Expository Thoughts on the Gospels

The volume now in the reader's hands, is a continuation of a work already commenced by '^ Expository Thoughts on St. Matthew."

The nature of the work has been so fully explained in the prefece to the volume on St. Matthew, that it seems unnecessary to say anything on the subject. It may be sufficient "^ to repeat that the reader must not expect to find in these "Expository Thoughts," a learned, critical commentary on the Gospels. If he expects this he will be disappointed. The work before him makes no pretence to being anything more than a continuous series of short practical Expositions.

The main difference between this volume and the one which has preceded it, will be found to consist in the occasional explanatory foot-notes. The subjects of these notes will generally prove to be difficidt passages or expressions in the inspired text. I cannot pretend to say that I have thrown any new light on the difficulties in St. Mark. But I can honestly say that I have endeavoured to put the reader in possession of all that can be said on each difficulty.

In composing these Expositions on St. Mark, I have tried to keep continually before me the three-fold object which I had in view, when I first commenced writing on the

Gospels. I have endeavoured to produce something which may be iiseful to heads of families in the conduct of family prayers, — something which may assist those who visit the poor and desire to read to them, — and something which may aid all readers of the Bible in the private study of God's Word. In pursuance of this three-fold object, I have adhered steadily to the leading principles with which I began. I have dwelt principally on the things needful to salvation. I have purposely avoided all topics of minor importance. I have spoken plainly on all subjects, and have striven to say nothing which all may not understand.

I caimot expect that the work will satisfy all who want some book to read at family prayers. In fact I know, from communications which I have received, that some think the expositions too long. The views of the heads of families as to the length of their family prayers are so exceedingly various that it would be impossible to please one class without displeasing others. In some liouseholds the family prayers are so short and hurried, that I should despair of writing anything suitable to the master's wants. In such households a few verses of Scriptvu-e, read slowly and reverently, would probably be more useful than any commentary at all. As for those who find four pages too much to read at one time, and yet desire to read my Expository Thoughts, I can only suggest that they have an easy remedy in their own hands. They have only to leave out one or two divisions in each exposition, and they will find it as short as they please.

In preparing for publication this volume on St. Mark, I have looked through all those Commentaries mentioned in my Preface to the volume on St. Matthew, which throw any light on St. Mark.* After careful examination, I feel obliged to say, that, in my humble judgment, very few commentators, whether ancient or modern, seem to give this Gospel the attention it deserves. It has been too often treated as a mere abridgement of St. Matthew. This view of it I believe to be an entire mistake.

The only large separate Commentary on St. Mark that I have been able to meet with, is a remarkable work consisting of 1666 folio pages, by George Petter, Vicar of Brede, in the county of Sussex, published in the year 1661. It is a work ■which from its scarcity, price, and size, is much less known than it deserves. The greater part of the impression is said to have perished in the great fire of London. Some account of this book may not be uninteresting to some readers.

Petter's Commentary was originally preached by him in the form of expository lectures to his own congregation. He began to preach on it, June 7th, 1618, and continued preaching on it most Sundays with very little intermission till May 28th, 1643. The dates of each sermon are given on the margin.

The doctrine of this remarkable book is excellent, — Protestant, evangelical, and spiritual. The learning of the author

♦ It is needless to repeat their names.

must also have been not inconsiderable, if we may judge by the number and variety of his quotations. His faults of style and composition are the faults of the day in which he lived, and must therefore be charitably judged. But for laborious investigation of the meaning of every word, for patient discussion of every question bearing on the text, for fulness of matter, for real thoughtfulness, and for continual practical application, there is no work on St. Mark which, in my opinion, bears comparison with Fetter's. Like Goliah's Bword, " there is none like it."

I now send forth these " Expository Thoughts on St. Mark " with an earnest prayer that it may please God to use the volume for His glory. It has been written imder the pressure of many public duties, and amidst many interruptions. No one is more conscious of its defects than myself. But I can honestly say, that my chief desire, if I know anything of my heart, in this and aU my writings, is to lead my readers to Christ and faith in Him, to repentance and holiness, to the Bible and to prayer.

If these are the results of this volume in any one case, the laboxir I have bestowed upon it will be more than repaid.

1 The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jeru-

salem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordaii, confessing their sins.

6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

7 And preached, saying, There Cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

The Gospel of St. Mark, which we now begin, is in some respects unlike the other three Gospels. It tells us nothing about the birth and early life of our Lord Jesus Christ. It contains comparatively few of His sajdngs and discourses. Of all the four inspired histories of our Lord's earthly ministry, this is by far the shortest. But we must not allow these peculiarities to make us undervalue St. Mark's Gospel. It is a Gospel singularly fuU of precious facts about the Lord Jesus, narrated in a simple, terse, pithy, and condensed style. If it teUs us few of our Lord's sayings, it is eminently rich in its catalogue of His doings. It often contains minute historical details of deep interest, wliicli are wholly omitted in Matthew, Luke, and John. In short, it is no mere abridged copy of St. Matthew, as some have rashly asserted, but the independent narrative of an independent witness, who was inspired to write a history of our Lord's works, rather than of His words. Let us read it with holy reverence. Like all the rest of Scripture, every word of St. Mark is " given by inspiration of God," and every word is "profitable." *

Let us observe, in these verses, what a full declaration we have of the dignity of our Lord Jesus Christ's person. The very first sentence speaks of Him as "the Son of God."

These words, "the Son of God," conveyed far more to Jewish minds than they do to ours. They were nothing less than an assertion of our Lord's divinity. They were a declaration that Jesus was Himself very God, and "equal with God." (John v. 18.)

There is a beautiful fitness in placing this truth in the very beginning of a Gospel. The divinity of Christ is the citadel and keep of Christianity. Here lies the infinite value of the satisfaction He made upon the cross. Here lies the peculiar merit of His atoning death for sinners. That death was not the death of a mere man,

* " St. Mark has the special gift of terse hrevity, and of grapliic painting in wonderful comhination. While on ereiy occasion he compresses the discourses, works, and history into the simplest possible kernel, he on the other hand, unfolds the scenes more clearly than St. Matthew does, who excels in the discourses. Not only do single incidents become in his hands complete pictures, but even when he is very brief, he often gives, with one pencil stroke, something new and peculiarly his own." — Stier's Words of the Lord Jems.

like ourselves, but of one who is "over all, God blessed for ever." (Rom. ix. 3.) "We need not wonder that the sufferings of one person were a sufficient propitiation for the sin of a world, when we remember that He who suffered was "the Son of God."

Let believers cling to this doctrine with jealous watchfulness. With it, they stand upon a rock. Without it, they have nothing solid beneath their feet. Our hearts are weak. Our sins are many. We need a Eedeemer who is able to save to the uttermost, and deliver from the wrath to come. We have such a Redeemer in Jesus Christ. He is "the mighty God." (Isaiah ix. 6.)

