these things are against me," said Jacob, when all were working together for him ; and after awhile, he found it as clear as it w'as true. The Lord gives grace to help in time of need, according to the prom- ise, " as thy days so shall thy strength be." Without stopping to make any inquiry, and taking it for granted that the body was removed, either by MARY MAGDALENE. 61 fiiends or foes, " slie runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him." Why did she not think that probably or pos- sibly he might be risen ? But she is disconcerted and disturbed by the very thing that naturally and ob- viously tended to convince and comfort her. It is easy to imagine how strangely this would ap- pear to herself afterwards. But in a cloudy and dark day, and while the mind is under the pressure of some powerful gTief, such perplexing thoughts arise, and such improbable conclusions are drawn, as render us, in review and reflection, a wonder to ourselves. " I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes ; nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplica- tion when I cried unto thee." What was the effect of her communication ? " Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together : and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre." It is j)leasing to observe, that though Peter had sadly denied his Lord, he has not forsaken the com- pany of the disciples, neither is he forsaken by them. The Saviour had looked upon him not only with an eye of reproof, but of compassion, and melted him into repentance ; and his disciples had imbibed his temper, and were disposed to " restore a brother overtaken in a fault, in the spirit of meekness, considering them- selves lest they also should be tempted." It is worthy also of notice, how constantly we find Peter and John connected in the sacred history. 62 LECTUEE V. What was the reason of their peculiar intimacy? Each of them had a brother among the apostles ; but " there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Attachments often depend on things which are not easily described or accounted for, or even ascertained. It is commonly supposed that those who attract each other and unite, must resemble each other. But Peter and John seem to have been more dissimilar than any other two of the apostles. Yet may not .this very circumstance have been one of the causes of their peculiar union and fellowship ? Peter knew that the excellencies of John were opposed to his own imperfections, and would tend to meet and rec- tify them. And this leads us to remark how God varies his gifts, and how different are the endowments of good men. John was more contemplative, Peter more active ; John was more patient and affectionate, Peter more eager and severe ; John was the eye, Peter the hand ; John outruns Peter, Peter outbraves John ; John looks into the sepulchre, Peter enters. " Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself." Here is an example of doing everything decently and in order ; but we principally remark from hence, the improbability of the pretence of his enemies that the body was taken away . There may be robbers of tombs ; but wouM they steal the corpse and leave the apparel, especially if it were fine linen ? Would they not rather carry away MARY MAGDALENE. 63 the body in its grave clothes than naked. Yet if they did strip the body, would they, in such circumstances of haste and fear, fold them up and place them in sepa- rate positions ? And herein we see the inaptitude and backward- ness of the disciples to believe the Saviour's resurrec- tion. So far were they from being credulous as to that auspicious event, they seemed not to have thought of it. And we here find that even Peter and John, after their inspection of the grave, left it, concluding that all was over. " Then the disciples went away again unto their own home." Not so Mary. She did not, could not leave the in- spiring spot. " Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping." How natural was this sorrow at the thought of his sufferings, and the loss she had sustained of his presence by his death, and now even of his sacred body by wickedness and fraud. And does she weep and seek in vain ? " And as she wept, she stoop- ed down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain." We say nothing of the number, the attire, or the at- titude, of these angels ; but you may ask, how was it that Peter and John, when they looked into the sepul- chre, did not see them as well as Mary ? To which we answer, that those heavenly beings can render them- selves visible and invisible at pleasure ; they also act under authority, for though they " excel in strength," they "do his commandments, hearkening, unto the voice of his word ;" and they were now directed only to encourage and comfort Mary. 64 LECTURE V. Hence they immediately and kindly inquire into her distress — " Woman, wliy weepest thou ?" One naturally expects, as in the various instances of old, that Mary would have been not only surprised but terrified at the sight and dress of these celestial visit- ants ; but we find nothing of this in her ; and what would more fully j)rove our remark, her mind was so wholly absorbed in her present concern, that no oc- currence, however extraordinary, could divert her from it. She therefore replies — " Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him," Still, here is no thought of his resurrec- tion ! But, ! Mary, does thy distress yet continue ? Can no creature satisfy thee ? Will not even angels serve as a substitute for thy Lord and Saviour ? Art thou saying — "Whom have I in heaven but him? and there is none on earth that I desire besides him. Where is he whom my soul loveth?" Thou shalt soon find him. She has hardly answered these heavenly messengers, before she hears the tread of some one behind her ; and "turning herself back, she saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus." The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and often does for them more than they ask or think. Mary only inquires for his dead body, and, lo ! the living Saviour himself appeared ! Thus he may be near us, and even with us, and we not be aware of his presence. To account for Mary's ignorance, we have only to reflect that her mind was filled with grief, that her eyes were suffused with tears, and that he appeared MARY MAGDALENE. 65 in a dress he had never worn before. But if Mary does not know him, he knows her, and says unto her, " Woman, why wcepest thou ? whom scekest thou ?" But did he not know? He had seen her early ap- proach ; he had witnessed her sighs as she surveyed the sepulchre. Yes, he perfectly knew Mary's grief and Mary's desire, but he would know them from herself. He knows all our sins and their aggrava- tions better than we do, but he requires us to confess them ; and he knows all our wants and their circum- stances better than we ourselves do, but he requires us to express them, that we may be affected by them, and be prepared for the display of his mercy and grace. These words were the first he spoke when he arose from the dead, and they showed that he rose with the same heart with which he died ; and that, though he had begun to enter into his glory, he had not forgotten his followers on earth. But " she supposed him to be the gardener." The mistake was not wonderful. She was now in a gar- den, and. it was likely that a rich man like Joseph would have a man to dress it, and who might be early at his work. But what does she mean when she saj'S — " Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." She could not do this personally, and she was not sure of doing it by means of others. Would not his enemies have opposed it? Would Joseph, who had begged the body, and lodged it in his own tomb, have bfeen willing to allow it ? And what would she have done with the corpse, had her wish 66 LECTURE V. been fulfilled ? Here we see the nature and force of love. Fear says — " there's a lion in the way, I shall be slain in the street ;" but love overlooks difficul- ties, judges of success by wish or endeavor, and seems to think of nothing but its achievement It is said, " The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits;" and from the darings of faith and zeal they have accomplished a thousand things which indolence and cowardice would have deemed no better than madness or presumption. Our Lord would now manifest himself to her ; and the manner in which he does this is the most simple, suitable, and striking. He does not chide her for any of her mistakes, nor does he break forth in the rays of his glory. Great emotions are dangerous — our frame cannot bear excessive excitement. When the news of the surrender of Oornwallis and his army was announced, the doorkeeper of the American congress fell down dead. When Gabriel appeared to Daniel, " My comeliness," says Daniel, "was turned in me to corruption, and I retained no strength." The Saviour might have shown himself in a way that would have deprived Mary of the use of her sense and reason. He, therefore, says enough just to awaken attention, and gently set her mind in motion without overpowering her. He uses only one word, and this was not his own name, but hers. — "Jesus saith unto her, Maryy This mildly and yet completely discovers him as the speaker, for she knows his voice, and could say with the church, " It is the voice of my beloved." This may, in a measure, be physicallj accounted for. The aperture of the voice in the throat, though so MARY MAGDALENE. 67 small in diameter, is capable of issuing numberless sounds, not two of whicli are perfectly alike. Hence persons are recognized by the voice as well as by the sigbt. When Joseph made himself known to his brethren, saying, " I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt," it is probable they remembered his voice, though they had not heard it for more than twenty years. I have known instances of vocal recognitions of a longer date. Mary had often heard the Saviour in public and in private ; and would she ever forget the accents of those lips into which " grace was poured," or the manner of one " who spake as never man spake " ? A circumstance is noticed here which seems more distinctly to recall to mind this affecting scene. Mary " turned herself," as she had done before, when she supposed she saw the gardener. Her doing this again shows that she had in the meantime resumed her first posture, and was still gazing with weeping eyes towards the sepulchre. It appears, too, that the moment she recognized the Saviour, she was filled with unutterable sentiments ; she cried, " Rabboni ; which is to say. Master," and she fell at his feet to embrace them and adore. But " Jesus saith unto her. Touch me not ; for I am not yet as- cended to my Father : but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father ; and to my God, and your God." This prohibition was in a great measure personal and temporary ; for we find that when he appeared to the -women who were fleeing from the sepulchre, they were permitted to embrace him ; " they came 68 LECTURE V. and held Mm by tlie feet, and worshipped him." This was allowed them to calm their minds and re- move their terror, for they were sore afraid. But Mary was- not under such alarm, and her grief was dispersed by his calling her by name. The circum- stances of an action so exceedingly vary, that what is proper for one person, place, or season, may be improper for another. The prohibition of Mary was founded on two things. The one was that the Saviour was not immediately ascending, and she would have other opportunities of doing him homage. The other, that the state of his disciples was such, that it was necessary for them to be assured of his resurrection without delay, and therefore she should prefer usefulness to indulgence. What a disposition does this discover in our Lord and Saviour. He pleased not himself; he preferred the consolation of his disciples to tJie personal honor he was going to receive. We also admire Mar}^. She submits without rea- soning or complaint. It is enough for her to know that he is alive, and that she has an opportunity to prove her regard to his authority. " Mary Magda- lene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her." Let us learn, like her, to do his will implicitly, denying ourselves, and " looking not every man on his own things, but every man also upon the things of others," and especially the things that are Jesus Christ's. To conclude, all this should animate and encourage us. We are assured, not by promises only, but by examples, that if we seek him he will be found of us ; MARY MAGDALENE. 69 that though for awhile we may be perplexed and afflicted, the Lord will in due time appear to our joy, and we shall not be ashamed. Thus we see this woman sowing in tears and reap- ing in joy. She was the first that saw the Lord after he rose from the dead ; the first that heard him speak ; the first that published liis resurrection. She was. N/ therefore an apostle to his apostles. With propriety, therefore, have we brought her so largely under your review, as a character whom the Lord delighted to honor. But you will observe, that though God's grace is sovereign, his rewards are conferred according to an established order, and this is the law of the house, — " To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly." " Then shall we know, if we fol- low on to know the Lord." Mary had not only been distinguished by her afflic- tion and deliverance, but by her devotedness to the Saviour, by her fortitude and constancy, and by her zeal in his service. And we know who hath said, " Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." Finally, what a paradise must this garden have been to Mary. Could she ever disregard or forget the spot, or the interview she there enjoyed ? Yet she soon had another and a nobler interview, when she saw huu, not trembling at the mouth of the grave, but with every tear wiped from her eyes ; he in his glory, and she ever with the Lord. And such an interview awaits all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity ; for though " it doth not yet 70 LECTURE V. appear wliat tliej shall be," this they " know that when he shall appear, they shall be like him, for they shall see him as he is." Happy he who can say, " As for me, I will be- hold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness." LECTURE VI. HANNAH. PART I. And she said, O my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the •woman that stood by thee here, prayhig unto tlie Lord. For this child I prayed ; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him.— 1 Sam., i. 26, 27. To know persons completely, it is necessary to view them in various situations and conditions. Character is not only displayed by trials, but it very much results from them. Both prosperity and ad- versity are states of acknowledged temptation ; and few can equally encounter such opposite dangers. Few are equally furnished with " the armor of righteous- ness on the right hand and on the left," and through honor and dishonor, evil report and good report, hopes disappointed and wishes accomplished, can alike maintain their heavenly principles, and glorify God in their body and spirit, which are his. But the wisdom that is from above can teach this difficult lesson-; and under its divine influence persons have been enabled to accommodate themselves to every varying scene ; in affliction they have not been swallowed up by overmuch sorrow, and in success and indulgence they have not been exalted above 72 LECTURE VI. measure. Troubles have issued in prayer, and mer- cies have gendered confidence and praise. Of this Paul is an illustrious example — " For," said he, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound ; everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Another instance of this attainment is now to pass under our review, in this brief but interesting history of Hannah. Let us know her heart's bitterness, and intermeddle with her joy. She first comes before us in circumstances of dis- appointment and mortification. Her affliction was aggravated by reproach, for " her adversary provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb." But who was this adversary ? She was one of her own household, for Elkanah, her husband, had two wives. Hannah seems to have been the first; but as she afforded no offspring, he probably took Peninnah, in hopes of supplying the deficiency. Abraham had done this with regard to Sarah ; and what was the consequence ? We now see the effects of his unbelief, and impatience, and of turn- ing aside to crooked ways, instead of walking uprightly. And in the case before us, was the conduct of Elkanah justified by the result ? Let us read and see. In the days of Malachi this evil practice abounded ; and observe how the prophet speaks of it. " The Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherous- HANNAH. 73 ly ; yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one ? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one ? That he might seek a godl}- seed." Here Ave find that mar- riage was originally confined to a single j)air ; and we see the reason. It was not from want of power or kindness in God. He could ha\;e made more than one Eve for Adam, and would have done it had his welfare required it. But it was because of the advan- tage derivable from- individual union, especially with regard to the children who should arise from it, and be trained up in the- nurture and admonition of the Lord. And our Saviour in answering the question of the disciples said, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your -wives : but from the beginning it was not so," clearly deciding that polygamy Avas never a duty, but a permission ; and that' the permission was a stigma on their national character, and did not alter the nature of the evil itself. Suppose polygamy was not prohibited by precept, or condemned by penalty, there would surely be enough against it ; if it can be proved in- expedient, unreasonable, injurious, pernicious to the welfare of children, subversive of the order, and peace, and happiness of families. Hannah's adversary seems peculiarly unprincipled and ill-disposed. A noble mind is always generous and sympathizing. If it possesses any exclusive ad- vantages, it will not be forward to display and boast of them ; and if it sees a fellow creature in a humbler situation, it will not labor to increase his sense of deficiencies, but rather to diminish and soften it. But Peninnah delights in another's pain and humilia- 4 74 LECTURE VI. tion. She values herself on what implies no merit, and derides another for that which is purely her mis- fortune and affliction. " The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." But we may observe, that though envy loves to ex- pose the defects of another, it springs from his excel- lencies or advantages, and feeds upon some real or imaginary privilege. Accordingly, we are here inform- ed of the occasion of this woman's present malevolence. It is well known that at the Jewish festivals a part of the victims offered in sacrifice was allowed to the offerer, upon which he and his family and friends afterwards feasted. At this season Elkanah treated Hannah with pecuHar attention and distinction. " And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave t-j Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daugh- ters, portions ; but unto Hannah he gave a worth j- portion." It is called in the margin a double portion. To give such portion was a usage expressive of great preference. It has been asked, was the marked partiality in this case justifiable ? Some have been disposed to commend, and others to blame. There is a considerable difference between the feeling and the expression of partiality ; the one is much more in our power than the other. The display of it is commonly prejudicial to the object. Who does not remember the " coat of many colors" ? I have more than once seen a bird distinguished by a piece of red ribbon ; and no sooner flying off than pursued and assaulted by some of the same species till beaten to the ground. The blame we attach to a man is not always so much for acting wrong, as for bringing himself into HANNAH. 75 circumstances and conditions which will hardly allow of his acting right. Piety says, " In all thy ways ac- knowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths ;" and Prudence says, " Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established." Elkanah forgets this, and his folly fixes him in a state* that leaves him not the possibility of escaping evil and reproach. His partiahty seemed demanded, and yet it draws upon the favorite fresh trouble, and increased insults from her rival, whose sous and daughters would naturally follow the example of the mother. "It is better to dwell in the corner of the house-top, than with a brawl- ing woman, and in a wide house." " Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." What then must this good man feel, to find his spirit ruffled even in his religious exercises, and domestic strifes and contentions indidged under the eye of God, and in the service of the sanctuary ? What could Peninnah think of approaching the altar of the God of peace and love with a temper full of envy and malice, and a tongue " set on fire of hell" ? How much better is omission than perversion, and neglect than inconsistency ? Shall blessing and curs- ing proceed out of the same mouth ? " Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools : for they consider not that they do evil." " There- fore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest' that thy brother hath aught against thee ; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." "I will, therefore, that men pray 76 LECTURE VI. everywhere, liftiDg np holy hands without wrath and doubting." Year after year Hannah had been accustomed to bear all this provocation, and till now she seems to have endured it patiently. But where is the mind that always continues in one frame ? Where, unless in him who was " fairer than the children of men," do we find grace that never declines in kind or degree ? It is much to the honor of Hannah that even now her temper is calm, and that she renders not railing for railing; but her tender spirit at last begins to sink, and her full heart to break. " Therefore she wept, and did not eat. Then said Elkanah, her husband, to her, Hannah, why weepest thou ? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons ?" But soothing as this was, it produced no effect. She therefore " rose up ;" and whither does she go ? She repairs to the temple, and gives herself unto prayer. " God is known in his palaces for a refuge ;" and every experienced be- •liever will say — In every new distress, I'll to his house repair ; I'll think upon his wondrous grace, And seek deliverance there. Observe the difference of persons in trouble. Natu- ral men — men of the world — in their affliction, commonly flee to creatures, either to accuse them as the instruments of their sufferings, or to derive from them the means of their relief. But a man taught irom above avoids both these evils. Instead of HANNAH. 77 quarrelling with instruments, he says, " It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." And in- stead of depending upon creature comforters, he says, " Therefore will I look unto the Lord ; I will wait for the God of my salvation ; m}^ God will hear me." "Is an}" afflicted?" sa^-s James, "let him pray." Pra3"er brings us into the presence of God ; and inter- course with him checks every evil passion, calms the troubled breast, and brings the mind into a state of preparedness for every dispensation. And while it is thus useful by its exercise^ what may we not hope for from its answers ? For he " never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain." Who has not entered this sanctuary ? Who has not tried this resource ? Who has not ascertained its success ? Who has not said, "It is good for me to draw near to God?" To return to Hannah. " And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore." The following circumstances attending this prayer are recorded, and worthy of attention : — First^ It was accompanied with a vow, expressed in language the most suitable and pious. " And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then I will give hini tmto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head." Are we desiring anything of God ? We ought to think of /«*?», as well as of ourselves. It is thus we pray according to his .will, and then we may know that he heareth us. But many " ask and receive not, because 78 ' LECTURE VI. they ask amiss, that tliej may consume it upon their lusts." Many never look beyond their own accom- modation and indulgence, and therefore there is nothing conditional in their importunity. But a good man has always a reserve in his desires as to all temporal things. He refers himself to the divine wis- dom for the propriety of the success of his petitions, and cannot desire to be gratified unless God is glorified. And he wishes God not only to be glorified in his trials, but also honored in all his blessings. Therefore, if he has wealth, he will inquire how it can be sancti- fied ; if he has genius, how it can be employed ; if he has children, how he may train them up in the fear and service of God. Secondly^ Observe the manner of her devotion. " And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart ; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard ; therefore Eli thought she had been drunken." This implies the nature of her case. It was a pe- culiar one, and one which she could not pour into every ear. There are things which we may not be at liberty to communicate 'to the nearest relation, or to the dearest friend ; but to God only. Hereby she testified her belief that God was omni- scient. She knew that words were not necessary to inform a being to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secret is hid. It is better to want language than disposition when we address him, who " seeketh such to worship him as worship in spirit and in truth." It showed also, that in dealing mth God, she HANNAH. 79 desired tlie notice of none besides liim. Jehu said, "Come, see my zeal for the Lord of hosts." The Pharisees prayed in the corners of the streets, and to be seen of men. "But," says the Saviour, "thou, when thou pray est, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." The temple, as well as the closet, is a place appointed for prayer ; but though the devotion be public in the performance, it may be private in the experience, and in the midst of a mul- titude we may have to do with God only. Thirdly^ Observe the misconception and censure to which it gave rise. " Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken ? put away thy wine from thee." This was tlu3 very reproach which Peter and his fellows met with on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost gave them utterance in so many languages which they had never learned. The multitude "■ mocking, said, These men are full of new wine." But this reproach came from enemies. But here we find a good man, a man with whom days should speak — a man, even the 23riest of the Most High God, issuing an equally rash censure. May we not, therefore, infer that others are liable to similar erroneous decisions? Eli mistook, by making outward appearances and equivocal circum- stances the ground of his sad conclusion. And hence the command, " Judge not according to the appear- ance, but judge righteous judgment." Some thus err by attaching importance to opinions of their own devising, and rules of their own forming in religion, and so conceive unfavorably of every one m proportion as they deviate from them. 80 LECTURE VI. Some err by hearkening to tlie statements of others, and omitting such investigations as would lead them, as much to esteem a character as they now condemn. Some err in judging by the effects of constitutional temj)erament. They find a man of great vivacity, and loquaciousness, and ready to speak on all occa- sions, and to every one he meets, concerning his own experience and the things of God ; and they set him down as a very lively Christian, and of great spiritu- ality. They see another shrinking from observation, and seemingly afraid to open his lips, lest he should utter more than he feels ; and they consider him as a lifeless soul, and under the fear of man. But if they duly reflected, and judged properly, they would ascribe much to the mercury of the one and the phlegm of the other, which affect them in all other things as well as in religion. Many are too much biased in their judgment by real faults and failings. These need not be pleaded for ; but through natural infirmity there may be much irregularity, where there is also not a little share of sincerity. Our Saviour compassionately said of the disciples whom he ought not to have found sleeping, " The spirit indeed is wilhng, but the flesh is weak." We are called to " bear one another's burdens," and if a brother be overtaken in a fault, the spiritual are to " restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering themselves lest tl^ey also be tempted." Seeing, then, we are in so much danger of j udging wrongfully, let us remember the admonition of the apostle, " Let us not judge one another any more ;" and let us pray for that charity which " beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endur- HANNAH. 81 eth all things." Especially let us guard against vilifying or censuring the devotion of others, or the mode of their worship ; lest we deem as hypocrisy, or ■fanaticism, or superstition, what is truly conscientious and accepted of God, To return to Eli. Allowing a strangeness in Hannah's manner, and a peculiarity in her appear- ance, surely her general conduct might have led him to judge her less cruelly and criminally than to charge her with drunkenness in the ver}- house of God. If any excuse could be made for him, it would perhaps be this — It is probable that he had seen many abuses of this kind, some even in his own famil}*, and he may have stationed himself b}^ a part of the temple to observe, and -endeavor to repi^ess such scandals. The guilty often occasion suspicions and reproaches with regard to the innocent. When a disease is epi- demical, many arc feared who are not infected. David had been cruelly deceived by Ahitophel, and therefore said in his haste, " All men are liars." Observe, Fourthly, the manner in which Hannah re- ceived the sad and insulting rebuke. " And Hannah answered and said, No, ray lord; I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit ; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial ; for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto." This was admir- able. She' makes no rash appeal to Heaven, such as is often the effect and proof of hardened guilt. She utters no bitter complaint against her accuser. She does not bid him to look at home, and upbraid him with the conduct of his own sons. She does not tell 4* 82 LECTURE VI. him how ill and unbecoming it was for one, in his place and office, to abuse a poor disconsolate woman at the footstool of divine mercy. She knew that a proper representation of her condition and conduct in respectful language would be the best argument in her favor, and would possess the good but mistaken man with better notions respecting her ; and so it fell out. "Then Eli answered and said. Go in peace: and the God of Israel gi'ant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him." Eli was an imperfect character, yet there were in him traces of real excellencies, and his ingenuousness is one of them. He is open to conviction, and willing to acknowl- edge himself mistaken, and ready to make amends for the injury he had done her, by his blessing and his prayers. A lively writer has said, " I was mistaken " are the three hardest words to pronounce in the Eng- lish language. Yet it seems but acknowledging that we are wiser than we were before to see our error, and humbler than we were before to own it. But so it is; and Goldsmith observes that Frederic the Great did himself more honor b}^ his letter to his senate, stating that he had just lost a great battle by his own fault, than by all the victories he had won. Perhaps our greatest perfection here is not to escape imperfections, but to see and acknowledge, and lament, and correct them. Finally^ Observe her relief and satisfaction. "And she said. Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman Avent her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad." Her satisfaction arose from two things. First, the rectifying Eh's mistake concerning her, and the blessing he had pro- HANNAH. 83 nounced ujDon her ; for what can be more consoling than to stand fair in the judgment of those Ave value ? " To live in the estimation of the mse and good," says Eobinson, '' is like walking in an eastern spice grove." Secondly, the confidence in God, which is derived from prayer. Before the blessing we ask in prayer is actually granted, it may be anticipated ; and therefore it is said, " Let the heart of them rejoice that seek God," and " Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." We may entirely rely upon God's word in his own way : — such "hope makctli not ashamed." It is thus he keeps in perfect peace the minds of those that are stayed upon him, because tbey trust in him. Says Hannah, I have spread my case before him, and I have left all with him, and all will be well — well if he were to deny me ; but "he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come, and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord." And what says her experience to all the Lord's fol- lowers ? "Be careful for nothing ; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God ; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." But they must now leave Shiloli and return to Ramah ; fOr there was their home, and there they were to re-enter on the ordinary duties, enjoyments, and cares of life. But see, even on this occasion, their diligence and their devotion : " And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, 84 LECTURE VI. and returned." It is good to begin tlie day early witli God; and whatever lies before us, to seek first his favor and assistance. When persons are in such haste as to set out on a journey, or engage in any enterprise, without asking counsel of God, and feeling their dependence upon him, they are not likely to succeed ; or success is not likely to prove a blessing. Nor will it avail them to plead the want of time, for "there is a time for every purpose and every work," and if leisure be not found, diligence, prudence, econ- omy, and early rising will furnish it. LECTURE VIL HANNAH. PART II. For this child I prayed ; and the Lord hath given me my petition -which I asked of hiin. — 1 Sam., i. 21. The birth of a child is one of the most important events that ever takes place in our world. But for the frequenc}'' of the occurrence, it would be deemed little less than a miracle of nature and providence. The structure of the body, the powers of the soul, the union of flesh and spirit, the provision made to nourish and preserve life, all proclaim that we are " fearfully and wonderfully made." The birth of any infant is a far greater event than the production of the sun. The sun sees not his own light, feels not his own heat, and, with all his gran- deur, will cease to be ; but that infant which began to breathe only yesterday, will hear the heavens pass away with a great noise, and see the elements melt with fervent heat. That infant is possessed of reason, conscience, and immortality. It is true these prin- ciples, are not yet developed, but they are in embryo, and the oak is contained in the acorn, and the day in the dawn. 86 LECTURE VII, There is also a relative, as well as a personal im- portance attached to the birth of a child ; for who knows what that child ma}^ become, what good or evil he may occasion, what misery or happiness he may produce ? The birth of Samuel was attended ^^'ith circum- stances peculiarly important and interesting. It was a blessing much desired, and long delayed. It was obtained in answer to prayer, and produced one of the most holy, useful, and illustrious characters in all history. No wonder, therefore, the Scripture so signalizes the event. Let us pursue the hislorj^ Hannah had prayed to be remembered, and " the Lord remembered her, and she conceived ;" and thus her grand wish was accomplishing, and she was be- coming the joyful mother, not only of a child, but of a son that would more than realize all her expecta- tions and wishes. And can she forget him, who has thus graciously rememhered her ? 1st, The very name shall perpetuate the memory of the mercy. " And she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord," Thus she could never pronounce the name without recalling the occasion. After the same manner, Joseph and Moses named their children, to be mementos ; and so, Samuel called the stone he had set up, " Ebenezer, say- ing. Hitherto hath the Lord helped us," So let it be with us. Why should the wondej-s he hath wrought, Be lost in silence and forgot ? " Bless the Lord, my soul !" says David, " and forget not all his benefits," Secondly, She undertakes the early care of him in HANNAH. 87 person. When, therefore, Elkanali and his family went up as usual to Shiloh, she determined to remain at home for this very purpose. " She said uuto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned." Here we find Hannah in a state of reduced activity, and partial confinement ; a state the most interest- ing ; a state of pleasing expectation and awful anxiety, week after week, and month after month, concerning a life to be preserved, and a life given, with their re- spective consequences. In this state the utmost attention, and kindness, and tenderness, were lier well- deserved due; and it is pleasing to see the exemplariness of her husband in his disposition and behavior towards her. Though all the males were required to repair to Shiloh thrice in the year, the obligation did not ex- tend to females. If they loved the sanctuary, and desired the privilege of attendance, they travelled with their husbands, and went to the house of God in com- pany, when their situation and circumstances allowed. But frequently this was not the case ; and everything is to be " done decently and in order ;" and " if one duty," says Bishop Hopkins, " destroys another, God rejects it as a murderer." He requires mercy and not sacrifice, and dispenses with public institutions when we arc obeying private and domestic calls. Hannah cheerfully bore the loss of Shiloh's privi- leges, in order to discharge a home obligation ; and Elkanah acquiesces in her proposal, and dispenses with her company and conversation ; and, how good and pleasant it is, when yoke-fellows draw the same way, each according with the other, especially in all the concerns of economy, charity, and piety. " And 88 LECTUEE VII. Elkanah, her husband, said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good : tariy until thou have weaned him ; only the Lord establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him." Here, we have an opportunity to say a few words with regard to a common, and, we fear, increasing evil : I mean the abandonment of maternal nursing. Surely, nothing can be a more ungrateful return, than to treat with neglect and disdain the provision which the goodness and kindness of God have obvi- ously made for the performance of this duty. And is it not a violence offered to nature ; and such a violence as is unknown to all the inferior animals, and to the most barbarous nations, and to the polished Greeks and Eomans in their purer ages ? Were I to speak of its physical injuriousness, I might seem to get off my own ministerial and moral ground. But, here, I can appeal for my censure to proper and qualified authorities. Have not the most eminent physicians told us, that the sudden check of the nutritious fluid may be of the worst consequences to the mother, by gendering disease, and even risking life itself? Have they not told us that there are many disorders incident to women, of which their nursing is the most effectual cure ; that delicate con- stitutions are strengthened by it ; that when a mother suckles her child, her complexion becomes clearer, her spirits more uniformly cheerful, her appetite more regular, and her general habits stronger ? Have they not afiirmed even, that fewer women die while they are nursing, than at any equal period of their lives ? Have they not told us what injury the babe may sus- tain, by being deprived of its own natural nourishment ; HANNAH. 89 yea, and that a far greater number of those children die that are nursed by aliens, than of such as are nursed maternally ? And is it not strange that a mother should deprive herself of the most exquisite pleasure of tender and endeared sympathy and kindness ; or that a woman of sensibility can see the darling of her soul hanging on the breast of another, and stroking the cheek of a stranger ; engrossing her maternal rights, and sure to be more loved than herself? Hannah not only nurses her own child, but dedi- cates him to the Lord. *' And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh : and the child was young. And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. And she said. Oh my lord ! as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed ; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him." What a number of reflections arises from hence. We see what changes in conditions and feehngs individuals may experience. At evening-time it may be light, and the shadow of death may be turned into the morning. The Jews, when the Lord turned again their captivity, were like men that dream ; the de- liverance was so great, sudden, and unlooked-for. Never therefore despond. To use what Cowper calls the beautiful' words of Dr. Watts : — ITie Lord can clear the darkest skies, Can givcB us day for night ; Make drops of sacred sorrow rise .To rivers of delight. 90 LECTURE VII. We see that the Lord will cause earnest persevering praj^er, in due time, to yield matter for praise. It is his character — " O thou that hearest praj^er." 'Tis his promise — " Ask and it shall be given you." 'Tis his memorial in all generations — -" He never said to the seed of Jacob, seek jq me in vain." We see that the answers of prayers ought to be ob- served and noticed. Many never think of their prayers after they have offered thera ; but is it not a mockery of the Supreme Being to call forth his attention, by an appearance of devotion, when we never mean to re- gard his benefits ? It was otherwise with Moses. " The Lord," says he, " hearkened unto me at that time also," So it was with David. " The Lord," says he, " hath heard the voice of my weeping ;" and he derives two advantages from the observation — gratitude and confidence. " I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and my supplications. Be- cause he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live." We should also remark that it is our duty, not only to observe, but to own and confess such returns of merc}^, for the glory of Grod, and for the sake of others, that they also may be encouraged to trust and pray. " Come," says David, " come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together." Again, hear this admirable thanksgiver. " There- fore also I have lent him to the Lord ; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord." Yows made ought to be remembered and fulfilled. We are not fond of HANNAH. 91 vowing; we mucli prefer praying. "Beware," says Cowper, " Beware of Petei's word, Nor coufidently say I never will deny Tliee, Lord, But, Grant I never may." But VOWS are not unlawful nor useless, when formed in the strength of divine grace; "But," says Solomon, "when thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools ; pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." Yet how many transgressors are here. How many have vowed how liberal they would be if God would prosper them in their endeavors to get wealth ; but when riches have increased they have set their heart upon them ; and have even done less in the cause of God and of the poor than before ; not only proportionably, but even actually less. How man}" have we known, who, when sick and apprehensive of dying, have vowed, if tliey recovered, what a different course they would run ; yet no sooner hath health returned, than their iniquities, like the wind, have carried them away. Here even good men have failed. Hezekiah said, " O Lord, I am oppressed ; undertake for rjic ;" and he rebuked his disorder, and, "in love to his soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption." And for the time he felt well, and said, " For the grave can- not praise thee; death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit cannot liopc for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day ; the father to the chihlren shall make known thy truth. The Lord was ready to save me ; th-ere- -^ 92 LECTUEE VII. fore we will sing mj songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. Yet Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him, for his heart was lifted up." " And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, if God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to nay father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God ; and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house ; and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Yet how long did he linger, neglectful of his engagement ; and it was not till God reminded and summoned him, that he said, " Let us arise, and go up to Bethel ; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went." But hear Hannah : — " Therefore I have lent him to the Lord ; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord." It is added, " And he worshipped the Lord there." But of whom is this spoken ? Some say of Eli. K so, it refers not to his ordinarj- Avorship, but to the present particular instance of his adoration and praise on Hannah's behalf, and Avhich would afford another proof of soraethiug good in his character, amidst all his mistakes and infirmities. But the worshipper seems to be Samuel himself. And why should this be thought strange or wonderful ? He was a peculiar and extraordinary infant, and might have given early indications of his future ability and greatness. But without this supposition, have we not read that " out of the mouth of babes and sucklings God hath perfected praise" ? We have known children, who, HANNAH. 