niable, because they must, in so doing, have abandoned all their grand ideas of a temporal kingdom. Our blessed Saviour, therefore, desired them to consult their own scriptures, particularly the writings of the prophets, where they would find the charac+ ters of the Messiah displayed; and be fully convinced they were all fulfilled in his per son. He also gave them to understand, that the proofs of his mission were as full and clear as possible, being supported by the actions of his life, which in all things agreed with his doctrine; for he never sought the applause of men, or affected secular power, but was always innocent and humble, though he well knew that these virtues made him appear little in the eyes of those who had no idea of a spiritual kingdom, but expected the Messiah would appear in all the pomp of secular authority. In short, the fatal infidelity of the Jews was principally owing to their pride. They had long filled the minds of the people with grand ideas of the glory and power of the Messiah's kingdom: they had represented him as a potent prince, who was to appear at once adorned with all the ensigns of power: and therefore to have • ascribed that august character to a mere teacher of righteousness, destitute even of the ordinary advantages of birth, fortune, and erudition, would have been so plain a confession of their ignorance of the scriptures, as must have exposed them to the ridicule and contempt of the whole people. Our blessed Saviour added, that he himself should not be their accuser to the God of Jacob, for their infidelity: but Moses, their great legislator, in whom they trusted, would join in that unwelcome office: for by denying him to be the Messiah, they denied the writings of that prophet. "For had ye (added he) believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me but if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" John v. 46, 47. Thus did the blessed Jesus assert himself to be the Son of God, the great Judge of the whole earth, and the Messiah promised by the prophets; and at the same time gave them such convincing proofs of his being sent from God, that nothing could be said against them. Convincing as these proofs were, yet it did not in the least abate the malice of the scribes and pharisees; for the very next sabbath, upon his disciples plucking a few ears of corn as they passed through the field, and eating the grain after rubbing it out in their hands, they again exclaimed against this violation of the sabbath. But our blessed Saviour soon convinced them of their error,by shewing both from the example of David, and the constant practice of their own priests, who never omitted the necessary works of the temple, on the sabbathday, that works of necessity were often permitted, even though they break a ritual command; that acts of mercy were the most acceptable services to God, on any day whatever that it was inverting the order of things, to suppose that "man was abode for the sabbath, and not the sabbath for man." Adding, that if the service of the temple should be said to claim particular dispensation from the law of the sabbath, he and his disciples, whose business of promoting the salvation of mankind was of equal importance, might justly claim the same exemption as they were carrying on a much nobler work, than the priest who attended on the service of the temple. Thus did our blessed Saviour prove, that works of mercy should not be left undone, though attended with the violation of some of the most sacred institutions. of the ceremonial law. : Soon after this dispute with the scribes and pharisees, our blessed Saviour entered one of the synagogues of Jerusalem, on the sabbath-day, and found there a man whose right hand was withered. The pharisees, who observed the compassionate Jesus advance towards the man, did not doubt but he would attempt to heal him; and therefore watched him attentively, that they might have something to accuse him with to the people. Their bypocrisy was arrived to that notorious pitch, that they determined to blast his reputation, by representing him as a sabbath-breaker, if he dared to heal the man, while they themselves were profaning it by an action, which would have polluted any day; namely, of seeking an opportunity to destroy a person who had never injured them, but done many good actions for the sons of Jacob, and was continually labouring for their eternal welfare. The Saviour of the world was not unapprised of these malicious intentions. He knew their designs, and defied their impotent power, by informing them of the benevolent action he designed, though he knew they would exert every art they were masters of, in order to put him to death. the Therefore when our Saviour ordered the man to shew himself to the whole congregation, in order to excite their pity, these hypocritical teachers declared in the strongest terms, the unlawfulness of his performing even such beneficent actions on the sabbath: Is it lawful to heal on sabbath-day?" They did not, however, ask this question with an intention to hinder him from performing the miracle. No, they had a very different intention, than that of accusing him. For they hoped he would have declared openly that such actions were lawful; or at least make no reply to their demands, which they would have construed into an acknowledgment of what they asserted. malice and superstition: and accordingly asked them, "Is it lawful on the sabbathdays to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it ?" Luke vi. 9. "Is it not more lawful for me on the sabbath-day to save men's lives, than for you to seek my death, without the least provocation?" This severe rebuke would admit of no auswer, and therefore they "held their peace," pretending not to understand his meaning. He therefore made use of an argument which stupidity itself could not fail of understanding, and which all the art of these hypocritical sophists were unable to answer. "What man (said the blessed Jesus) shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath-day will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath-days." Matt. xii. 11, 12. The former question they pretended not to understand, and therefore held their peace; but this argument effectually silenced them, though they were determined not to be convinced. This unconquerable obstinacy grieved the Spirit of the meek, the benevolent Jesus, who beheld them with anger, that, if possible, an impression might be made, either on them or the spectators. But at the same time that he testified his displeasure towards the pharisees, he uttered words of comfort to the lame man, bidding him stretch forth his hand: and he no sooner obeyed the divine command than his hand was restored whole as the other. This astonishing work, performed in the midst of a congregation, many of whom, doubtless, knew the man while he laboured under this infirmity, and in presence of his most inveterate enemies, must certainly have had a great effect on the minds of the people, especially as they saw that it had effectually silenced the pharisees, who had Nor did our Lord fail to expose their nothing to offer either against the miracle No. 5. T itself, or the reasonings and power of him who had performed it. But though these whited sepulchres, as our blessed Saviour justly termed them, were silenced by his arguments, and astonished at his miracles, yet they were so far from abandoning their malicious intentions, that they joined their inveterate enemies, the Herodians, or Sadducees, in order to consult how they might destroy him; well knowing, that if he continued his preaching and working of miracles, the people would wholly follow him, and their own power soon become contemptible. Jesus, however, thought proper to prevent their malicious designs, by retiring into Galilee, to the borders of the lake of Chinereth. This retreat could not, however, conceal him from the multitude, who flocked to him from all quarters, bringing with them the sick and the maimed, who were all healed, and sent away in peace. Some of his disciples, however, who still entertained the popular opinion, that the Messiah would establish his kingdom by force, and bear down all opposition, were extremely mortified to find their Master retreat from so weak an enemy. But had they read with attention the prophecy of Isaiah, they would have known that this weakness was one part of the Messiah's character. "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 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 sendeth forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust." Matt. xii. 18, &c. Though there are several small variations between this prophecy, as quoted by St. Matthew, and the original, in the book of Isaiah; yet the sense in both places is the same-And we cannot help observing that there is in this prophecy an evident contrast between the publication of the Jewish religion, by Moses, and the Christian religion, by Christ. The doctrine of salvation, as taught by Moses, extended only to the single nation of the Jews: whereas that published by the Messiah extends to every nation and people underheaven. Accordingly our blessed Saviour by retiring into Galilee, fulfilled the first part of this famous prophecy, "He shall shew judgment to the Gentiles; for the Evangelist tells us, great multitudes came to him from beyond Jordan, and from Syria, about Tyre and Sidon." Mark iii. 8. Being now returned into Galilee, there was brought unto him a blind and dumb man possessed with a devil; but Jesus, with a single word, cast out the evil spirit, and restored the noble faculties of sight and speech. A miracle so surprising could nct fail of astonishing the numerous spectators, who now seemed convinced that the person. endued with such remarkable power could: be no other than the Messiah, the Son. of David. * against itself shall not stand. And if Satan And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself, how then shall his kingdom stand?" Your calumny is malicious and absurd; it is malicious, because your own consciences are convinced of its falsehood and is absurd, because Satan cannot assist me in preaching the kingdom of God, and destroying all the works of darkness, unless he be divided against himself, and destroy all the works of his own kingdom. Adding, "And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." Ye did not impute the miracles of your prophets to Beelzebub, but received them, on the evidence of their miracles, as the messengers of God. But ye reject me, who work greater and more numerous miracles than they, and impute them to the power of evil spirits. Is this conduct reconcileable? These prophets, therefore, shall be your judges; they shall condemn you. But as it is true, that I cast out devils, by the assistance of the Almighty, it follows, that the kingdom of God, so long expected, is about to be established.. But this blasphemy, however great, may be forgiven