Let us observe, in the second place, how the beginning of the Gospel was a fulfilment of Scripture. John the Baptist began his ministry, "as it is written in the prophets."

There was nothing unforeseen and suddenly contrived in the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. In the very beginning of Genesis we find it predicted that "the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head." (Gen. iii. 15.) All through the Old Testament we find the same event foretold with constantly increasing clearness. It was a promise often renewed to patriarchs, and repeated by prophets, that a Deliverer and Redeemer should one day come. His birth. His character. His life. His death, His resurrection. His forerunner, were all prophecied of, long before He came. Redemption was worked out and accomplished in every step, just "as it was written."

We should always read the Old Testament with a desire to find something in it about Jesus Christ. We study this portion of the Bible with little profit, if we cmi see in it notliing but Moses, and David, and Samuel, and the prophets. Let us search the books of the Old Testament more closely. It was said by Him whose words can never pass away, "these are they which testify of me." (John v. 40.)

Let us observe, in the third place, how great were ike effects which the ministry of John the Baptist produced for a time on the Jewish nation. We are told that "there went out to him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan."

The fact here recorded is one that is much overlooked. "We are apt to lose sight of him who went before the face of our Lord, and to see nothing but the Lord Himself. We forget the morning star in the full blaze of the Sun. And yet it is clear that John's preaching arrested the attention of the whole Jewish people, and created an excitement all over Palestine. It aroused the nation from its slumbers, and prepared it for the ministry of our Lord, when He appeared. Jesus Himself says, "He was a burning and a shining light: — ye were willing to rejoice for a season in his light." (John v. 35.)

We ought to remark here how little dependence is to be placed on what is called "popularity." If ever there was one who was a popular minister for a season, John the Baptist was that man. Yet of all the crowds who came to his baptism, and heard his preaching, how few, it may be feared, were converted! Some, we may hope, like Andrew, were guided by John to Christ. But the vast majority, in all probability, died in their sins. Let us remember this whenever we see a crowded church.

A great congregation no doubt is a pleasing sight. But the thought should often come across our minds, " How many of these people will reach heaven at last? " It is not enough to hear and admire popidar preachers. It is no proof of our conversion that we always worship in a place where there is a crowd. Let us take care that we hear the voice of Christ Himself, and follow Him.

Let us observe, in the last place, ichat clear doctrine characterized John the Baptist's preaching. He exalted Christ: "There cometh one mightier than I after me." He spoke plainly of the Holy Ghost: "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost."

These truths had never been so plainly proclaimed before by mortal man. More important truths than these are not to be found in the whole system of Christianity at this day. The principal work of every faithful minister of the Gospel, is to set the Lord Jesus fully before His people, and to show them His fulness and His power to save. — The next great work he has to do, is to set before them the work of the Holy Ghost, and the need of being born again, and inwardly baptized by His grace. — These two mighty truths appear to have been frequently on the lips of John the Baptist. It would be well for the church and the world, if there were more ministers like

Let us ask ourselves, as we leave the passage, " How much we know by practical experience of the truths which John preached? " "V\Tiat think we of Christ? Have we felt our need of Him, and fled to Him for peace? Is He king over our hearts, and all things to our souls? — ^What think we of the Holy Ghost? Has

He wrouglit any work in our hearts? Has He renewed, and changed them? Has He made us partakers of the divine nature? Life or death depend on our answer to these questions. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his." (Rom. viii. 9.)

9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God,

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.

16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

This passage is singularly full of matter. It is a striking instance of that brevity of style, which is the peculiar characteristic of St. Mark's Gospel. The baptism of our Lord, His temptation in the wilderness, the commencement of His preaching, and the calling of His first disciples, are all related here in eleven verses.

Let us notice, in the first place, the voice from heaven tchich loas heard at our Lord's baptism. We read, "There came a voice from heaven, saying. Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

declared the wondrous and ineffable love which has existed between the Father and the Son from all eternity. **The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand." (John iii. 35.) It proclaimed the Father's full and complete approbation of Christ's mission to seek and save the lost. It announced the Father's acceptance of the Son as the Mediator, Substitute, and Surety of the new covenant.

There is a rich mine of comfort in these words, for aU Christ's believing members. In themselves, and in their own doings, they see nothing to please God. They are daily sensible of weakness, shortcoming, and imperfection in aE their ways. But let them recollect that the Father regards them as members of His beloved Son Jesus Christ. He sees no spot in them. (Cant. iv. 7.) He beholds them as " in Christ," clothed in His righteousness, and invested with His merit. They are " accepted in the Beloved," and when the holy eye of God looks at them. He is " well pleased."

Let us notice, in the second place, the nature of Christ's preaching. We read that He came saying, "Eepent ye, and believe the Gospel."

This is that old sermon which all the faithful witnesses of God have continually preached, from the very beginning of the world. From Noah down to the present day the burden of their address has been always the same, — "Repent and believe."

The apostle Paul told the Ephesian elders, when he left them for the last time, that the substance of his teaching among them had been "repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts xx. 21.)

He had the best of precedents for such teaching. The Great Head of the Church had given him a pattern. Repentance and faith were the foundation stones of Christ's ministry. — Repentance and faith must always be the main subjects of every faithful minister's instruction.

We need not wonder at this, if we consider the necessities of human nature. All of us are by nature bom in sin and children of wrath, and all need to repent, be converted, and bom again, if we would see the kingdom of God. — All of us are by nature guilty and condemned before God, and all must flee to the hope set before us in the Gospel, and believe in it, if we would be saved. AU of us, once penitent, need daily stirring up to deeper repentance. All of us, though believing, need constant exhortation to increased faith.

Let us ask ourselves what we know of this repentance and faith. Have we felt our sins, and forsaken them? Have we laid hold on Christ, and believed? "We may reach heaven without learning, or riches, or health, or worldly greatness. But we shall never reach heaven, if we die impenitent and unbelieving. A new heart, and a lively faith in a Redeemer are absolutely needful to salvation. May we never rest till we know them by experience, and can call them our own! With them all true Christianity begins in the soul. In the exercise of them consists the Hfe of religion. It is only through the possession of them, that men have peace at the last. Churchmembership and priestly absolution alone save no one. They only die in the Lord who "repent and believe."

Let us notice, in the third place, the occupation of those who were first called to he Christ's disciples. "We read that our Lord called Simon and Andrew, when they were " casting a net into the sea," and James and John while they were " mending their nets."

It is clear from these words, that the first followers of our Lord were not the great of this world. They were men who had neither riches, nor rank, nor power. But the kingdom of Christ is not dependent on such things as these. His cause advances in the world, "not hy might, nor hy power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." (Zech. iv. 6.) The words of St. Paul will always be found true: "Not many wise men after the flesh, not many might}% 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." (1 Cor. i. 26, 27.) The church which began with a few fishermen, and yet overspread half the world, must have been founded by God.