93 as young as Samuel now was, have evinced true piety and devotion. And suppose the language he used was not of his own invention ? Would a form have been improper? "Would not his pious mother have as early as possible taught him to pray ? All present would probably be struck with the little orator. But see the mother ! how she gazes ! how she wipes her eyes ! how she lifts her hands ! how ready she must liave been to exclaim, " this child is mine, even mine !" Nor could she, impressed as she was, restrain her feelings ; but she breaks forth in strains becoming the saint, as well as the mother. " And Hannah prayed, and said. My heart rejoiceth in the Lord ; mine horn is exalted in the Lord ; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies ; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord ; for there is none be- side thee ; neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more exceeding proudlj^ ; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth ; for the Lord is a God of knowl- edge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread ; and they that were hungry ceased ; so that the baiTcn hath born seven ; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The Loni killeth, and maketh alive ; he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich ; he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up "the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, 94 LECTURE VII. and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness ; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces ; out of heaven shall be thunder upon them ; the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth ; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed." On these words we shall not have space to enlarge ; we drop only a few hints. We see Hannah had poet- ical talent, and which could be of no mean kind, since we find David, the chief Hebrew bard, not ashamed to borrow from her. " He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people." It is here said she "prayed;" but we find no supplication or petition ; only j^raise and thanksgiv- ing ; but praise and thanksgiving are an essential part of prayer, and should always accompany it. Hence says Paul, " Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanks- giving, let your requests be make known to God. And the peace of God, which passe th all understand- ing, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." When she prayed in the "bitterness of her soul," it was " in her heart ; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard ;" but now she had obtained the blessing, she cannot hold her peace. Such is the difference between sorrow and joy. Sorrow seeks retreat, and the anguish bearer " sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, and putteth his mouth in the dust." HANNAH. 95 But joy is exciting and manifestative. " Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing ; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with glad- ness ; to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever." Has the shepherd found the sheep which he had lost? "He calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying, Eejoice with me." From her own particular case, she takes occasion to speak glorious things of God, of his being, his at- tributes, and works, and ways ; and U) tell what he is doing in the world, and in the church. The events to which she refers are often not considered at all, or they are viewed as the effects of fortune or chance ; but she views them as the purposes and performances of him " who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will ;" and it is the supreme of piety to see and acknowledge God in all things. It is commonly imagined that Hannah has even an allusion to the coming and character of the Messiah himself. She certainly is the first who pronounces that " name which is above every name " — " anointed of the Lord." it is no disproof of this supposition, that she might not understand the full and evangel- ical import of the term. The Prophets often deliv- ered things which they afterwards searched in order to understand. Finally, there is one sentence, jDromise, threaten- ing, admonition, which we should always retain, and often revolve — " He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail." 96 LECrURE VII. It is probable that, as moved by the Holy Ghost, she composed this ode for this occasion, during the few daj'S she continued at Shiloh, and where care was taken to secure and publish the contents. However this may be, everything is now finished, and she must return to her own abode, and leave her beloved Samuel behind. How would she be re minded, at the different parts of the way back without him, of what he had artlessly asked in their journey up to the temple ! What a parting was here ! How affecting must it have been to leave such a child; to leave him, not for a month or a year, but for life. But she leaves him under the care, and in the service of Eli, who now feels a deep and paternal interest in him. " And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eh," per- forming such of&ces as his tender age and powers allowed. And we are also told of his dress ; " girded with a linen ephod ;" a dress entirely sacerdotal, and indicative of his future destination. Thus she leaves him; but does she forget him? "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb ?" Many mothers would have been continually or fre- quently visiting him, especially as Ramah was not very distant from Shiloh ; but observe her self-denial, her firmness, her prudence. Her visit was only annxial. But could she ever go without going as a mother ? " Moreover, his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sa- crifice." Had Hannah to furnish him with articles of apparel ? or was this vestment the produce of ma- HANNAH. 97 ternal fondness? In earlier times, we know, women of eminence did not deem a certain kind of manual employment beneath them. Alexander's sisters manu- factured his garments ; and Solomon, speaking of a virtuous princess, says, " She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff." But does God record in his word such actions as many would deem trifling, and pass by those which the world would regard as alone worthy of notice ? " His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are his ways our ways." " The Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh upon the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." Thus she leaves him ; but is he less hers now than before ? Nothing is so much our own as that which we have dedicated to God, He holds, and sanctifies, and blesses it for us ; and such a sacrifice is not a gift but a loan. " Therefore I have lent him to the Lord ; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord." And was she a loser by the deed. Was she not even recompensed ? " And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said. The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord.'' *' And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bare three sons and two daughters." But, re- gardless of these additional olive plants around her table, what a reward had she even in Samuel himself. He was the darling of heaven and earth. " He grew in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man." He was established a prophet, and none of his words fell to the ground. He ruled and judged 5 98 LECTURE VII. Israel. He maintained a blameless reputation, and at the close of life, could thus challenge the whole nation. " I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am : witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed ; whose ox have I taken ? or whose ass have I taken ? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith ? and I will restore it to you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand." But what has all this to do with Hannah ? Much every way. Did he early learn not to be idle ? Did he readily obey those who had the rule over him? Did he cheerfully submit to restraints and privations? Did he show no unwillingness to be left behind? Had he no fear to sleep alone? Could he hear an extraordinary voice in the night without terror ? Did the fear of God banish every other fear? All this proclaims her influence. All this she had early taught him. All this shows the excellency of her discipline, the wisdom of her teaching, and the influ- ence of her example. All this, under God, was owing to Hannah. All that ennobled him praises her ; and the history of the son is the eulogium of the mother. Let me conclude with a few words of address to mothers, to children, and to husbands. First^ Let me admonish you who are mothers, to make Hannah your example. I am not afraid to inti- mate the great importance that belongs to your character : for however humbly it becomes you to think of yourselves personally, you ought highly to value yourselves relatively. Your maternity itself is an HANNAH. 99 amazing prerogative. What a thought that you have brought into existence a number of rational, respon- sible, and immortal beings. And you have not shaken them off at their birth. They demand, not only your immediate, but your persevering attention, your unremitting care. I hope I have convinced you that it is your duty to nurse your own children ; but your duty does not cease with their weaning. You are to superintend their growth, to watch over their health, to open their minds, and form their habits. But as they are God's subjects, as well as God's creatures ; and as they have souls within them, and an eternity before them, you are to be concerned not only for their physical and outward welfare, but their moral and spiritual. You are not only to ask what shall they eat, and what shall they drink, and how shall they be clothed ? but you are to dedicate them to God, and so regard them as sacred characters, and " train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." And, as much depends upon you, so much may be accomplished by you. Who has such influ- ence, along with so much authority ? Who has the command of so many means and opportunities of ap- proaching and impressing the mind ? Though Mr. Newton sinned away his early advan- tages, you see what benefit he derived, when awakened, from the texts and hymns his mother had fixed in his mind, in his infancy and childhood. Mr. Cecil tells us, that, in the days of his vanity, though he withstood so many pious endeavors, he never could resist his mother's tears. And Mr. Wilson, now Bishop of Calcutta, in his narrative of intercourse ■^th Bellingham, the assassin, says he could make 100 LECTURE VII. him feel nothing, till he mentioned his mother^ and then he broke into a flood of tears. Secondly^ Let me address you, my dear children, and call upon you to make Samuel your pattern, and encouragement. " When," says Cecil, " I was a child, and a very wicked one too, the character of young Samuel came home to me, when nothing else had any hold on my mind." And can you, my dear chil- dren, help admiring him ? You see what proofs he gave of early wisdom, and how entirely he obeyed and honored his beloved mother. And will you disobey yours ? Will you dishonor and distress the mother who bore you, and who bred, Nursed on her knee, and at her bosom fed ? Oh ! if ever you are tempted to go astray, or do amiss, hear her voice crying, " What, my son ! and what, the son of my womb ! and what, the son of my vows !" And how was Samuel distinguished and honored ? How well did he exemplify the fulfilment of the promise, " I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me." You may not, like him, be called to fill a sacred ofiice, but you will be the servants of the most high God. If long life be not granted to you, as it was to him, should you die young, this will be gain, and early death will be early glorj-. And should you reach fourscore years and ten, your " hoary head will be a crown of glory ; being found in the way of righteousness," and God will say, " I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth." It has been said that young saints often prove old demons. But nothing can be less truo. W:s {\.'* HANNAH. 101 the case Avith Joseph ? with Obadiah ? with David ? or with Timoth}' ? When we devote our youtli to God 'Tis pleasing in his eyes ; A flower, when offered in the bud, Is no vain sacrifice. 'Twill snve us from a thousand snares To mind religion young ; Grace will preserve t)ur following years, And make our virtues strong. Oh ! may your language, therefore, be — To thee, Almighty God, to thne. Our childhood we resign ; 'Twill please us to look back, and see That our whole lives were tliine. Thirdly, What shall I say to you who are husbands? " Marriage is honorable in all," and " it is not good for man to be alone." But if you have a Hannah, be grateful, and faithful, and kind, and tender. I need not exhort you against adding a Peninnah to vex her withal. Blessed be God, we live in a land where marriage is confined to one pair, according to its orig- inal institution. But you may in other ways vex one whom, by every principle, you ought, and have sacredly promised, to cherish and comfort. " Yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant." If every wish of thine heart is not accomplished in her, remember she feels the disappointment, and is more mortified on thy account than her own. And should not thy behavior assure her that thou art " better to her than ten sons ?" Are her sprightlincss, and powers, and attractions beginning to decline, whose better 102 LECTURE VII. days you have exulted in? Let her feel the more, that she is not alone, but "coming up from the wil- derness, leaning upon her beloved." " Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." LECTURE VIII. ANNA, THE PROPHETESS. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser ; she was of a great age, and had Hved with an husband seven years from her virginity ; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayei-s night and day. And she, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of liim to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. — Luke, ii. 36-38. One of the names by wliich the Messiah was to be called, was the "Wonderful ;" and the name was divinely appropriate. Nothing could be more marvellous than the constitution of his person, in which we see a union of divinity and humanity, of majesty and con- descension, of independence and subjection, of indi- gence and riches. The same will apply to his history. Observe his death. He suffers every kind of indignity ; he is bound, scourged, spit upon, buffeted, crucified between two thieves. But the sun is enveloped in darkness, and the earth shakes, and the rocks are rent, ■ and the graves are opened, and the dead arise, the centurion exclaims, " Truly this man was the Son of God ;" and the expiring thief adores him as 104 LECTURE VIII. the Lord of all ; and prays, " Lord remember me when tliou comest into tliy kingdom." Observe also Ins hirth. Nothing could be more exj^ressive of the deepest humiliation ; and adapted to scandalize all those that worship " the god of this world." " And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be de- livered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." But the season of his birth is called " the fulness of time ;" an angel addresses the shep- herds ; a multitude of the heavenly host descends, singing, " glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good- will towards men ;" a new star adorns the heavens ; and wise men come from the east, and fall down and worship him; and he is "justified in the Spirit," and the Holy Ghost dignifies liim by inspiring two distinguished individuals to bear witness of him. These were Simeon and Anna. Of the former it is said, " And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose nanae was Simeon ; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel ; and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit ,into the temple ; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word ; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. ANNA, THE PEOPHETESS. 105 which thou liast prepared before the face of all people ; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." Nor was Simeon alone. " And there was also one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser ; she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity ; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." This is all we know concerning her; but this is not a little. The first view it leads us to take of her is her Prerogative ; the second, her Condition in Life ; the third, her Devoutness ; the fourth, her Priv- ilege ; the fifth, her Gratitude ; the last, her Zeal. I, Her Prerogative. — She was " a Prophetess." Prophecy is the expression of foreknowledge. It is distinguishable from mere conjecture, however in- genious. Conjecture may be followed by a corre- spondence of events, but the event corresponds acci- dentally, and is not previously certified thereby. It is also beyond the reach of reasoning from causes to effects, accor'ding to the ordinarj^ operations of nature. It is nothing less than a miracle ; and God himself refers to it as supernatural and divine. " Who hath declared this from ancient time? Have not I the Lord ?" " Remember the former things of old ; for I am God, and there is none else ; I am God, and 5* 106 LECTURE VIII. there is none like me, declaring 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." As God possesses the perfect knowledge of all futurities, so he is able to communicate any portion of it he pleases to any of his creatures; and he has often done this ; and our appeals to it constitute one of the most undeniable proofs of the truth of revelation. The spirit of prophecy was, with few exceptions, confined to the Jews. Among them, it manifested itself in all its fulness and glory. From age to age they had a succession of prophets ; and they were not destitute even during the whole time of the Babylonish captivity. The prophetical spirit, indeed, ceased its communications from the days of Malachi ; but it was revived again about the period of the Saviour's incarnation ; as we see in his forerunner, " for all held John as a prophet;" and in the case of Simeon, and of Anna of whom we are now speaking. For this supernatural endowment was not limited to males. Miriam, and Deborah, and Huldah, and other females were honored with this ministry ; and the time was now come when the language of God, by Joel, was to be accomplished. "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh ; and your sons and your daugh- ters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions ; and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit." Some may be ready to ask, if women were allowed to prophesy, why are they not permitted also to ANNA, THE PROPHETESS. 107 preach? To whicli we answer, because we are not to ar.gue from a miraculous age to an ordinary one ; because our Lord has given us no example of this in the choice of his apostles, nor in the mission of the seventy ; and because inspiration has interposed its authority, and said, " I suffer not a woman to teach " in the Church. Though Grod is under no obligation to explain himself, and his decision itself should always satisfy us, yet nothing would be more easy than to show the reasons on which such a prohibition is founded. They are not to be sought for in a supposition of incapacity for the discharge of such a function, but in the order of nature, and in the line of demarcation which defines and separates the destinies and duties of each sex. Eccentrics may excite notice, but will never be admired, at least by the wise and judicious. Persons alwaj-s appear to most advantage in their own proper sphere ; and if females desire to be useful, they need not be disappointed ; if they are not called to fill a public oflSce, there are a thousand ways open to their talents and benevolence, in which they may serve their generation and the cause of the Gospel. " Greet Mar}'-," says the apostle to the Romans, " who bestowed much labor on us ;" and to the Philippiaus, " I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women who labored with me in the gospel." II. Observe her condition in life. — This was affecting and interesting. She was old and bereaved ; of great age ; had been early deprived of her hus- band ; and was now a widow of about fourscore and four years. 108 LECTUEE VIII. First. She was of a great age ; and what was this ? About 84 ; and what w^as this to the duration of eter- nity? and what was this to the j^ears before the flood ? 3^ea, -u hat was it to the longevity of Jacob ? who said, in answer to the question, " How old art thou ?" " The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years ; few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the da3'S of their pilgrimage." But SO reduced was the human standard, that Moses estimated it much lower : " the days of our years are threescore years and ten ; and if, by reason of strength, they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor- and sorrow ; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Anna's age, therefore, is a kind of prodigy and wonder ; a period not often attained, but a period often earnestly desired. Yet what is life so prolonged, but a series of decays, infirmities, trou- bles, and losses ; and " the years draw nigh in which we shall say, we have no pleasure in them." Accordingly, we remark secondly, that Anna had experienced affliction — affliction in the tenderest quar- ter, and early in life. She was now bereaved of the guide of her j^outh, after living only seven years in the happiness of conjugal life. Thus, she could no longer come up out of the wilderness leaning on her beloved, but was doomed to travel the rest of the long journey of life, alone ! The Jews, anciently, in their weddings, observed a very striking usage. They dashed a glass upon the floor, to show by its fraction the brittleness of the connection itself. And funeral solemnities have ANNA, THE PROPHETESS. 109 often been soon found to follow marriage rites. It becomes you, therefore, to "rejoice with trembling," even in the day of your espousals, and the day of the gladness of your heart. Be thankful, ye whose rela- tive comforts are yet spared ; ye who, year after year, behold your dear connections still around you. But O, hold them Avith a loose hand. Remember that " all, all on earth is shadow ;" and will you set your heart on that which is not ? " This, I say, breth- ren, the time is short : it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none ; and they that weep, as though they wept not ; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they that bu}^, as though they possessed not ; and they that use this world, as not abusing it : for the fashion of this world passeth away." Anna probably began life under every pleasing prospect, but her hopes were soon torn up by the roots : 3^et, Thirdly^ We observe that she did not alter her condition again, but lived tlie remainder of her days in the state the Providence of God had been pleased to place her in ; and her very long widowhood is not mentioned to her disparagement. Unquestionably there is nothing sinful in a second marriage. The Apostle himself has determined this. " The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth ; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be mar- ried to v.diom she will ; only in the Lord." Whatever differences there were among the first Christians, they all agreed equally to remember the poor ; and, among these, widows were peculiarly re- garded ; and their condition required it. But as every 110 LECTUEE VIII. institution must have some laws and limits, hear the apostolical admonition and decision — " Honor widows that are widows indeed. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and jarayers night and day. Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man ; well re- ported of for good works ; if she have brought up chil- dren, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work." No one spoke more in praise of marriage than Paul. He pronounced it " honorable in all ;" and branded, as among the " doctrines of devils," the " forbidding to marry ;" yet he remained single him- self; and there were seasons and circumstances which led him to say, " I would that all men were even as I myself." " I say, therefore, to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I." But we must learn from the Scripture to distin- guish things that differ ; and the Apostle reminds us that what is lawful may not be expedient, and that what is justifiable may not be praiseworthj^ Upon what principle, or for what reason, does he speak upon the subject before us ? "I would have you without carefulness." " The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit ; but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband." Well, then, says Anna, let me continue as I am. ANNA, THE PROPHETESS. Ill III. Her Devoutness. — " She departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day." This may be viewed two ways, in addition to her prerogative as a prophetess. First, You will observe, that the gift of prophecy was always distinguishable from the spirit of holiness. It was sometimes pos- sessed by those who, though God's instruments, were not his subjects ; witness Balaam, and Caiphas, and the declaration of the Judge of all, " Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not proph- esied in thy name ? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you ; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." But Anna was sanctified as well as inspired. Secondly, It may also be viewed in reference to her condition in life ; for though real religion does not depend upon outward circumstances ; a life of bereave- ment, privation, and trial, is much more friendly to its support and increase than a course of invariable prosperity. " Because they have no changes, there- fore they fear not God." But, it ma}^ be asked, how are we to understand the representation of her piety ? It cannot be sup- posed that her '' not departing from the temple," means her residence in it continually ; or that her "serving God with fastings and prayers night and day," is to be taken according to the letter ; for then she could have had neither sleep nor food ; but that her worship was regular and invariable, and that she took" every opportunity of attending the solemnities of devotion. 112 LECTURE VIII. It may also include not only tlie frequency of lier actual engagements, but the state and frame of her mind. Her sjDirit there found itself at home, according to the desire of David, " that I may dioell in the house of the Lord all the days of m}^ life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." The circumstances of individuals are very various. Few persons, comparatively, have leisure for such devo- tions as this good woman. Man}- females in common life have numerous cares, and often find it difficult to get to the house of God twice on the Lord's day, or once in the week. They would always be gladly present when its open doors invite, but prudence forbids, even Christian duty forbids. Let such remember the Saviour's commendation of Mar}*, " she hath done what she could." Let them remember that "if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not ;" ■ and that they may serve him without wiping their hands out of the wordly business in which they are en- gaged; and that " whether they eat, or drink, or what- soever they do," they may " do all to the glory of God." But where leisure and means are aiforded, let them be valued and improved ; and whatever our engage- ments may be, let the care of the soul be our chief concern, and let the whole of life be a scene of dedi- cation to God. If we do not literally fast, let us exercise temperance, and "take heed, lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunken- ness, and cares of this life; and so that day come upon us unawares." If we are not always upon our knees, let us live in the spirit of devotion ; and " in everything ANNA, THE PKOPHETESS. 113 by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known unto God ; and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." lY. Her Peivilege. — It was the sight of the Messiah. It Avas the same with good Simeon's, and was enjoyed cotemporaneously, " She came in at the same instant." What an assemblage was she now intermingled with. How pleasing must it have been to see Simeon, and Joseph, and Mary his mother, " blessed above women." But here was one far above all these ; it was " the consolation of Israel," it was "the desire of all nations," it was "the holy child Jesus." " Hope deferred maketh the heart sick ; but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life." And how richly is Anna gratified and recompensed for her long waiting and expectation. But " to him that hath, shall be given ; and he shall have more abundanth^" " Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord : his going forth is prepared as the morning ; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the former and latter rain unto the earth. But where did she find him ? When she " came into the Teni'pler Ah ! had she not been there at this season, what a loss would she have sustained ! From whence, let us learn that if we Avould see Jesus, we should repair to his house, and obey like Anna the call of the Spirit. Tiiomas, being absent from the as- sembly at Jerusalem, when Jesus appeared and showed them his hands and his feet, missed the sight of the 114 LECTURE VIII. Saviour, and remained a whole week in the anxieties of doubts and fears. V. Her Gratitude. — " She likewise gave thanks unto the Lord." And surely there was enough to call forth her praise, not so much as to the external and even miraculous part of the scene, as to the magni- tude and importance of the event. " For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it ?"' — For now " the counsel of peace" is laid open; now the prophecies are veri- fied ; now the promises are fulfilled ; and the hopes of believers from the beginning of time are realized. — And she knew that the blessing did not respect her- self and her connections only, but the whole human race ; that " in him all the families of the earth would be blessed;" that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And should not we feel equal reasons and excite- ments to gratitude and praise ? Though we have not seen him with our bodily eyes, "we know that the Son of God is come ;" we know that he " is come to seek and to save that which was lost;" we know that he is come not only that we "might have life" but " have it more abundantly ;" we know that " in him all fulness dwells :" — and shall we not exclaim, " Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift^" and " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings ANNA, THE PROPHETESS. 115 in heavenly places in Christ" ? Shall we bless him "for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life ;" and not much more for his " inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace and for the hope of glory"? And shall we not "show forth his praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to his service, and by walking before him in holiness and righteousness all our days" ? " Though," says Henry, " thanksgiving is good, thanks-living is better." Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me ; and to him that ordereth his conversa- tion aright will I show the salvation of God." VI. Her Zeal. — " She spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." And who were these? They consisted of two classes, (for all were expectants.) But, 1st, some were carnal expectants ; they looked for a temporal and worldly deliverer, who should save them from the Eomans, and set them in the high places of the earth. In speaking of him to these, she would endeavor to rectify their mistake, and proclaim him the King of glory, owning a king- dom not of this world. 2dlt/, Others, though few, were spiritual expect- ants, who longed to be saved from their sins, being " delivered from the bondage of corruption," and brought " intp the glorious liberty of the children of God." These she would congratulate and encourage ; " Lo, this is our God ; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him ; we Avill be glad and rejoice in his salvation." 116 LECTURE VIIL To all these slie spake of him at present, and also, doubtless, whenever she had an opportunity, after- wards, and by all the means of communication in her power. In this her character gains, rather than loses, by a comparison with her illustrious fellow- witness. Simeon seems, by his vision, to have had his fill of life, and only longs for his departure ; but Anna thinks nothing of dying, but is only concerned to improve her few remaining days, making known that which she had seen and heard, that others might have fellowship with her. And herein she becomes your example. You who have found a Redeemer yourselves, should make him known, and recommend him to others. You should not only seize, but seek after opportunities ; and surely you can easily find them ; for where are your children, your relations, your friends, and your neigh- bors? Thon I will tell to sinners round, What a clear Saviour I have found ; I'll point to his atoning blood, And say, behold the way to God. And if this be 3^our determination, remember three things. 1st. That a certain consistency of character and conduct will be expected from you. If you neglect this, it will be better for you to hold your peace ; for inconsistency ip worse than omission. Though the jDCople of the world are strangers to your experience, they are, commonly, tolerable judges of your deportment. They know v/hat kind of conduct becomes the profession you make, and will not fail to ask, "What do ye more than others?" Many ANNA, THE PROPHETESS. 117 things which they tolerate in others, they will be sure to censure and condemn in you. The whole com- plexion of a negro is less noticed than a single stain in the features of a white countenance. But if while you speak of the things of the Saviour, you hold forth the word of life by your temper and behavior, and exemplify what you recommend; remember, 2dly, The Lord may bless your simple tes- timony and make you the means of bringing some soul to the Lord Jesus ; as Andrew did Peter ; and Philip, Nathanael; and the woman of Samaria, her neighbors. And, Zdly, Remember that " he who winneth souls is wise ;" that " verily there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth ;" and that no benefactor will bear a moment's com- parison with him who is the blessed instrument to actiieve it. The success is infinite, and ought to be its own reward. " Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he who converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." The subject appeals to a]l, but especially to those who are advanced in years. Simeon is commonly supposed to be aged, but we know that Anna was, and her head was not only hoary, but " found in the way of righteous- ness." " Days' should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom." Surely you, whose hps are soon to be silent in the grave, ought to be thankful, and to speak well of his name, who has redeemed your lives from all adversity, and is so soon to " receive 118 LECTURE VIII, you to himself, that where he is, there you shall be also." " And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment ; that ye may approve things that are excellent ; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." LECTURE IX. THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying. Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David ; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying. Send her away; for she crielh after UB. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered, and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs. And she said. Truth, Lord ; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, woman, great is thy faith : be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. Matthew, xv. 21-28. Let US consider this petitioner fiVe ways : — I. As AN UNLIKELY SUPPLIANT. II. As AN AFFLICTED SUPPLIANT. III. As AN UNFORTUNATE SUPPLIANT. IV. As A SUCCESSFUL SUPPLIANT. V. As AN INSTRUCTIVE SUPPLIANT. " Consider what I say, and the Lord give you un- derstanding in all things." — Amen. I. View her as an unlikely suppliant. For who was this woman? She was not a Jew, 120 LECTUKE IX. but a Gentile ; an " alien from the commonwealth of Israel, a stranger from the covenant of promise, hav- ing no hope, and without God in the world." She was descended from one of the wretched nations whom God had doomed to destruction, and whose rem- nants were to be as thorns and goads in the sides of the people who had criminally suffered them to escape. They were now serving idols, and were in darkness and the region of the shadow of death. But, to the disgrace of the Jews, who, when the Messiah "came to his own, his own received him not ;" when they despised and rejected him, this poor Canaanite is found at his feet, adoring him and sup- plicating mercy and help. On a similar occasion, when a Eoman centurion addressed him on behalf of his servant, dispensing with his bodily presence as not necessary to the cure, and trusting simply in the ef&cacy of his word, Jesus " said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I jjave not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." Thus, " many that are first shall be last, and the last first." While the hoary head, though often re- proved, has gone on still in his trespasses ; children in the temple have cried, " Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ;" and " out of the mouth of babes and sucklings he perfecteth praise." While some, whose amiable and moral character seemed to briiig them near the king- dom of Heaven, have failed of the grace of God, publicans and harlots have obtained mercy. While those who have had distinguished religious privileges, have neglected the great salvation, persons destitute of the means of grace have felt after the Lord and THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. 121 found Hiin. The oftspriug of godly parents have sinned awa}^ all the advantages of a pious education ; but the sons of the stranger have joined themselves to the Lord, and had " a name and a place in his house better than that of sons and of daughters." " In that hour, Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father ; for so it seemed good in thy sight." " Ye see your calling, brethren," says Paul, " how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called ; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty ; and base things of the world, and things Avhich are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are : that no flesh should glory in his presence." 11. She was an afflicted suppliant. " Afflictions," says an old writer, " are like files ; they serve to give an edge to our devotions : or they resemble the counsellors of Benhadad, they send us, with ' ropes upon our necks,' to the merciful King of Israel." In prosperity, God invites us to himself by a pro- fusion of favors ; in adversity, he leaves us no choice. Then, we have no other arm to lean upon, no other helper to implore. Then, turning away from creatures, we look up and say, " Now, Lord, what wait I for ? my hope is in thee." 6 122 LECTURE IX. What brought Imck the prodigal to his father's house? — famine. "What led Manasseh to seek the Lord God of his father ? — degradation, imprisonment, and fetters. What said David himself? — " It is good for me that I have been afflicted ; that I might learn thy statutes. Before I was afflicted I went astray : but now have I kept thy word." What was it that brought this woman to Christ ? — But for her affliction she would have remained at home, and made no in- quiries after him. This was the case with her neigh- bors. It is the case with thousands now. " Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God." But what was her affliction ? — It was not personal, but relative ; yet who need be told that relative sufferings often even exceed personal ? As the con- nections of life yield many springs of pleasure, so they also open many sources of pain. Thej are our pos- sessions, that render us susceptible of losses ; and according to our affections are our keenest anxieties, and fears, and sorrows. O how strong is parental affection ! How much more so is maternal ! To a mother, a child is endeared by feelings peculiar to herself; by a law of nature and providence, she and her offspring are one. What was her daughter's condition ? However the doctrine of what is called ^'possession " be explained, the expression here employed, "grievously vexed with a devil," can signify nothing less than a state of dread- ful calamity and fearful jeopardy. Who, therefore, can imagine this poor mother's affliction, to see her own beloved daughter in a state of suffering worse than death ? What wonder she hastens to the Saviour, and. pleads for her daughter's deliverance as a mercy THE WOMAN OF CA.NAAN. 123 to herself. " Have mercy on nie^ O Lord, thou Son of David ; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil." III. She was an importunate suppliant. To judge of this, it is only necessary to observe the various difficulties and repulses she had to en- counter in her application. The first of these arose from our Lord's silence. " He answered her not a word." How little did this accord with the reports she had heard of him, and what a shock must it have been to the hope she had founded on them ! It seemed to imply nothing less than perfect unconcern and indifference. The second arose from the language of the disciples. " His disciples came and besought him', saying. Send her away, for she crieth after us." We can hardly suppose the disciples were so unkind as to wish her to be dismissed without relief But it is obvious they were too little alive to the case of the agonized pleader, and too much concerned for their own ease ; or they were carried away by a mistaken regard for the Sav- iour's freedom from annoyance. " How long, O Lord, shall we be assailed, and thou interrupted and troubled, by this loud and ceaseless clamor?" It is well, in some of our concerns, that we have not to deal with men, even with good men. How liable? are they to mistake. ' How impatient are they, often, in their feelings. How severely do they treat our infirmities. Ho-w little can the}^ teach, in our doubts and fears, 'as we are able to bear it. ' How rarely does kindness adorn their carriage, or tenderness grace their charity. 124 LECTURE IX. " Let me fall into tlie hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great ; and let me not fall into the hand of man," for "the best of men are but men at the best." In answering the disciples, the woman must have heard him ; and this was the third discouragement. " He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." This repulse seemed the entire exclusion of her suit. The case was this. Though the Messiah was to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the glorj of his people Israel, his time was not yet come. The gospel, as a dispen- sation, did not properly commence till the Saviour's death. Then the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom ; then the middle wall of partition betwixt Jews and Grentiles was thrown down, and both were made one ; then the commission ran, " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." But before this, when he sent forth the twelve apostles, and the seventy disciples, he had said, " Go not in the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not." As to his personal labors, he was the minister of the circumcision, and the Jews only were the immediate objects of his mission ; and as this Canaanite was not one of them, he seems to intimate that she was not within the bounds of his office. We are afraid the disciples were rather pleased ^7ith this answer, as it fell in witji their Jewish prejudices. They, therefore, said nothing more ; and probably thought she would not. She, however, was too much interested, and too much in earnest, to cease crying. " Then came she and worshipped him, sa3dng. Lord, help me." THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. 125 This drew forth the last and greatest discourage- ment. " He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Here was not onlj refusal, but reflection; not only exclusion, but insult. Dog Avas a com.mon name of odium and reproach. It was the term by which the Jews, to whom pertained the adoption, and who con- sidered themselves as the children of the covenant, designated the poor Gentiles, as outcasts, contemptible, and unclean. Nothing could so well express the vileness of a sacrifice as " cutting off a dog's neck ;" and Hazael could think of no epithet to express his abhorrence of his foretold atrocity so forcible as this, " What ! is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing ?" But was this the language of the Son of God? Are these some of the gracious words which were said to proceed out of his mouth ? How many, upon hearing this, would have returned in bitter sadness, and have broken forth in such exclamations as these ,* — " that I had stayed at home, and never exposed myself to such merciless treatment ! Was I not afflicted enough before, in the pitiable condition of my poor child ? I am a woman, a mother, a widowed mother ; and if there be nothing worthy in the sufferer, there is always something sacred in grief. If I am not one of the favored nation, I am one of the human race. K I cannot excite pity, it is hard to be treated with scorn and contempt." But nothing of all this is sufficient to turn her away. Yea, she even takes advantage from her trial. She turns objection into argument, and derives hope from discouragement itself. How ingenious is her 126 LECTURE IX. reply — " Thou callest me a dog. I deserve to bear the name, and only plead for a dog's treatment. I aspire not to sit at thy table, but forbid me not to creep under it. If the children are sated and wasteful, let me gather up Avhat they neither want nor desire, and which will soon be swept away. I shall rob no one ; and what I beg is no more to thy bounty than a crumb to a royal feast. But O, what will it he to me ? Speak but the word, and my daughter shall be healed.'