of CXVII. ferent from the way of their doctors and teachers; SER M. for the rabbies among the jews would scarce inftruct any but for great reward; they would meddle with none but those that were able to requite their pains; the ordinary and poorer fort of people they had in great contempt, as appears by that flighting expreffion of them, John vii. 48, 49. Have any "the rulers of the pharifees believed on him? but "this people who knoweth not the law are curfed." And Grotius upon this text tells us, that the jewish mafters had this foolish and infolent proverb among them, that "the SPIRIT of GOD doth not rest "but upon a rich man," to which this prediction concerning the MESSIAS was a direct contradiction: "the SPIRIT of the LORD is upon me, "because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel "to the poor." In old time the prophets were efpecially fent to the kings and princes of the people: but this great prophet comes to "preach the gofpel "to the poor. None have fo little reafon to be proud as the fons of men, but never was any fo humble as the Son of GOD; our SAVIOUR'S whole life and doctrine was a contradiction to the falfe opinions of the world; they thought the rich and great men of the world the only happy perfons, but he came "to preach glad tidings to the poor," to bring good news to them whom the great doctors of the law despised, and set at nought; and therefore to confound their pride and folly, and to confute their falfe opinions of things, he begins that excellent fermon of his with this faying, "blef"fed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of "GOD." VOL. VII. K Thirdly, SERM. Thirdly, it was foretold of the MESSIAS, that the world fhould be offended at him, Ifa. viii. 14. "He shall be for a stone of stumbling, and for "a rock of offence to both the houses of Ifrael." And Ifa. liii. 1, 2, 3. "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD "revealed? he hath no form nor comelinefs, and "when we fee him, there is no beauty that we "fhould defire him; he is despised and rejected of '' men, and we hid as it were our faces from him; "he was defpifed, and we esteemed him not ;" and this likewife is intimated in the laft words of the text," and bleffed is he whofoever fhall not be offend"ed in me." Intimating, that notwithstanding the great works that he did among them, which teftified of him that he came from GOD, notwithstanding the predictions of their prophets concerning the MESSIAS, were fo clearly and punctually accomplifh'd in him; yet notwithstanding all this, they would take offence at him upon one account or other, and reject him and his doctrine; but even this, that they rejected him, and would not own him for their MESSIAS, was another fign or evidence that he was the true MESSIAS foretold by the prophets; for among other things this was exprefly predicted concerning him, that he should be defpiled and rejected of men. And thus I have done with the first thing I propounded to speak to; namely, the evidence which our SAVIOUR here gives of his being the true MESSIAS. First, the many and great miracles which he wrought, prove that he came from GOD. And, Secondly, CXVII. Secondly, the correfpondence of the things he did, SER M. with what was foretold by the prophets concerning the MESSIAS, declare him to be the true MESSIAS. I now proceed to the next thing I propounded to speak to, namely, Secondly, an intimation in the text, that notwithstanding all the evidence CHRIST gave of himself, yet many would be offended at him, and reject him and his doctrine. In fpeaking to which, it will be very proper to confider, Firft, how the poor came to be more difpofed to receive the gospel than others. Secondly, what thofe prejudices are which the world had againft our SAVIOUR and his religion at its first appearance, as alfo those which men have at this day against the chriftian religion, and to endeavour to fhew the unreasonableness of them. Thirdly, how happy a thing it is to escape and overcome the common prejudices which men have against religion. First, how the poor came to be more difpofed to receive the gospel than others; "the poor have the "gospel preached unto them." Which does not only fignify that our SAVIOUR did more especially apply himself to them, but likewife that they were in a nearer difpofition to receive it, and did of all others give the most ready entertainment to his doctrine : and this our SAVIOUR declares to us in the beginning of his fermon upon the mount, when he pronounceth the poor bleffed upon this account, because they were nearer to the kingdom of GOD than others; "bleffed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of GOD." So likewife St. James, chap. ii. Hath not GoD chofen the poor of this ver. 5. K 2 "world SER M." world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, CXVII. which he hath promised to them that love him?” So that it feems the poor were upon fome account or other in a nearer difpofition to receive the gospel, than the great and rich men of this world. And of this there are three accounts to be given. First, the poor had no earthly intereft to engage them to reject our SAVIOUR and his doctrine. The high priests, and fcribes, and pharifees among the Jews, they had a plain worldly intereft which did engage them to oppose our SAVIOUR and his doctrine; for if he were received for the MESSIAS, and his doctrine embraced, they muft of neceffity lofe their fway and authority among the people; and all that which rendred them fo confiderable, their pretended skill in the law, and in the traditions and obfervances of their fathers, together with their external fhews of piety and devotion, would fignify nothing, if our SAVIOUR and his doctrine fhould take place. And there are very few fo honeft and fincere, as to be content for truth's fake, to part with their reputation and authority, and to become lefs in the esteem of men than they were before. Few are fo impartial as to quit those things which they have once laid great weight upon, and kept a great stir about, because this is to acknowledge that they were in an error, and miftaken in their zeal, which few have the ingenuity to own, tho' it be never fo plain to others; and therefore it is no wonder that our SAVIOUR's doctrine met with fo much refistance from thofe, who were fo much concern'd in point of honour and reputation, to make head against it. And this account our SAVIOUR himfelf gives us of their infidelity, John v. 44. "How can 6 CXVII. can ye believe, which receive honour one of ano- SER M. "ther, and feek not the honour which cometh of "GOD only?" And chap. xii. 43. "For they loved the praise of men more than the praife of "God." And befides the point of reputation, those that were rich, were concerned in point of intereft, to oppofe our SAVIOUR and his doctrine; because he call'd upon men" to deny themselves, and to part "with houfes and lands, yea and life it felf, for his fake, and for the gofpel's," which must needs be a very hard and unpleafant doctrine to rich men, who had great eftates, and had fet their hearts upon them. Upon this account it is that our SAVIOUR pronounceth it fo " hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of GoD;" and compares it with thofe things that are moft difficult, and humanly impoffible; "I fay unto you, it is easier for "a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than "for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of GOD." But now the poor were free from thefe incumbrances and temptations; they had nothing to lofe, and therefore our SAVIOUR's doctrine went down more eafily with them; because it did not contradict their interest, as it did the interest of those who had great estates and poffeffions. Secondly, another reafon of this is, that thofe that are poor, and enjoy little of the good things of this life, are willing to entertain good news of happiness in another. Thofe who are in a state of prefent mifery and fuffering, are glad to hear that it fhall be well with them hereafter, and are willing to liften to the good news of a future happinefs; and therefore our SAVIOUR, when he had pronounced the 66 poor K 3 |