We must beware of giving way to the common notion, that there is anything disgraceful in being poor, and in working with our own hands. The Bible contains many instances of special privileges conferred on working men. Moses was keeping sheep, when God appeared to him in the burning bush. Gideon was thrashing wheat, when the angel brought him a message from heaven. Elisha was ploughing, when Elijah called him to be prophet in his stead. The apostles were fishing, when Jesus called them to follow Him. It is disgraceful to be covetous, or proud, or a cheat, or a gambler, or a drunkard, or a glutton, or unclean. But it is no disgrace to be poor. The labourer who serves Ckrist faithfully is far more honourable in God's eyes, than the nobleman who serves sin.

Let us notice, in the last place, tJie office to which our Lord called his first disciples. We read that He said, "Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."

The meaning of this expression is clear and unmistakeable. The disciples were to become fishers for souls. They were to labour to draw men out of darkness into light, and from the power of Satan to God. They were to strive to bring men into the net of Christ's church, that so they might be saved aHve, and not perish everlastingly.

We ought to mark this expression well. It is full of instruction. It is the oldest name by which the ministerial office is described in the New Testament. It lies deeper down than the name of bishop, elder, or deacon. It is the first idea which should be before a minister's mind. He is not to be a mere reader of forms, or administrator of ordinances. He is to be a "fisher" of souls. The minister who does not strive to live up to this name, has mistaken his calling.

Does the fisherman strive to catch fish? Does he use aU means, and grieve if unsuccessful? The minister ought to do the same. — Does the fisherman have patience? Does he toil on day after day, and wait, and work on in hope? Let the minister do the same. — Happy is that man, in whom the fisher's skill, and diligence, and patience, are all combined!

Let us resolve to pray much for ministers. Their office is no light one, if they do their duty. They need the help of many intercessions from all praying people. They have not only their own souls to care for, but the souls of others. No wonder that St. Paul cries, "Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor. ii. 16.) If we never prayed for ministers before, let us begin to do it this day.

21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the Scribes.

23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

24 Saving, Let tis alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us.^ I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this.'' what new doctrine is this? for with authority eommandeth he even

28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.

34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew

These verses begin the long list of miracles which St. Mark's Gospel contains. They tell us how our Lord cast out devils in Capernaum, and healed Peter's wife's mother of a fever.

We learn, in the first place, from these verses, the melessness of a mere intellectual knowledge of religion. Twice we are specially told that the unclean spirits knew our

Lord. In one place it says, " they knew Him." Ii^ another, the devil cries out, " I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God." They knew Christ, when Scribes were ignorant of Him, and Pharisees would not acknowledge Him. And yet their knowledge was not unto salvation!

The mere belief of the facts and doctrines of Christianity will never save our souls. Such belief is no better than the belief of devils. They all believe and know that Jesus is the Christ. They believe that He will one day judge the world, and cast them down to endless torment in hell. It is a solemn and sorrowful thought, that on these points some professing Christians have even less faith than the de^^l. There are some who doubt the reality of hell and the eternity of punishment. Such doubts as these find no place except in the hearts of self-willed men and women. There is no infidelity among devils. "They beHeve and tremble." (James ii. 19.)

Let us take heed that our faith be a faith of the heart as well as of the head. Let us see that our knowledge has a sanctifying influence on our afiections and our lives. Let us not only know Christ but love Him, from a sense of actual benefit received from Him. Let us not only believe that He is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, but rejoice in Him, and cleave to Him with purpose of heart. Let us not only be acquainted with Him by the hearing of the ear, but by daily personal application to Him for mercy and grace. " The life of Christianity," says Luther, " consists in possessive pronouns." It is one thing to say " Christ is a Saviour." It is quite another to say " He is my Saviour and my

Lord." The devil can say the first. The true Christian alone can say the second.*

We learn, in the second place, to what remedy a Christian ought to resort first, in time of trouble. He ought to follow the example of the friends of Simon's wife's mother. We read that when she " lay sick of a fever," they " told Jesus of her."

There is no remedy like this. Means are to be used diligently, without question, in any time of need. Doctors are to be sent for, in sickness. Lawyers are to be consulted, when property or character needs defence. The help of friends is to be sought. But still after all, the first thing to be done, is to cry to the Lord Jesus Christ for help. None can relieve us so efi'ectually as He can. None is so compassionate, and so willing to relieve. When Jacob was in trouble he turned to his God first-r-; " Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of Esau." (Gen. xxxii. 11.) When Hezekiah was in trouble, he first spread Sennacherib's letter before the Lord; — " I bespech thee, save thou us out of his hand." (2 Kings xix. 19.) When Lazarus feU sick, his sisters sent immediately to Jesus; — " Lord," they said, " he whom thou lovest is sick." (John xi. 2.) Now let us do likewise. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee." " Casting aU your care upon Him." " In everything by prayer

* " Rest not in an historical knowledge or faith. If thou do, it will not save thee; for if it wonld it would save the devils: for they have their literal knowledge and general helief of the word. Dost thou think it enough to know and believe that Christ lived and died for sinners^ The devil and his angels know and believe as much. Labour then to outstrip them, and to get a better faith than is in them." — Fetter on Mark. 1661.

Let us not only remember this rule, but practise it too. We live in a world of sin and sorrow. The days of darkness in a man's life are many. It needs no prophet's eye to foresee that we shall all shed many a tear, and feel many a heart-wrench, before we die. Let us be armed with a receipt against despair, before our troubles come. Let us know what to do, when sickness, or bereavement, or cross, or loss, or disappointment breaks in upon us like an armed man. Let us do as they did in Simon's house at Capernaum. Let us at once " tell Jesus."

We learn, in the last place, from these verses, whai a complete and perfect cure the Lord Jesm makes, when He heals. He takes the sick woman by the hand, and lifts her up, and " immediately the fever left her." But this was not all. A greater miracle remained behind. At once we are told "she ministered unto them." That weakness and prostration of strength which, as a general rule, a fever leaves behind it, in her case was entirely removed. The fevered woman was not only made weU in a moment, but in the same moment made strong and able to work.*

* Let us not fail to observe here, that Peter, one of our Lord's principal apostles had a wife. Yet he was called to be a disciple, and afterwards chosen to be an apostle. More than this, we find St. Paul speaking of him as a married man, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, many years after this. (1 Cor. ix. 5.)

How tliis fact can be reconciled with the compulsory celibacy of the clergy, which the Church of Rome enforces and requires, it is for the friends and advocates of the Roman Catholic Church to explain. To a plain reader, it seems a plain proof that it is not

We may see in this case a lively emblem of Christ's dealing with sin-sick souls. That blessed Saviour not only gives mercy and forgiveness; — ^He gives renewing grace besides. To as many as receive Him as their Physician, He gives power to become the sons of God. He cleanses them by His Spirit, when He washes them in His precious blood. Those whom He justifies. He also sanctifies. When He bestows an absolution. He also bestows a new heart. When He grants free forgiveness for the past, He also grants strength to "minister " to Him for the time to come. The sin-sick soid is not merely cured, and then left to itself. It is also supplied with a new heart and a right spirit, and enabled so to live as to please God.