/ lY, She was a successful suppliant. The Saviour can withstand and withhold no longer. He complies with her application ; yea, and does more. " Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith : be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." And what was this faith of hers ? She could hardly have believed in his divinity. This, at present, was only revealed obscurely, and derived much from in- ference ; but she believed in his Messiahship ; she believed that he was the Son of David ; she believed the truth of his miracles of which she had heard ; she believed in his ability to heal her daughter ; and she also believed that he was inclined to answer her, not- withstanding his apparent inattention and severity. Some 'who came to him in the days of his flesh questioned his power, and others his willingness to succor them ; but this woman, without anything particularly to rely upon, and under the most trying discouragements, hoped and trusted in both. THE wo:j:an of canaan, 127 And this shows us wherein the greatness of faith so much consists. It is in a readiness to beheve ; it is to relj^ on God's promises, when his doings seem rather to oppose than to coofirm them ; it is to receive the kingdom of God as a little child receives the declara- tions of his father ; it is, however pressed by difficul- ties, never to ask " How can these things be ?" We see this illustrated in Abraham, the father of the faithful, and the grand example of faith. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed: and he went out, not knowing whither he went." " Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken. So shall thy seed be." " He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God ; being fully persuaded that, what he had prom- ised, he was able also to perform." All faith is precious, precious even when it is only as a grain of mustard seed ; but great faith is to be highly estimated, and sought after. You will con- tinually need it, especially in every dark day, and under every frowning dispensation. It "is the sub- stance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It can read God's short-hand. It can see a smiling face, behind a frowning providence. It can understand all mysteries. It can remove mountains. " All things are possible to him that believeth." Faith, mighty faith the pronuse sees, Relies on th:it alone ; Laughs at impossibilities, And sav8, It ^hall bo done. 128 LECTURE IX. No wonder, therefore, the Saviour admires and extols tlie faith of this woman for its greatness, and ascribes everything to its influence. Other quahties were discernible in her, but they all grew out of her faith ; faith was the root, all besides was only and wholly produce. This was the principle of her hu- mility, of her diligence, of her zeal, of her persever- ance. Nothing else could have made her steadfast and immovable, and determined not to let him go unless he blessed her. And as the greatness of her faith appeared before the Saviour had pronounced in her favor, so it showed itself after her receiving the promise. She does not desire him to go with her to her home, as the nobleman did ; she does not deem his presence necessary to his agency; his word was enough, and she asks for nothii^g to confirm it. She goes home, therefore, full of expectation. And was she disap- pointed ? She found her dearest wish accomjolished ; and her house was filled with the voice of rejoicing and salvation. O what endearings and embracings were there ! O what adorations of her deliverer and benefactor ! O what inquiries, what they should ren- der, and how show forth his praise ? — For " her daugh- ter was made whole from that very hour." V. She was an instructive suppliant. There are two lessons, in particular, which she teaches us. 1st, That in our applications to Christ we may be sorely exercised. And, perhaps, I am addressing some, whose experience, in no small degree, re- THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. 129 sembles tlie case we have reviewed. Did the Saviour answer her not a word? And you are saying, " I had heard much of his name, and I felt my need of him. At length, I went and fell at his feet ; and there I am now. I wait for him more than they that watch for the morning, but I see no break of day. I pray, but I am not heard. I cry, Lord, ' Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Show me a token for good ;' and one v^ord of his would scatter all my fears. But he shutteth out my prayers." Did the disciples beseech him, saying, " send her away, for she crieth after us"? And, perhaps, you are discouraged by those who ought to comfort you. They seem wanting in sympathy and tenderness. They are prepossessed against you, as selfish in 3^our motives, or insincere in your pretensions. They puzzle you with hard doctrines. They question you in a way that cuts you to the heart ; and they make you suspect that the root of the matter is not in you, b}'' boasting in your presence their own as- surances and raptures. Did he sa}-, " I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" ? And, perhaps, you are say- ing, " I see him receiving and welcoming others to the blessings of his great salvation, but I find I have no title to any of his favors. I have neither part nor lot in the matter.'' Did he say, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs"? And, perhaps, you are saying, " lie seems not only to deny my claim, but to aggravate my distress." He pronounces upon me the threatenings of the law, rouses the accu- sations of conscience, and increases the sense of my 6* 130 LECTURE IX. guilt and vileness. I fear that my case is hopeless, and that I shall have my portion at the last, with hypocrites and unbelievers, " for without are dogs." And, as in the case before us, you may also have external afflictions, as well as inward griefs; and " fightings without " may accompany " fears within ;" and you may write " all these things are against me," and say, " my wound is incurable." Such an expe- rience is greatly trying, yet it should not discourage you. It is not singular. Many have trodden the same path, and have known the same heart's bitter- ness. It is, therefore, a token for good ; and should be viewed as a waymark, instead of a stumbling- . stone. And see the men of the world, who wish to rise to power, wealth, or honor. Do they meet with no dif&culties and obstacles in their course ? Do they not rise early and sit up late, and often eat the bread of sorrow ? What crosses do they take up ? To what toils do they submit ? What repulses, what mortifi- cations, do they endure? And for what? They run for a corruptible crown, but you for an incorruptible. They also are never sure of success, but often labor in vain, and are ashamed of their hope ; but you run not uncertainly ; you fight not as one that beateth the air; you may sow in tears, but you are sure to reap in joy. "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." 2dly^ She teaches us that sincere and earnest prayer, however tried, shall at last succeed. These rebukes and delays are not refusals. The Lord waits that he may be gracious, and " blessed are all they THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. 131 that wait upon him." There is an order in the oper- ations of Providence and Grace, and everything is beautiful in his time. The Lord has reasons for all his dealings with his people. He regards the honor of his own name, which never appears so glorious as amidst creature despondencies. He regards also their own welfare. He hereby exercises their faith and patience ; quickens their holy longings ; endears the blessing ; and makes it, when it comes, a tree of life. Do not, therefore, in the meanwhile say, there is no hope. K he has drawn you to his feet, he will not suffer you to perish there, or drive you away unsup- plied. Poor trembling soul, thy prayer is heard, though not yet answered ! But it will be answered, it must be answered in due time ; for he " never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain." Read the gospel, and see if he ever refused a suppliant that cried to him for mercy and help. The case of this woman looks, at first, the most disconsolate of any ; yet we soon '"see the end of the Lord," and find that he " is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." View the picture again and again ; and, if you can see a resemblance of yourself, "wait on the Lord; be of good courage, j aud he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord." Let me conclude, therefore, by admonishing you to follow this interesting example. For why is it re- corded; and recorded with such minuteness? Is it only to amuse the mind, or gratify curiosity, or draw forth admiration ? No I but to excite and encourage you to judge properly of the Saviour, and induce you also to look to him in every time of need. 132 LECTURE IX. In such a case as this, lie comes forth and shows himself as the gracious and almighty friend and helper of man ; and if the display does not lead you to apply to him, it fails of its design ; for " 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 name." " For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope." Did this poor Avoman so readily apply to him ? and will you constrain him to say, " Ye Avill not come unto me that ye might have life" ? Say not, " O ! were he on earth, I would instantly repair to him ; but he is no more in the world, that I might commit my case to him." For though he is no more in the world visibly and corporeally, he is here really and spiritu- ally ; and if you seek him, he will be found of you, and say, " Here I am." Some say, " But I know not how to pra3^" What is prayer but the desire of the soul to the Lord, how- ever expressed ? What was the prayer of this peti- titioner ? Son of David, have mercy upon me ! Lord, help me ! Eefuse me not a crumb of thy children's bread. Yet this prevailed ; and he said, "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." Again you say, " But will he accept me now ? I have no other resource, apid I go to him, driven by necessity rather than choice." Has he not said, " Him that cometh unto me, I will in nowise cast out;" and "Whoso asketh receiveth, and whoso seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" ? THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. 133 Go, therefore, to liim, and 3^ou Avill find him both able and Avilling " to save to the uttermost." There is in him everything you need ; righteousness to justify, grace to sanctify, strength to support, consola- tion to comfort. In him all fulness dwells, and from his fulness you may " all receive, and grace for grace," !Seek him then in all your exigencies, and look no- where else for succor. He who opened the eyes of the blind can open the eyes of your understanding. He who calmed the raging deep can tranquillize a troubled conscience ; for he is " the same 3'esterday, to-day, and forever." Are you in affliction ? Go to him who says, " Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee." Are you in temporal straits? Call upon him who says, " They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing." Are you bereaved ? Think of him who says, "Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive, and let thy widows trust in me." Have you reached the evil daj^s in Avhich you say you have no pleasure in them ? Look to him who says, " Even to your old age I am he ; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you : I have made and I v,'ill bear ; even I will carry, and will deliver you." Have you connections? Apply to him for them as well as for yourselves. The Throne of grace is a delightful resource of benevolence, and a mighty one too. You are unable to relieve a beloved friend or relative ; but 3'ou have a helper on high ; and pi^ayer has power with God, and can prevail. Are you parents ? Sin is worse than any bodily dis- ease. Have you a child living in wickedness ? Do not consider him as abandoned ; contimie in the use of means, in dependence upon his Holy Spirit, Go 134 LECTUEE IX. to him who knows no diflficulties, and with whom all things are possible. " Bring him unto me." What shall we say to those who care for none of these things ; who never pray for others or them- selves ? This will not be always the case ; nor will it be the case long. A time is hastening on, when you will call, but he will not answer ; you may seek him early, but shall not find him. " Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." Sinner, hear the Saviour's call, He now is passing by ; He has seen thy grievous fall. And heard thy mournful cry. He has pardons to impart, Grace to save thee from thy fears-, See the love that fills his heart, And wipe away thy tears. Why art thou afraid to come. And tell him all thy case ? He will not pronounce thy doom, Nor frown thee from his face. Wilt thou fear Emmanuel ; Wilt thou fear the Lamb of God ; Who, to save thy soul from hell, Has shed his precious blood ? Though his majesty be great. His mercy is no less ; Though he thy transgressions hate, He feels fur thy distress. By himself the Lord hath sworn. He delights not in thy pain ; But invites thee to return. And grace and glory gain. THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. 135 Raise thy downcast eyes and see What throngs his throne surround 1 These, though sinners once like thee, Have lull salvation found. Yield not then to unbelief, While he says " There 3'et is room;" Though of sinners thou art chief, Since Jesus calls thee, — Come. LECTURE X. THE WOMAN AVHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUK'S HEAD. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. — Mark, xiv. 9. The narrative wliich is to engage our present at- tention, proves, in some respects, a remarkable con- trast with tlie relation which passed under our review in the preceding Lecture. There we saw a Avoman of Canaan, a heathen, and probably a widow, afflicted with a daughter " grievously vexed v/itli a devil ;" who, hearing of the fame of Jesus, came and cried to him for help ; but meeting with treatment more than enough to have driven back any ordinary applicant, yet with persevering importunity pressed through every discouragement, and ,obtained at last the peti- tion she asked of him. But the woman who now appears before us is not driven to the Saviour by distress : she comes not as a beggar but as a folloAver, not as a suppliant but THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUR. 137 as a friend. Slie knows liim, and feels herself already deeply indebted to him ; and is come, not to discharge her obligation, (this she knew to be impossible,) but to express the gratitude she owed Jiim, and the love she bore him. " And being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, therfe came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious ; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indig- nation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made ? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone ; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good : but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could : she is come aforehand to anoint m}- body to the bury- ing. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." Observe, The Place : The Action : The Censure : The Vindication : and The Memorial. I. Observe The Place. The scene named is Bethany. Bethany was a small village in the neighborhood of Jerusalem ; a 138 LECTURE X. place wTiich, we presume, we seldom hear of without thinking of a family dear to the Saviour ; for " Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus ;" and re- calling a very interesting and instructive event. " Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village ; and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said. Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone ? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things : but one thing is needful : and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Eeligion is a benevolent, social, and diffusive thing. When Christians are endeavoring to do good unto all men, they are often reproached as in- truders, and desired to keep their religion to them- selves. But this is enjoining ujDon them an impos- sibility ; and " if these should hold their peace, the stgnes would immediately cry out." They " cannot but speak the things which they have seen and heard." This blessed family, therefore, being acquainted with the Saviour themselves, and frequently favored with his visits, it would appear, introduced him to their neighbors ; for we here find him in another house in the same village ; " the house of Simon the leper." This does not mean that he was a leper now, for then he would have been under legal restraint, and none could have had intercourse with him ; but the mean- THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUR. 139 ing is that he had been a leper, and well known as such ; and it is more than probable that our Saviour had healed him of this dreadful and incurable disorder ; and, therefore, as a token of his regard and gratitude, he was desirous of entertaining his deliverer and benefactor, and had invited others to meet him, hoping that they would derive benefit from his presence, as he himself had done. Our Lord complied with the invitation, and gave the company the cheerful though not the intemperate meeting. For though nothing could be viler or more false than the insinuation of his enemieSj that he was a glutton and a wine-biber, yet he partook of the good things of Providence, in a way which distinguished him from his forerunner, who was reserved, and aus- tere, and " came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, He hath a devil." He would also show by his example that he did not wish his disciples to be mopish and superstitious, en- during corporeal inflictions, and refusing the common supplies and recreations of life. " Touch not ; taste not ; handle not. Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will, worship, and humility, and neglect- ing of the body ; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh." II. Observe the action. " There came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious ; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head." The usages of mankind differ exceedingly, accord- 140 LECTURE X. ing to climate, and the degrees of knowledge and civilization. Thus in a hot country, and where per- sons Avore sandals, the washing of the feet, especially when coming in from a journey, was deemed a great refreshment, and was used as a common gratification. In Judea, unction was a delicious indulgence, and was often used as a token of honor, as well as a luxury. " Ointment and perfume," says Solomon, " rejoice the heart." David, to signify the munificence of the divine goodness towards him, says, "Thou anointest my head with oil :" and he compares the excellency of brotherly love to " the precious ointment upon the head of Aaron, that ran down to the skirts of his garments :" and his son Solomon, to excite constant cheerfulness and dignity, says, " Let thy head lack no ointment." We do not feel the force of these allusions as the Easterns did ; yet who has not been charmed with the fragrance of a rose, or a lily ? Who, after rain, has not been regaled with the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed ? Who has read only of " incense- breathing morn" ? How obviously does the beneficence of God appear in "giving us all things richly to enjoy;" in pro- viding not for our sustenance only, but for our indul- gence ; and in adapting the various productions of nature to the delight, not less than the use, of all our senses. What softness and smoothness for the touch ! what colors for the eye ! what melodies for the ear ! what relishes for the taste ! what odors for the smell ! And all this he has provided for guilty creatures, who have renounced his service, and declared themselves THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED TRE SAVIOUR. i-il his enemies by wicked works ; and all this he con- tinues to afford to these very beings, though they are daily and hourly offending him ! And if it be thus with a world lying in wickedness, what will it be with the creation of " new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness" ? But to return — " She brake the box and poured the ointment upon his head." The sacrifice she made was great, and Avould have been difficult, but for the state of her mind. In making it, she had at once to resist the love of money, and the influence of pride and vanity. She had, doubtless, purchased this very costly perfume to expend upon herself and her charms. A female who neglects her person is a slattern, and deservedly despised ; but her person is an article a woman rarely overlooks. She seems intuitively, as well as from observation, conscious that, as to thou- sands, she can make more impression by exterior appearance than by cither intelligence or pious worth. This she early learns ; and when does she forget ? " Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire ?" But this woman forgets all thoughts of herself in thoughts of the Saviour. Her knowledge of him whom her soul loved had reduced the value of every other attraction ; and she could realize the language of the poet, and say, As by the light of opening day, The stars are all concealed. So earthly pleasures fade away. When Jesus is revealed. \(lii^an'cL W- ^cmTTCi, 142 LECTURE X. Its pleasures unw uo longer please No more content afford ; Far from my heart be joys like these, Now I have seen the Lord. III. Observe the censure. " And there were some tliat had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the oint- ment made ? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her." There is a disposition observable in some, to view unfavorably everything that falls under their notice. They seek to gain consequence, by always differing from others in judgment ; and try to depreciate what they allow to be worthy in itself, by hinting at some mistake or imperfection in the performance. You are too lofty, or too low in your manners ; you are too frugal, or too profuse in your expenditure ; you are too taciturn, or too free in your speech ; and so of the rest. Now, guard against this tendency. Nothing will conduce more to your uncomfortableness than living in the neighborhood of ill-nature, and being familiar with discontent. The disposition grows with indul- gence ; and is low and base in itself; and* if any should be ready to pride themselves on skill and facility in the science, let them remember that the acquisition is cheap and easy : a child can deface and destroy : dulness and stupidity, which seldom lack inclination or means, can cavil and find fault ; and everything can furnish ignorance, prejudice, and envy, with a handle of reproach. THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUR. 143 Why was not such a thing done ? Because, perhaps, it was impossible : because, perhaps, it was improper : because, perhaps, it would have done evil rather than good. You censure ; but if you knew all, you would commend what you now condemn. You censure ; but you would have acted in the same manner, had you been placed in the same condition. We cannot judge properly of any course of action, or any instance of conduct, unless we take into account its circumstances, its bearings, its reasons, its motives ; and how rarely can we do this with fairness ; and hence we are forbidden to do it at all. "Judge not, that ye be not judged." "Let us not therefore judge one another any more." But let us rather invite into our bosoms the charity which " thinketh no evil ; believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." IV. Observe the vindication. From the cavils of the murmurers the Saviour justifies the deed. " And Jesus said, Let her alone ; M'hy trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good : but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could : she has come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying." First; It is obvious she felt the reflection. This is more than impUed in our Saviour's rebuke, " why trouble ye her?" She probably turned aside and wept. Though it ought to be a light thing with us 144 - LECTURE X. to be judged of men's judgment, it cannot but be painful to be misunderstood and misrepresented (espe- cially when conscious of well-doing) by real friends and good men, whose good opinion and favor we value. Yet, Secondly ; She does not complain of ill usage ; she makes no angry or hasty reply ; she says nothing, but leaves her case to plead for itself. How unlike this, is the disposition of many. How irritable, how impatient are they. They cannot trust God for a moment with their reputation. Hence they are in- stantly provoked to defend themselves, and angrily retaliate, and thus take the matter out of his hand, who, if they suffer innocently and righteously, has said, " No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper ; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn." " To do good, and to bear evil," says Latimer, " is inscribed on the crown for which we run :" and we know who has " suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps ; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered he threatened not ; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." And well might this good woman be silent, for he was near who justified ; and. Thirdly ; We see that he approved of her action, and called what they upbniided, " a good work ;" that is, becoming, reasonable, righteous ; " she hath wrought a good work on me." It was opportune, and seasonable ; and every- thing is beautiful in its time. He was soon to be THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUR. 145 absent from them, and beyond the reach of their at- tention ; he was within a few days of his death ; and this would not be the case with the poor ; the poor would remain to receive acts of kindness. While some opportunities are frequently returning, others occur but once ; and where this is the case our duty is pressing and immediate. Upon this principle Solomon says, " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might ; for there is no work, nor de- vice, nor knowledge, nor -wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." It .was significant. As if he had said, " If I were dead you would be willing to expend more than this sum upon my corpse, and you would not say, what good can it do to his senseless remains ? It should be applied to the living and not to the dead. You would not ask, why is this waste then f and why call you it so now f There is more in this action than you are aware of; an intimation, a prefigu ration of my death ; for I am ready to be offered, and the time of my de- parture is at hand, and she is beginning to signalize my burial." Now, it is not certain or probable that she intend- ed emblematically to solemnize this event; but we here have an instance of the overruling providence of God, who, in an enterprise or action, has frequently in view an end, far beyond the knowledge and design of the agent. We see also how apprized our Lord was of the certainty and approach of his death, and how much he thought of it, and alluded to it. He also owns the degree of her endeavor ; for, 7 146 LECTURE X. thougli it was not meritorious or extraordinary, " she had done what she couldy Many duties and services might be much more perfect than they are ; but their deficiencies are overlooked and forgiven, because of the want of better hght and ampler means ; and be- cause of the number of difficulties and hinderances in the condition of those, who " would do good," but " evil is present with them ; and how to perform that which is good they find not." The Lord regards the heart, and judges of our performance by our ability; and " if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." Hence, you need not envy those who are placed in higher stations, or who command richer resources than yourselves. You may do as much, compara- tively, as they ; yea, you may do much more, in the judgment of him, who " called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they who have cast into the treasury ; for all they did cast in of their abundance ; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Honor and shame from no condition rise ; Act well your part, there all the honor lies. Fill up your sphere properly, however humble and contracted ; and use diligently your means and op- portunities, however few and limited. Do what you can^ and " whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus ;" and he will not only accept, but reward you graciously ; and you shall one THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUR. 147 day hear him say, " Well clone, thou good and faith- ful servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." V. Observe the memorial. For he does not deem it enough to justify her con- duct. He approves of it. He commends it. He applauds it. He immortalizes it. "Yerily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." This declaration has been amply fulfilled. Her action was recorded in the sacred history, as soon as it was published. There it has been jjreserved ever since. It has been continually perused by readers, and expounded by preachers. We are at this very moment complying Avith the Saviour's design, and nations yet unborn shall arise and call her blessed. Here, therefore, we may remark two things : — First^ We have here an instance and evidence of the wisdom and truth of the Lord Jesus. He is " the Amen, the faithful and true witness." All his decis- ions, all his announcements, all his promises may be relied on Avith more firmness than we can rely upon the continuance of heaven and earth ; for " heaven and earth may pass away, but his word shall not pass away." Secondly^ We here see the judgment of our Lord and Saviour, as to what he deems truly excellent, and most worthy of renown and perpetuity: — not the 148 LECTURE X. adventures of merchants ; not the intrigues of politi- cians ; not the exploits of heroes ; not the pomp of kings ; not the prodigies of genius ; not the discoveries of philosophers. " After all these things do the Gen- tiles seek." These are the wonders which the men of the world admire. To these they consecrate their eulogies ; and of these they endeavor to eternize the memorials in statues of marble and brass. They have little regard for humbleness of mind, for purity of heart, for heavenly tempers, for all the fruits of the Spirit, which are "love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." But you know who, in answer to the question of the disciples, " Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ?" " called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you. Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." And you know where you read, " The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in them that hope in his mercy ;" and " The prayer of the upright is his delight ;" and " To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." So true is it that " his thoughts are not our thoughts ;" and that " he seeth not as man seeth." How many things done in the house of Simon the leper, and in Bethany, and in Judea, and in Greece and Eome, have perished like a dream ; while " Verily I say unto you. Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memo- rial of her." THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUE. 149 / In conclusion, let us, First^ remark with pleasure, that though the Lord Jesus had always been " despised and rejected of men," this has never been invariably and universally the case. To some he has ever been " pre- cious," " the chief among ten thousand," the " alto- gether lovely." " Abraham saw his day and was glad." Moses " esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." David " sang of his righteousness, and talked of his salvation all the day long," Even in the days of his flesh, and under all his humiliations, there were some who " saw his glorj^, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and trutli ;" and Simeon, and Anna, and all those " who looked for redemption in Jerusalem," em- braced him with a rapture expressive of this language, " Lo, this is our God ; we have waited for him, and he will save us ; this is the Lord ; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salva- tion." And how has the number of his admirers increased since ? and how is it increasing now ? and what will it be when " He shall be great to the ends of the earth ; and all nations shall call him blessed" ? " Blessed be his glorious name forever ; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory ; Amen, and Amen." Eemark, Secondly^ Where love to Christ is the prin- ciple, it will evince itself by its influence and effects. It caunpt be hid, it cannot lie dormant, it cannot be inoperative. It will lead you to ask, " What wilt thou have me to do ?" It will induce you not only to think, but to speak well of his name ; not only to seize, but to seek after opportunities of doing him honor ; 150 LECTURE X. and make you willing not only to serve him, but to sacrifice for him and to say, ,t All that I am, and all I have, Shall be forever thine ; Whate'er my duty bids me give, My cheerful hands resign. Away then with mere words and professions. " Let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." The question is. What are we doing ? What are we giving up ? Wherein are we denying our- selves for his sake? For this is his decision, — "and the Scripture cannot be broken " — " He that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple," Say not, he is no longer personally within our reach. There are objects in which you may show your regard to him, by the proofs of your regard to them. His sabbaths, his ordinances, his ministers, his members, his poor, are not only dear to him, but are, in a sense, himself; and what you do to them he considers as done for himself. And can you do too much for him f Consider the dignity of his person, the nearness of his relations, the immensity of his claims. Oh ! think of him who remembered you in your low estate, who, when " he was rich, for your sakes became poor," and died that you might live, and is now your advocate with the Father, and making all things work together for 3^our good ; all your salvation, arud all your desire. And Oh ! let his love constrain you to feel and ex- emplify what you often sing : Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small ; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all. THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUR. 151 Thirdly, Be not surprised or discouraged if you meet with dislike, opposition, and reproach, in your best endeavors. You are a peculiar people, and many of your observers " will think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." The world knoweth j^ou not, and you are not to wonder if the world hate you. They hate you because you are not of the world, and by your conversion are apostates from their party. They may call your faith, folly ; your hope, presump- tion ; your meekness, meanness ; and your zeal, enthusiasm ; but, like Peter and John, you are to " rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer shame for his name ;" and to say with David — " if this be to be vile, I will be yet more vile." And if you pass from the world into tlie church, you may, even there, meet with swellings (if not tumults) and evil surmises, and unkind accusations. Yea, you may meet with painful treatment from even good and godly men ; for the pious are not always wise ; or always able to enter inta your views and plans, while yet they will readily undertake to decide concerning them. You must not expect every one to acquiesce in your convictions, or to admire your ap- probations ; but in the midst of divers opinions, and even of the strifes of tongues, your rejoicing is to be the testimony of your conscience ; and your motto this ; Careless, myself a dying man, Of dying men's esteem ; Happy, God, if thou approve, Though all besides condemn. Fourthly, Jesus will not allow you to be sufferers 152 LECTURE X. by anything you may do for him. " You may lose," says Henry, " in his service, but you cannot lose hy it." He will be sure to repay you, either in kind, or in equivalence. " And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit ever- lasting life." What the prince said to his prime minister, the Lord says to each of his servants, " Mind my affairs, and I will mind yours." And- if he cares for you, your concerns will be much better managed than by any attentions of your own ; for he knows all things, and has all hearts at his disposal, and all events under his control. He can make you rich, and add no sorrow with it. He can restore and preserve your health, so that all your " bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee ?" He can " make your enemies to be at peace with you." He can give yaw. comfort in all your connexions. He can " make darkness light be- fore you, and crooked things straight." He can do for you " exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think." When the eye can no longer bless you, or the ear give witness unto you, your memory shall be blessed; and God will not "forget your work of faith, and labor of love." K you should die under reproach, the reproach will soon be rolled away ; and from every cloud you " shall shine forth as the sun, in the 'kingdom of your Father." Many have had things laid to their charge which they knew not ; they have been spoiled of their goods, they have been immured in prisons, they have been defamed by the tongues of persecutors and bigots, THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED THE SAVIOUR. 153 and b}- the pens of lying historians. This was the case with Bunyan, and with the Nonconformists, " of whom the world was not worth}-," and with thousands more ; — and the}' seemed abandoned. But, no. How have they been honored in subsequent ages ! And their day is yet coming ; called " the manifestation of the sons of God ;" when there shall be a resurrection of characters, as well as of persons ; and the Judge of all " will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts : and then shall every man have praise of God." LECTURE XL THE POOR WIDOW. And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury : and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more iu, than all they who have cast into the treasury : for all they did cast in of their abundance ; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Mark, xii. 41-44. Wheeever there is a Temple there should be a Treasury. The friends of the " man lame from his mother's womb," showed their prudence, in laying him " daily at the gate of the temple, to ask alms of them that entered in." Piety and liberality, devo- tion and charity, harmonize well together. The " prayers and alms" of Cornelius *' came up for a memorial before God :" and what is required of us but " to love mercy," as well as "to do justly, and to walk humbly with our (rod" ? God is not only grea.t, but gracious and bountiful, and is to be resembled as well as worshipped. In- deed, our imitation of him is the best mode of our THE POOR WIDOW. 155 adoration and praise, and therefore, says the Saviour, " Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you ; that ye may be the chiklren of your Father who is in heaven : for he makcth his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect." Even under the legal dispensation it was command- ed that none should " appear before the Lord empty :" and the Jewish worshippers were called upon to " go and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." When Oman offered to give to David his ground for an altar, his oxen for a sacrifice, his threshing instruments for the wood, and his wheat for a meat offering, David refused, and said, " Nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price : for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord ; neither will I offer unto the Lord, my God, of that which doth cost me nothing." This was a noble resolution ; and he never swerved from it through life, but constantly said, " I will freely sacrifice unto thee, Lord." May we all partake of the same spirit, and exemplify the same determination : that " none of us may live to himself, and no one die to himself : but whether we live, we may live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we may die unto the Lord ; so that whether we live or die, we may be the Lord's." But to our subject. " Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury : and many that were rich cast in much. 156 LECTUEE XI And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them. Verily I say unto you. That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they who have cast into tlie treasury : for all they did cast in of their abundance ; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living," Let us I. REVIEW THE TSTARRATIVE. And II. ENQUIRE FOR WHAT PURPOSE our Sav- iour then called his disciples, and now calls us to consider and observe it. I. We REVIEW THE NARRATIVE itsclf. In doing this, we mark Firsi^ The Saviour's Ob- servatory. " Jesus sat over against the treasury." The Saviour " was holy, harmless, undefilecl, and sepa- rate from sinners;" and as he never passed an idle hour, and never spake a useless word, so he never performed an action without a motive, and a motive becoming himself. He did not, therefore, assume this position, as a place of display. He could well say, " I seek not honor from men." He never did any- thing to be seen of men ; unless the action rendered it unavoidable, or it was for the benefit of the ob- servers ; and this license he allows his disciples ; " Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." We may be equally sure that he placed himself in THE POOR WIDOW. 157 tliis position, not for anything like entertainment, or curiositj ; but his purpose was to furnish himself with matter for illustration, instruction, and improvement, as a teacher who was to " speak as never man spake," speaking " as one having authority, and not as the Scribes ;" not dealing in dry sj)eculations, and tame declamations, but enlivening his addresses by individ- ualities, facts, examples, similitudes; speaking so that his hearers would be able to understand and feel; preaching the gospel to the poor, and binding up the broken-hearted. Hence he could saj^, " The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary." A preacher should be a man whose "lips keep knowledge," and who is able to distinguish things that differ ; for which he must prepare himself by much observation. Accordingl}^, we here find the " teacher sent from God," himself intent on this object. And mark Secondly, His Inspection. He "beheld how the people cast money into the treasury." But how did he behold it? Was it with his bodily eyes? This indeed was partially the case, but not fully ; that is, he could thus see the givings, but not the dif- ferences of the gifts. It is, however, obvious that he saw the one as well as the other ; and this required more than eyes of flesh. And why should we forget that he possessed more than human perception and dis- cernment ? Peter acknowledged his omniscience, and was not reproved when he said, "Lord, thou knowest all things." It was prophesied of him that he should be '' of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord ;" and should " not judge after the sight of his eyes, nor 158 ' LECTUEE XI. reprove after the hearing of his ears ;" and how often did he answer invidious and malicious questions, not according to their palpable import, but to the state of mind, and the designs of the propounders ; covering them with shame, convicted as they were in their own consciences. He apprehended the foi^saking of his dis- ciples, the denial of Peter, and the treason of Judas, before there was any human probability of either. He had a knowledge that gained nothing by events ; and " needed not that any should testify of man ; for he knew what was in man." And let us not view this as a truth in which we have no concern ; we are under the same inspection ; and he who saw all that passed on the occasion before us, sees all now : " neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight ; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." In particular, I would remark, that he sees what are your views, and feelings, and doings, with regard to your pecuniary affairs ; for " the silver and the gold are his," not only as to their disposal and control, but also as to their acquisition and possession. Yes, he beholds you in the acquisition of your property ; and sees whether it is in the sober use of lawful means, and with dependence on " the blessing of the Lord, which maketh rich, and addeth 'no sorrow with it;" or in the strainings of him that " maketh haste to be rich, and is not inno- cent ;" and the darings of them who " will be rich, and fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in de- struction and perdition." Do you undervalue what THE POOR WIDOW. 