you, because stronger and more evident proofs of my mission may convince you of your sins, and induce you to embrace the offers of eternal life. And the time is coming, when the Son of Man shall be raised from the dead, by the power of God, the gift of miracles showered on almost all the believers, and the nature of the Messiah's kingdom more fully explained, in order to remove the foundation of your prejudice, the expectation of a temporal prince. But if you then shut your eyes and speak evil against the Holy Spirit, by affirming that his gifts and miracles proceed from the prince of darkness, it shall never be forgiven you because it is a sin you cannot possibly repent of, as no greater means of conviction will be offered: but you shall be punished for it, both in this world, and in that which is to come. "Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him : but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come." Matt. xii. 31, 32. This solemn sentence on the sin against the Holy Spirit, was probably now pronounced by our Saviour, to awaken the consciences of the pharisees to a sense of their danger, if they continued in such detestable calumnies, when their own hearts sufficiently told them that they flowed entirely from malice and resentment. But all his reasonings and threatenings had no effect on this perverse set of mortals, who sarcastically answered, "Master, we would see a sign from thee." Strange stupidity! Had not he the moment before, cast out a devil, and restored the faculties of sight and speech to the blind and dumb; cleansed lepers, raised the dead, and even rebuked the winds and waves? Were not these signs sufficient to convince the most bigotted mortal? What, therefore, could. those stubborn doctors of the law require ? Well might the great Saviour of the world call them a wicked and adulterous generation; for surely they could boast of no part of the faith and piety of Abraham, their great progenitor. Persons of such incorrigible inclinations certainly merited no indulgence; and accordingly, Jesus told them they should have no other sign given them, but what they every day beheld, the sign of the prophet Jonas, who by lying three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, was a type of the Son of God, who should continue three days and three nights in the chambers of the tomb. Adding, that the Ninevites repented at the preaching of the prophet Jonas; and the queen of the south undertook a long journey to Jerusalem, to hear the wisdom of Solomon; but they refused to attend to the doctrines of an infinitely greater Prophet than Jonas, or listen to one much wiser than Solomon, Concluding his discourse with a very apposite parable, tending to shew the great danger of resisting conviction, and breaking through resolutions, as such actions tended entirely to render men more obdurate and abandoned than before. During this dispute with the pharisees, Jesus was informed that his mother, and brethren, or kinsmen, were without, desiring to speak to him: upon which the blessed Jesus stretched out his hands towards his disciples, and said, “Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Matt. xii. 49, 50. This glorious truth should be enstamped on the minds of all believers, as it shews that every one, of what nation or kindred soever that is brought into subjection to the will of God, is allied to the blessed Jesus, and intitled to the salvation of God. tonishing acts, and confuting the most learned of the Pharisaical tribe, who endeavoured to oppose his mission and doctrine, brought together so great a multitude, that he repaired to the sea side; and for the better instructing the people, he entered into a ship, and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Being thus conveniently seated, he delivered many precepts of the utmost importance, beginning with the parable of the sower, who cast his seed on different kinds of soil, the products of which were answerable to the nature of the ground, some yielding a large increase, others nothing at all. By this elegant similitude, the blessed Jesus represented the different kinds of hearers, and the different manner in which they were affected, by the precepts of religion. Some wholly suppress the doctrines delivered, in others they produce the fruits of righteousness, in proportion to the goodness of their hearts. And surely a more proper parable could not have been delivered when such multitudes came to hear his discourses, and so few practised the precepts, or profited by the heavenly doctrines they contained. To vindicate the propriety of our Saviour's conduct, it may not be amiss here to observe, that parables were very familiar to the oriental nations, particularly those of Palestine, as we learn from the concurrent testimony of all the eastern writers; and it was the general method, both of the old prophets, John the Baptist, and our blessed Saviour himself, to allude to things present, and such as immediately offered themselves. Our Saviour also, by using this manner of teaching, fulfilled the prophecies concerning the Messiah, relating to his method of instruction, it being foretold, "that he should open his mouth in parables; and utter things which had been kept secret from the foundation of the world." It is therefore no wonder that the mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of heaven are generally the subject of our Saviour's parables: his grand and fundamental doctrines being delivered |