There is comfort in this thought for all who feel a desire to serve Christ, but at present are afraid to begin. There are many in this state of mind. They fear that if they come forward boldly, and take up the cross, they shall by and bye fall away. They fear that they shall not be able to persevere, and shall bring discredit on their profession. Let them fear no longer. Let them know that Jesus is an Almighty Saviour, who never forsakes those who once commit themselves to Him. Once raised by His mighty hand from the death of sin, and washed in His precious blood, they shall go on *' ministering to Him " to their Hfe's end. They shall have power to overcome the world, and crucify the flesh, and resist wrong for ministers to be mamed men. And when we add to this striking fact, that St. Paul, when writing to Timothy, says, that " a bishop should be the husband of one wife," (1 Tim. iii. 2,) it is clear that the whole Romish doctrine of clerical celibacy is utterly opposed to holy Scripture.

the devil. Only let them begin, and they shall go on. Jesus knows nothing of half-cured cases and half-finished work. Let them trust in Jesus and go forward. The pardoned soul shall always be enabled to serve Christ.

There is comfort here for all who are really serving Christ, and are yet cast down by a sense of their own infirmity. There are many in such case. They are oppressed by doubts and anxieties. They sometimes think they shall never reach heavei^ after all, but be cast away in the wilderness. Let them fear no longer. Their strength shall be according to their day. The difficulties they now fear shall vanish out of their path. The Hon in the way which they now dread, shall prove to be chained. The same gracious hand which first touched and healed, shall uphold, strengthen, and lead them to the last. The Lord Jesus will never lose one of His sheep. Those whom He loves and pardons. He loves unto the end. Though sometimes cast down, they shall never be cast away. The healed soul shall always go on " ministering to the Lord." Grace shall always lead to glory.

35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

36 And Simon and they that were ■with him followed after him.

37 And when they had found him,

38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and

they said unto him, All men seek for i cast out devils.

Every fact in our Lord's life on earth, and every word which fell from His lips, ought to be deeply interesting to a true Christian. We see a fact and a sajdng in the passage we have just read, which deserve close attention.

We see, for one thing, an example of our Lord Jems Christ's habits about private prayer. We are told, that " in the morning, rising up a great while before day. He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."

We shall find the same thing often recorded of our Lord in the Gospel history. When He was baptized, we are told that He was "praying." (Luke iii. 21.) When he was transfigured, we are told, that "as He prayed, the fashion of His face was altered." (Luke ix. 29.) Before He chose the twelve apostles, we are told that " He continued all night in prayer to God." (Luke "vi. 12.) When all men spoke well of Him, and would fain have made Him a King, we are told that " He went up into a mountain apart to pray." (Mark xiv. 23.) When tempted in the garden of Gethsemane, He said, " Sit ye here, while I shall pray." (Mark xiv. 34.) In short, our Lord prayed always, and did not faint. Sinless as He was. He set us an example of diligent communion with His Father. His Godhead did not render Him independent of the use of all means as a man. His very perfection was a perfection kept up through the exercise of prayer.

We ought to see in all this the immense importance of private devotion. If He who was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners," thus prayed continually, how much more ought we who are compassed with infirmity? If He found it needful to offer up suppU- cations with strong crying and tears, how mucli more needful is it for us, who in many things offend daily?

What shall we say to those who never pray at all, in the face of such a passage as this? There are many such, it may be feared, in the list of baptized people, — many who rise up in the morning without prayer, and without prayer lie down at night, — many who never speak one word to God. Ar-" they Christians? It is impossible to say so. A praying Master, like Jesus, can have no prayerless servants. The Spirit of adoption wiU always make a man call upon God. To be prayerless is to be Christless, Godless, and in the high road to destruction.

What shall we say to those who pray, yet give but little time to their prayers? We are obHged to say that they show at present very little of the mind of Christ. Asking little, they must expect to have little. Seeking little, they cannot be surprised if they possess little. It win always be found that when prayers are few, grace, strength, peace, and hope are small.*

We shall do well to watch our habits of prayer with a holy watchfulness. Here is the pulse of our Christianity. Here is the true test of our state before God. Here true reHgion begins in the soul, when it does begin. Here it decays and goes backward, when a man backslides from

* " Ministers must pray much, if they would be Buceessful. The apostles spent their time this way. (Acts vi. 3.) Yea, our Lord Jesus preached all day, and continued all night alone in prayer to God. Ministers should be much in prayer. Tliey use to reckon how many hours they spend in reading and study. It were far better both for ourselves and the Church of God, if more time was spent in prayer. Luther's spending three hours daily in secret prayer, and Bradford's studying on his knees, and other instances of men in our time, are talked of rather than imitated." — I'raiU. 1696.

God. Let us walk in the steps of our blessed Master in this respect as well as in every other. Like Him, let us be diligent in our private devotion. Let us know what it is to " depart into solitary places and pray."

We see, for another thing, in this passage, a remarkable saying of our Lord as to the purpose for which Se came into the world. We find Him saying, "let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth."

The meaning of these words is plain and unmistakeable. Our Lord declares that He came on earth to be a preacher and a teacher. He came to fulfil the prophetical office, to be the " prophet greater than Moses," who had been so long foretold. (Deut. xvm.. 15.) He left the glory which He had from all eternity with the Father, to do the work of an evangelist. He came down to earth to show to man the way of peace, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind. One principal part of his work on earth, was to go up and down and pubHsh glad tidings, to offer healing to the broken-hearted, light to them that sat in darkness, and pardon to the chief of sinners, " Therefore," He says, " came I forth."

We ought to observe here, what infinite honour the Lord Jesus puts on the office of the preacher. It is an office which the eternal Son of God Himself undertook. He might have spent His earthly ministry in instituting and keeping up ceremonies, like Aaron. He might have ruled and reigned as a king, like David. But He chose a different calling. Until the time when He died as a sacrifice for our sins. His daily, and almost hourly work was to preach. " Therefore," He says, " came I forth."

Let us never be moved by those wbo cry down the preacher's office, and tell us that sacraments and other ordinances are of more importance than sermons. Let us give to every part of God's public worship its proper place and honour, but let us beware of placing any part of it above preaching. By preaching, the Church of Christ was first gathered together and founded, and by preaching, it has ever been maintained in health and prosperity. By preaching, sinners are aAvakened. By preaching, inquirers are led on. By preaching, saints are built up. By preaching, Christianity is being carried to the heathen world. — ^There are many now who sneer at missionaries, and mock at those who go out into the high-ways of our own land, to preach to crowds in the open air. But such persons would do well to pause, and consider calmly what they are doing. The very work which they ridicule is the work which turned the world upside down, and cast heathenism to the ground. Above all, it is the very work which Christ Himself undertook. The Xing of kings and Lord of lords Himself was once a preacher. For three long years He went to and fro proclaiming the Gospel. Sometimes we see Him in a house, sometimes on the mountain side, sometimes in a Jewish synagogue, sometimes in a boat on the sea. But the great work He took up was always one and the same. He came always preaching and teaching. " Therefore," He says, "came I forth."