159 you wish to buy, and praise what you mean to sell beyond its real worth? If you do not rob, do you not defraud ? If you do not plunder, do you not supplant ? Do you oppress the poor ? Do you under- pay your servants and workmen ? Is " the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your §elds, kept back b}^ fraud" ? — He seeth ! He also beholds you in the possession of your property; whether, as "riches increase," you "set your heart upon them ;" whether you " make gold your hope, and fine gold your confidence ;" whether you are saying to your soul, " Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry ;" whether you are hoarding instead of using, or whether you are spending your substance in the pride of life, in idleness, or dissipation, or vice ; or whether jou give, and what you give, and for what you give, and how you give ; and whether grudgingly or cheerfully, — He seeth ! And thus, both in the getting and in the using of property, we are under the eye of this Judge of all. Mark, Thirdly, His Distinction of the Donors. All alike gave, but all gave not alike. Two parties are recognized by him. The one, wealthy. "Many that were rich cast in much." That the rich should give, and give largely, and that this should be the case with numbers of them too, was to their honor ; especially as the practice has never been common. The other indigent; and as particulars strike more 160 LECTUEE XI. than generalities, an individual is here specified. She was " a certain poor widow." Widows are charac- ters often met with in Scripture, but this widow is very distinguishable from many of them ; for she ap- pears not as a receiver, but as a giver ; not as a bene- ficiary, but as a benefactress. The widow whose husband had died insolvent, the widow of Sarepta, the widows weeping for Dorcas, all these were in cir- cumstances of distress, and requiring assistance ; and widows are commonly spoken of as desolate ; are mentioned in connection with another af&icted class, the fatherless ; and are represented as peculiarly liable to oppression and injury. Much experience in sorrow breeds sympathy. They who have felt the heavy blow themselves, will not easily turn a deaf ear, and an unfeeling heart, to a fellow sufferer, who, by reason of his anguish, cries, " Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ye, my friends ; for the hand of God hath touched me." " Be kind to strangers," said God to Israel, " for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." It is not, therefore, surprising that a poor widow should be noted in relation to charity. But a dispo- sition to give is one thing, ability is another; and, therefore, while the rich gave much, this widow "threw in" only "two mites, which make a farthing." Such were the donors qur Saviour recognized, and such were their respective contributions. They dif- fered widely in their real substance, and would give rise to various judgments concerning them. It is easy to conceive what the givers themselves THE POOR WIDOW. 161 would tliiuk of them. The rich would be satisfied ; imagiuiug that they had done their duty, if not more than was required of tliem; and even paid a com- pensation for delinquencies. While the poor widow would deem what she had done unworthy of notice ; and, perhaps, felt ashamed to cast into the treasury such a mean trifle. Others, who were lookers on, had they known what the parties gave, would have extolled the one as prod- igies of liberality ; while they would have treated the other with neglect, or reproached her for giving what she could not afibrd, and contemned her offering as an insult rather than a benefaction. But how were they viewed by him " whose eyes are as a flame of fire," and " who searcheth the reins and the hearts" ? For " not he who commendeth himself," or whom man commendeth, "is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." This leads us to mark, Fourthly^ The Decision^ which the Saviour pronounces with regard to their claims. " He called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them,' Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they who have cast into the treasury ; for all they did cast in of their abun- dance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." At first this seems strange ; and our Lord could not mean that she had given more than all the others, as to quantity, or as to quality ; but more, as to mo- tive; more, as to principle; more, as to disposition; more, relatively as to their condition and her circum- stances; more, comparatively. 162 LECTURE XI. And here we introduce the fine observation of Mr. Henry, tliat " charity is to be judged of, not by what is given, but by what is left." Though these men had given much, they had done it " of their abun- dance," and superfluity ; and could go home to houses filled with plenty, and to tables spread with all kinds of viands ; while she shivered home to a lonely apart- ment, and opening her larder, found nothing for the da}-, unless as the coming in from hard toil, or the effect of casual supply. Let us pass to the Second part of our subject, and having examined the narrative itself, let us in- quire. For what Purpose the Saviour called his disciples then^ and for what purpose he calls us now, to observe it? Would he not teach us, that we are not to esti- mate things absolutely, or abstracted from their re- lations and circumstances? The very taking away of life is not necessarily, or in itself, murder. In the magistrate it is the execu- tion of justice. The same commendation may be flattery or praise, according to the mind of the speaker. A thousand circumstances will debase or ennoble an action, materially the same. Thus in alms-giving a sovereign may be less than a farthing, and a farthing may be more than a sovereign. And here we would observe that, as many of the respective circumstances 'which justify or condemn, enhance or aggravate conduct, are often beyond the reach of our discernment, it becomes us to be mindful of the admonition, " Judge not, that ye be not judged." Again, would he not, by this decision, teach us THE POOR WIDOW. 163 that "/»s thouglits are not our tliouglits, nor his wavs our ways;" and ho that "seeth not as man sceth, for man lookcth on tlie outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." '■ That which is highly esteemed among men, may be an abomina- tion in the sight of God ;" and that which is despised among men may be precious in his esteem. The question therefore is, how we stand with re- gard to him, and what we are in iiis view, as to our persons and performances. " AVith me," says the Apostle to the Corinthians, "it is a verj^ small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment : he that judgeth me is tlie Lord." And so should it be with us. Above all, would he not teach us that in his eyes the rule with regard to liberality is proportioyi f This appears to be the main inference to be drawn fi'om the subject ; and it may usefully be applied to three things — the Prevention of Envy : — the Encourage- ment of Penur}' : — and the Humiliation of Pride. First, It will apply to the Prevention of Env3^ " The spirit that is in us lusteth to envy ;" and it sometimes operates under a notion which seems to sanctify it. " Oh !" 3'ou sometimes saj^, " how happy are they that possess ample resources, and means of doing good ? Oh ! if I had such ability, what would I not accomplish? The blessing of him that is ready to perish should come upon mo, and I would cause the widow's heart to sing for joy." But are 3^ou sure of this? , Are the disposition and the capacity always equal and united ? Have you not known many who have failed in the practice, as they increased in the 164 LECTURE XI. ability ; so that they have not only done less, com- paratively, than before, bnt even less, really ? The case was, they did not think it worth while to be covetous, till they found it possible to accumulate ; but indulgence in success encouraged them, and made them think of worshipping mammon. Besides, if you wish to be rich in order to be benevolent, the thing is needless ; where there is " first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." If nothing more than purpose in thy power, The purpose firm is equal to the deed ; Who does the best his circumstance allows, Does well, acts nobly : angels could no more. Though a farthing was the least, it was also the greatest offering of the day. Secondly^ Here is Encouragement for Penury : — and the poor require it. We have known persons kept away from the house of God, because they could only appear in vile raiment ; and others who have been prevented from coming to the table of the Lord, because they could put nothing into the communion plate. Oh ! what do some feel at public collections be- cause they cannot give like others ! and what do they feel when, in private applications, they are compelled to say, not from indisposition but inability, " Depart in peace, be ye warmed_ and filled, and give not those things which are needful to the body." Bat let them remember, that though David could not build the temple, he could desire it, and purpose it, and it was THE POOR WIDOW. 165 well that it was in his heart ; and even the non-per- formance did not lose a reward. God, in estimating your services, admits into the account not only what you do, (which at most is very little,) but all you long to do, and would do if it were in your power ; and this, in doing, magnifies the work, and in giving, the gift. Let none, therefore, however humble their condi- tion, or limited their means, suppose for a moment that they are doomed to uselessness ; or conclude, that because they have not ten talents, or five, they cannot trade with one. This one may be laid up in a napkin, and the neglect to use it will constitute an unprofitable servant. It is a sad mistake of some, that because they cannot do much, they are justified in doing nothing. Oh ! for the commendation of Mary ! " She hath done what she could." Tliirdly^ Here is Abasement for the Proud. Of nothing, perhaps, are men vainer than their bounty, or what they give, especially if they give " much," though it be *' of their abundance." But what is this "much," (so deemed by themselves and their admirers,) when it comes to be properly ex- amined ? Is it much materially ? Is it much rela- tively ? Is it much compared with what others give, whose means are unspeakably less? What sacrifice does the giving involve? What self-denial does it exercise ? What is left ? Yet we read of those who "bless the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth :" and it is lamentable to think how commonly this evil praise prevails. But can ministers be ever chargeable with it, who ought, 166 LECTURE XI. above all men to be no respecters of persons ? Alas ! do they not sometimes widen the doors of admission to the Lord's table, to receive the richer candidates, though they often prove the most troublesome mem- bers, and do far less to promote the common cause than their humbler brethren ? Do they not extol in memoirs, and cry up in funeral discourses, those, in their communion, who die scandalously rich ? They might at least give a gentle condemnation or censure on such characters ; or they might let them pass off from their communion in silence, as they frequently do some of the poor of their flock. I am free to assert that, in a long life and ministry, and after much opj)ortunity to inspect society, I have found the gi'eatest instances of liberality and benevo- lence, not among the rich, but among the poor. And their day is coming; and what scenes will that day disclose, when "the Lord shall come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts : and then shall every man have praise of God." Then will he say to those prodigies of liberality and benev- olence, who, in giving much, have given nothing ; " You have boasted of your doings, and been admired ■ by your fellow-creatures ; you have received your consolation, and had your reward. Depart, and re- flect forever on the good you might have done, and r the evil you have donej by your riches, living and dying. But to those who were poor in this world's goods, but " rich in faith ;" who gave what they could ill li spare, or might have expended in nameless ways THE POOR WIDOW. 167 on their own conveniences and wants ; and who in doing so little did much ; the liver on a straightened stipend ; the worn-out mechanic ; the hard laborer in the field ; the widow with her two mites ; he will say, " Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." LECTURE XII. THE PENITENT SINNEE. And he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman ? — Luke, vii 44. What affords pleasure to the angels of God ? Tliej have intercourse witli our world, and know what is passing among men. They see the fields of battle ; the revolutions of empires ; the discoveries of philoso- phers ; the improvemonts in arts and sciences ; the extension of commerce ; the civilizations of savage life. What among all these transactions and events yields them pleasure ? It is, The conversion of a Soul. This answer will not gratify the hero, the politician, the scholar, the merchant. It will surprise the " men of the world, who have their portion in this life ;" and who only ask, " What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and wherewithal shall we be clothed?" But we are assured by the lips of everlasting truth, that " there is joy in the presence of the angels of Grod over one sinner that repenteth." From this declaration, two things undeniably result, in the minds of all who believe it. The one is, The THE PENITENT SINNER. 169 disinterested Benevolence of these Heavenly Beings. Though they are the elder branches of the family, and have kept their first estate, yet, instead of repining at the return and reception of their younger brethren, they rejoice to see the prodigals restored, and placed in a state even superior to their own. The other is, The Importance of Eepentance. Little can be inferred from the censure or praise of men, or from the grief or joy of mortals. "We are often agitated by trifles ; we are full of ignorance, and are governed by prejudice ; we call evil good, and good evil ; we put darkness for light, and light for darkness. But it is otherwise with the angels of God. They are proverbial for their knowledge ; no ignorance deludes, no prejudice warps them. They " always behold the face of our Father who is in heaven." They are perfect beings ; and their judgment is always according to truth. And do they rejoice over one sinner that repenteth? Then there is no subject more momentous and inter- esting than repentance. Then there is no subject more worthy of the attention of preachers, or the self- examination of hearers. Then we need not wonder that we find so man}^ calls to it, and so many instances of it, recorded in the Scriptures. To one of these instances, and a very striking one, your thoughts are now summoned. Thus reads the whole relation: — "And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And. he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat 170 LECTURE XII. in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet, behind him, weeping ; and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him ; for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have some- what to say unto thee. And he saith. Master, say on. There was a certain creditor who had two debtors ; the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most ? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him. Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman ? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet ; but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss : but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint : but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven ; for she loved much : but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to THE PPJNITENT SINNER. 171 the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace." I address each of you in the language of our Saviour to Simon, " Seest thou this woman ?" You say. Yes. But do you observe her ? Do you study her character and history f Do you study her character and history, so as to apply them to the purposes of spiritual instruc- tion and improvement f Let us consider, I. What we may see in the character of this WOMAN, II. What we may learn from her history. We are to inquire, I. What may we see in the character of this woman? We see in her — a Sinner. We see in her — a Reclaimed Sinner. We see in her — a Pardoned Sinner. First, We see in her a Sinner. So she is expressly called : " a woman who was a Sinner." We are all sinners. " All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." " If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." But it is not in this general sense that the term is here employed by the sacred historian. Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened, was a sinner ; but though she was not a behever, she was virtuous before her con- version, and as a proselyte "worshipped God." But 172 LECTURE XII. tliis woman was infamous. Perhaps she had at first yielded to her own depraved dispositions, and gone voluntarily astray. Perhaps she had been originally drawn aside by some rich villain, some flattering hypocrite, some " child of the devil," who was " a liar and a murderer from the beginning." However this may be, we ought never to speak of such characters in the way of extenuation. They are guilty even in the outset ; for they have sense and reason ; and they cannot be ignorant that every- thing dear and valuable is sacrificed with the surren- der of virtue. But who can think, without horror and execration, of progress and perseverance in such a course of vice ? Surely if there were any remains of principle, the individual would rather die, than live in the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death, trading in iniquity, constantly endeavoring to ensnare, and seduce, and destroy. The Scripture, therefore, does not speak of such characters as pitiable, but as criminal ; not as imposed upon, but as deceiving ; not as corrupt, but as cor- rupters. " And I find more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands : whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her ; but the sinner shall be taken by her." " For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honey- comb, and her mouth is smoother than oil : but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death ; her steps take hold on hell." We know this woman before us was guilty in no small degree. Our Saviour's comparison THE PENITENT SINNER. 173 supposes her to owe " five hundred pence ;" und he pronounces her sins to have been " many," though " forgiven." Secondly^ Wc see in her a .Redaivied Sinner. In ever}^ subject of divine grace, a change takes place, which explains and verifies the promise ; " Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree ; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut oflP." Many talk much of the grace of God, but the best way to magnify this grace is to show what it has done for us, and what it has done in us ; for the Scripture lays it down as a truth that admits of no exception, " If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature : old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become new." And if you ask, wherein does this change appear in the char- acter before us ? it is answered ; It appears in her Courage. It requires courage in a man, not only to forsake favorite sins, to pluck out a right eye, and to cut off a right hand ; but to risk the displeasure of friends ; to brave the reproach of singularity and preciseness; to endure the scourge of the tongue ; to make a kind of public profession of his former follies ; and to take shame to himself before the eyes of those who will treat his conduct as weakness or hypocrisy. Hence, men who have been bold in a bad cause, have often been timid in a good one. They have been open in sin, and reserved in duty. They have gloried in their shame, and have been ashamed of their glory. We read of some who believed in our Lord, but feared to 174 LECTUEE XII, confess liim, " lest thej should be put out of tlie syna- gogue ; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." Even Nicodemus, to avoid notice, " came to him by night." But see this woman. She goes and exposes her- self before a large company. She goes alone. She goes uninvited. She is liable to be censured as an intruder, to be condemned as a disturber of the festive scene. She knew that the vileness of her former character would render her peculiarly obnoxious. She knew that she was going to the house of a Pharisee, who would think his very dwelling polluted by her entrance. She knew that the company would prob- ably look upon her with disdain and contempt ; and not fail, under her present appearance of devotion, to brand her with her former life. But none of these things move her. After all, do you wonder at her confidence ; and, while allowing for a difference in the manners of the age and country, do you find it difficult to account for her conduct ? Eemember the force of divine truth, when it enters the conscience ; and remember also that the grace of God, while it enlightens the understanding to perceive the importance of eternal things, blinds us to carnal reasons, upon a thousand difticulties which self-love would oppose at our en- trance into a religious life ; and that there are acts of piety, as there are strokes bf genius, which must be felt rather than coldly criticised. It appears in her Humility. For in the day of conviction, " the proud looks are humbled, the lofty looks are laid low, and the Lord THE PENITENT SINNER. 175 alone is exalted." Though determined to accomjolish her purpose, whatever difficulties opposed her design, she does it in a way which proves that her zeal is not pride and vainglory. She wishes to attract the notice of none but the Saviour, and seems to shrink from the very attention she longs to awaken. " How can I look him in the face?" She, therefore, comes " behind hvmr Do you remember nothing like this in your own feelings, when a sense of sin urged you to the Friend of sinners? The poor Pilgrim, when she came to the door which she wished above all things to enter, trembled as she knocked ; she knocked softly, not from a want of earnestness, but a sense of meanness and guilt ; and then drew aside, as if afraid of the admission she sought. When Peter saw the Saviour's glory displayed, in the miracle of the fishes, he exclaimed, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." This was not the language of aversion, but of conscious unworthiness, rendered the more deep and humbling by the display of his glory and power. This woman does not aspire to be a guest ; she deems it enough to assume the place and office of a menial handmaiden, to wash his feet. And thus the prodigal is satisfied with the thought of the lowest station he could occupy, provided it be in his father's house, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy son ; make me as one of thy hired servants." It appears in her Contrition. I'hc heart of stone is turned to flesh. She weeps ; weeps bitterly ; weeps abundantly. And truly, there 176 LECTUEE XII. is enough in sin to make a transgressor mourn. It lias "brought death into the world, and all our woe." It has turned the earth into a vale of tears ; gendered the worm that never dies, and kindled the fire that never shall be quenched. It exposes us to the wrath to come, and prepares us for fellowship with the devil and his angels. But what says the prophet? "They shaU look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitter- ness for his first-born." And what made this woman pour forth such a flood of tears ? Did they only, or principally, flow from a sense of her danger? Many are only affected with the evil of sin in the misery it incurs. If they are grieved, it is not that they are polluted, but that they are punishable ; not that they have acted a vile part, but a destructive one. But this is not the "godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation ; and needeth not to be repented of." The true penitent sees that his sin is folly and madness, ingratitude and treachery. He sees that he has transgressed, not only times without number, but a law that is holy, and just, and good. He sees that he has offended a Being infinitely worthy of all his regards. He sees that this Being, even while he was rebelliog against him, was loading him with benefits ; and is, even now, after all his provocations, waiting to be gracious, and exalted to have mercy upon him. Then his heart dissolves ; then he wishes that his head were waters, and his eyes a fountain of tears ; and, sor- rowing after a godly sort, he manifests the fulfilment THE PENITENT SINNER. 177 of the divine promise, "I will establish my covenant with thee ; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord : that thou majest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God." It appears in her Attacliment. She washes his feet with her tears ; she wipes them with the hairs of her head ; she embraces them ; and anoints them with a costly perfume. Judas kissed our Lord, but it was in order to betray him. Many " draw nigh unto him with their mouth, and honor him with their lips, while theii' heart is far from him." But where the heart is given, nothing will be withheld, however dear or valued. This woman, therefore, employs her best ornament to honor him ; she sacri- fices the precious perfume which she had purchased to expend upon her own person ; relinquishiog the claims of vanity for the duties of devotion ; thinking nothing of herself, but only of her Saviour; and esteeming nothing too precious to sacrifice in the meanest service for him. . It appears in her Faith. Many would have overlooked this, but our Saviour sees and remarks it. He well knew that faith was the ground of her application ; that it was the source of her courage, her humility, her sorrow, and her affection'. These were only fruits ; faith was the root that bore them. She hoped that he would receive her. She believed that "with the Lord there was mercy, and with him plenteous redemption." She had a confidence that, unworthy as she was, he 8* 178 LECTURE XII. ■would " in nowise cast her out." He, therefore, '' said unto her, Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace." Thirdly^ We see in her a Pardoned Sinner. When David looked around to find a happy man, he does not say, blessed is he whose grounds bring forth plentifully ; blessed is the man who governs nations with a nod ; blessed is the man that strides from victory to victory ; blessed is the man who is admired for genius and science. To many of these claims and distinctions he was himself no stranger ; he was a musician, and a poet, and a hero, and a king ; but the insufficiency of all these he deplored ; and he prayed, " Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name." But he exclaims, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." He has the true notion of blessedness ; and he has the reality. The whole of his happiness is insured ; the whole of it is begun. He is blessed in his duties; blessed in his comforts ; blessed in his trials. To him affliction has no curse ; death has no sting ; eternity has no terrors. Such was the privilege of this woman ; and two things enhance it. It was a, present blessing. It was not said, "Her sins, which are many, shall 'be forgiven :" but " are forgiven." It was, also, an assured benefit. Our safety depends upon our state; our consolation is much influenced by our knowledge. Not a few of the people of THE PENITENT SINNER, 179 God go mourning all their days for want of the " full assurance of hope." But this woman is not left for a moment in uncertainty. " He said to the woman, Thj' sins are forgiven. Thj^ faith hath saved thee. Go in peace." We do not envy her the distinguished privilege with which she was favored. But Saviour, we long to share in the same blessedness. We long to be able to praise thee, as the health of ow?- countenance, and ow portion forever. Through many a be- nighted hour have we been waiting for thee, " more than they that watch for the morning." Scatter the doubts and fears that have enveloped and dismayed us, and " say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." Let us inquire. II. What may we learn from the history op THIS "WOMAN? First^ We learn from it the Disposition of Pharisees. How well does our Saviour describe them, when he speaks of "certain, who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." How well did he exemplify, and contrast, and condemn their temper, when he said, "Two men went up into the temple to pray" ; the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself; God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adul- terers, or even as this Publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much 180 LECTUEE XII. as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon liis breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell yon, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other : for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased: and he that hnmbleth himself shall be exalted." How often did these self-justiciaries mur- mur, as a reproach to the Saviour himself, " This . man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." So here : " When the Pharisee who had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him ; for she is a sinner." Here is censure without consideration. Here is judginent without mercy. Here is exclusion without hope. A sinner, even upon his return, is to be cut off, even from the means of grace, and for- bidden all intercourse with the preacher of righteous- ness ! "Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great; and let us not fall into the hand of man !" Secondly, We learn from it the Condescension and Kindness of the Saviour. Power may cause its possessors to be feared ; wealth, to be envied ; learning, to be admired ; and beauty, to be flattered ; but it is genuine goodness alone that can gain the heart." " For scarcely for a righteous man will one die ; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die," But ^\■he^e are vv'e now, and what do we see in the Lord Jesus ? Even his giving to this man his company S3rves to display a little of his character ; and to rectify the mistake of some of his followers. The Pharisees were his bitterest THE PENITENT SINNER. 181 enemies. They did not even allow his mission as a prophet. Simon, therefore, asks him to his house, only to gratify his friends and acquaintances, or to indulge his own curiosity, or to gain reputation by having so extraordinary an individual to be his guest. Yet our Saviour, though he knew this, accepts the invitation ; for " he went about doing good ;" not only embracing, but seeking and sanctifying all op- portunities of diffusing instruction, pleasure, and profit. But see the benign attention he pays to this woman, and the kind defence he makes in her behalf Had she touched Simon, he would have "been filled with horror, and have exclaimed, " Stand by thyself, come not near me, I am holier than thou." This is what he wishes our Saviour to have done. But he is mistaken in his character ; he is perfectly ignorant of the being he entertains. It had been said, long before, in prophecy, " Thou art fairer than the children of men : grace is poured into thy lips." " He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass ; as showers that water the earth." " He shall not strive, nor cry ; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust." Who embodied these rep- resentations ? He who "saw the multitude, and had compassion uj)on them, because they were as sheep having no shepherd." He who said, " Com.e unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He who said, " I came not to call 182 LECTURE XII. the rigliteous, but sinners to repentance." " The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost," He who said to the woman taken in adultery, and turned over by her merciless fellow-sinners to his judgment, " Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more." He who, in a voice softer than the breath of heaven, said to this woman, " Thy sins are forgiven thee ; go in peace." Thirdly, We learn from it, that we should consider none of our fellmv-creatures as entirely abandoned. While there is life, there is hope : And while the lamp holds out to burn, The vilest sinner may return. We grant that there are some for whom we feel, and ought to feel great alarm. There are some who seem to have sinned away everything like conscience ; and to have gone such lengths in wickedness, that only a divine arm can reach them. . But let us re- member there is such an arm. And what this arm can do is not left for conjecture to determine. We can appeal to facts. We know what it can do, from what it has done; for with him "there is no vari- ableness, neither shadow of turning :" " his hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." Think of this, ye parents, who, after all your pray- ers, and efforts, and tears, f^ee your children walking the downward road. Think of this, ye ministers, who, after preaching for twenty years, see no religious movement among many of your gospel-hardened hearers. "God is able of these stones to raise up THE PENITENT SINNER. 183 children unto Abraham." How often, at the admis- sion of members, has a church exclaimed, " Who hath begotten me these? These, where have they been ?" But, you say, such a character is so unlikely. What ! more unlikely than Manasseh, that son of a pious father, who had withstood all the influences of a good education ; who had become an idolater, a ne- cromancer, a bloody murderer ? Yet, " in his afflic- tion, he sought the Lord God of his fathers, and he was found of him." Had you seen Saul of Tarsus at the stoning of Stephen, holding the raiment of them that slew him, and afterwards haling men and women to prison, how little could you have expected to see him a disciple, a preacher, an apostle, a martyr. " I was," says he, "a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy. For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them who shall hereafter believe on him to life everlast- ing." Fourthly^ We learn from it, that no distressed con- science should despair. This article is distinguishable from the former. That was designed to keep us from relaxing in our endeavors to save others ; this is intended to prevent all discouraging conclusions Avith regard to ourselves. I know, that fear follows guilt. I know that when you think of returning to God, conscience may forebode his rejecting you. It requires " strong con- solation" to bear up the mind under a . sense of numberless and heinous transgressions, and to enter 184 LECTURE XII. the presence of him whom we have so often and so dreadfully provoked. But there is "strong consola- tion" for those that are "fleeing for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them." " As I live," said the Lord, by the prophet Ezekiel, " I have no pleas- ure in the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." And he says it here, " See what manner of sinners my mercy can forgive, and my grace restore." " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." May his goodness lead you to repentance. May the exceeding riches of his grace encourage your ap- plication to him. guard against despair. The gate of life stands open, but despair shuts it, locks it, and throws the ke}^ into the bottomless pit. De- spair, by making us believe that means are useless, keeps us from using them ; and thus oar recovery is rendered impossible, because deemed unattainable. Hope is the source of all exertion. Hope melts me. Hope draws me, draws me to his feet. — Should worlds conspire to drive me tlience, Moveless and firm this heart shall lie; Resolved, for that's my last defence, If 1 must perish, there to die. THE PENITENT SINNER, 185 Finally, We learn from it that our Oratitude will he influenced hy a sense of our obligations. This our Saviour brings Simon to acknowledge. " There was a certain creditor who had two debtors : the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most ? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged," By this principle he accounts for the indifference of the Pharisee, and the zeal of the woman, " I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet : but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss : but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint ; but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee. Her sins, which are many, are forgiven ; for she loved much," Not meaning that her love was the cause of the pardon, but the consequence. As if he had said, " She would not have felt such ardor, and displayed such devotedness, had she not been sensible how much she was indebted to my goodness," " But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little," A slight acknowledgment will be deemed sufficient for a trifling fovor. Why arc many so cold and lifeless in their regards to the Redeemer of Sinners ? They are hardly con- vinced that they are sinners. In reality there are no little offenders. But many suppose their offences 186 LECTURE XII. to be small, especially when thej compare themselves with viler characters. Now in proportion as we view ourselves to be innocent, shall we feel our need of divine grace diminished. If we imagine we can make any amends to the law we have transgressed, by our repentance and reformation, so much we shall detract from the obligation we are under to the aton- ing sacrifice of Christ, If we can establish a right- eousness of our own, we shall not submit ourselves to the righteousness which is of God ; nor, of course, be thankful for its provision and imputation. " The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick ;" and they who feel themselves most attached to him, and who think they can never say enough in his praise, are not those whom he has saved from an ordinary pain or infirmity, but those who have been rescued by^ him from the most desperate malady, and from the jaws of death. Here, then, we see of what importance it is to entertain proper views of the fall, of the evil of sin, of the depravity of our nature, and of the misery we have deserved. These views are often* censured as gloomy and injurious ; but it would be easy to prove not only how true they are, but how important they are, even on a practical account, both to awaken the conscience to seek pardon, and also to excite to grati- tude and obedience when it is attained. It must be admitted that there are degrees in sin. Our Saviour compares some sins to motes, and others to beams ; some to gnats, and others to camels. He here allows that one contracts a larger debt than another; and represents Ihat he who has had a debt THE PENITENT SINNER. 187 of five hundred pence remitted, should feel more than the man who has had a debt of fifty pence. He who has been the greatest sinner should be the greatest saint. But here I would remark two things. First, The greatest sinners are not always the grossest. Sin is to be judged of by its aggravations ; and its aggravations arise from the convictions and cautions, the means and motives which we have neg- lected and contemned. Perhaps some of the guiltiest individuals in our world are those who are decent in their conduct, but have enjoyed all the means of grace from their infancy, and yet have been insensible under them ; who have constantly worshipped God, but have mocked him with a solemn sound upon a thoughtless tongue ; who have heard the Avords of eternal life, and trampled them under foot. Secondly, All those who are taught of God see enough in themselves to make them admire the free- ness and fulness of that grace which has saved them. They have seen only the lives of others ; but as to themselves, they have looked into their own hearts, and have found them to be " deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." The}- cannot judge the motives of others, but they have examined their own. They knoAV not what excuses otliers may be able to plead, while the}- acknowledge that they have no cloak for their sin. They compare themselves with .that, law, the spirituality of which they are now enlightened to see. What wonder, therefore, that, if less vicious than others, they sliould yet see them- selves to be more sinful ; and, in proportion as they 188 LECTURE XII. liope in his mercy, ask, with an emphasis peculiar to themselves, " What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me ?" " Lord what wilt thou have me to do ?" Gi'eat King of Grace, my heart subdue ; I would be led in triumph too, A willing captive to my Lord, And sing the victories of his word. LECTURE XIII. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. PART I. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water : Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. — John, iv. 7. It is very pleasant and profitable to follow our Lord and Saviour in his career of mercy : to contemplate his power under the direction of his goodness; to behold him feeding a hungry multitude upon the ground, opening the eyes of the blind, causing the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak; here, raising from the grave a dead brother, and restoring him to his weeping sisters ; and there, calling back from the dead an only son, and delivering him to his widowed mother. Andyet, if we are like-minded with angels, who "rejoice over one sinner that repenteth," we shall feel ourselves still more strongly and delightfully attracted to the contemplation of the wonders of divine grace, in which we behold him accomplishing sjDiritual cures, quicken- ing those " who were dead in trespasses and sins," and from the ruins of the fall producing " eternal excel- lencies, the joy of many generations." 190 LECTURE XIII. We now enter on a passage of sacred history, recorded with singular fulness and minuteness. It relates the conversion of a woman, previously vile and infamous ; and whose change, no less remarkable than divine, serves to verify and illustrate the language of Isaiah ; " Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the mj^rtle tree : and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." Our Lord was now journeying, to escape the envy and malice of the Pharisees ; for " his hour was not yet come ;" and he would give us an example of his own doctrine, " when they persecute you in one city, flee ye unto another." We may change our residence, though we must never change our religion. We are not called to suffer, when we may avoid it without sin. Corn-age is not rashness, but wise and useful firmness and resolution. In going from Judea into Galilee, Samaria lay in the direction of his road ; it was therefore necessary for him to pass through it. He soon reached one of their cities, here called Sychar, but formerly, Sychem, or Shechem. The place is often mentioned in the Scriptures. Here Joshua assembled the tribes of Israel before his death, and made his solemn appeal. Here Dinah roved, and by her folly occasioned the destruc- tion of the inhabitants. Very near it was the parcel of ground which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Here also was Jacob's well ; a well which he probably digged, but certainly made use of As people are always struck with antiquity, this well must have been an object of great curiosity, and THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 191 would have awakened many reflections in the mind of an intelligent traveller. How many empires had risen and fallen in succession, while this fountain had re- mained the same. How many generations were now mouldered to dust, Avho had been refreshed by its cooling supplies. Though every production here is doomed to perish, yet many things, compared with man, are durable and permanent. Cultivation rapidly passes from hand to hand, but the earth abideth for ever. A man plants a tree, his sons soon behold it growing towards maturity, and some of their remote descendants may see it begin to wither and decay. But " what is our life ? A vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." "We are prone to overrate some things, and to over- look others. Many achievements which once drew the attention and admiration of thousands, and which had occasioned an enormous expenditure of wealth and labor, were of little importance or utility compared with this homely well, which a few rude hands had digged, and which was destined to survive them all. But the event, which reflects the highest honor upon it, and which will render it interesting, not only to the end of time, but through all eternity, was yet to come. It was to be dignified with the presence of such a visitor as, in the course of two thousand years, had never approached it before. It was to afibrd rest and refreshpient to the Lord of life and glory. And \ it was to witness the conversion of one poor sinner, \ who by her testimony would be the means of con- verting numbers more. ^ " Jesus being wearied with his journey, sat thus 192 LECTURE XIII. on the well." His languor and fatigue will not appear at all wonderful, when we consider three thina-s. First^ That he was truly, though not only, a man. "The Word was made flesh." He was therefore a partaker of all the infirmities of human nature. He feared ; he was hungry and thirsty ; he was susceptible of lassitude, and required repose to renew his strength. Secondly^ The manner of his travelling : for as " he went about doing good," so he did this on foot. We read only once of his riding; and that was on a borrowed beast, " an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." Thirdly^ The season : it was the very heat of the day; being high noon. The Evangelist expressly remarks that " it was about the sixth hour," But had he reallj^ no more in view, by pausing and reposing here, than bodily ease and refreshment? Yes; here the good shepherd was searching for a strayed sheep ; and he knew where to find it, and how to bring it into his fold. He was here to ex- emplify words which he had uttered prophetically ages before ; "I am sought of them that asked not for me ; I am found of them that sought me not : I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name." Here he was to prove that his mercy is preventing, as well as free ; and that how- ever far we go back, we shall always find him there previousl}^, waiting to be gracious, and saying, " Come, for all things are now ready." Here he was to show us what great events spring out of apparently little and trifling circumstances ; because he is the master of circumstances, appoints them, disposes them, and renders them effective. THE WOMAN OF SAMAEIA. 