Let us leave the passage with a solemn resolution never to " despise prophes}Tng." (1 Thess. v. 20.) The minister we hear may not be highly gifted. The sermons that we listen to may be weak and poor. But after all, preacliing is God's grand ordinance for converting and saving souls. The faithful preacher of the Gospel is handling the very weapon which the Son of God was not ashamed to employ. This is the work of which Christ has said, "Therefore came I forth."

40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saj-ing unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I ■noil; be thou clean.

42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;

44 And he saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the Priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony imto them.

45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

We read in these verses, how our Lord Jesus Christ healed a leper. Of aU our Lord's miracles of healing none were prohably more marvellous than those performed on leprous people. Two cases only have been fully described in the gospel history. Of these two, the case before us is one.

Let us try to realize, in the first place, the dreadful nature of the disease ichieh Jesus cured.

Leprosy is a complaint of which we know little or nothing in our northern climate. In Bible lands it is far more common. It is a disease which is utterly incurable. It is no mere skin affection, as some ignorantly suppose. It is a radical disease of the whole man. It attacks, not merely the skin, but the blood, the flesh, and the bones, until the unhappy patient begins to lose his extremities.

and to rot by inclies. — Let us remember beside tbis, tbat, amongst tbe Jews, tbe leper was reckoned unclean, and was cut off from the congregation of Israel and tbe ordinances of religion. He was obliged to dwell in a separate bouse. None might touch him or minister to him. Let us remember all this, and then we may have some idea of the remarkable wretchedness of a leprous person. To use the words of Aaron, when he interceded for Miriam, he was " as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed." (Numbers xii. 12.)

But is there nothing like leprosy among ourselves? Yes! indeed there is. There is a foul soul-disease which is engrained into our very nature, and cleaves to our bones and marrow with deadly force. That disease is the plague of sin. Like leprosy, it is a deep-seated disease, infecting every part of our nature, heart, will, conscience, understanding, memory, and affections. Like leprosy, it makes us loathsome and abominable, unfit for the company of God, and unmeet for the glory of heaven. Like leprosy, it is incurable by any earthly physician, and is slowly but surely dragging us down to the second death. And worst of all, far worse than leprosy, it is a disease from which no mortal man is exempt. "We are aU," in God's sight, " as an unclean thing." (Isaiah. Ixiv. 6.)

Do we know these things? Have we found them out? Have we discovered our own sinfulness, guilt, and corruption? Happy indeed is that person who has been really taught to feel that he is a " miserable sinner," and that there is " no health in him! " Blessed indeed is he who has learned that he is a spiritual leper, and a bad, wicked, sinful creature! To know our disease is one step towards a cure. It is the misery and the ruin of many souls that they never yet saw their sins and their need.

Let us learn, in the second place, from these verses, the icondrous and almighty power of tlie Lord Jesus Christ.

We are told that the unhappy leper came to our Lord, " beseeching Him, and kneeling down," and saying, " If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." "We are told that " Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand and touched him, and said to him, I will, be thou clean." At once the cure was effected. That very instant the deadly plague departed from the poor sufferer, and he was healed. It is but a word, and a touch, and there stands before our Lord, not a leper, but a sound and healthy man.

Who can conceive the greatness of the change in the feelings of this leper, when he found himself healed? The morning sun rose upon him, a miserable being, more dead than alive, his whole frame a mass of sores and corruption, his very existence a burden. The evening sun saw him full of hope and joy, free from pain, and fit for the society of his fellow-men. Surely the change must have been like life from the dead.

Let us bless God that the Saviour with whom we have to do is almighty. It is a cheering and comfortable thought that with Christ nothing is impossible. No heart-disease is so deep-seated but He is able to cure it. No plague of soul is so virulent but our Great Physician can heal it. Let us never despair of any one's salvation, so long as he lives. The worst of spiritual lepers may yet be cleansed. No cases of spiritual leprosy could be worse than those of Manasseh, Saul, and Zacchaeus, yet they were all cured; — Jesus Christ made them whole. The chief of sinners may yet be brought nigh to God by the blood and Spirit of Christ. Men are not lost, because they are too bad to be saved, but because they will not come to Christ that He may save them.

Let us learn, in the last place, from these verses, that there is a time to be silent about the work of Christ, as well as a time to speak.

This is a "truth which is taught us in a remarkable way. We find our Lord strictly charging this man to tell no one of his cure, to " say nothing to any man." "We find this man in the warmth of his zeal disobepng this injimction, and publishing and " blazing abroad " his cure in every quarter. And we are told that the result was that Jesus " could no more enter into the city, but was-without in desert places."

There is a lesson in all this of deep importance, however difficult it may be to use it rightly. It is clear that there are times when our Lord would have us work for Him quietly and silently, rather than attract public attention by a noisy zeal. There is a zeal which is "not according to knowledge," as well as a zeal which is righteous and praiseworthy. Everything is beautiful in its season. Our Master's cause may on some occasions be more advanced by quietness and patience, than in any other way. We are not to " give that which is holy to dogs," nor " cast pearls before swine." By forgetfulness of this we may even do more harm than good, and retard the very cause we want to assist.

The subject is a delicate and difficult one, without doubt. Unquestionably the majority of Christians are far more Inclined to be silent about their glorious Master than to confess Him before men, — and do not need the bridle so much as the spur. But still it is undeniable that there is a time for all things; and to know the time should be one great aim of a Christian. There are good men who have more zeal than discretion, and even help the enemy of truth by unseasonable acts and words.*

Let us all pray for the Spirit of wisdom and of a sound mind. Let us seek daily to know the path of duty, and ask daily for discretion and good sense. Let us be bold as a lion in confessing Christ, and not be afraid to " speak of Him before princes," if need be. But let us never forget that ""Wisdom is profitable to direct," (Eccles. x. J.1.) and let us beware of doing harm by an Hi-directed zeal.

* It would not be wise for a speaker at an English public meeting to proclaim the- names of the families in Italy where the Bible is read, and to point out the streets and houses where these families resided. Such a speaker might be well-meaning, and full of zeal. He might really desire to gloi-ify Christ, and pubUsh the triumplis of His gi-ace. But he would be guilty of a sad indiscretion, and show great ignorance of the very lesson which the verses before us contain. The words of an old commentator on this subject deserve notice:

" In that our Saviour forbids this leper to publish this mii-acle at this unseasonable time, we learn that all truths are not fit to be professed or uttered at all times. Though we must never deny any tnith, being demanded of it, or lawfully enjoined to profess it, yet there is a wise concealment of the truth, which is sometimes to be used. (Eccles. iii. 7.)

When are we to conceal the truth? 1. When the case stands so, that the uttering of it may bring hurt to the truth itself, as here, the publishing of this miracle was like to stop Christ's ministry. 2. When we are in the company of such persons as are more likely to cavil and scoff at the truth, than to make any good use of it. 3. When we are in the company of malicious enemiea of the truth." (Matt. vii. 6.) — Fetter on Mark. 1661.

1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not 80 much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

5 "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

6 But there were certain of the Scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

7 "Why doth this man thus speak

blasphemies.' who can forgive sins but God only?

8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them. Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

9 "Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy. Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say. Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk }

10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

11 I say unto thee. Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

This passage shows us our Lord once more at Caperuaum. Once more we find Him doing His accustomed work, preaching the word, and healing those that were sick.

We see, in these verses, what great spiritual privileges some persons enjoy, and yet make no use of them.

This is a truth "which is strikingly illustrated by the history of Capernaum. No city in Palestine appears to have enjoyed so much of our Lord's presence,- during His earthly ministry, as did this city. It was the place where He dwelt, after He left Nazareth. (Matt. iv. 13.) It was the place where many of His miracles were worked, and many of His sermons delivered. But nothing that Jesus said or did seems to have had any efiect on the hearts of the inhabitants. They crowded to hear Him, as we read in this passage, " till there was no room about the door." They were amazed. They were astonislied. They were filled with wonder at His mighty works. But they were not converted. They lived in the full noon- tide blaze of the Sun of Righteousness, and yet their heaxts remained hard. And they drew from our Lord the heaviest condemnation that He ever pronounced against any place, except Jerusalem: "Thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you. That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee." (Matt. xi. 23, 24.)

It is good for us aU to mark well this case of Capernaum. We are all too apt to suppose that it needs nothing but the powerful preaching of the Gospel to convert people's souls, and that if the Gospel is only brought into a place everybody mmt believe. We forget the amazing power of unbeUef, and the depth of man's enmity against God. We forget that the Capemaites heard the most faultless preaching, and saw it confirmed by the most surprising miracles, and yet remained dead in trespasses and sins. We need reminding that the same Gospel which is the savour of life to some, is the savour of death to others, and that the same fire which softens the wax will also harden the clay. Nothing, in fact, seems to harden man's heart so much, as to hear the Gospel regularly, and yet deliberately prefer the service of sin and the world. Never was there a people so highly favoured as the people of Capernaum, and never was there a people who appear to have become so hard.

Let us beware of walking in their steps. We ought often to use the prayer of the Litany, "From hardness of heart, Good Lord, deliver us."

"We see, in the second place, from these verses, how great a blessing affliction may prove to a man's soul.

"We are told that one sick of the palsy was brought to our Lord, at Capernaum, in order to be healed. Helpless and impotent, he was carried in his bed by four kind friends, and let down into the midst of the place where Jesus was preaching. At once the object of the man's desire was gained. The great Physician of soul and body saw him, and gave him speedy relief. He restored him to health and strength. He granted him the far greater blessing of forgiveness of sins. In short the man who had been carried from his house that morning weak, dependent, and bowed down both in body and soul, returned to his own house rejoicing.

Who can doubt that to the end of his days this man would thank God for this palsy? Without it he might probably have lived and died in ignorance, and never seen Christ at all. Without it, he might have kept his sheep on the green hills of Galilee all his life long, and never been brought to Christ, and never heard these blessed words " thy sins -be forgiven thee." That palsy was indeed a blessing. Who can teU but it was the beginning of eternal life to his soul?

How many in every age can testify that this palsied man's experience has been their own! They have learned wisdom by affliction. Bereavements have proved mercies. Losses have proved real gains. Sicknesses have led them to the great Physician of souls, sent them to the Bible, shut out the •world, shown them their own foolishness, taught them to pray. Thousands can say like David, " It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes." (Psal. cxix. 71.)

Let us beware of murmuring under affliction. We may be sm-e there is a needs-be for every cross, and a wise reason for every trial. Every sickness and sorrow is a gracious message from God, and is meant to call us nearer to Him. Let us pray that we may learn the lesson that each affliction is appointed to convey. Let us see that we " refuse not Him that speaketh."

"We see, in the last place, in these verses, the priestly potcer of forgiving sins, which is possessed hy our Lord Jesus Christ.

"We read that our Lord said to the sick of the palsy, *' Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." He said these words with a meaning. He knew the hearts of the Scribes by whom He was suiTounded. He intended to shew them that He laid claim to be the true High Priest, and to have the power of absolving sinners, though at present the claim was seldom put forward. But that He had the power He told them expressly. He says, " The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." Li saying " thy sins be forgiven thee," He had only exercised His rightful office.

Let us consider how great must be the authority of Him, who has the power to forgive sins! This is the thing that none can do but God. No angel in heaven, no man upon earth, no church in council, no minister of any denomination, can take away from the sinner's conscience the load of guilt, and give him peace with Grod. They may point to the fountain open for all sin. They may declare with authority whose sins God is willing to forgive. But they cannot absolve by their own authority. They cannot put away transgressions. This is the peculiar prerogative of God, and a prerogative which He has put in the hands of His Son Jesus Christ.

Let MS think for a moment how great a blessing it is, that Jesus is our great High Priest, and that we know where to go for absolution! "We must have a Priest and a sacrifice between ourselves and God. Conscience demands an atonement for our many sins. God's holiness makes it absolutely needful. Without an atoning Priest there can be no peace of soul. Jesus Christ is the very Priest that we need, mighty to forgive and pardon, tender-hearted and willing to save.

And now let us ask ourselves whether we have yet known the Lord Jesus as our High Priest? Have we applied to Him? Have we sought absolution? If not, we are yet in our sins. May we never rest till the Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we have sat at the feet of Jesus and heard his voice, saying, " Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

13 And he went forth again by the | with Jesus and his disciples: for there sea side; and all the multitude resort- were many, and they followed him. ed unto him, and he taught them. 16 And when the Scribes and Pha-

14 And as he passed by, he saw risees saw him eat with Publicans Levi the son of Alphseus sitting at the and sinners, they said unto his disreceipt of custom, and said unto him, ciples. How is it that he eateth and Follow me. And he arose and followed drinketh with Publicans and sinners? him. 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith

15 And it came to pass, that, as i unto them, They that are whole have Jesus sat at meat in his house, many | no need of the physician, but they Publicansand sinners sat also together < that are sick: I came not to call the

18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

19 And Jesus said unto them. Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, thev cannot fast.

20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away

from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh awar from the old, and the rent is made worse.

22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

The person "who is called Levi, at the beginning of this passage, is the same person who is called Matthew in the first of the four Gospels. Let us not forget this. It is no less than an apostle and an evangelist, whose early history is now before our eyes.