193 All was casual as to tlie woman herself. Sh' dreamed of nothing more than returning with he pitcher of water. But our Lord saw the end froi the beginning ; and beheld her returning, possessc of heavenly treasure, a rejoicing Christian, a herald < salvation. Though this woman was a sinner, her comi- forth to draw water herself, was commendable ; a there are some who have even taken advantage of this to remark, that though " the gifts and calling of God" are as much without desert as they are " with- out repentance," yet he has often conferred them in such a way as to countenance and encourage dili- gence and industry. It is the devil that meets with us when we are idle. The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds while they were keeping watch over their flocks by night. Matthew was called at the receipt of custom. Peter, and Andrew, his brother, were fishing ; James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, were mending their nets, when called by the Saviour. Elisha was ploughing when Elijah cast his mantle upon him, and said, " Follow me." Saul was seeking his father's asses when he met with Samuel, who anointed him king over Israel. Eebekah, Rachel, and Zi|3porah, all met with husbands, good husbands, extraordinary husbands, at the well's mouth, bearing their pitchers.* But the woman of Samaria finds there, " the chief among ten thousand," the " altogether lovely," the " Lord of all ;" and ob- tains " the unsearchable riches of Christ." Biit let us see how our Saviour gains this woman ; for " he that winneth souls is wise." I love to con- 9 194 LECTURE XIII. template his agency in the kingdom of nature ; to follow the windings of a river ; to stand in a field of corn ; to walk in a garden ; to see him making his sun to rise, and his rain to descend ; bringing forth the beauties of spring, and the treasures of summer ; doing everything, and yet seeming to do nothing ; doing all things, and doing all things well. But, Oh ! to attend him when he goes to get possession of a soul ! He knows his aim. He is sure of his end. See with what calmness and self-possess- ion he moves. He is doing a great work, but with- out effort, without noise. Here is no strong wind rending the mountains, no earthquake, no fire ; but " a still small voice ;" all is natural, yet di- ^dne. How favorable . the season ! "his disciples were gone away into the city, to buy meat." How un- suitable would company have been in a case like this. There is business that can only be transacted between God and the soul. How often does religion take its rise from solitude. How seldom does the Saviour reveal himself in a crowd. Creatures die ; friends withdraw ; sickness sends us in from the world, and lays us upon a bed of languishing — whatever be the cause — how often, in the first interview, do we meet alone, and feel a heart's bitterness known only to ourselves, and a joy that strangers intermeddle not with. How easy, how simple the circumstances that commenced the transactions here ! An application for a draught of water, really necessary to quench his thirst, was designed to engage her in a conver- THE WOMAX OF SAMARIA. 195 sation, whicli, rising from things seen and tem- poral, should instruct her in those things that are not seen, and eternal. For when he asks, it is with a view to give, rather than to receive. He requires oui* hearts ; but it is to enlighten them, to renew them, to give them rest. He could dis- pense with our services ; but he demands them for our good, to improve us, and to honor us. He has a right to exact, but he condescends to beg ; and this is to try our dispositions, and to insure our reward. Hence he conceals himself in events, in circumstances, in characters. We are not aware that in supporting such a cause, that in relieving such a distressed individual, we are succoring him. Did he appear in his sovereignty and glory, we could not refuse ; and our love to the Gospel, or our love to our neighbor, could not be known. And yet he will say hereafter ; " / was thirsty and ye gave me drink ; for inasmuch as ye "did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me." The woman, perceiving by his dress, or by his dialect, that her petitioner was not one of her own nation, answers, " How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria ? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." It is unnecessary to dwell on the causes of this aversion in the Jews to the Samaritans ; such as their early mixture of idolatry and superstition ; the injuri- ous manner in which they had treated the Jews, after the return from the Babylonish captivity ; their profaning the priesthood, and worshipping the golden calves ; and especially their building a temple which 196 LECTUEE XIII. they made the centre of their worship, in opposition to the temple at Jerusalem ; and the infamous offer which they made to Antiochus, of dedicating that temple to Jupiter, and admitting the rites of his pagan worship, at a time when the Jews were suffer- ing so much in defence of their religion. But it must have been a curious sight to have seen a Jew and a Samaritan meeting together in a narrow passage, each hissing " Touch me not ; stand by thy- self; come not near me ; I am holier than thou." There have been many too much like them in all ages. And we may observe, that quarrels about religion are generally the most rancorous, because the passions are here urged on by principle ; and men imagine that by their fierce enmity, they do Grod service. And we often see that those sects and communities which have many points of resemblance, are more hostile to each other than those which differ in everything. But, on whichever side the truth may be, when zeal forbids the of&ces of civility and charity, we may be sure it is "the wrath of man," that " worketh not the righteous- ness of God ;" and if it be fire, it is not taken from God's altar, but " it is set on fire of hell." Knowing the disposition of the Jews, this woman supposed that our Saviour was like them. This was natural ; and we see how prone all are to deal in general suspicions and reflections ; not recollecting that general reflections arfe commonly unjust ; that in all professions, and in all bodies of men, there are some worthy exceptions ; that there may be found even in religious denominations which we are compelled to censure, some detained there who are wiser than their THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 197 teachers, and better tlian their principles. Nothing can be worse, as a system, than Popery, yet there have been very good men in the Romish church. Our Saviour does not impatiently reject her ; he does not expressly answer her question ; he does not renew his application ; but he kindly insinuates that she had an invaluable opportunity afforded her, and that if wise, she would make a proper use of it. " He answered and said unto her. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink ; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." "What a mass of heavenly intelligence does this answer contain. It teaches us, Wliat he is in himself ; " The gift of God ;" by way of emphasis and distinction ; an " unspeakable gift;" a gift, the value of which neither the tongues of men, nor of angels, can express ; an infinite demonstration of divine love ; perfectly adapted to our wants, and fully adequate to their relief; a gift insuring and containing every other ; for " He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?" " It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell ;" and of his fulness are we to receive, and grace for grace." . It teaches us, What he has to bestow ; " living water ;" the graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost ; all spiritual influences and blessings ; everything that can purify and refresh the soul. It teaches us, How we are to obtain this blessedness of him. We must ask : nothing less is required, nothing more. This discovers our valuation of the 198 LECTURE XIII. mercy ; endears it ; prepares us for the reception of it ; receives it by promise. " Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." " The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.' No instance can be found of a soul having been repulsed, who addressed him. He never " said unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain." It teaches us. The reason why men do not apply to him. It is because they do not know him. " If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink ; thou wouldest have asked of him." Hence we see why ignorance is so injuri- ous. Hence it is said, " My people" are destroyed for lack of knoAvledge." " These things will they do, be- cause they have not known the Father, nor me." " If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes." And thus the Gen- tiles are said to be " alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, having the understanding darkened, and because of the blindness of their heart:" and " the god of this world" is said to have "blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." . It is in religion as it is in nature, the understand- ing sways the will and the affections. " Wisdom is the principal thing ;" therefore we are to "get wis- dom, and with all our getting to get understanding." The Apostle prays for the Ephesians, " That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 199 give unto vou the spirit of wisdom and revelation in tlie knowledge of him : the eyes of your understand- ing being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling." Till we see the evil of sin, we sball never abhor it, and mourn over it. Till we know Christ, we cannot desire liim, depend upon him, apply to him, rejoice in him. Till we know him, we c:ui know nothing, feel nothing, possess nothing, enjoy nothing. And hence we see the difference between this woman and blind Bartimeus, on a similar occasion. Bartimeus was sitting by the wayside begging, when Jesus was passing by — but he knew that it was Jesus ; and therefore he cried, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." The multitude rebuked him, but he cried so much the more : " I can beg alms of others, but they cannot give me ejes. O help me to seek, and do not hinder me. This is my opportunity. He may never pass this way again. Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me ! Lord, that I may receive my sight !" " And immedi- ately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." But this woman stands trifling, or cavilling about some dispute, or schism, between her and her neigh- bors ; and neglects the prize put into her hands, because she does not understand it. She knew not the day of her visitation. She had no suspicion that our Lord was anything more than he appeared. She took him for a poor Jew, travelling this way, tired, and asking refreshment ; not knowing that he was the Son of God," who had come down from heaven to 200 LECTURE XIII. save perishing sinners, and had life and blessedness to bestow. Nothing was further from her thoughts than that "God had so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Hence, nothing like prayer proceeded out of her mouth. " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foohshness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." When our Saviour had said to Nicodemus, " Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ;" Nicodemus, taking naturally what our Saviour intended spiritually, "saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born ?" It was the same with this woman ; for, taking literally what he intended figuratively, she is at a loss to conceive how it could be possible for him to make good his promise of giving her living water, provided she had asked him. Thou canst not fetch it from this well, for " thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep." Neither canst thou bring water superior to this from any other place : " Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle ?" What spring dost thou command ? " Whence then hast thou that living ^vater ?" To this our Saviour replies in language, not alto- gether figurative as before, but suited to lead her forwards by degrees. " Whosever drinketh of this water shall thirst again : but whosoever drinketh of THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 201 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 np into everlasting life." Here is the difference between the water of this well, and that of which I speak. This water is good and refreshing in its kind ; it removes thirst; but not for- ever; the thirst returns: it does not give constant satisfaction; but mine does. When a.man has once obtained this, it will be found a never-failing principle ; it will continue (such is the tendency and effusion of it) till it issues in a state of everlasting enjoyment in another world. What our Lord here says of the water of Sychar's well may be applied to everything earthly. There is no true satisfaction to be found in this world. " He that drinketh of this water shall thirst again." Every man desires happiness. This is his aim in every pur- suit. It is not money, it is not honor, that he seeks after ; but satisfaction by their means. Sin has not destroyed the natural capacity of the soul for happi- ness, but diverted it from the only object which is suffi- cient to render it happy ; so that now, detached from his only centre and portion, he walks up and down in the world, destitute, afflicted, tormented ; seeking rest, and finding none. " The eye is not satisfied with see- ing, nor the ear filled with hearing." He has seldom enough of these things in quantity ; but in quality there is always a deficiency. It is not in their 2:)ower to fill the soul ; they were never designed for this purpose ; and if you look for that in them which God never intended them to afford, you are seeking the living among the dead ; and you resemble a man, who 9* 202 LECTURE XIII. is running up and down in a dry place to find water, and increases his thirst, both by the labor and the disappointment. But must he always go on, asking, " Who will show me any good?" Will no one direct him to a fountain of living waters? The Saviour cries, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." " He that Cometh to me shall never hunger ; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." Yes ! Satisfaction is attaia- able, even in this world. What else mean these de- lightful expressions? " The Lord will satisfy thy soul in drought." " I will abundantly bless her provision : I will satisfy her poor with bread." "He satisfieth the longing soul, and fiUeth the hungry soul with good- ness." " They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house ; and thou shale make them drink of the river of thy pleasures." " My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness ; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips." Hence the Christian can say, I have found what I was once seeking after in vain. I am no longer at a loss where to get rest or happiness. I have tried this water, of which the Saviour speaks ; and I find it can satisfy. I want nothing more. It has weaned me from the world ; and I no longer need prohibitions to keep me from its vanities and dissipations : My heart is satisfied at home; The Lord my portion is. It has also enabled me to acquiesce in the will of Providence, with regard to my temporal concerns; " for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, there- THE WOMAJSr OF SAMAKIA. 203 •with to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound ; everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." He has now a source of happiness independent of the body and its diseases, the world and its vicissi- tudes, death and its triumphs : for it is perpetual ; and permanency adds bliss to bliss. He can now say, " I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things pres- ent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." They are "born of incorruptible seed, which liveth and abideth forever." This water is in them ; not a pool, not a reservoir, but a well ; ever sending forth streams ; " a well of water springing up into everlasting life" — such is the constant working, such is the infallible issue of it. Heaven is in it, in the principle. Grace and glory differ only in the degree. Grace is glory in the bud, and glory is grace in the flower. Grace is glory in the child, and glory is grace in the man. Grace is glory in the dawn, and glory is grace in the day. Here then we pause ; reserving the remaining particulars for other opportunities. In reviewing what -has come under our notice, let us concliide by observing ; How much there is in tlie Saviour to imitate and admire. Gome, and let us learn to " be followers of him, as dear children." Did he make it his business " to 204 LECTURE XIII. seek and to save that wbicli was lost? Let pity and zeal inspire us with the same concern, and urge us to the same endeavors. Did he render his jour- neys, and even liis repose and refreshment, useful ? Let us avail ourselves of every opportunity, and of every method, of "serving our generation, according to the will of God." Did he who " preached righteousness in the great congregation," descend to instruct a single individual? And did he converse with one who was deemed a heretic, and a sinner; from whom a Pharisee would have turned away? Let us remember the value of one soul ; and abandon no one to whom we can have access. Did his "lips drop as a honey -comb;" and could he wisely and agreeably introduce rehgious conversation ? Learn the same art ; rise from present and common things, to those which are spiritual and heavenly. " Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." " Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." But, Oh ! contemplate the character of our Lord and Saviour; and see what a diversity of properties and excellences is to be found in him. What majesty ! what condescension! How poor! how rich! Op- pressed with animal wants, and the source of all spiritual good ; begging a cup of cold water, and promising eternal life ! Behold in him everything that can fix the mind ; everything that can fill the heart ; THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 205 everything that can raise our wonder ; everything that can satisfy our hope. But he is beyond the reach of representation, whatever relations or im-ages we employ. Nor eartb, nor seas, nor sun, nor stars. Nor heaven his full resemblance bears ; His beauties we can never trace, Till we behold him face to face. LECTURE XIV. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. PAET II. JeBus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. — John, iv. 26. I AM not only struck with the important truths of revelation, but also with the manner in which they are delivered. Here is nothing artificial, nothing labored. Everything is natural and easy. Nothing appears to be studied, nothing designed ; but all seems accidentally to spring out of circumstances. Nothing can be found like a scheme of doctrine, sy sterna ticallj' arranged, as in our " Bodies of Di- vinity ;" but histories and epistles, facts and reflec- tions, are thrown together in a beautiful irregularity ; and our Saviour, who spake as never man spake, teaches us, by suffering us to be with him in the house, and in the road ; to hear his discourses and his remarks ; and to judge, from what he said in particu- lar cases, what his sentiments are on all other sub- jects of the same kind. One of the most remarkable of all our Saviour's THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 207 discourses, is the conversation he had with the woman of Samaria. It is pecuharly interesting, whether we consider the effects resulting from it, or the topics on which it turns. It commences from a present object, and takes occasion, from the water of Sjchar's well, to inform the woman of that living water which Jesus had to communicate ; infinitely superior in its properties and use to that which he had requested. " He said unto her. Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again : but whoso- ever drinketh of the water that I shall give hin\ shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." This left her mind in a state which it is not easy to determine. She immediately exclaimed, " Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." Did she say this in a way of pure banter ? " O this is a thing indeed ! It would save me a deal of ])ain, never more to thirst ; and a deal of trouble never more to draw." Nothing is so offen- sive as treating divine subjects with ridicule. It does not follow that a thing is absurd, because it is for the time incomprehensible. A good man trembles at God's word. If, however, this was the case with this woman, it would be far more excusable in her than it would bo in us, because she did not possess the same advantages. But let us hope that what she said was not ill- designed, but rather the language of ignorant won- der;' some impression having now been made upon her mind ; and that she began to suspect that some- 208 LECTURE XIV. thing more was intended than was expressed. This seems to be unavoidable, from our Saviour's having connected the communication with " everlasting lif^." But our Lord saw that it was necessary to do something more ; and, therefore, he immediately ap- plies himself to convince and alarm her conscience. And this is the proper method of dealing with sinners. It is not likely that we shall prize the physician while we are whole ; or flee for refuge while we think we are safe. " The full soul loath eth an honeycomb ; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." A certain state of mind, therefore, is necessary, not to recommend iis to Christ, but to recommend Christ to us ; and to enable us to understand the design, and feel the importance of his coming, work, and sufferings. And in bringing a man to this state, we may ob- serve that, commonly, some one particular sin, gross in its nature, and to which he has been addicted, is charged home upon the conscience. But though it begins, the conviction does not end here ; and the man is soon led to more general and more spiritual views of his own depravity ; till he discovers the natural root of all transgression, which is the heart; and sees it to be "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." But a broad surface is not likely to penetrate ; it must be pointed to enter. The indictment which arraigns this criminal, like every other, exhibits some specific charge ; and the man exclaims, " my swearing, my lying, my Sabbath-breaking, my prayer- THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 209 less life !" Thus Peter charged the Jews with crucifying the Lord of life and glory ; and " they were pricked in their heart, and said, Men and breth- ren, what shall we do ?" Thus Christ charged Saul with the sin in which he was then engaged ; " Why persecutest thou me ?" And thus our Saviour here accuses this woman of the sin in which she was then living. " Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband ;" wishing to impose upon our Saviour, as if she had always been single, or was now a widow. But out of her own mouth he con- demns her : " Thou hast well said, I have no husband ; for thou hast had five husbands ; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband : in that saidst thou truly." We have no reason to believe she had buried so many husbands. It is probable she had eloped from some of them, or by her unchaste carriage constrained them to forsake her. However this may be, she was now living in criminal intercourse with one, to whom she was married unlawfully, while another was her proper husband ; or, which is more likely, to whom she was never married at all. How wise the expedient to bring her sin to her remem- brance. How mild the reproof. How unanswerable the charge. It is easy to imagine her surprise at hearing this narrative of her past and present life ; and from a stranger too, one whom she had never seen before. But whatever inward confasion she feels, she does not attempt to deny the truth, or extenuate the guilt ; nor does she seem displeased with our Lord's freedom. 210 LECTURE XIV. But she exclaims, " Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain ; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Two reasons may be assigned for her proposing this question so instantly and abruptly. It has been supposed, First, that it was by Avay of diversion ; that, confounded by the discovery Avhich had been made, and fearing more, she dexterously contrived in this manner to tarn off the conversation to something more distant, and less personal. And it is no new thing for persons to endeavor to keep convictions from fastening upon their minds, instead of cherishing and strengthening them. Felix said, " Go thy way for this time ; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." Some have recourse to worldly dissipations to drown the voice of conscience. Some wretches drive away sorrow by drinking. But all such expedients will be found to fail in the end. The lion is only asleep ; by and by it will rise and roar with tenfold fury. There is but one way of obtain- ing peace : it is not by stifling convictions, but by suffering them to lead you to Christ, who has said, " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." But it has also been supposed, Secondly, that her aim was to seize the present moment to gain informa- tion as to what was deemed important, and which she concluded this knowing one might afford. If so, she is an example worthy of imitation ; and shows us that when we are in the presence of those who can teach us, we should be concerned to. learn ; pro- THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 211 posing our doubts and difficulties ; always anxious to be set right ; and " redeeming tlie time," that we may " not be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is/' With regard to the object of her inquiry, and which was the grand question that divided the two parties, our Saviour allows that the Jews had the ad- vantage of the Samaritans. He allows that Jerusalem was the place which God had chosen to put his name there ; that better notions of his perfections and pleasure prevailed among the Jews ; that to them were committed the divine oracles ; and that of them, as concerning the flesh, the Messiah was to come. It is his meaning, when he says, " Ye worship ye know not what : we know what we worship : for salvation is of the Jews." But he takes the opportunity to reduce the import- ance of the question, by observing that whatever stress had been laid on any of these external things, a dispensation was commencing which would lay all such distinctions aside. " Woman, believe me, the hour Cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. The hour Cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship 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," Herein two things are observable. First^ That it should cool us, in many of our contests, to remember tliat the things we are contending about axe of short duration ; and that while we are disputing 212 LECTURE XIV. tliej are vanisbing awaj. There are " things which cannot be shaken, but must remain." Christian prin- ciples and blessings, concernmg which the people of God agree, are permanent and eternal : but the hour cometh when forms of church government, and modes of discipline, and ceremonies and usages, which now set us at variance, will be seen no more ; and if wonder and sorrow can enter heaven, we shall be surprised and grieved to think what an undue stress we laid on these things ; and that we differed more about the scaffolding which was to be taken down, than about the building which was to remain. The question hereafter will not be, with whom we wor- shipped, but whom we worshipped ; not where we worshipped, but how we worshipped. For, Secondly^ The best way to make up differences in little things, is to be zealous about great ones. To these, therefore, the Scripture always directs our regards ; knowing that if these supremely occupy the mind, we shall have neither time nor inclination for comparative trifling. The best way to soften, if not to harmonize the sprinkled and the dipped, would be for both of them to be more concerned to be baptized with the Holy Ghost, and largely to partake of his influences and comforts. Communicants at the Lord's table would not think much about sitting or kneeling, if only they were b}^ faith showing forth the Lord's death. In proportion as our heayts are right towards God, we shall feel properly towards others ; pitiful, if they are in misery ; forgiving, if they have offended us ; candid, if they differ from us. "I feel," says the woman, "some hesitation. THE WOMAN OF SAMAKIA. 213 hardly know wlietlier what thou hast said upon this subject be true ; but one thing I know ; ' I know that Messias cometh, who is called Christ ; when he is come, he will tell us all things ;' deciding every dispute, and rectifying every mistake." What this woman says of our Saviour's appearance in the flesh, we may apply to his glorious return. " Once, in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation." Much information he has given us already ; but much he has left in the dark, to try our faith, and to draw forth our desire. Some parts of his word are " hard to be understood :" many of the dispensations of his providence are inexplicable : but " what we know not now, we shall know hereafter.'' He is coming to explain. He is coming to " bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and to make mani- fest the counsels of the hearts ; and then shall every man have praise of God." Our Saviour now discloses himself, as the Messiah ; saying, " I that speak unto thee am he." Never had he before, to any one, so expressly revealed himself. And who is the honored individual to whom the dis- covery is made ? Caiaphas ? Any of the rulers ? of the Scribes ? of the Pharisees ? He " hides these things from the wise and prudent, and reveals them unto babes.',' He would not encourage sin, but he would tell us that the vilest need not despair : he would, tell us that often " the last shall be first, and the first last." The woman was speaking of the Messiah, but little 214 LECTURE XIV. did she imagine that she was speaking to him. But so it was. And our Lord is often with his people, when they are not aware of it ; and many are lament- ^g his absence, and longing for his presence, when he is communing with them alread3^ How little did the disciples going to Emmaus imagine that he, whose death they were deploring, was talking with them, when a stranger joined their company, and inquired why thej were sad. How little did the disciples in the storm imagine, when they saw a spirit and cried out for fear, that it was their deliverer ; who imme- diately said unto them, " Be of good cheer ; it is I ; be not afraid." In his solitary flight, how little did Jacob expect to find the ladder, the angels, and God : — ^but he exclaimed, " Surely the Lord is in tliis place. This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.'" If this woman had been told that the Messiah was come, she would have attached something very splen- did to him ; and had she been told that she should some time or other find him, she never would have expected to meet him as a weary traveller, a beggar of a cup of cold water at a well. " His ways are not our ways." We can hardly think that in such a wreck of our fortune, in such a disappointment, in such a sickness, in such a distress of mind, in such a self- despair, he is there ; yet he it is that talketh with us. Here we must again suspend the thread of the history ; and, for the present, conclude with a few additional reflections. i^M'si, Observe the Omniscience of our Lord ; and bring it home to yourselves. It seems impossible to read THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 215 the Gospel, and not be convinced that to him all hearts are open, all desires known, and from him no secret is hid. Though he had never seen this woman before with his bodily eyes, he perfectly knew her history, and her character. And he knows yours. He sees all your actions, hears all 3'our words, ob- serves all your thoughts, and the verj' " imaginations of your thoughts." And what you have forgotten he has not. It is all recorded in the book of his remem- brance ; and will hereafter be brought into judgment, before an assembled world : he will " tell you all things that ever you did," and your memory will be found an exact counterpart of its contents. It will be well if you learn this truth by a present process, however painful it may be : I mean, by a saving conviction of sin now. Some of you do know it by experience. You remember a time when " sin revived." You were " made to possess the iniquities of your youth." Forgotten transgressions were re- called. Things once deemed innocent appeared fla- grantly guilty. The Bible seemed alive. His word was " quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow ; and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." You were confident that it was the work of him, " in whose sight all creatures are manifest, and to whose eyes all things are naked and opened." Entering his house, you seemed laid open to the view of the preacher : who described your case as if he had been apprized of it by an invisible witness ; yea, you seemed " convinced of all, judged of all ; and so, the 216 LECTUEE XIV. secrets of your heart being made manifest, you re- ported that God was in them of a truth." And did not the rehef and consolation which he applied, equally persuade you that this friend is altogether acquainted with your desire and your wants ? Secondly^ Let us Worship the Lord^ "tVi the beauties of holiness :^^ and in order to this, never forget the information which our Saviour has given us. It would be an abuse of his meaning, were we to suppose that he intended to discountenance all public and external worship. We are required to glorify God in our body, as well as in our spirit. Under a notion of the spirituality of divine worship, some have made no difference between the Sabbath and other days, and have abandoned the house of God, and all the means of grace. But the form is only condemned when it is unaccompanied with the power. While we are here, we need modes and places of worship ; and we ought to be very thankful that we have places in which to worship God. But let us guard against bigotry and superstition. Let us never exclaim with the Samaritans, or with the Jews, " The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temj)le of the Lord, are we." Let us never hmit the Holy One of Israel to temples made with hands. If our lot should be cast where we cannot enjoy public ordinances ; or if, by accident or sickness, we are withheld from them, let us not despair of meeting with him in the situations in which we are placed. " I will," says the Apostle, " that men pray everywhere :".and, says the poet, Where'er we seek thee, thou art found ; And every place is hallowed ground. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 217 And guard also against formalitj. Never bring upon yourselves the reproach of "drawing near to God with your mouth, and honoring him with your lips, while your hearts are far from him," "He looks to the heart." It is sincerity, it is fervency, which he requires. They are " those who worship him in spirit and in truth, that he seeks to worship him." Thirdli^ Let us Inquire whether he has tnanifested himself to us: I do not mean in dreams and visions, but by an illumination of the mind. He has been revealed to us ; has he been revealed in us ? Do we know him ? If we do, he appears " fairer than the children of men." If we do, like this woman, we shall "show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light." 10 LECTURE XV. THE WOMAN OF SAMAEIA. PAET III. Come, see a man, -who told roe all things that ever I did : is not this the Christ ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. John, iv. 29, 80. Divine grace in the recovery of sinners is equally necessary and conspicuous. " By grace are we saved througli faith ; and that not of ourselves : it is the gift of God ; not of works, lest any man should boast." In the conversion of the woman of Samaria, we have an example of this grace : — an example First, of its Freeness ; — in selecting for its object a profligate creature, not only without her desert, but without her desire. Secondly, of its Sweetness ; — in having no recourse to violence or terror, but vq. adopting the most suitable, gentle, and insinuating means to convince and to soften her. Thirdly, of its Power ; — in changing her heart, and sanctifying her life : for if there be a disposition more unsusceptible of cure than others ; if there be a demon THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 219 which more than others, hope despairs of casting out, it is the spirit of impurity : yet she is " a new creature ; old things are passed away ; behold all things are become new." Fourthly^ of its Effects ; — for here we see grace in its triumph, grace in its glory. No sooner is she en- lightened, than she is inflamed ; no sooner is she a convert, than she becomes a preacher. In the preceding Lecture we heard our Saviour explic- itly divulging himself to her as the Messiah, of whose coming she had expressed an expectation. But we are left to conjecture how she received this intelligence ; for no sooner had he said, " I that speak unto thee am he ;" thaii we are informed that the disciples returned, and as they drew near " marvelled that he talked with the woman : yet no man said, What seekest thou ? or, Wli}' talkest thou with her" ? Here we may inquire, what it was that excited their surprise, or was hkely to have offended them? .Dr. Lightfoot has produced many (and some of them very absurd) passages, from the Talmud, and other Eabbin- ical writings, to prove that it was reckoned scandalous for a man of distinction to be seen talking publicly with a female. But, surely the discfples did not feel such a miserable prejudice as this ; nor could they be ignorant that the greatest of the Prophets had indulged themselves in female intercourse. Knowing the nature of their Lord's conversations, were they surprised that he should speak upon topics so sublime and mysterious to a poor ignorant creature, ,whom they supposed incapable of understanding him? We should wonder to see an accomplished statesman 220 LECTUEE XV. or philosoplier, stopping to talk with a peasant, or a laborer upon tlie road ; but the disciples knew the condescension of the Saviour, and his ability to famil- iarize instruction to the meanest capacity. Had they any apprehension, then, of her infamy ? And, like the Pharisees, did they imagine that it was incompatible with the sanctity of his character, to hold intercourse with a person of abandoned reputation ? The case is still more probable and plain. They wondered at his being so friendly with a woman of Samaria; "for the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans," but viewed them as abhorred of God, and utterly beneath their notice. The disciples, as yet, had little acquaintance with the nature of the Messiah's kingdom, in which "there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female ; for we are all one in Christ Jesus." However this may be, the character of the persons to whom our Saviour reveals himself, has always scandalized flesh and blood. At one time, it was asked by the Pharisees, " Have any of the rulers believed on him ? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." At another, " they murmured, saying. This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." That the poor and unlearned should receive him, while the rich and the learned rejected him ; that persons, previously wicked and vile, should appear his followers, while those who were admired for their sanctity despised him; was a ground of offence which his enemies were always magnifying : and the same effect has followed from the same cause,, ever since. But if the temper of Jesus be in us, we THE WOMAN OF SAMAKIA. 221 shall rather rejoice, that while these things are " hidden from the wise and prudent, they are revealed unto babes." " Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men ; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to con- found the things which are mighty ; and base things of the w^orld, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are : that no flesh should glory in his presence." If the disciples were astonished at our Saviour's conversation with the woman, their behavior was dutiful and submissive ; they said nothing, but ac- quiesced in the rectitude of his procedure. And hence I would i*cmark two things. The first regards the advice of Solomon, " If thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth." A man should make conscience of his thoughts ; but words are worse than mere thoughts ; they dishonor God more; they show less fear, and less shame; they are a further effect of sin. Without words, thoughts say nothing. Eesolve we, therefore, with David, to " take heed to our ways, that we sin not with oui' tongue ;" and pray we with him, " Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth ; keep the door of my lips." The other is, to honor our Lord with our reverence and implicit confidence, when we meet with anything 222 LECTURE XV. in his conduct that seems inexplicable. We might much oftener understand him than we do, were it not for our prejudices, and pride, .and worldly-minded- ness ; but when it is not in our power, when "his way is in the sea, and his path in deep waters, and his footsteps are not known, then it becomes us to be silent ; to remember that he is not bound to give us an account of any of his matters; to bow to those dispensations which we cannot comprehend; not charging him foolishly, but resting on the perfection of his character and his work ; assured that the Judge of all the earth will do right; that he does not act arbitrarily, but wisely ; that he has reasons for what he is doing, which now satisfy him, and will, when developed, satisfy us. The woman was doubtless grieved to see the dis- ciples so near at hand, for by their return they broke off the conversation at the most interesting period ; at the very moment that the Saviour had acknowl- edged himself to her. How soon are our sweetest interviews in this world marred or destroyed ! It is sweet to hold communion with saints, but sweeter still to have fellowshij) with the Saviour ; and in the de- votions of the temple, and in the solitude of the closet, we sometimes say. While such a scene of sacred joys, My raptured eyes and soul employs, Here I could sit and gaze away A long and everlasting day — With Peter, finding it "good to be here,'' we wish to "build tabernacles," and remain. But earth is not heaven. Sinful distractions, worldly connections, law- THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 223 fill business and cares, invade and spoil our pleasures ; and make us long after a state, where none of these interruptions are possible, but where " we shall be forever with the Lord." Short as the interview was, our Saviour had effect- ually gained her heart. " The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men. Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I did : is not this the Christ ?" They are little circumstances, as it were casually dropped, that serve so much to characterize the sacred writers, and to charm and instruct their readers. Such, for in- stance, is the woman's leaving her waterpot behind her. Nothing could be more natural in the present state of her mind : and three reasons of this action may be given. Firsts Perhaps it was from Kindness to our Lord^ and his disciples. The}^ had purchased food, and they were coming to sit down, to a plain repast ; and she leaves them the vessel, for their convenience, to draw and drink. She had in fact denied our Saviour when he asked her only for a draught, but now he is welcome to everything she has. I admire the simple manners and hospitality of earlier times. See Eebekah. She said to Eliezer, " Drink, my lord : and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink." And O ! ye, who have the will and not the power to do more, remember who has said, " Whosoever shall give to drink, unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily. I say unto you, he shall in nowise los^ his reward." 224 LECTLIKE XV. Perhaps, Secondly^ she left it from Indifferent^ Wholly occupied now about greater things, she forgot her errand. The feelings of young converts are often very lively. The novelty and the unportance of the objects newly presented to their minds, strike them so forcibly, that, considering human infirmity, it is not to be wondered at, that, for a season at least, they should be wholly engrossed by them, and become too careless of other things. And hence we can some- times excuse in them, what we should condemn in others. I say, excuse; for we do not justify igno- rance, and imprudence, and rashness. Religion is not designed to draw us off from our callings, or to make us idle in them. A Christian is not to cast away his worldly property, but to be careful of what he has acquired ; in order to " provide things honest in the sight of all men," to support his family, and to relieve the distressed. Hence so many . warnings are given against suretyship ; and hence our Saviour said to his disciples, after the miraculous plenty, " Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." But those who have found the pearl of great price will have far less regard to worldly things than before. They will " seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness ;" they will consider ttiemselves as " strangers and pilgrims upon earth ;" their " moderation will be known unto all men ;" they will not be too much elated with success, or depressed by disappointment ; they will be willing to part with all, however dear, wlien the voice of God demands the sacrifice. Perhaps, Finally ; she left it as an Impediment to THE WOMAN OF SAMiUilA. 