We learn from these verses, the power of Christ to call men out from the world, and make them His disciples. We read that he said to Levi, when " sitting at the receipt of custom, Follow me." And at once " he arose and followed him." From a pubHcan he became an apostle, and a writer of the first book in that New Testament, which is now known all over the world.

This is a truth of deep importance. Without a divine call no one can be saved. We are all so sunk in sin, and so wedded to the world, that we should never turn to God and seek salvation, unless He first called us by His grace. God must speak to our hearts by His Spirit, before we shall ever speak to Him. Those who are sons of God, says the 17th Article, are " called according to God's purpose by His Spirit working in due season." Now how blessed is the thought that this calHng of sinners is committed to so gracious a Saviour as Christ!

He acts as a Sovereign; but He acts with infinite mercy. He often chooses those who seem most unlikely to do His will, and furthest off from His kingdom. He draws them to Himself with almighty power, breaks the chains of old habits and customs, and makes them new creatures. As the loadstone attracts the iron, and the southwind softens the frozen ground, so does Christ's calling draw sinners out from the world, and melt the hardest heart. " The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation." Blessed are they, who, when they hear it, harden not their hearts!

"We ought never to despair entirely of any one's salvation, when we read this passage of Scripture. He who called Levi, stiU lives and still works. The age of miracles is not yet past. The love of money is a powerful principle, but the call of Christ is more powerful. Let us not despair even about those who " sit at the receipt of custom," and enjoy abundance of this world's good things. The voice which said to Levi, " Follow me," may yet reach their hearts. We may yet see them arise, and take up the cross, and follow Christ. Let us hope continually, and pray for others. Who can tell what God may be going to do for any one around us? No one is too bad for Christ to call. Let us pray for all.

We learn, for another thing, from these verses, that one of Chrisfs principal offices is that of a Physician. The Scribes and Pharisees found fault with Him for eating and drinking with publicans and sinners. But " when Jesus heard it. He saith unto them, they that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick."

The Lord Jesus did not come into the world, as some suppose, to be nothing more than a law-giver, a king, a teacher, and an example. Had this been all the purpose of His coming, there would have been small comfort for man. Diet-tables and rules of living are aU very well for the convalescent, but not suitable to the man labouring under a mortal disease. A teacher and an example might be sufficient for an unfallen being like Adam in the garden of Eden. But fallen sinners like ourselves want healing first, before we can value rules.

The Lord Jesus came into the world to be a physician as well as a teacher. He knew the necessities of human nature. He saw us all sick of a mortal disease, stricken with the plague of sin, and djing daily. He pitied us, and came down to bring divine medicine for our relief. He came to give health and cure to the dj4ng, to heal the broken hearted, and to offer strength to the weak. No sin-sick soul is too far gone for Him. It is His glory to heal and restore to life the most desperate cases. For imfailing skill, for unwearied tenderness, for long experience of man's spiritual ailments, the great Physician of souls stands alone. There is none like Him.

But what do we know ourselves of this special office of Christ? Have we ever felt our spiritual sickness and appHed to Him for relief? We are never right in the sight of God until we do. "We know nothing aright in religion, if we think the sense of sin should keep us back from Christ. To feel our sins, and know our sickness is the beginning of real Christianity. To be sensible of our corruption and abhor our own transgressions, is the first symptom of spiritual health. Happy indeed are they who have found out their soul's disease! Let them know that Christ is the yery Physician they require, and let them apply to Him witnout delay.

We learn, in the last place, from these verses, that in religion it is worse than useless to attempt to mix things which essentially differ. " No man," He tells the Pharisees, " seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment." " No man putteth new wine into old bottles."

These words, we must of course see, were a parable. They were spoken with a special reference to the question which the Pharisees had just raised: " Why do the disciples of John fast, but thy disciples fast not? " Our Lord's reply evidently means, that to enforce fasting among His disciples would be inerpedient and unseasonable. His little flock was as yet young in grace, and weak in faith, knowledge, and experience. They must be led on softly, and not burdened at this early stage with requirements which they were not able to bear. Fasting, moreover, might be suitable to the disciples of Him who was only the Bridegroom's friend, who lived in the wilderness, preached the baptism of repentance, was clothed in camel's hair, and ate locusts and wild honey. But fasting was not equally suitable to the disciples of Him, who was the Bridegroom Himself, brought glad tidings to sinners, and came living like other men. In short, to require fasting of His disciples at present, would be putting "new wine into old bottles." It would be trying to mingle and amalgamate things that essentially differed.

The principle laid down in these little parables is one of great importance. It is a kind of proverbial saying, and admits of a wide application. Forgetfnlness of it has frequently done great harm in the Church. The evils that have arisen from trying to sew the new patch on the old garment, and put the new wine into old bottles, have neither been few nor small.

How was it with the Galatian Church? It is recorded in St. Paul's epistle. Men wished in that Church to reconcile Judaism with Christianity, and to circumcise as well as baptize. They endeavoured to keep ahve the law of ceremonies and ordinances, and to place it side by side with the Gospel of Christ. In fact they would fain have put the " new wine into old bottles.'* And in so doing they greatly erred.

How was it vnth. the early Christian Church, after the apostles were dead? We have it recorded in the pages of Church history. Some tried to make the Gospel more acceptable by mingling it with Platonic philosophy. Some laboured to recommend it to the heathen by borrowing forms, processions, and vestments from the temples of heathen gods. In short, they "sewed the new patch on the old garment." And in so doing they scattered broadcast the seeds of enormous evil. They paved the way for the whole Romish apostasy.

How is it with many professing Christians in the present day? "We have only to look around us and see. There are thousands who are trying to reconcile the service of Christ and the service of the world, to have the name of Christian and yet live the life of the ungodly, — to keep in with the servants of pleasure and sin, and yet be the followers of the crucified Jesus at the same time. In a word, they are trying to enjoy the "new wine," and yet to cling to the " old bottles." They will find one day that they have attempted that which cannot be done.

Let us leave the passage in a spirit of serious selfinquiry. It is one that ought to raise great searchings of heart in the present day. Have we never read what the Scripture says? " No man can serve two masters." " Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Let us place side by side with these texts the concluding words of our Lord in this passage, "New wine must be put into new bottles." *

23 And it came to pass, that he went through the com fields on the sabbath day; and Ms disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of com.

24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

25 And he said unto them, Have ve never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him }

26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the High Priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the Priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

These verses set before us a remarkable scene in our Lord Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. We see our blessed Master and His disciples going " through the com fields on the Sabbath day." We are told that His disciples, " as they went, began to pluck the ears of com." At once we hear the Pharisees accusing them to our Lord, as if they had committed some great moral ofience.

* It must always be remembered tbat the " bottle " here spoken of was not a bottle of glass or of earthenware, but of leather. Unless this is kept in view, the parable is unintelligible to an English mind. A similar remark applies to David's words, " I am become like a bottle in the smoke." (Psal. cxix. 83.)