225 herhaste ; willing to lose no time in bearing liome thewelcome intelligence. Female eagerness con- ceives and brings forth at once ; sees its object one instant, and darts towards it the next. Now, this being sanctified by divine grace, see how this woman acts ; see how she improves time. ISTo sooner is her opportunity of getting good over, than she seizes an opportunity of doing good. Five things may be remarked. First^ I admire her Benevolence. We often have occasion to observe that an earnest concern for the salvation of our own souls, will be always attended with a disinterested anxiety for the spiritual Avelfare of others. As soon as Christ had found Philip, "Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith nnto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the Prophets did write." As soon as Saul of Tarsus knew Christ, "he straightway preached him in the synagogues, as the Son of God." David prays for a sense of divine forgiveness upon this very principle : " Eestore unto me the joy of thy salva- tion ; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways ; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." And so it was with this woman. " I have found him ; and now, O ! my neighbors, I cannot, I must not conceal it :" — some- thing like the lepers, who had met with plenty while their fellow-citizens were starving ; who " said one to another. We do not well : this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace : if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us : now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household." 10* 226 LECTUEE XV. Secondly^ I admire lier Zeal. See liow urgent she is. She even begins with a pressing invitation, " Come." And doubtless, that which made her so urgent, was not only the import- ance of the case, but the shortness and uncertainty of the season. She hoped, if they would accompany her immediately, to be able to get back before he left the well : "but," says she, "you have not a moment to lose ; I know not how soon he may be gone ; and such an opportunity you may never enjoy again." Her fervor, therefore, was not Avithout reason. And is ours ? When we call upon you to " repent and believe the Gospel ;" when we urge you to " flee from the wrath to come ;" when, assuming the language of entreaty, we say, " Come, for all things are now ready ;" — have we nothing to justify earnestness ? Is not your danger imminent ? Are not your bodies sinking into the grave ? Is not your life a vapor ? May not " the things which belong to your peace " be suddenly " hid from your ej^es" ? May not the bridge be down, and the door shut? "Behold, now is the accepted time ; behold, now is the day of salva- tion." " Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." Tliirdly^ I admire her Wisdom. " Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did : is not this the Christ ?" " You all ac- knowledge that Messiah cdmeth, and that when he is come he will tell us all things. Let him come when he will, he cannot give a stronger proof of his supernatural knowledge than this man has given ; who has laid open my present condition, and all my past life." How striking, how convincing this appeal ! THE WOMAN OF SAMAEIA. 227 She determines notliing : she only tells tliem what he has done, and leaves them to draw an inference which she deems unavoidable. She does not, you observe, mention his own declaration, that he was the Christ ; but refers to his doings. This was reasoning prop- erly ; as did our Lord himself upon other occasions ; " The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me." "If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin : but now they have no cloak for their sin." " How forcible are right words !" Fourthly^ I admire her Honesty. She does not say, he has told me everything per- taining to the worship of God ; but " all things that ever I did." Now, if a person knew your faults, you would wish to have him shunned. If a person were to come into your neighborhood, who knew many things to your disgrace and dishonor, you would hardly invite people to go to him : you would rather run him down, that little dependence might be placed upon his testimony. But confession of sin always accompanies saving conversion ; and this woman is not afraid to send her neighbors to one who knew all her vileness ; and could reveal it to them, as he had done to herself. Fifthly^ I admire her Courage. It was no small trial, for a plain and wicked wo- man to ' go openly, and address the inhabitants of the place where she lived, and was perhaps well known, upon a religious subject. I see the populace crowd- ing around her, as she passes from house to house, and from street to street. Some reproach her with 228 LECTURE XV. her former crimes : some mock lier as usurping the teacher's office : some say, she is beside herself. But she is not to be intimidated or diverted. It is good to see attention awakened ; a stir made even by anything. Something will surely come of this. Some are astonished, and hardly know what to do. Some have their curiosity excited, and they wish to know more of this strange occurrence. Some have their affections moved, and they follow her, looking at her and weeping; and exclaiming, " Who can help feeling? There must be something in this: how earnest, how serious she appears; and how well she argues — we will go." " Then they went out of the city, and came unto him." But their interview with our Saviour, and his beautiful discourse with his disciples, while they were on their way to him, over the fields, must be reserved for another Lecture. We now conclude, with observing ; 1. What a real and wonderful change does conver- sion always accomplish. Peculiar circumstances may attend the conversion of one, which are dispensed with in the conversion of another, but the substance is the same ; and there is the same necessity for it ; for what our Lord said to Nicodemus, he says to all ; " Ye must be born again." The work is not in all equally striking ; in some it is more gradual and in- sensible in the operation ; ,but there is always an effect which decides the state, and gives a new bias to the character ; and the subject of it is made to differ not only from others, but also from himself 2. Divine grace is not an inoperative principle. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 229 As the sun no sooner rises than it shines, and as fire is no sooner kindled than it burns, so grace acts as soon as it exists. Well did our Saviour saj, that it is in us, " a well of water springing up into everlast- ing life." It is full of energy and power. We read of " the work of faith, the labor of love, the patience of hope :" to each of these graces, something active is ascribed. 3. Behold an apology for what some would deem ojfficiousness. How often do you hear, as soon as any attempt is made to bring people to seriousness ; " Pray do not intermeddle -with us. Go to heaven your own way, and leave us to go ours. Be as religious as you please, but keep your religion to yourselves." But this is enjoining on Christians an impossibility. "If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." And as they cannot, so they ought not to refuse such office of love. Only a Cain will ask, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Certainly you are. Are you not bound, " as you have oppor- tunity, to do good unto all men" ? If we are re- quired to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to heal the sick, are we not much more bound to save the soul in the day of the Lord Jesus ? Is not zeal im- portant in proportion to the value of its object ? Is time to be compared with eternity ? Is not charity to the soul, the soul of charity ? 4. Be persuaded to resemble this woman. Endeav- or to diffuse the savor of the Kedeemer's knowl- edge, and to bring souls to Christ. She was as un- qualified as you are to publish the Saviour : and she was under no greater obligation than yourselves. 230 LECTITEE XV. Let me tell you that you are all bound to preach Christ; not by assuming the ministerial office, but " as good stewards of the manifold gi^ace of God." On a father it is incumbent to preach Christ to his children : on a master, to his servants ; on friends, to friends ; and on neighbors, to neighbors. It is absurd to complain of want of opportunities and means. Much is in your power ; much more than you are willing to allow. You may be useful by prayer, by example, by lovely tempers, by words fitly spoken. Where is the individual who may not be serviceable by inviting others, especially his own con- nections, to those means of grace which he has found a blessing to himself? Even by a single attendance on a gospel ministrj^, prejudices may be removed, and some serious impressions made: "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Thus Cornelius called together his kinsmen and friends, when the Apostle Peter was coming to tell him words by which he was to be saved. And this shall be the case when the glory of the Gospel shall revive, and the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth. " Many people shall go and say. 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 Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." I fear we all stand condemned by the example of this woman. We have not sought occasions of doing good. We have neglected advantages when they have come in our way. But while we are all guilty, shall I sav there is one class on whom the censure falls THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 231 with peculiar force ? Let me explain myself. Have any of you been not only called by grace, but con- verted from a state of profligacy, like this poor wretch ? You ought to be very zealously affected in the discharge of this duty. Your obligation is en- forced by gratitude ; for having had much forgiven, you should love much : and also by justice ; for as you have injured others, you should proportionably labor to benefit them. How painful is the thought that some are now in hell, who owe their destination to your errors and vices ; but some are still in the land of the living. Oh ! hasten, like this woman ; and endeavor to bring back those whom, by your influ- ence or example, you have led astray. Go, and tell them what God has done for your souls. " I was once in the same state with you, but the grace of God has dispelled the darkness that enveloped me, broken the chains that enslaved me, and subdued the passions and lusts which tormented me. Like you, I regarded as folly and madness the concerns of eternity, but now I see the wisdom of supremely regarding them. Like you, I thought that it was impossible to forsake sin, but now I find it delightful. Instead of disgust and misery, as I feared, I have found pleasure and peace. I no longer ask, ' "Who will show me any good ?' God is my father, death is my friend, heaven is my home ; and in a world full of changes, ' I am careful for nothing.' And O ! that I could lay open my heart ! ! that you could feel what I feel, and see what I see !" ^"'hus bear 3-our testimony. If you are not suc- cessful, your endeavors will be accepted. But " if 232 LECTURE XVI. he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thj brother." " Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he who con- verteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." And why may not you expect this incomparable re- ward ? Let this woman encourage you. Who knows how many she was the means of saving? Perhaps more than any one of the Apostles before the day of Pentecost. LECTURE XVI. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. PART IV. Say not ye, There sii-e yet four mouths, and then cometh harvest ? behold, I say unto you. Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields ; for they are white already to harvest. — John, iv. 35. What a surprising difference is there between human and divine agency. In the workmanship of man, a thousand movements are often necessary to produce one effect ; while in the work of God, a thou- sand, effects spring from one movement. We know that an event occurs at such a time, and in such a place ; but who can determine how widely it will ex- tend its operation, or how long "it will continue its influence? When Luther began to preach against indulgences, not an angel could imagine the entire result of consequences, intellectual, civil, moral, and religious. ' One thing we may observe, that in all God docs for man, whether in Providence or in Grace, he looks beyond the individual himself, and has a reference to 234 LECTURE XVI. Others, We are blessed, in order that we may be bless- ings. What we receive, we are also to dispense. Are Ave rich ? We are to be " ready to distribute, willing to communicate." Are we enlightened ? We are to "arise, and shine." Are we comforted ? It is "that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Are we converted ? We are to " strengthen our brethren." As all the Lord's people are safe, so we believe that none of them are wholly useless. But it is in grace as it is in nature. Christians are called "the good seed of the kingdom." Drop a single grain of corn into the earth ; this will propagate, and produce many more ; and in time, a sufficiency will be furnished to enrich all the neighboring fields. Thus, one Christian produces another ; till, in some cases, a whole district or community is evangelized ; and the words of Isaiah are accomplished ; " The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them ; and the desert shall re- joice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abun- dantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing : the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon ; they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of oui- God." And thus it was, in a measure, with this Samaritan woman, and her fellow-citizens. Our Saviour's conversation at the well properly consists of two parts : his discourse with the woman, in the absence of the disciples ; and his discourse with the disciples, in the absence of the woman. Both were admirably suited to the state and circumstances of the THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 235 persons addressed ; and serve, also, to show how much. he redeemed the time, who never Hved an idle hour, nor spoke an idle word. We have seen the woman withdraw, in order to invite her neighbors to come and see the Messiah, whom she herself had discovered. While she is en- gaged in persuading them, and in returning with them, our Saviour had an opportunity to deliver an address to his disciples, in which he shows his own satisfaction in seeking and saving that which was lost, and stimu- lating them to similar zeal. They had just come back from the city, whither they had gone to buy meat ; and, knowing that their Master stood in need of refresh- ment, they spread it before him ; and perceiving that he did not seem disposed to partake of it, they pressed him : " they prayed him, saying. Master, eat.*' But even this was in vain. '• He said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of." The disciples, mis- taking him concerning the meat as much as the woman had misunderstood him concerning the water, said among themselves, " Hath any man brought him ought to eat ? Jesus saith unto them. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." Was his present refusal of food, from a loss or lack of appetite ? Had the pleasure he now enjoyed raised him above the sensation of hunger ? " We are fear- fully and wonderfully made ;" and as we know not fully the power the body has over the mind, so we know not the power the mind has over the body. Moses lived forty days and forty nights without food, when he communed with God in Horeb ; and the same is recorded of Elijah. I know that in these instances 236 LECTUEE XVI. there was something miraculous ; but I know also that, in many cases, when the mind has been very vigor- ously and intensely engaged, the body has been rendered insensible to outward impressions, and even unsus- ceptible of fatigue and pain. If a mother saw her child drowned ; and if, by the application of proper means, suspended animation were restored ; however hungry she was before, she would now feel little inclination for food. She has food of another kind. " This her son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, and is found." Our Saviour was a partaker of human natur'e, and no comparison will bear a comparison with his. Need we wonder, therefore, that occupied as his mind now was in prayer and in praise, in meditation, in reflection on what was past, in expectation of what xms future, and in surveying all the happy and glorious results ; ■ — need we wonder that he should feel this indifference to food ? But his present refusal was to be instructive and exemplary. We will suppose that he still hungered, and could have eaten with a relish ; — but he would teach us a comparative indifference to things in them- selves lawful and necessary ; he would teach us self- denial in doing good ; he would teach us that we must have a keener appetite for our duty than even for our food. Abraham's servant, though pressed, would not eat till he had told his errand. Samuel, though urged, would not sit down till he had anointed David. Our Lord, though entreated, would not partake of food till he had done his present work. " I have called," THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 237 says he, "by my grace, that poor woman you saw- leaving the well ; and many of her neighbors, moved by her entreaties, are coming to receive the words of eternal life. Such business as this I long for more than food ; and I find it more reviving and refresh- ins-," Is this our case ? " He that saith he abideth in hun, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." There are some who find the service of God to be rather their medicine than their meat. They take it, but with reluctance ; and they would gladly be excused, did they not fear disease and death. But, tliough food is necessary to life, no one thinks of eating from a sense of duty ; it is found our pleas- ure. So it is in religion, when the heart is right with God. Duties are no longer performed as tasks, but are enjoyed as privileges. Having " the same mind in them that was also in Christ Jesus," they are cheerful givers, they "receive the word with joy," they " come before his presence with thanksgiving," they " call the sabbath a delight," and " none of his com- mandments are grievous." Two advantages, in particular, result from this dis- position. First, it renders our services well pleasing to God ; for he looketh to the heart ; and he will even pass by mistakes and imperfections in the execu- tion, when he finds that our " desire is to his name." " If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted accord- ing to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not."' " It is well that it was in thine heart." And, Secondly, this carries us through difficulties and dangers, which would otherwise drive us back, or turn us aside. You see this in those professors of 238 LECTURE XVI. religion whose convictions and inclinations do not har- monize. After a while their heterodox hearts prove too much for their orthodox heads ; and inconsisten- cies are followed bj neglect and apostacy. But it is otherwise with those who " cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart." Like Caleb, they " follow him fully." There is no pursuing worldly business with success, unless the heart be engaged in it ; and it is in religion, as it is in everything else ; only indeed the case is stronger, because the sacrifices required are infinitely greater. After expressing his own regard to the work that was given him to do, our Saviour stimulates his dis- ciples to similar zeal. For this purpose, he employs three arguments, all borrowed from husbandry. The First is taken from the Necessity for their Exertion. When the grain is ripe, the sickle must be thrust in. The crop will soon perish, unless gathered in and secured ; and as the season is short, and the consequences are important, every other con- cern is expected to give place to the reapers' toil. Now, so it is here. You say, " There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest ;" and you say well, for so it is. ' It does want so much time to the natural harvest ; but not to the spiritual, — the harvest of souls. This is now : this is arrived. " Lift up j-our QyQ^i and look on the fields ; for they are white already to harvest." Consider the dispositions of people in general ; and particularly, the multitude of Samaritans coming over yonder plain, and who are now within view. This is instructive, and teaches us that when atten- THE WOMA^Sr OF SAMARIA. 239 tion is awakened, and numbers press to hear, it is a favorable opening, an opportunity which should excite and encourage diligence ; and that we should often lift up our eyes, and contemplate such appear- ances for this purpose ; watching the leadings of Prov- idence ; and suiting ourselves to present duty. The Second is taken from the Profitableness of their Exertion. The reaper is well paid. An attempt to defraud him is mentioned as one of the most provok- ing sins. *' Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth : and the cries of them who have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth." The husbandman is more than commonly liberal at har- vest time. Even those who go by, say, " The blessing of the Lord be upon you : we bless you in the name of the Lord." " He that reapeth, receiveth wages :" and '■'■your labor shall not be in vain in the Lord." "What the reaper gathers in, is valuable ; it is the staff of life. But the natural life is all that it can sustain and preserve ; while you labor for the ever- lasting salvation of precious souls, you "gather fi-uit unto life eternal." When the harvest is over a feast is provided, and all the servants partake of the festivity, who con- tributed in any way, whether by preparing the soil, or securing the produce. So here : " He that soweth and he that reapeth will rejoice together." The Lord's seryants have varied in their capacities, offices, usefulness ; but all were employed in the same cause ; they all had a relation to each other ; and when they meet together there will be no envy, no contempt. 240 LECTURE XVI. blessed harmony ! Here, one lays the foundation, and another builds the superstructure ; one plants, and another Avaters ; one sows, and another reaps ; " but all these, worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will ;" and in heaven, God will be " all in aU." The Tldrd is taken from the Facility of their Ex- ertion ; the work being prepared to their hands. There is a common saying, to the effect that men often obtain advantages for which others have toiled ; " One soweth, and another reapeth :" and " this," said the Saviour, "is true of you," " I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor : other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors." He does not mean, in the present instance only, having put everything in a train for the conversion of the Samaritans in their absence, and without their concurrence or knowledge : but more generally ; many previous, but necessary parts of their work, were already accomplished ; they had the best, the richest part ; they had to gather in, and treasure up. But the Prophets, and other holy men ; Moses, and John, whose office it was to " prepare the way of the Lord ;" these, though they had little success them- selves, were by no means useless in the end. They raised an expectation of the Messiah, and described so fully his person, and his work, and his sufferings, that the Apostles only preached what they had prophesied. Conceive of these disciples going forth without any former revelation, without any previous dispensation, without the labors of those who had gone before them ; and you will find that their difficulties would have been increased a hundred-fold. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 241 And this will a^Dply to us, still more strongly. How have the Apostles aided us ? Yea, what advan- tages have we derived from uninspired men, since their days? What reason have we to bless God for their writings? How much labor and study have their toils and researches saved us? What ought we to feel for the translation of the Bible into our own tongue ; and for liberty to use it ? What do we owe to their sufferings? They "resisted unto blood, striving against sin ;" and by the loss of their Kves, procured for us civil and religious liberty. I pass over the numberless discoveries and improvements, of our predecessors, in the arts and sciences, which have contributed so exceedingly to our accommodation and comfort. Surely, " other men have labored, and we have entered into their labors." This suggests a twofold reflection. Men may be useful, though their success may not appear till after their death : — this should encourage. The usefulness with which we are sometimes honored is more de- rived from others than from ourselves ; it is perhaps in answer to the praj^ers, or in consequence of the diligence of our predecessors: — this should humble. But from this discourse of our Lord addressed to his discij)les, we return to the history. The_ woman and her attendants now draw near. As the result of her labor, " many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him, for the saying of the woman, who testified, Hfe told me all that ever I did." " Faith Cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word' of God." It is obvious that with all readiness of mind they received her testimony : they were open 242 LECTURE XVI. to conviction : and this easiness of belief, whicli many would have condemned as weak credulity, is far more acceptable to God than those hesitations and cautions, which often deserve the name of cavillings, and which, under the pretence of honoring reason, really flow from the pride of unbelief. We must "receive the kingdom of God as a little child, or we can in nowise enter therein." Two evidences they gave of their faith. The one was that they "came unto him." The other was' that, so far from being scandalized with the meanness of his condition and appearance, " they besought him that he would tarry with them." How natural was this ! There is no greater proof of the reality of our conversion, than desires after the presence of Christ. Their request was founded on three j^rinciples, and each of them was an evidence of something good. First^ they were eager to give him entertainment ; and if any difference could arise among them it would be, who should have the honor and happiness to lodge him ? So it was with Lydia ; the opening of her door attended the opening of her heart ; and she said, " If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained them." Secondly^ t^iey wished to be instructed by him, more perfectly. It is the nature of grace to wish its increase. Thirdly^ they hoped that he would be useful to those of their families and 'of, their neighbors who had been either unable or unwilling to come. And does he refuse them? Did he ever refuse THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 243 the prayer of the destitute ? It is wortiij of our re- mark, that he always answer's prayer with regard to his presence, whether it be for its removal, or for its enjoyment. He had entered the country of the Ga- darenes, and had cured two demoniacs. This should have made the inhabitants thankful. But, though he had delivered their neighbors, he had destroyed their •swine ; and therefore " they came and besought him to depart out of their coasts;" and he complied ; he sailed to the other side of the lake. And thus, when he comes as a reprover, by friends, by ministers, by af- flictions, by conscience ; if, instead of forsaking your sins, you feel his rebukes irksome, and long to be free, he will withdraw, saying, " He is joined to idols ; let him alone." But when the disciples were going to Em- maus, having reached "the village, whither they went, he made as if he would have gone further ;" but when " they constrained him, saying, Abide with us ; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent ; he went in to tarry with them." And thus he abode with the Samaritans " two days ;" two happy days, given in answer to prayer, and employed in usefulness. For we read, "Many more believed because of his own word; and said unto the woman, 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." Those who had chosen to remain in the cit}^, uninfluenced by the testimony of the woman, are convinced by the delaration of our Lord himself. All are not called at the same time, or by the same means. There is a. remarkable diver- sity in the circumstances. 244 LECTURE XVI. And even those wlio had beheved in him for the saying of the woman, wefe more confimed and estab- lish by his own word ; for there are various de- grees in the divine life, and the confidence of the Christian grows by evidence. And there is such a thing as experience, or an acquaintance with divine things derived from trial, in addition to testimony, which is peculiarly satisfactory. "We do not rest upon ' report only, not even the report of inspired men. We know assuredly, by actual trial, that " it is good to draw near to God;" that by "believing we enter into rest;" that while "in the world we have tribu- lation, in the Saviour we have peace:" we have "the witness in ourselves." And soon, faith of every kind will be lost in sight ; and we shall say with the Queen of Sheba, " It was a true report which I heard in mine own land : but now I have come, and mine eyes have seen, and, behold, the half was not told me." What a time of refreshing was this ! What a work of God was here ! Let me conclude by calling upon you to observe, who were the subjects of this work, a;nd who was the instrument. Mrst, the subjects were Samaritans, not Jews: and we may exclaim with our Lord, on another occasion, We " have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." " He came unto his own, and his own received him not." In no one of his own towns or villages, did he ever meet with such a reception as from these Sama- ritans, who were deemed -by the Jews, " the filth and the offscouring of all things." " What shall we say then ? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 245 rigliteousness which, is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not at- tained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were bv the ^vorks of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone: as it is written. Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and a rock of offence : and who- soever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." While the example of the Samaritans condemned the Jews, it served to show, how very contrary to human expectations the grace of the Gospel is ; so that often, the last are first, and the first last : and to afford an earnest and a pledge of the extension of divine grace to all nations, indiscriminately ; indi- cating that soon there was to be " no difference between the Jew and the Greek ; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Secondly^ the instrument was, not a philosopher, not an Apostle armed with tongues and miracles, but a poor^ wicked^ hut converted woman. And "who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him" what means he shall employ to accomplish the purposes of his grace ? The Aveaker the instrument, the more does " the excel- lency of the power" appear to be "of God." Hence, in the variety of instruments he employs, he often takes those that, to carnal apprehension, seem the most unfit and unlikely. Wlien the people of Jericho found their city attacked with rams'-horns, instead of battering machines, they were no doubt 246 LECTUEE XVI. ready to laugh them to scorn ; but, down went the walls ! The greatest of all the Apostles had been the greatest persecutor ; and he " preached the faith that once he destroyed." How wonderful that this wo- man should not only be saved lierself, but should become the means of saving many others ; coming to the well a sinner, and returning a preacher, and more successful than any of the Apostles before the day of Pentecost. In another view, there is often a suitableness in such instruments as these. " Having much forgiven, they love much." The change wrought in them is more striking and unquestionable than in others, and awakens inquiry. They can speak upon divine sub- jects from experience, and what comes from the heart is most likely to reach the heart. They can sympa- thize with such as are in spiritual distress, and " know how to speak a word in season." They can warn others of false confidences, and lead them to a Saviour, of whose grace they have not only heard, but tasted. What singular honor has been conferred upon this woman ! She was usefid not only by her active, but (if I may be allowed the expression) by her passive instrumentality. How many have been awakened, how many encouraged, how many edified, by reading, or by hearing the narrative of her conversion ! Oh ! that similar effects may be found to have resulted from that consideration of her history, which we now with reluctance close. LECTURE XVIL LYDIA. And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made ; and we sat down, and spake unto the women who resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard us : whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying. If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. — Acts, xvi. 13, 14, 15. History, it is said, is philosophy teaching by ex- ample. All history is interesting and useful. It enlarges our views of Providence ; increases our acquaintance with human nature ; and saves us, by the experience of others, from many evils in our own. But the history of the church is far superior to that of the world. It regards the soul and eternity, the wonders of the cross, the triumphs of the Gospel, and the principles which prepare Christians for all their " high calling of God in Christ -Jesus," ,And yet no history has ever been written so ex- ceptionably, or has displayed so much of the prejudices 248 LECTUEE XVII. and depravity of human nature. Hence, a powerful writer has been induced to pronounce it " one long- continued lie." But from this sweeping sentence, we are sure tliere is one portion of ecclesiastical- history perfectly free. It is the Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke " the beloved physician," and under divine inspiration. To a passage of this history your attention is now called. " And on the Sabbath we went out of the city," (Philippi, the chief city of that part of Macedonia,) " by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made ; and we sat down, and spake unto the women who resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who wor- shipped God, heard us : whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her house- hold, she besought us, saying. If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us." Philippi was built by Philip, the father of Alex- ander the Great. This rendered it noted from the beginning. In after times it became more famous, on account of two sanguinary battles which the Eomans fought in its plains ; in one of which Julius Caesar vanquished Pompey, and in the other Augustus defeated Brutus and Cassius. " Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood:" and it is pain- ful to review the scenes of misery and destruction which proclaim the exploits of the hero. But thy victories, O Jesus, are all thine own. Thou art the LYDIA. 249 " Prince of Peace," Thy peoj)le are made " willing in the day of thy power ;" but they are subdued by love; and they are conquered only to be made "free indeed." In the words we have chosen as the subjects of this lecture, let us consider, I. The occasion. And II. The operation. I. The occasion is thus expressed. " On the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made ; and we sat down, and spake unto the women who resorted thither." Observe, First^ The Season: '' the Sabbath." " The Sabbath was made for man :"• — not indeed exclusively. It had a merciful reference even to the brute creation : and if the beasts were possessed of reason, they would be thankful for such an appoint- ment. And who does not rejoice to hear the Fatlier of all his creatures say, " On the seventh day thou shalt rest, that thine ox and thine ass may rest," as well as thou ? But the Sabbath was peculiarly designed for man. It was intended to favor him corporeally, and as to his outward estate. In this view, the Sabbath may be of little value to some of you ; but it is otherwise with those' who have to toil at the loom, to dig in the mine, to smite at the forge, and gain their daily bread by the sweat of their brow. Who could bear everlasting drudgery and fatigue ? • II* 250 LECTURE XVII. But if the Sabbatli be valuable as it contributes to the relief, the cleanliness, and the health of the body ; it has higher claims on a moral ground, and as it regards the interests of the soul. It is almost the only time which the poor and laboring classes have for instruction and devotion ; and if the Sabbath were abolished, it is easy to see in what a state of igno- rance and barbarism the multitude would soon be found. This season is peculiarly "the accepted time, and the day of salvation." It is commonly the day in which the sinner is awakened, and brought to " seek those things that are above ;" and to " choose that good part, which shall not be taken away from him." And it is not only the season in which the greater part of the people of God are called by divine grace, but it is also that in which by " waiting upon Him, their strength is renewed," and they find Him "in his palaces for a refuge :" and though many are ready to say, " what a weariness is it to serve the Lord ; when will the Sabbath be gone, that we may sell corn ?" they " call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable;" and find "a day in his courts better than a thousand." Observe Secondly, The Place. " By a river side, where prayer was wont to be made." God seldom receives anything more than external and ceremonial homage, from those whose attachment to particular places leads them to exclaim, " the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, are we." Nothing renders a people dear to God but their conformity to him ; and LYDIA. 251 nothing makes a place of worship sacred but the divine presence. As to external holiness, all places are alike to him who has said, "The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool : where is the house that 3'-e build unto me ? and where is the place of my rest ?'' He " dwelleth not in temples made with hands." Where'er we seek him he is found, And every place is hallowed ground " I will," says the apostle, " that men pray every- where^ lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." Nathanael found him under the fig tree ; Paul, on board the ship, in the hurricane ; Jeremiah, in the dungeon ; and Jacob, when in exile, and with no building near him, exclaimed, " How dreadful is this place I this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Let those remember this who by the Providence of God are removed into a locality of spiritual desti- tution ; and those, also, who by accident or disease are deprived of temple privileges. The God of all grace is always near ; and in the house of mourning, or the lonely walk ; in a field of standing corn, or by a river side, can enable you to "see his power and glory so as you have seen him in the sanctuary ^ But you need not imagine that this company held their meeting abroad, in the open air. The Jews, besides .their synagogues, had small houses in retired situations, where, free from noise and disturbance, they could enjoy occasional devotion, either alone, or with any of their connections. Because of the use 252 LECTURE XVII. to which they were a23propriated, they were called ProseuchcB, or places of prayer. To one of these our Saviour himself repaired, as when it is said "that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God :" that is, as rendered by Dr. Campbell and others, " he continued all night in an oratory, or proseucha." Such a provision there was here, "by a river side;" called a place " where prayer was wont to be made." And such a provision was a desirable and valuable privilege, where persons wished to indulge their feelings of devotion in reading, meditation, prayer, or pious discourse. By the power of association, the place would serve to impress the mind, while the end for which it was consecrated would tend to restrain their thoughts from diversion. And where there are no such express provisions to accommodate and excite, since the advantages are otherwise attainable, we wonder that Christians do not practise retirement more. It is in solitude that we gain the knowledge of ourselves, and are loosened from the influence of the world, and find it " good to draw near to God," and (as an old writer says) " have God to ourselves." Had we resided at Phil- ippi, I trust we should have been often at the river side, not only as a scene of pleasant relaxation, but as a place " where prayer was wont to be made." Observe Thirdly, The Company. "We sat down, and spake unto the Women who resorted thither." We do not read of any men, and perhaps there were none present. It has often been remarked that wo- men are more numerous and more regular in attend- LYDIA. 253 ance, in our public and social assemblies, than men : and thougli (if they do possess and display a superior regard to divine things), we are far from intimating that their devotion is derived from them, yet there are, in their case, circumstances and advantages that materially befriend and promote it. Their sphere of action is less exposed to temptation; their natural susceptibility is greater; they are under more habitual restraints ; they are called to exercise more self-de- nial ; and the vicissitudes through which they pass, and the perils they may endure, are adajDted to awaken dependence upon God, and to revive and preserve thoughts of another world. And is it not surprising that women can ever countenance irreligion or infidelity? Is there a writer of this class that has ever done justic e to their claims? or that has ascribed to them any other honor than that which results from subjection and subserviency ? There is no book which females are so bound to regard and honor as the Scriptures. It is there alone that they appear not only as lovely, but as reasonable and immortal beings ; as " heirs together" with us "of the grace of life;" personally res^ionsible ; emiDent in usefulness ; and often pecu- liarly honored of God. Observe Fourthly^ The Preaching. " We sat down, and spahe unto the women who resorted thither." We are not informed of the subject of their discourse ; but it is -not difficult to conjecture what it was, since each of the speakers had "determined to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified;" and no other subject was ever honored as "the minis- 254 LECTURE XVII. tration of the spirit," and " tlie power of God to sal- vation." It is likely that this subject was never heard in that place before; and how was it received and treated ? As all the audience were females, there was no violence or indecorum ; but it is probable that some wondered, and that others said, " we should like to hear again of this matter." We know not how man}^ were present, but we only read of one who was made " wise unto salvation." Perhaps no ser- mon was ever useful to all the hearers. This was not the case even with Peter's sermon on the day of Pen- tecost; for while three thousand were "pricked in their heart," "some mocked:" and the reflection of the Apostle is as true as it is awful ; that while to some "we are the savor of life unto life," to others " we are the savor of death unto death." Much seed is sown ; but some falls " by the way side," and some "upon stony places," and some "among thorns;" while one-fourth only falls "into good ground;" and even this yields only in very unequal proportions. But this should not discourage us ; as, First^ It will not be always so ; for " Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you ; for we have heard that God is with you." " His name shall endure forever : his name shall be continued as long as the sun : and men shall be blessed in him : all nations shall call him blessed." And, Secondly, The salvation of one indi- vidual is of such unspeakable importance, that we are LYDIA. 255 assured it causes "joy in the presence of the angels of God ;" and success, though in only a single instance, should always be regarded as an abundant reward. "Know that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." From the Occasion^ let us pass to consider, II. The Operation here accomplished. It was exemplified in the experience of Lydia. " A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatii'a, who worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, and she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying. If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us." Several particulars are here mentioned concerning her, all of which are worthy of our notice, because they have the signature of the Holy Ghost stamped upon them. First^ Her Employment. She was a " seller of purple." She had, therefore, an occupation ; and was not one of those of whom the Apostle speaks; "idle, wander- ing about from house to house ; and not only idle, but tattlers also, and busy-bodies, speaking things which they ought not." Trade is respectable, and as Bishop Sanderson remarks, " nothing is so disgrace- ful as beggary, and shabby gentility." The Jews al- ways gave their children a calling ; and they had among 256 LECTURE XVII. them a proverb, that "he who brings up a son with- out a trade, teaches him to steal." Seneca declared, " I had rather be sick, than be idle." And truly has Dr. Watts said, For Satan finds some mischief still, For idle hands to do. In vain will any alleg^ business as an excuse for irreligion ; for they will hereafter find that persons, placed in the same circumstances, and liable to the same temptations with themselves, have been followers of ' the Lord Jesus, and " have not defiled their garments." The question has more than once been agitated, whether it is lawful for professors of religion to carry on businesses which have pride, not utility ; luxury, not necessity, for their object. Lydia does not appear to have relinquished her employment ; and if she continued it, she would doubtless expect encourage- ment from her fellow disciples ; such as Paul recom- mended to the Eomans in behalf of Phoebe; "that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsover business she hath need of you." But the first Christians used little j^urple : they were commonly poor ; and the less that modern professors adorn themselves, the better. Their Lord and Saviour was but once attired in purple ; and then it was in mockery and scorn. Secondly^ The Place of her Extraction. She was " of the city of Thyatira." -This was a great way from Philippi. How came she here? By bereave- ment ? or friendship ? or marriage ? or business ? LYDIA. 257 We cannot determine this ; but liere slie now re- sided. And there arc not many in tliis "vain life, which we spend as a shadow," who continue in one place. How few are there Avho die where they were born ; or even . settle permanently where they were brought up. The events leading to their removal often seem very casual ; and they are so as to the individuals themselves ; but they are divinely known, arranged, and determined. The Lord fixes "the bounds of their habitation :" and with regard to his own people, the disposals of his Providence are in subserviency to the designs of his Grace. The man says, " I will go into such a city and buy, and sell, and get gain ;" and he goes ; and he finds there, though he never looked after it, " the pearl of great price." In his new situation, by curiosity, or example, or invitation, he is induced to hear " the joyful sound," and his feet are turned into the path of peace. Many, when they look back on life, will know, that had it not been for such or such an occurrence, they would have remained in places where they might have been corrupted and destroyed. It was a blessed change which brought Lydia from Thyatira to Philippi. Thirdly^ Her Character. She "worshipped God." She is, therefore, very distinguishable from her fellow convert, whose case is recorded in the same chapter. It is more than probable that the jailer of Philippi was rude, profane, and vicious. He was cruel towards the Apostles, and was about to commit murder on hmiself. " But Lydia was a proselyte ; of moral de- portment, and amiable disposition. 258 LECTURE XVII. The grace of God is infinite]}^ free ; and accord- ingl}^, we sometimes find it operating on individuals the most unlikely ; and even publicans and harlots enter into the kingdom of God before Scribes and l*harisees. So when the Apostle, writing to the Co- rinthians, enumerates a dreadful catalogue of sinners, he adds, "and such were some of you:" some, but not all. No : some are called who were distinguished by previous moral and unblameable conduct. This seems to have been the case with many, if not all, of the twelve Apostles; this was the case with Corne- lius, and vath Timothy; and this, likewise, was the case with Lydia. Some talk as if they imagined they had a kind of advantage in having been converted and saved from a , state of profligacy ; especially as to decision and evidence. But sin is a bad business, and it is a mercy to have been preserved from it, in every kind and de- gree : and one peculiar advantage arises from having been moral before we became spiritual, namely, the avoiding of the injuries which sin does to others, by influence and example ; and which, when converted ourselves, we cannot repair, but must lament all* our days. Let none, therefore, think the less of a work of grace on this account. Such a conversion may be less visible, but is not less real : indeed it is not less visible with regard to God, who looks to the heart. I do not like the notion that we are all to do something, or acquire something, as a condition of divine grace. All good is from God, the dawn as well as the day. But there is an order in the Lord's operations, so that he crowns grace v/ith grace, and LYDIA. 259 " to him that liath shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly." " Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thon shalt see greater things than these." " Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord : his going forth is prepared as the morning ; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Observe, therefore, Fourthly^ Her Attendance. She " heard us ;" meaning, at this time and place : she was one of the present assembly. What induced her to be there on this occasion, whether invitation, or curiosity, or the working of conscience, we know not ; but she could say, as Abraham's servant did, " I being in the Avay, the Lord led me." It is well to be at the pool, " waiting for the troubling of the water." Whatever brings persons under the preaching of the word is to be viewed with thankfulness, as an encour- agement of hope: for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God:" and "blessed are the people that" (even in this sense) "know the joyful sound." Sin entered by the ear, and so does grace. Listening to the devil, we fell : hearkening unto God, we rise. " Hear, and your soul shall live." Fifthly^ The Change she experienced. " Whose heart the Lord opened." What does this imply, but that her heart was before shut? — Shut, as ice shuts up the water that it cannot flow. — Shut, as the miser shuts up his bowels of compassion from the jDOor. — Shut, as a door is shut to keep the house from the entrance of the owner. This is our Saviour's own image : " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : 260 LECTURE XVII. if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." The heart of man is naturally averse to religion; and nothing, either pleasing or awful, can induce an attention to it : Yea, " the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." But when the heart is opened, this aversion is removed ; our duty becomes our delight ; and we are made " ready to every good work to do his will." But we here see not only the nature of this change, but the author of it : " whose heart the Lord opened." Yes, whatever be the instrument, he is the agent. "It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." The state of human nature is such as to re- quire the Almighty to " work in us, both to will and to do ;" and we are expressly informed, that every saved sinner is " his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." An operation is required, to eifect which is above the power of education, ex- ample, and moral suasion. But nothing is too hard for the Lord. He who made us knows our frame. He has immediate access to our spirits. The heart is under his dominion and agency ; and " what he has promised, he is able also to perform." " Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean ; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 'A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you : and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I LYDIA. 261 will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." If this promise has been fulfilled in your happy experience, you will have no objection to give him the glory of the work. And if you are desirous of being the subjects of it, your hope here meets with every encouragement. " Ask," says he, " and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall firid ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Finally, Observe the Evidences she gave of the Reality of her Conversion. They were three. Let us consider them. l5^, Her regard to the divine teachi7igs. " She at- tended unto the things which were spoken by Paul." If some are called without the direct and obvious instrumentality of the word of God, they always evince the divinity of their calling, by their attraction and attention to that word, as soon as they have it in their power. They are sure to love it, to read it, to hear it, and to ^'•attend to the things which are spoken :" — to attend to them seriously, prayerfully, and with application to themselves. Thus did Lydia ; and, therefore, The 'id evidence was, Her readiness to Dedicate herself entirely to the Lord, in a Profession of his Name. " She was baiJtizcd, and her household." A profession of religion, without the reality, is nothing ; but we are not only to be Christians, but to appear such " With the heart," indeed, " man be- lieveth unto righteousness ;" but " with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Experience is desirable and necessary ; but our " light is to shine 262 LECTURE XVII. before men, that tliey may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven." Had the mar- tyrs concealed the truths they embraced, they could not have been witnesses for God, nor have glorified him by their sufferings and deaths. Lydia, by her submission to the ordinance of baptism, proclaimed herself a Christian. And you will observe, she did this immediately^ without consulting with flesh and blood ; and also without reserve ; relatively^ as well as personally ; de- voting her whole family in the sacred rite ; and thus saying, with Joshua, " As for me and mj house, we will serve the Lord." The 3c? evidence was. The Pressing Solicitation she gave to the Apostles. " She besought us, saying. If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us." If this be viewed as expressive of her desire to gain more spiritual improvement from them, and to have her household blessed by them, even this was a token for good. But it was also an instance and a proof of her lib- erality. She was willing to " minister to the neces- sities of the saints ;" and " given to hospitality :" not deeming it " a great thing," as she had received of their "■ spiritual things, that they should reap her carnal things," And here was more than liberality. Her conduct was the result of that affection for the servants of the Most High God, which she now felt. Like begets like, and attracts hke. " By this we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the LYDIA. 263 brethren : and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." It also displayed her pious fortitude. To perceive this, you must look back, and remember that at this time, Christians were a " sect everywhere spoken against." To harbor these men was, therefore, the way, if not to endanger her dwelhngs, to have her name cast out as evil ; and to be denounced as coun- tenancing and entertaining disturbers, who came to " turn the world upside down ;" men who were re- garded as enemies to Moses, and rebels against Caesar. But all this she nobly braved, and proved that she was willing to go forth to the despised Galilean, " without the camp, bearing his reproach ;" and if not herself a sufferer, resolved to be a " companion of them that were so used." It would seem she had some difficulty in persuading them to complj^ with her invitation and request ; and why were they reluctant? Was it from delicacy? Were thev afraid of beius; burdensome to a voung convert? Or were they desirous of showing that, with regard to their followers, they sought not theirs, but them ? But considering their refusal as a seeming want of confidence in her sincerity, she would take no denial : " and she constrained us." Nor was this the only instance of her hospitality. Her dwelling seems to have been their home, while they were at Philippi; for after their casting out a spirit of divination, their imprisonment, the conversion of the jailer, and the defeat of the magistrates who would have thrust them out privily, we read, "they went out of the prison, 264 LECTURE XVII. and entered into the house of Lydia : and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and de- parted." Happy Lj^dia, to be honored and favored with such guests as Paul and Silas ! But how short, how interrupted were these delightful visits ; as brief as they were blessed ! We must not expe(it on earth the joys of heaven. Instead of a general application, — which has indeed been made all through the preceding lecture, — we shall conclude with a question, which we address to all your consciences in the sight of God. Has the change of which we have been speaking been effected in your experience ? Has the Lord opened your HEART ? Let me beseech you not to elude the question, as unimportant. It is of everlasting moment to each of you ; since the faithful Avitness has said, " Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. — Ye must be born again." Nor suppose the question incapable of being de- cided. Such a change must produce effects and evidences. " That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." " They that are after the flesli do mind the things of the ffesh ; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." Compare yourselves with those who are described in the Scriptures as " new creatures." Place yourselves in the condition of Lydia, and see how far you are like-minded with her. Where the heart is shut, religion is a thing stand- ing without. Its duties are only externally regarded, and dragged through as tasks. But when the heart LYDIA. 265 is open, all is open ; open to tlie Saviour, open to his people, open to his poor, open to liis ministers, open to his cause. And now, his "yoke is easy," his " bur- den is light," and his " service is perfect freedom." The blessed convert, " whose heart the Lord has opened," is "upheld by a free Spirit," and with "en- larged heart he runs in the way of God's command- ments ;" " runs and is not weary ; and walks, and is not faint." 12 LECTURE XVIII. DORCAS Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas : this woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died : whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was tliere, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber : and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed ; and turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes : and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, he pre- sented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa ; and many believed in the Lord. — Acts, ix. 36-42. " A GRACIOUS woman," says Solomon, " retainetli honor." And who among tlie daughters of men deserves this noble character? She, whose heart is renewed bj a divine agency — she, whose life is replete with benevolence and kindness — she, whose piety and liberality combine to aid and secure each DOECAS. 267 other — slie, whose " prayers and alms come up for a memorial before God." She is gracious; and, according to the testimony of the wise man, attracts honor: yea, he tells us she not only possesses, but retains it. Endeavors may be made to rob her of this treasure, but she will live down slander, and enthrone herself in the esteem of those around her. She may die, but her example will survive, and her influence will continue. " The name of the wicked shall rot : but the memory of the just is blessed ; and the righteous shall be in everlasting remem- brance." An illustration of this truth is now before us. For while many, who figured away in the neigh- borhood, flattered as the beauties of the day, admired for their attire, and distinguished by their accomplish- ments, have peiished in oblivion, that which Dorcas did, wherever the gospel is preached, shall be told as a memorial of her. " Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain : but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands ; and let her own works praise her in the gates." The place in which .this good woman lived was Joppa, now called Jaffa. It was situated on the Mediterranean Sea, and was the ncar^t seaport to Jerusalem. It is often mentioned in the Scriptures. From hence Solomon received his floated timbers for building the temple. Here Jonah embarked, to .flee from the presence of the Lord. Here Peter was authorized, in a vision, to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. Here, also, resided another individual immortalized in sacred history, not for secular gran- 268 LECTURE XVIII. deur, but for Christian hospitality — " Simon, a tanner, whose house was bj the sea-side." Concerning her condition in life, as nothing is told us, it would be useless to conjecture. It is probable she was a widow ; and she seems to have been a woman of respectability, if not of affluence, in her circumstances. But her character ; — her death ; — and her resur- rection, are the things distinctly recorded of her; and these are worthy of our devout attention. Let us review, and endeavor to improve them. I. As to her character ; she is designated " a certain disciple." It is not said of whom she was a disciple, nor was it necessary. Jesus is the master, the only master of Christians, and she was one of his scholars. This was her dignity and happiness, to sit at the feet of him who is " Lord of all," and of whom it is said, "none teaches like him," But in this case, discipleship included, not only the belief and profession of his docrine, but also, a conformity to his examj)le. "If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." She is, therefore, described by her personal religion. This was not only real, but eminent. Such is the meaning of the expression, she " was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did." There are many to be found in every place, who " care for none of these things." Their life is filled up with vanity and vice ; but is entirely void of godliness. And there are others who are satisfied with low and DORCAS. 269 common attainments. We do not see in them any disposition to excel : any of those vigorous and indefatigable exertions which a supreme concern in any cause is likely to produce : any of that zeal which is urging on the votaries of the world ; and which makes the covetous so strenuous to join house to house, and add field to field ; the ambitious to acquire and multiply honors ; and the scholar to enlarge his intellectual store. It was not so with Paul. " Brethren," said he, " I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, for- getting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And what is his prayer for the Philippians ? " That ye may be filled with the fruits of righteousness, Avhich are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of Cod." And what does he implore for the Ephesians ? " To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." With this, also, accords the admonition of the Apostle Peter ; " And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue ; and to virtue knowledge ; and to knowledge temperance ; and to temperance patience ; and to patience godliness ; and to godliness brotherly kind- ness ; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall' neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowl- edge of our Lord Jesus Christ." ■All this shows the desirableness and the import- ance of rehgious progress, and prosperity in the divine 270 LECTUEE XVIII. life. You should be anxious to be not only safe, but exemplaiy : not only to liave faith, but to be "strong in faith :" not only to gain heaven when you die, but to glorify God, and serve your generation while you live. This was the case with Dorcas. But let us see in what it was that Dorcas excelled. She " was full ;" — not full of pretences, and of words, and of hearing sermons, and of pubhc assem- blies ; all of which are often the mere " form of god- liness," without " the power." Her religion was substantial and practical: it was the religion of the heart and life : she abounded in obedience : she "was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did." Four things are mentioned to exemplify her practice. The First regards the Particular Objects of her Beneficence. They were " Widows. -^^ — a class of claim- ants upon kindness and charity, more often men- tioned in the book of God than any other ; unless it be " the fatherless," who are commonly noticed along with them. ^And, surely, none have greater demands upon our tenderness and compassion. They are in a state of solitariness, after communion the most intimate and endeared, increasing every joy, and diminishing every sorrow by sympathy and participa- tion. They are in a state of helplessness and hazard, after leaning upon another for assistance and protec- tion ; and, therefore, they often become victims of artifice and injustice ; while their bereaved offspring are treated with severity or neglect, or are drawn aside by temptation to folly and vice. How often do they exchange ease and affluence for perplexity, toil, DORCAS. 271 and indigence: for it is not every good man who leaves bags of gold behind him. Hence says God to the Jews, who were willing enough to attend the forms and ceremonies of divine worship : " When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you : yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear ; your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean ; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; cease to do evil ; learn to do well ; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." Hence says David ; " A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation." And hence says God himself to his dying servants ; " Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them aUve; and let thy widows trust in me." " The Lord will destroy the house of the proud : but he will establish the border of the widow." It would seem that Dorcas peculiarly selected this class of characters for her beneficence. And as the charity of an individual cannot be universal in its exercise and efforts, though it be so in its princi- ple ; cannot embrace every object, nor furnish every kind of relief; would it not be well for those who wish to do good to have some definite plan of use- fulness to pursue ; and not to leave their benevolence to accidental applications, and to excitements which may or may not occur ? Having a fixed and definite object of charity always before you, you will be con- stantly reminded of your obligation, and may devote to it a thousand little attentions and assistances which would otherwise be wasted and lost. 272 LECTUEE XVIII. Only, here, two cautions are necessary. The one is, not to bind ourselves down so exclusively to any one class of beneficiaries as to be unable or unwilling to aid other claimants, however deserving or pressing, whom the Providence of God may bring in our way. The other is, not to lay such stress upon our own objects of charity as to think slightly or meanly of those which may be preferred l5y others; or not to think worthily and well of those who, although truly benevolent, fall not with readiness and ardor into our views and projects. Their education, their connec- ^ tions, their situations and conditions in life, their prejudices, and even their piety, may turn into a di- versity of channels, the preference and efforts of those who are equally concerned to be useful. If men are endeavoring to do good, let them alone; yea, bid them God speed, though they walk not with ns. The Second regards the Nature, or Kind of her Charity. It was, furnishing the poor widows with clothing. And this is far from being an unimportant method of doing good: "when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him." There are many cases in which it will be found much more useful to supply the poor with necessaries and conveniences than to give them the value of these things in money ; for they are sometimes tempted to apply money to other purposes ; they are not often distinguished by prudence in their purchases ; and they seldom can buy things at first hand. The poor, in general, can supply themseves with provisions better than with raiment ; and old people commonly prefer warmth to food. Many poor persons have (I DORCAS. 273 will not say, a becoming pride, for all pride is an abom- ination to the Lord ; but) a wisli to appear decently clad ; and upon this ground they frequently excuse themselves from appearing in the hpuse of God. How desirable it is to meet their wants and wishes in this respect, and to give them a nail in God's holy place. O, I love to see the jjoor in the house of God : I love to see there, numbers of children dressed in the uni- form of benevolence : it aids my devotion, and excites my gratitude. Let "me beseech you not to waste anything that is convertible into clothing. And do not expend your mone}^ on useless ornaments ; for how often would a small part of the price of vanity cover and comfort a fellow-creature for months or years. The Third regards the Manner in which she sup- •j)lied the relief. The benefits conferred were of her own manufacture. An emphasis is obviously laid on the " alms-deeds which she did ;^^ and we read expressly of " the coats and garments which Dorcas made.^^ She did not get them wacZe, but she made them : her alms were not only her gifts but her deeds. There are some who are ready enough to give in a way of charity, but they never do anything. They never "visit the fatherless and widows in their af- fliction ;" they never " speak a word in season to him that is weary ;" they never move a foot, nor employ a hand, nor exercise the least self-denial in their works of mercy. Others there are, who can do nothing in a way of pecuniary assistance. Bat let not such conclude that they are doomed to unprofitableness. There are 13* 274 LECTURE XVIII. innumerable ways of being useful ; and if you are compelled to say, " Silver and gold have I none ;" it becomes you to add, " Such as I have I give ; my prayers ; my tears ; my attentions ; my exertions." A great deal of good may be done, and a great deal of charity may be exercised, where nothing is given. My fair readers, especially you who are in younger life, and you who have the command of leisure ; not only purchase raw materials and cheap remnants, and preserve laid-aside articles ; but refuse not, at least occasionally, to employ your own hands, when alone, or in company with one another ; and observe the eulogium pronounced on the virtuous woman, " She stretched out her hand to the poor ; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy." The Fourth regards the Promptitude of her Bene- ficence, It was immediate^ not deferred or delayed; but " while she was with them." She viewed life as " the time to serve the Lord," and her " own genera- tion by the will of God." Some are future benefactors. They do not refuse, they only procrastinate. But, says Solomon, " Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give :" for in the mean- while he may be no more, and you may be no more. Some are benevolent when they leave us, not while they are yet with us. But if it be well to bequeath, it is better to achieve. T>jmg alms are commonly suspicious : ., they arise from necessity rather than choice. There is little merit in distributing what you can hold no longer. Be, therefore, your own executors. DORCAS. 275 Thus you will be enabled to apply your bounty properly, and may enjoy the pleasure of seeing the fruits of it. But how many precious opportunities pass neglected ! And how many will hereafter lament in vain that they did not more for the world, the church, the family, their children and servants, " while yet with them !" But Dorcas sickens and dies: for religion does not exempt us from the common calamities of life, or the ravages of mortality. The grave is " the house appointed for all living:" death is "the way of all the earth." The young die as well as the old ; the great as well as the small ; the righteous as well as the wicked. This peculiar consideration, indeed, attends the death of the godly, that they are disposed of infinitely to their advantage ; and in this view, "if we love them Ave should rejoice because they go unto the Father." But this very consideration also aggravates our grief. That which prepares them for the enjoy- ment of another world, qualifies them for their passage through this ; and in proportion to their gain is our loss. By their removal we lose intercessors, protectors, benefactors. The world, the church, religion, the gospel, the poor; all sustain injuries, which are great, if not irreparable. Death never acts without commission ; but he often cuts down those who, in the estimation of reason, can ill be spared. There is nothing, perhaps, in the whole compass of Diviile Providence more mysterious than this ; that the useful should be snatched away in the midst of their days, Avhile the unprofitable and mis- ■chievous are suffered to continue : — that a Yoltaire should live upwards of four score and ten years, while 276 LECTUEE XVIII, a nation prematurely mourns over a Josiah, a con- gregation over a liervey, a family of babes over a tender mother, the poor widows over Dorcas, their friend and helper. " O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearch- able are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" But He has a right to do what he will with his own ; and very often these dark dispensations are enlightened and relieved by some effects which serve to discover the design of God in them, and to verify the words of the poet : Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take ; The clouds ye so much dread, Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. At this season, Peter happened to be at Lydda, which was nigh to Joppa ; and, therefore, the disciples immediately sent two men to inform him of the mournful event, and to " desire that he would not delay to come to them." Was this merely that he might comfort them under their loss? Or was it that he might enable them to improve the death? Or did they hope that he would be able to restore the departed to life ? If so, their faith was wonder- ful, for it does not appear that the disciples had as yet raised any from the dead ; although their Master had promised them that "the works which he did, should they do also ; yea,' and greater works than these should they do ; because he went unto the Father." However this might be, "Peter arose, and went DORCAS. 277 with them." It seemed useless, but he knew it was well to be " ready to everj^ good work." It seemed useless, but he knew that the desire of the afflicted, even if apparently unreasonable, should b.e tenderly indulged. It seemed useless, but he knew that "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Perhaps he already had a divine instinct or impulse, the forerunner and the pledge of the miracle which he afterwards performed. No sooner was Peter arrived than he was con- ducted into the upper chamber, where the dead body was laid. There a scene was presented that was sufficient to melt a heart much less tender than Peter's. " All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them," Here we may remark, that the value of persons is sometimes not known till they are gone. This is the case, indeed, with all our mercies: the want teaches the worth : " How blessings brighten as they take their flight!" The praise of this good women was like her alms, real and sincere. Here was no need of hired mourners. Here are no verses composed ; no eulogy pronounced : — but garments, some suspended, and some worn, which her own hands had made ; and widows, indebted to her bounty, bedewing the room with their tears. The 'best posthumous fame you can acquire is de- rived from the commendation of facts ; from a child you instructed, a school you established, a penitentiary vou visited, a sinner you reclaimed. The best proofe 278 LECTURE XVIII ' of your importance are to be found in the affections and benedictions of your fellow-creatures while you live, and in their regrets and lamentations when you die. '' When the ear heard me, then it blessed me ; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me : be- cause I delivered the poor that cried, and the father- less, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me : and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy." I hate dry-eyed funerals. Though it is distressing, it is also satisfactory, at the mouth of the grave, to see one wiping his streaming eyes ; to hear another say, " I must have perished but for him ;" while we all feel, in a measure, as Thomas did, when he said to his fellow-disciples, " Let us also go that we may die with him." Do all thus die ? Do oppressive masters ? Do unkind neighbors ? Do the hard-hearted, and the close-fisted thus die ? Solomon has said, " When the wicked perish, there is shouting." There is something in this more cruel than the grave. How intolerable the thought, that we may go off and not be missed for a moment ; that if we left the world, the door might be shut, and bolted by all that are behind ; and that if it were possible to return again to earth, no individual would receive us. And are there not numbers now living, who, if they were buried to-morrow, would have no lamentation over them ? But it was otherwise with Dorcas: "all the widows stood by the Apostle weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was DORCAS. 279 with them." Such were their feelings :— what were hisf "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 his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." Whose experience has not confirmed the truth of this observa- tion ? Have you not entered a room where the effects of death were visible ? There lay, about to be fastened up and committed to the dust, the remains of a relation, a friend, a neighbor. Here sat the bereaved con- nections in sable attire, and with visages of woe ; each saying, in a murmur more affecting than words, " Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends ; for the hand of God hath touched me !" Have you not caught the sympathy? Has not the mind been solemnized and softened? Have not envy, malice, earthly- mindedness given place to affectionate and heavenly impressions ? You saw that " all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field :" you felt that " man walketh in a vain shadow :" and you sighed, " Where is God, my maker, who giveth songs in the night ?"' Peter, therefore, was now in a situation to rec ive good, even if he could not have done any. But, happily, he can do more than "weep with them that weep ;" and he applies himself to his work. He " put them all forth." He dismissed the spectators for two reasons. First, from a principle of Humility ; ■he did not wish to be seen. And, Secondly, from a principle of Importunity ; company might have 280 LECTUKE XVIII. hindered tlie intenseness of his devotion. Being thus alone, he "kneeled down, and prayed:" and then " turning himself to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes ; and when she saw Peter, she sat up." This was expressive of reverence ; but what must have been her surprise ? When she fell asleep in death, some of her own attendants were doubtless around her bed : but now they have vanished, and Peter only is present — " Where are they f — And how comes he here ? — But where had her spirit been during this interval ? In Paradise ? or detained near her body, to which it was so soon to be reunited? Could she distinctly remember what had taken place in her separate state ? Did she ever converse upon this subject? Or did any press her concerning it ? We can decide nothing. The Scripture does not gratify our curiosity. " Secret things belong unto tlie Lord our God : but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children." Next, we are told that Peter "gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive." O ! for the painter's pencil ! O ! to see him giving, and them receiving this present ! " There, take your benefac- tress, and dry up your tears." This is very instructive. It shows us that kindness was the principle of the miracle ; not self-applause ; not vainglory. Then, Peter would have claimed her as an attendant, and required her to follow him as a standing proof of his supernatural powers ; but -he resigns her to those who stood in need of her services. DORCAS. 281 It teaches us not only the power of God, but his goodness. We see that "the Lord is gracious, and full of compassion ;" that " he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer." And does not this show us the importance of benefi- cence ? Were we left to judge, we, perhaps, should have thought it better for Stephen to have been raised up than Dorcas, But God revives the one, and leaves the other in the grave, because " so it seemed good in his sight ;" and, perhaj)s, to teach us that our thoughts are not his thoughts ; that we are improper judges of usefulness ; that persons whose excellencies are of sober, modest, and retiring character, may be more important in the eye of heaven than those who are more brilliant and mar- vellous ; that moral qualities are far more regarded by him than intellectual ones ; and that, in some cases, a good life may be as valuable as good jDreaching. Whom does he, by a miracle, bring back from the arrest of death ? A hero ? — a politician ? — a philoso- pher ? — " Talk no more so exceeding proudly ; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth : for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed." No ! He brings back one who made garments for the poor ! And does he not hereby show us that he takes pleasure in those who, like himself, delight in mercy ; and that " he is not unrighteous to forget their work and labof of love, in ministering to the saints" ? In a word, does he not say, " Them that honor me; I will honor" ? But you ask, was this a privilege to Dorcas ? — 282 LFXTUEE XVIII. to be brought back into a vale of tears, and again to have to " walk through the valley of the shadow of death," after she had happily passed it? — I answer, Yes 1 notwithstanding this, it was a great privilege. It was a marvellous distinction conferred upon her; and it added to her usefulness, and to her reward. The saints on earth have one privilege above the saints in heaven. It is in the means and opportu- nities of doing good. " The spirits of just men made perfect" cannot forgive injuries, cannot exercise can- dor, cannot teach transgressors the ways of God, cannot feed the hungry, nor clothe the naked. This is your privilege alone, Christians ; and it will not be your privilege long. We may be assured that with much zeal Dorcas would improve the remainder of her days, " yielding herself to God," as one, now in a new sense, " alive from the dead ;" laying up a richer treasure in heaven ; and returning, after a little time, with a "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Though there is nothing meritorious in our works, yet grace has made them rewardable ; and " what a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Such a miracle would naturally excite attention. When Martha made our Lord a supper, " much people of the Jews knew that he was there ; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead." What an interesting character would a man be who had been brought back from the invisible world! Our Saviour had said that the sickness of Lazarus would be " for the glory of God." His resurrection DORCAS. 283 from the dead carried such conviction with it, that we find " the Chief Priests consulted that thej might put Lazarus to death ; because that by reason of him, many of the Jews went away, and beheved on Jesus." And thus it was here. The revival of Dorcas not only benefited the poor widows ; but instructed and comforted the disciples; confirmed the Gospel by proving that it was the power of God, and that its preachers were the messengers of heaven; put to silence the ignorance of some ; and so wrought on the minds of others that it is said, the thing " was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord." Her resurrection, therefore, was a great privilege, for which she is now praising God. What now remains, but to recommend the imita- tion of this example to all; especially to you, my female readers? Alms-giving is made too much of by some ; they consider it as the whole of charity ; when, according to the Apostle, there may be no charity in it ; for it is possible for a man to give all his goods to feed the poor, and yet not have charity. But others make too little of alms-giving ; and some preachers seem afraid of enforcing it. But when it results from principle, much of pure and undefiled religion is included in it. And vain is love without it: "Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of (jod in him ?" Vain is faith without it : "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them. Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled ; notwithstanding ye give 284 LECTURE XVIII. them not those things which are needful to the body ; what doth it profit ? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." It has often been supposed that there is less liber- ality among women than among men: and it has been accounted for by their circumstances and habits in life. They are not accustomed to handle money in so large a way as men, and therefore they feel more in parting with small sums. They are often limited in their means. The necessity under which they are laid by nature or opinion to appear fine, renders temptations to dress often too strong for frail humanity ; and hence there is little left to spend on charity. Some of them have not the means of alms- giving as they ought to have ; for whatever can be laid by for the relief of the poor, tJie wife should share equally Avith the husband. After all, I should be unwilling to admit the charge. And sure I am, that if you were more defective than the other sex in this kind of beneficence, (which I do not believe,) you would be more criminal too. The very law of nature has inclined you, in a peculiar degree, to compassion and pity. Your delicate sen- sibilities are more affected with the presentation of distress and pain. Your experience, which makes you feel so many privations and trials of your own, enables you to sympathize more with the sorrowful. The quickness of sentiment in you operates like instinct, without the coldness of reasoning, and urges you immediately to relieve ; while we^ perhaps, are pausing to suspect, and question and deliberate. None can relish like you the delicious gratification DORCAS. 285 arising from doing good. Abound then, more and more, in these dispositions and exertions, which so well become your character and condition. But you will no think of trusting in any of your performances. When you have done all you will say, " we are unprofitable servants." You will " rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." But it will, surely, be encouraging and gratifying to you to reflect, that " with such sacrifice-s God is well pleased." You will not expect preservation from sickness ; but he will comfort and " strengthen you upon the bed of languishing ; and will make all your bed in your sickness." You will not expect to be brought back from the dead; but prayers may be heard for your recovery. When you die, the Saviour will watch over your remains, and he " will raise you up at the last day." " They cannot recompense you, but you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." LECTURE XIX. THE ELECT LADY. The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth ; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; for the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever. — 2 John, i. 2. Much of the New Testament is epistolary. These epistles are of three kinds. Some are directed to Christians at large ; some to single churches ; and some to particular individuals. Of the third class are two of John's epistles. The one was addressed to a male. His name was Gains. He was distinguished bj bodily indisposition, soul-prosperity, and great liberality and zeal. The other was written to a female. She is called "the Elect Lady." But who was this distinguished personage? Per- haps she was a deaconess. 'Perhaps she had a church in her house. Perhaps her mansion was the asylum of the persecuted, and the dwelling where the minis- ters of the Word and the bretliren always found a THE ELECT LADY. 287 welcome and a home. She was, obviousl}'', well known, of high reputation, and accounted worthy of double honor. Let us consider. I. What the Apostle says as descriptive of HER Character. And II. What the Apostle does as expressive op his Regard. We notice I. What the Apostle says as descrip- tive OF HER Character. And here, we remark at the outset, that John does not mean to represent her as a faultless being, unless in degree. But there is an important diifereuce be- tween comparative and absolute completeness. Im- perfections are found in the holiest individuals while here. " In many things," says James, " we offend all." In like manner John himself declares, " K we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves; and the truth is not in us :" and he would not contribute to such a delusion. He therefore views her not as in- fallible and impeccable ; but as in the body, though not in the flesh ; as liable to temptation ; and even, as not beyond the need of cautions and admonitions, which he therefore administers. Neither does he furnish us with a full delineation of her character, as it really was ; but gives us a few intimations concerning her, which will enable us to estimate her worth. The foundation of all her excellencies was her per- sonal and evangelical godliness. She was "walking 288 LECTURE SIX. in the truth," There are various kinds of truth ; but by truth here we are to understand the Gospel, which so well deserves the name, and is so emphat- icallj stjled " The Truth "— " the Truth of God "— " the Truth as it is in Jesus." Her regard to this truth is expressed by her " walking in iC Walking implies life, action, and progress ; and she exemplified the influence of the principle by walking in the knoioledge of the truth ; in the practice of the truth ; in the profession of the truth ; and in the service of the truth ; or, as the Apostle expresses it, in being a " fellow-helper to the truth." I She seems to have been a woman of some rank and distinction. The Lord commonly takes his fol- lowers from the lower walks of life, and chooses "the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him." "Not many mighty, not many noble are called;" but the very language implies that there is no absolute exclusion. There was a time when piety rode in the second chariot in Egypt, and presided over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces in Baby- lon. We read in the Gospels of a " rich counsellor," and in the Acts of "honorable women, not a few." And there have alvfays been some who, though not seeking great things for themselves, have yet possessed them ; and they have brought their toys and baubles to the foot of the Cross, glad to part with all to " ob- tain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eter- nal glory," These have been so few as to evince that religion THE ELECT LADY. 289 does not depend, for its spread or support, upon wordly greatness; yet tliej have, also, been suffi- ciently numerous to remove tlie prejudice, so often entertained, that it is only suited to the low, vulgar, and illiterate. Cowper, when lamenting the common degeneracy of our country, is constrained to admit some exceptions ; and he mentions " one, who wears a corouet, and prays." And, blessed be God, this may be now said of many ; for, perhaps, in our day more has been done in a work of grace, amongst persons of quality, than amongst any other class of our population. Again, we see that this excellent lady was in wedded life. And let not ignorance, and supersti- tion, and the doctrine of demons lead you to oppose, or even to undervalue that which inspiration itself pronounces to be " honorable in all ;" which was becoming and needful even in Paradise ; which was sanctioned by the Saviour's presence, and earliest miracle; which is the greatest source of domestic purity, and peace, and pleasure; which more pro- motes and secures the welfare of the community than all civil institutions besides, while it invests woman with her chief importance, derived from her mater- nity. Nothing, however, is said of the husband of this distinguished lady. This may be accounted for in two ways.' First^ He may not have been a Christian ; and if so, and if when she married him she was her- self a Christian, she disregarded the requisition to marry " only in the Lord ;" and she had no reason 13 290 LECTURE XIX. to complain of any trials resulting from it. But she ma}^ (and tins seems more likely to have been the case) have been herself converted after the union; while he remained in the same state as before ; and it has commonly been observed, that religion has fewer adherents among males than females. ^ Or, secondly, her husband might have been dead ; and, considering the representation given here of the \ state of her family, this appears to be much more prob- able than that he was a heathen or an infidel. , Now, if this was true, she had been called to sus- tain the most painful of all bereavements, and was a widow ; and a "widow indeed," for she was a mater- nal widow. It is trying when a wife, after the most intimate and endeared fellowship, is left to travel the remainder of life without companion, guide, or helper ; but what is it, then, not only to be left alone, but to be charged with a fatherless family, with the whole ,. burden of duty resting on herself; and to feel that she is entrusted with their estate, their health, their morals, their lives, and their eternal interests? Surely here is enough to call forth the exclamation, " Who is sufficient for these things?" And this was the case here; for we read of the ^^ children'''' of this "elect lady." " Lo, children are _ a heritage of the Lord ; and the fruit of the womb is his reward." But what a heritage may th^y often be found! "Children," says Henry, "are certain cares, uncertain comforts, and probable crosses." Many, who once longed for offspring, are now ready to join in the decision, " Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never THE ELECT LADY. 291 gave suck." " A foolish son," says Solomon, " is the heaviness of his mother." As the father is no less interested than the mother, why does Solomon mention the mother only ? Is it to intimate that she is frequently the cause, by imprudent indulgences and early concealments ? Or is it because she is likely to suffer most from the pressure of the calamity, having fewer engagements to divert her attention from vexation and anguish ? If the troubler lives much at home, she, principally, lias to endure the evil ; and if he transgresses abroad, she is sure always to hear the worst of it from the loud liar, report. However this may be, how many a mother feels this " heaviness" pressing her life down to the gTound ! And, at the sight or mention of an idler, a drunkard, a profligate, or a despiser of them that are good, yet one whom she has borne and bred, Nursed on her knee, and at her bosom fed ; how can she, with a heart's bitterness known only to herself, help bewailing, and alas ! in vain ; " What my son ! and what the son of my womb ! and what the son of my vows !" And are parents in higher life less exposed to such dangers and trials ? But we hail this " elect lad}'." This was not her affliction ; for we read that her " cJiildren,^^ like her- self, were " found walking in truths Nothing is said of the ' means of their religion. The expedients and instrumentalities, providential and gracious, in awakening, enlightening, and reclaiming individuals, are innumerable. What is not sometimes thus divinely 292 LECTURE XIX. employed ? " Lo, all these things worketli God oftentimes with man, to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living," Perhaps one of her children was wrought upon bj his paternal bereavement, God addressing his softened heart as he returned from the grave, and saying, " Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me. My Father, thou art the guide of my youth ?" Perhaps another was laid hold of by a bodily disease, which threatened to shorten the days of his youth, and hasten him into an eternal world. Perhaps a third was impressed by the preaching of " the truth as it is in Jesus." This, indeed, is the ordinary means of conversion : " faith Cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." But why may we not conclude that it was chiefly by her own instrumentality that they had been brought into the ways of truth ; so that they were in a double sense her offspring, imbibing from her not only the milk of the breast, but likewise " the sincere milk of the word"? Thus, to Hannah we owe Samuel; and to Eunice, Timothy : and Baxter tells us that " if pa- rental duty were faithfully and fully performed, the preaching of the word would not long remain the usual means of conversion." For it should be ob- served, that even good men and women are not all good fathers and mothers. It is said of Eli, " his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not:" and of David, with regard to Adonijah, that he " had not displeased him at any time in saying. Why hast thou done so?" To look into the families of some professors for anything like consistent piety, is like seeking to " gather grapes of thorns, and figs of THE ELECT LADY. 293 thistles." It was not thus among our forefothers. They did not expect to reap where they had not sown, or to gather where they had not strawed. In the houses of the Henrys, and numbers of their cotem- poraries, rehgion was a kind of heir-loom; "instead of the fathers were the children ;" and " as was the mother, so was the daughter." Where the proper means are properly used, we have always some in- stances to show what may be done by education, and example, even fallen as human nature is: while Scripture assures us ; (and if this be not a promise which is always true, it is a proverb which must be generall}' true ;) " Train up a child in the wsij he should go ; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." This, O ye mothers, is peculiarly for you. Re- member what opportunities, and means, and influences you possess ; and reflect, what blessings in your day and generation you Avifl become, if 3'ou send forth, from under your care, those who will prove the ser- vants of the Most High God, and the noblest bene- factors and ornaments of society. Finally, this " elect lady" had not only holy off- spring, but pious connections and relatives. John speaks of her sister, and of her nephews and nieces : — "The children of thine elect sister greet thee." If you say this was no part of her character, yet it was, surely, no inconsiderable part of her happiness: — yea, it would possibly and probably be found, if all were known, to be connected with her religion, and really derived from it. For who can tell how far it was in answer to her prayers, and the result of her 294 LECTUEE XIX. example, endeavors, and influence? Many of the godly mentioned in the Scripture, had pious kindred. Peter and Andrew, John and James, were brothers. In one family, (probably consisting of no more,) we find the three friends of the Saviour : " Now Jesus loved Marthar, and her sister, and Lazarus." Paul, in his Epistle to the Komans, says, " Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen^ and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles, who also were in Christ before me." " Salute Eufus, chosen in the Lord ; and his mother, and miner There are few single conversions. They who are first called, are often tried for a time ; and some for a long time; and cry with Esther, "How can I en- dure to see the destruction of my kindred ?" But as, by the grace of God, they are sure to be concerned for their welfare, and will labor for their salvation, they seldom labor in vain. And this success would be oftener witnessed, if their attempts were made in more simple and entire dependence upon the grace of the Spirit ; if their efforts were uniformly accompanied with consistency of conduct ; and if their religion were rendered attractive rather than repulsive, abounding in the things which are "lovely and of good report." Where this has been the case, neighbors have been induced to say, " we will go with you ;" masters and mistresses have been blessed with good and faithful servants ; sisters have allured brothers into the way everlasting ; and not a few wives have prevailed upon even opposing husbands to "take sweet counsel to- gether, and walk to the house of God in company." And " how knowest tliou^ wife, whether thou shalt not save thy husband ?" THE ELECT LADY. 295 Sucli was this illustrious female ; and you know who hath said, " Them that honor me, I will honor." Having, therefore, shown Avhat John says, as descrip- tive of her character, let us, II. See WHAT THE Apostle does, as expressive OF HIS regard. Here two things are peculiarly striking and ob- servable : — his Letter : — and his Visit. First, He writes her an Epistle. This Epistle we possess. It does not fall in with our plan or limits- to comment on its various contents. We may re- mark, that correspondence is not always significant of respect. Letters are of various descriptions. There are letters of necessity, and letters of formality, and letters of business. These spring from no special regard, and confer no distinction. But it is other- wise with letters of choice, preference, and esteem ; especially when coming from those who are not only our friends, but our superiors. Pesrhaps there is nothing of which persons are more proud than an epistle from a distinguished individual. How vain would many feel, if they could show a letter addressed to themselves from an extraordinarv scholar, or genius, or statesmen, or warrior: — a Chatham, or a Wellington. What was it then to receive a letter thus indited, and directed; — "The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth." O ! who would be without affection ? Who would not be loved, rather than admired? What pleasure could we feel in our- dependents and servants, unless we were loved by them, as well as obeyed ? I could not bear to own a favorite animal, unless I made him fond of 296 LECTURE XIX. me. And wliat was it, then, for this honored lady to receive a letter, assuring her that she was loved by the writer in sincerity and truth ; a letter in his own handwriting ; a letter from an Apostle, " the disciple whom Jesus loved," who had received the visions of the Almighty in Patmos, the only survivor of the twelve heralds of heaven ; how would she feel at the opening of such a letter ; how would she value it ; how carefully preserve it ; how often re-peruse it ; and how tempted to boast of it ! And if autographs were sought after then as they are now, what a price would this letter have fetched ; and who would have deemed it dear ! — But, what became of it ? Was it burned in the flames of persecution ? Was it destroyed by accident ? Or did it decay and moulder away of age ? Secondly^ He honors her not only with a letter, but with a Visit " Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink : but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full." We ought to be thauful for ink and paper. They identify information ; they perpetuate intelligence ; they annihilate distance ; tliey enable us to talk with- out being heard. John himself was at this very time employing them ; but he knew that though correspond- ence was good, personal intercourse was better, not only because of the pleasure it affords by means of feature-expression (far beyond any emphasis of mere words) but also by jdelding freer and ampler communi- cation ; for however nimble the pen of a ready writer may be, it cannot utter a thousandth part of the over- flowings of the tongue. THE ELECT LADY. 297 We know not the place of tlie residence of this lady ; and therefore we know not how far John had to travel : nor can we tell the mode of his conveyance ; for he could hardly, at his age, travel on foot. He speaks of his intended journey with pleasure ; yet he could not be insensible of the difficulties, dangers, and uncertainties of travelling ; especially in those days, and under a weight of years. He, therefore, expresses himself concerning it dependently and piously ; and says, " I trust to come unto you ;" acknowledging the providence of God, and confiding for the issue in him, " in whose hands our breath is, and whose are all our ways." Herein he should be our example, for we are commanded to " conmiit our way unto the Lord, and trust also in him, that he may bring it to pass." We ought to say, " If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that :" for though " a man's heart deviseth his way, the Lord directeth his steps :" and in vain we say, with regard to any design or enter- prise, " Amen," unless " the Lord God shall say so too." But see the advantage which John desires and ex- pects from the journey itself: — "That our joy ma}^ be full." The joy of which he speaks is not carnal or worldly joy ; but that joy which is one of " the fruits of the Spirit :" and of this, it is obvious the first Christians had more than we moderns commonly experience ; and they valued it more highly ; valued it, not only because of the pleasure, but especially because of the profit connected with it. " Tlie joy of the Lord was their strength." It enlivened their duty ; it soothed their minds ; it weaned them from the world ; 13* 298 LECTURE XIX. it adorned and recommended their religion to all around them. They regarded it, therefore, as not only a privilege, but a duty ; and were concerned to " walk in the comfort of the Holy Ghost," as well as "in the fear of the Lord :" remembering the admonition, "re- joice evermore ;" and the commandment, " ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." This joy was to be not only multiplied, but mutual. John therefore says, " that our joy may be fall." They were to be blessings to each other ; not only the apostle to the disciple, but the disciple to the apostle. In like manner, Paul writes to the Eomans, " For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established ; that is, that / Tnay he comforted together with you hy the mutual faith hoth of you and me." There is no such thing as independence : all are needful, all are useful. We are not only " one body in Christ," but "every one also members one of an- other." " The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you." — " And wliether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it ; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it." But let us for a moment imagine this visit accom- plished, and John arrived at the mansion of his hon- ored friend. How did she look for him, as the time of his coming drew near \ With what welcome did she receive him ! Though he affected no state, with what sedulousness was he attended! What satisfac- tion and gratitude would she feel in having such an inmate under her roof, such a guest at her table, such ''THE ELECT LADY. 299 a minister in her family! How would all "rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man !" How \AOuld he pra}'' and praise, morning and evening ! IIow would he converse ! Cowper has, in a measure, informed us : Wlieu one, that holds eomnmnion with the skies, Has filled his urn where these pure waters rise, And once more mingles .with us meaner things, 'Tis even as if an angel shook his wings ; Immortal fragrance fills the circuit wide; That tells us whence his treasures are supplied Let US make one reflection, and conclude. It regards the power of the social principle ; and the value, not only of friendship, but of actual intercourse. Man is designed and formed for society. His faculties, and inclinations, and exigencies, all urge him to associate. In his natural state he loves so- ciety in sin ; and in his rencAved state he loves society in grace. Whatever attachments he had before, he then easily drops the sons and daughters of vanity and vice ; and " takes hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, I will go with you ; for I have heard that God is with you." Many things may often keep the partakers of di- vine grace asunder ; but, " being let go, they go to their own company ;" for each of them can say, " I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts." No, " it is not good for man to be alone ;" nor is it good for the Christian to be alone. " Two are befter than one." Bunyan knew this : he has no solitary pilgrim. Though Christian began his jour- ney alone, he soon enjoyed a fellow-traveller ; and 300 LECTURE XIX. * Hopeful was found to be his companion, wlien Faith- ful was removed. But love delights in the presence of its object ; and as "iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." John does not ex- j^ress this more strongly than Paul. To Timothy he says : " Greatly desiring to see thee, that I may be filled with joy ;" and to the Thessalonians he writes ; " Night and day praying exceedingly that I may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith :" and to the Komans ; "I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. — That I may come unto you with joy by the will of Grod, and may with you be refreshed." Here we perceive the desirableness and advantage of personal intercourse and cominunion. Let us en- large and exemplify the thought in a few instances. And First^ How pleasing is it to meet "face to face," and commune, after long separation and ab- sence ; especially if, during that separation, we have experienced trying circumstances, and perilous events. And in a world like this, when is it that we are not exposed ? and do we not " stand in jeopardy every hour" ? But, to meet again with those we love, after a murderous robbery, a shipwreck, a desperate accident, or a threatening disease ;■ — O what gushings of feeling then ! what eagerness of words ! what mingling of tears, joyous tedrs ! and, surely, if Chris- tians, what divine acknowledgments ! " O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name to- gether." " I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and THE ELECT LADY. 301 delivered me from all my fears," Thus Jacob and Joseph met after twenty years of absence. Secondly, How pleasing to meet " face to face," and commune, in the apartments and confinements of trouble. This indeed is a duty, and Ave are as much required to " visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction," as to " keep ourselves unspotted from the world." Have you ever been in the house of mourn- ing ; or in the chamber of sickness ; or in a state of gloom and despondency, ready to say, " The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me ;" and has a fellow Christian entered with the cup of consolation in his hand, and a word in season on his tongue ? Has not his flice appeared as the face of an angel ? Have you not said, " Come in, thou blessed of the Lord" ? And needed you the wisest of men to tell you that as " ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel"? Thus David and Jona- than met : "Jonathan went 1o David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God." Thirdly, How pleasing to meet "face to face," in the exercises of social devotion in the sanctuary. Who has not taught his child to say, and who has not said himself; Lord how delightful 'tis to see A ■whole assembly worship thee ! At once they siug, at ouce they pray ; They hear of heaven, and learn the way. I have been there and still would go, 'Tis like a little heaven below. It was the loss of such a privilege that led David to say ; " When I remember these things t pour out 302 LECTUKE XIX. my soul in me : for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of jo}^ and praise, with a multitude that kept holj- day." It was the want of this that induced him to say, " My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is ; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary." Then, Finally, "What will it be to meet "face to face" in heaven ? Then our joy will be full. This supposes, indeed, a mutual recognition of each other there; and, saj^s Baxter, "I am fully persuaded I shall love ni}' friends in heaven ; and therefore know them ; and this, principally, binds me to them on earth. If I thought I should never know them more ; nor, therefore, love them after death, I should love them comparatively little, as I do all other transient things : but now I delight in conversing with them, as believing I shall commune wath them forever." So did Paul : for said he, " What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing ? Are not even ye in the pres- ence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy." But what a difference between our meetings " face to face" on earth, and those we hope to enjoy in heaven ! Now our communions are few in number, often short in duration, and always liable to interrup- tion ; but none of these disadvantages will be known there. Here we are in a state of imperfection ; and w^e mistake each other ; and offences will come ; and we have frequc]itly much to explain, much to excuse, THE ELECT LADY. 303 much to forbear, and much to forgive ; but there, we shall be " without fault before the throne of God and of the Lamb." Here we are in a state of exposure to number- less afflictions and sorrows ; and when we meet, if not ourselves in any trouble, our connections are, and we " weep with tliem that weep ;" and often en- dm*e, by sympath}^, as much or more than the suf- ferers themselves. But there, nothing is to be seen, but jo}' and gladness ; nothing heard, but thanksgiving and the voice of melody. Here we always meet in a vale of tears — There on a greeu ami flowery mount, Our weary souls shall sit ; And with transpurting joys recoxint The labors of our feet. No vaiu discourse shall fill our tongue, Nor trifles vex our ear ; lufiuite grace shall be our song. And God rejoice to hear. Millions of years our wondering eyes Shall o'er thy beauties rove. And endless ages we'll adore The glories of thy love. Forever his dear sacred name Shall dwell upon our tongue, And Jesus and Salvation be The close of every song. LECTURE XX. THE DEFOKMED DAUGHTEE OF - ABEAHAM. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman who had a sph'it of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in nowise lift up her- self. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her. Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her : and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work : in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said. Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day ? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed : and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. Luke, xiii 10-17. This striking fact is recorded only by tlie Evan- gelist Luke ; and it has been mucli more rarely noticed tban any of tlie Saviour's other signs and THE DEFORMED DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM. 305 wonders. Like all his miracles, it is " written, that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing we may have life through his name." But besides this, it seems to have had a peculiar and pleasing aim, like that of the miracle at the marriage in Cana of Galilee; namely, to hold forth the Saviour in the milder rays of his glory ; display- ing not only his majesty, but his meekness ; not only his benevolence, but his condescension ; not only his compassion, but his tenderness ; and even his regard for our feelings, as well as for our welfare. To give some order to our reflections on this miracle of mercy, let us I. Look at the Patient. IL Observe the Cure. And in. Examine the Influence. With regard L To the Patient, we may observe — First^ Her Descent. The Saviour calls her a " daughter of Abraham;" thus showing a regard for the venerable Patriarch, who lived so many ages before. There is something striking in the natural relationship to such an individ- ual ; but Abraham sustained a double paternity ; and we have reason to believe this woman was a daughter of Abraham not only as a Jewess, but also as a. believer, being related to him in spirit as well as by blood. 306 LECTUEE XX. So, tlie Apostle says, " If 3'e be Christ's, fhen are ye Abraham'^ seed:" and " They who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." In like manner, the Saviour declares, "If ye Avere Abraham's chil- dren, ye would do the works of Abraham." But if this were her prerogative, we here see that " all things come alike to all ;" and that, as to out- ward dispensation, " no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him." If, in this respect, there be any difference between the righteous and the wicked, it is often even in favor of the latter; who " have no changes," and " fear not God ;" while " manj^ are the afflictions of the righteous." Secondly^ Observe Iter Condition. She labored under " a spirit of infirmity," and " was bowed together, and could in nowise lift up herself" Admitting that her affliction was not at- tended with the greatest degree of suffering or danger, yet it must have been very trying ; and especially so to a female, to whom beauty and figure belong ; who has an exquisite sensibilit}- to personal appearance ; and who knows how much more she can attract, impress, and influence by external charms than by superior accomplishments. Was it nothing to be slighted 1 — nothing to be pointed at by the finger of scorn ? — nothing to be unable to look up and see the heavens ? — nothing to be compelled to crouch beneath others, and to be almost enchained to the ground? Yet "who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow ?" How many have been THE DEFORMED DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM. 807 constrained to say, " It is good for me that I liave been afflicted." How man}', after awhile, have blessed God for the effects of an accident or disorder, which once filled them with pain and dismay. It was the means of turning them from folly and vanity to the cultivation of the mind, and of inducing them to " seek those things which are above," and to prize " the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." And what is everything else, compared with this? " Favor is deceitful, and beautj^ is vain ; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." " A gracious woman retaineth honor." Mephibosheth fell from his nurse's arms, and be- came a cripple for life ; yet, owing to his lameness, his life was preserved from destruction ; and he was appointed to eat meat at the king's table. And this woman, but for her deformity and affliction, would not have known the power and grace of the Saviour. Thirdly^ Observe The Infliction of the Evil. " Lo, Satan hath bound her." How are we to understand this? It does not refer to a personal possession. Then, does the historian think with the wise, and speak with the vulgar ? The language accords with the common phraseology of the Jews at this period, and in earlier times. They were accus- tomed to personify qualities, and to ascribe everything strange, inexplicable, and ominous, to evil spirits. Thus', Saul's melancholy is called " an evil spirit from the Lord ;" and the abstemiousnes of John is ac- counted for by alleging, "he hath a devil." 308 LECTURE XX. The truth is, diabolical influeuce is allowed bj all professing Christians, except Socinians. It is observ- able that, even in the indictments of heinous criminals in our courts of justice, the language more than implies this. The Scripture is full of the doctrine ; and if Satan has the power of death, why not equally of dis- ease ? If his agency be not personal and immediate, it is not the less real. As he was the originator of all evil, so to him may be attributed all its results. Only, the Scripture employs his instrumentality to express his agency. Thus, Satan is said to desire to have Peter, that he might sift him as wheat ; refer- ring to his fear and fall ; and he is said to cast Christians into prison, that is, by the persecution of unjust judges. Thus, also, in the afflictions of Job, Satan is represented as bringing all the evils upon him ; though the Sabeans, and the Chaldeans, and the natural elements, were the immediate causes of the whole. Fourthly^ Observe The Duration of her Confinement. It was no less than " eighteen years." Many complain of the length of their trials, when, perhaps, they have not been exercised so many weeks or months, as this woman had years. Let us compare conditions ; and before we exclaim, " Behold, and see, if ever there was sorrow like unto my sorrow ;" let us think of others. Let us think of J^]neas, who had kept his bed eight years. Let us go to the pool of Bethesda, and see a man who had been a sufferer for thirty and eight years, and had "no one when the water was troubled, to put liim into the pool." " Eighteen years !" — This is a long portion of THE DEFORMED DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM. 309 life to be doomed to mortification and helplessness. Why does the Lord appoint those who are so dear to him to languish and suffer so long ? How gladly should we relieve a beloved relation or friend, if we had it in our power ; while he, by a single volition, could wipe away every tear from the eye. Yet our love, compared with his, is no more than as a drop to the ocean. But his love is as wise as it is great. He does what seemeth him good ; and what seems good to him, must be so. He cannot err. He has reasons for his conduct which will fully justify it when they are made known. He sometimes delays the relief of his suffering people, not because he takes pleasure in their pain, but for their profit ; " for he is a God of judgment ; and blessed are all they that wait for him." It is, therefore, " good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." " He will not always chide ; neither will he keep his anger forever ; lest the spirit should fail before him, and the souls which he has made." " Hope deferred maketh the heart sick ;" and such sickness this poor creature had felt for eighteen years ; and long ago she had concluded that her case was desperate. "At evening time it shall be light." We have seen this Patient^ " a daughter of Abraham," yet deeply afflicted, and for "eighteen years. bound by Satan," during which time she was so "bowed to- gether, that she could in nowise lift up herself." We now, II. Observe the Cure. 310 LECTURE XX. Mark the circumstances that attended it. They are four. The First circumstance is the Place, where the work was performed. It ■was in the Synagogue. Synagogues were Jewish places of worship. The precise period of their introduction it is not easy to determine. They are supposed to have originated , in Babylon, where the Jews were exiled from their own land. They were common, at the time of our Lord's appearance, in Judea, and indeed in all other places where Jews were to be found. They were not places of sacrifice, but of devotion and instruc- tion ; where the Scriptures were read and expounded, and where occasional exhortation was allowed. When our Saviour was near to the temple, we always find him worshipping there ; but when at a distance we find him attending in the synagogues. We do not wonder, therefore, that on this occasion he was in the synagogue ; but that this woman was there may produce surprise. It would expose her to observation ; and it must have been difficult to get her poor body there, especially if she was not dwell- ing ,m the neighborhood. This would have been deemed sufficient to excuse, if not justify, many a one for not attending the public assembly. But she was of another mind ; and it was well she was. What would she have lost, if she had been absent on this occa- sion ? Who can ever tell what he loses by absence from the house of God ? What did Thomas lose, by not being Vi^ith the eleven, when Jesus showed them his hands and his side ? And who can tell what is gained by attendance, especially when persons exer- THE DEFORMED DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM. 311 cise self-denial for this end ? " Them that honor me," says God, " I will honor." Few, therefore, feed with such a relish on the word, as those who come from a distance, and with many a weary step and difficult effort. This woman broke through difficulties in order to be found in her place ; and there she met with the Saviour. She had no expectation of the event. Her aim was to serve God, to hear his word, and to promote the welfare of her soul. She had no thought about her poor body ; yet she obtained the deliver- ance of that also ; for, if we " seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, other things shall be added :" and " godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." The Second circumstance is the Time. It was " on the Sabbath." This season was sanctified by God himself from the beginning, when he had finished his work of creation. On this day the Saviour per- formed many of his miracles ; to show that he was the " Lord of the Sabbath," and that " it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath days." It is " the day which the Lord hath made," and in which he still accomplishes the wonders of his grace. This is seen in the deliverance of sinners from the bondage of corruption. Bound as they are by their evil propensities and confirmed habits, and " led captive by the devil at his will;" yet they have been released, and made " free indeed." " The Lord looseth the prisoners." It is seen in the release of distressed consciences, 312 LECTURE XX. bound and tied by guilt and fear, so that they could not lift i\j) their soul to God : but " the Lord raiseth up them that are bowed down ;" he causeth the prisoners to -go free ; he hath loosed my bonds." It is seen in the removal of his people from this present evil world. They have often been emanci- pated on the Sabbath. A remarkable instance of this is recorded by Mr. Hovv^e, in a funeral sermon for Mrs. Esther Sampson. She had been confined to her bed eighteen years, and was released on a Sab- bath day. The Third circumstance is the Mode of the Cure. And here we find his eye, his iongioe, and his hands are all employed. His eye — 'He " saw her." — He surveyed all the worshippers. In one respect she was more noticeable than others, because of her de- formity ; but in others she was less visible : for she was probably almost concealed in the surrounding crowd by the lowness of her stature ; and it is likely that she had stationed herself in an obscure part of the assembly ; yet, towards her, well knowing her condition, her Avant, and her desire, with compassion and tenderness, Jesus directed his eye. His tongue — " He called her to him." " You, poor woman," probably addressing her by name ; " draw near to me." What surprise must have seized her ! " Whence could he know me ? And what can he want with - me ?" Doubtless, afraid and ashamed, she was ready to shrink back at this expos- ure of her condition. Now every eye is turned towards her, as she creeps along. A breathless silence for a few moments prevailed, and then, he THE DEFORMED DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM. 813 audibly said to her, "Woman, thou art loosed from thy infirmity :" meaning, "thou shall he loosed;" for he always spoke like himself, and with him purpose and accomplishment are the same. His will is action. " He speaks, and it is done ; he commands, and i stands fast." His hands — " He laid his hands on her." Thi was to awaken attention, and to show that the cui proceeded from himself. His touch is vital. The fourth and last circumstance is the Speediness of the Operation: "and immediately she was made straight." Our Saviour sometimes w"rought cures in cases which human skill and science could relieve — at least which they can now relieve ; but even then, the manner proclaimed the miracle. His operation was always successful, perfect, and instantaneous. Fevers are removed b}' a course of medical treat- ment ; but when Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, " he took her by the hand, and lifted her up ; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them." One day, dining with one of the chief of the Pharisees, there was a certain man before him who had the dropsy. It might have been possible to have graduallv reduced the poor swollen creature to his ordinary size, but Jesus "took him, and healed him, and let him go." And so, in the case before us, both the thing and the manner were unique. The deformed curvature of this poor woman seems to have been natural ; it had been fixed for eighteen years \ and by no human process, but by a momentary imposition of hands, his work is perfect and coni- plete. " He does all things well." 14 314 LECTURE XX. Men can now, by means of couching, effect a cure in certain cases of blindness ; but when the operation is successful, the j)rocess is slow ; and it is long before the patient can use the organ, and endure the light ; but Jesus, in a moment, opened the beggar's eyes, and he went on seeing. Let us notice, 2>dly^ The Influence of this Miraculous Cure. We see this exemplified in the four parties con- cerned. First^ in the Patient herself. - She " glorified God." And what wonder, considering the change she had ex- perienced : — now breathing freely ■ — standing erectly — walking easily. Doubtless she was ready to exclaim, " Surely, this could have been accomplished by a divine power alone : surely, the kingdon of heaven is at hand : surely, this is the prophet who was to come into the world." Her mouth would express her gratitude and j)raise : " What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? Hei-e I dedicate myself, health and strength, body and spirit, to his service who has made me whole." One thing should strike us all ; yet who is struck with it ? — namely, if this poor creature Avas grateful for the recovery of her powers, after eighteen years of infirmity and destitution, what ought to be our thankfulness to the kindness of Providence for the uninterru23ted preservation, the full and constant use of all? Secondly^ its influence upon the Ruler of the syna- gogue. " He answered," indeed, " with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day ;" THE DEFORMED DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM, 315 but he seemed afraid to look on the Saviour himself, who had performed the miracle. He therefore ad- dressed the people ; and instead of hailing the poor woman on her recovery, he virtually censured her. He "said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work : in them, therefore, come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day :" as if she had come intentionally for that purj^ose, though it does not appear that she had any thought of the kind. But suppose that she had ; was she to be blamed for seizing such an opportunity of getting relief? But when persons dislike a thing, it is easy to find fault with the doing of it ; and often the veil which is thrown over their dislike is slender, and easily seen through. The motive professed is often the least felt. Thus, here, the miracle was offensive, as it honored the Messiah. ' The complaint about the profanation of the Sabbath Avas a mere pretence. He could not be ignorant that the Saviour had not violated the fourth commandment. Had he himself been ill on the Sabbath, and had the Pharisees called in physicians to relieve him, he would not have sent them away, saying, " There are six days in which men ought to work ; on these I will seek to be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." Nay, he knew that he himself did not keep his oxen and asses tied up all the Sabbath day. Our Lord, therefore, calls him a hypocrite, saying, " Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering ? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen 316 LECTURE XX. years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day ?" Thirdly^ its influence upon the Adverse Party on the same side. They seem to have been many; but " when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed." They could no longer resist the truth : but perhaps they were confounded, rather than convinced ; for they made no frank acknowledgment. Fourthly^ its influence upon the Rest of the Audience. " All the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." " Have any of the rulers believed on him ?" but " the common people heard him gladly." His followers, for the most part, were among these. And, in general, the common people are more open to conviction, and more free from the influence of worldly prejudices and passions, than the rich and elevated and powerful : for " how can they believe, who receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?" In many cases, the people who rejoiced in what they saw and heard, afterwards fell away, and walked no more with him; and "Crucify" soon followed "Ho- sanna." The impression of recent mercies is often powerful, but not permanent. The goodness of many "is like the morning cloud, or the early dew, which soon passeth away." The Israelites often " sang his praise, but soon forgat his works." But, however this may iiave been with the beholders of this miracle, let us be careful that it be not the case with us, but that we cordially and practically " rejoice for all the glorious things which have been done by him ;" and which are " written for our learn- THE DEFORMED DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM. 317 ing, that we tlirough patience and comfort of the Scrip- tures may have hope." But " to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin ;" for "unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be mucli required." • From hence we may see, first, how entitled the Lord Jesus 'is to our credence. He is not only able and willing to save and to bless, but he is infinitely author- ized to do it, "for him hath Grod the Father sealed." " The works," therefore saith he, " that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin ; but now they have no cloak for their sin." His miracles were not mere displays of power to make men wonder. They were suited to- the condition and the wants of men ; and always had an end in view worthy of their execution ; and they were, in every instance, readily and perfectly distin- guishable from the lying wonders of superstition. They were repeated and multiplied. They were performed publicly ; before enemies as well as friends ; in the road, in the synagogues, and on Sabbath days. Hence and foi'cver from my heart I bid my dmibt-: aud fears depart ; And to those hands my soul resign, Which bear credentials so divine. Secondly, we see what claims the Saviour has to our confidence. He is " the same yesterday, and to- day, and forever." What he did when on earth, he is surely able to do in heaven. What he did for the body, he can do for the soul. Say not, ." O that I could have access to him ! but he is no more in the 318 LECTURE XX. world ; and tlie heavens have received him until the restitution of all things." Though he is no longer here corporeally, he is here really, spiritually, divinely ; " a very present help in trouble." You are nearer to him now, than this woman was in the synagogue. No case is below his notice. No distress is beyond his reach. " He will not despise the prayer of the destitute, but will regard their prayer." Finally, we see how deserving he is, not only of our credence and confidence, not only of our admira- tion and praise, but of our imitation. Let us, there- fore, seek to resemble him. "Let the same mind be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus;" being "fol- lowers of him, as dear children." We know you cannot perform miracles, but you can show mercy. You cannot, like him, raise the dead, recover the sick, and relieve the deformed ; but you can " weep with them that weep ;" you can secure " the blessing of him that was ready to perish ;" you can " cause the widow's heart to sing for joy ;" you can resemble him who "went about doing good;" and "he that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." LECTURE XXL MARTHA AND MARY. ^ Now it came to pass as they weut, that he entered into a certain village : and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sifter hath left me to serve alone ? bid l)ei- there- fore that she help me. And Jesus answered