""WTiy do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? " They received an answer full of deep wisdom, which all should study well, who desire to understand the subject of Sabbath observance.

We see from these verses, what extravagant importance is attached to trifles by those who are mere formalists in religion.

The Pharisees were mere formalists, if there ever were any in the world. They seem to have thought exclusively of the outward part, the husk, the sheU, and the ceremonial of rehgion. They even added to these externals by traditions of their own. Their godliness was made up of washings, and fastings, and peculiarities in dress, and will- worship, while repentance, and faith, and holiness were comparatively overlooked.

The Pharisees would probably have found no fault, if the disciples had been guilty of some offence against the moral law. They would have winked at covetousness, or perjury, or extortions, or excess, because they were sins to which they themselves were inclined. But no sooner did they see an infringement of their man-made traditions about the right way of keeping the Sabbath, than they raised an outcry, and found fault.

Let us watch and pray, lest we fall into the error of the Pharisees. There are never wanting Christians who walk in their steps. There are thousands at the present day who plainly think more of the mere outward ceremonial of religion than of its doctrines. They make more ado about keeping saints' days, and turning to the east in the creed, and bowing at the name of Jesus, than about repentance, or faith, or separation from the world. Against this spirit let us ever be on our guard. It can neither comfort, satisfy, nor save.

It ought to be a settled principle in our minds, that a man's soul is in a bad state, when he begins to regard man-made rites and ceremonies, as things of superior importance, and exalts them above the preaching of the Gospel. It is a symptom of spiritual disease. There is mischief within. It is too often the resource of an uneasy conscience. The first steps of apostasy from Protestantism to Romanism have often been in this direction. No wonder that St. Paul said to the Galatians, "Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain." (Gal. iv. 10, 11.)

"We see, in the second place, from these verses, the value of a knowledge of Holy Scripture.

Our Lord replies to the accusation of the Pharisees by a reference to Holy Scripture. He reminds His enemies of the conduct of David, when " he had need and was an hungred." " Have ye never read what David did? " They could not deny that the writer of the book of Psalms, and the man after God's own heart, was not likely to set a bad example. They knew in fact that he had not turned aside from God's commandment, all the days of his life, " save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite." (1 Kings xv. 6.) Yet what had David done? He had gone into the house of God, when pressed by hunger, and eaten " the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests.* " He had thus shown that

* There is some difficulty in this passage in the mention of Abiathar as " the High Priest." In the book of Samuel it appears some requirements of God's laws might be relaxed in case of necessity. To this Scripture example our Lord refers His adversaries. They found nothing to reply to that Abimelech was the High Priest, when the cu-curastance here referred to took place. (1 Sam. xxi. 6.)

1. Beza says that both Abiathar and Abimelech had each two names, and that Abiathar was frequently called Abimelech, and Abimelech Abiathar. (See in proof of this, 2 Sam. viii. 17: 1 Chron. viii. 16, and xxiv. 3.)

2. Lightfoot would translate the words, " in the days of Abiathar, the son of the High Priest," and says he is named rather than his father because he brought the Ephod to David, and by him inquiry was made by Urim and Thummim. He also says, that the Jews by " Abiathar" understood the Urim and Thummim, and to say that the thing was done " under Abiathar" would show that it was done by divine direction.

3. Whitby thinks that by " the High Priest" here, we are not to understand him who was strictly so called, but only one who was an eminent man of the order. He quotes as examples, Matt. ii. 4: xxvi. 3: xxvii. 62: John xi. 47: Mark xiv. 10, 43.

4. Some think that both Abimelech and Abiathar officiated as High Priests at the same time. That there was nothing altogether unusual in there being two Chief Priests at once, is shown by 1 Sam. viii. 17, where two names are given as " the Priests."

5. Some think that there has been a mistake made in transcribing the original words of St. Mark in this place, and some words have been inserted, or wrongly written. Beza's manuscript omits tlje words translated, " in the time of Abiathar the High Priest," altogether. The St. Gall manuscript and the Gothic version have the word "Priest" simply, and not "High Priest." The Persian version has "Abimelech" instead of "Abiathar." However, it is only fair to say that the evidence of the great majority of manuscripts and versions is in favour of the text as it stands.

Some of these solutions of the difficirlty are evidently more probable than others. But any one of them is far more reasonable and deserving of belief than to suppose, as some have asserted, that St. Mark made a blunder! Such a theory destroys the whole principle of the inspiration of Scripture. Transcribers of the Bible have possibly made occasional mistakes. The original writers were inspired in the writing of every word, and therefore could not err.

it. The sword of the Spirit was a weapon which they could not resist. They were silenced, and put to shame.

Now the conduct of our Lord on this occasion ought to be a pattern to all IIis.^eople. Our grand reason for our faith, and practice, should always be, " Thus it is written in the Bible." "What saith the Scripture?" We should endeavour to have the word of God on our side in all debateable questions. We should seek to be able to give a scriptural answer for our behaviour in all matters of dispute. We should refer our enemies to the Bible as our nile of conduct. We shall always find a plain text the most powerful argument we can use. In a world like this we must expect our opinions to be attacked, if we serve Christ, and we may be sure that nothing silences adversaries so soon as a quotation from Scripture.

Let us however remember, that if we are to use the Bible as our Lord did, we must know it well, and be acquainted with its contents. We must read it dihgently, humbly, perseveringly, prayerfully, or we shall never find its texts coming to our aid in the time of need. To use the sword of the Spirit efiectually, we must be familiar with it, and have it often in our hands. There is no royal road to the knowledge of the Bible. It does not come to man by intuition. The book must be studied, pondered, prayed over, searched into, and not left always lying on a shelf, or carelessly looked at now and then. It is the students of the Bible, and they only, who will find it a weapon ready to hand in the day of battle.

We see, in the last place, from these verses, the true principle by which all questions about the observance of the Sabbath ought to be decided. " The Sabbath," says our

Lord, "was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."

There is a mine of deep wisdom in those words. They deserve close attention, and the more so because they are not recorded in any Gospel but that of St. Mark. Let us see what they contain.

" The Sabbath was made for man." God made it for Adam in Paradise, and renewed it to Israel on Mount Sinai. It was made for all mankind, not for the Jew only, but for the whole family of Adam. It was made for man's benefit and happiness. It was for the good of his body, the good of his mind, and the good of his soul. It was given to him as a boon and a blessing, and not as a burden. This was the original institution.

But "man was not made for the Sabbath." The observance of the day of God was never meant to be so enforced as to be an injury to his health, or to interfere with his necessary wants. The original command to " keep holy the Sabbath Day," was not intended to be so interpreted as to do harm to his body, or prevent acts of mercy to his fellow-creatures. This was the point that the Pharisees had forgotten, or buried under their traditions.

There is nothing in all this to warrant the rash assertion of some, that our Lord has done away with the fourth commandment. On the contrary. He manifestly speaks of the Sabbath Day as a privilege and a gift, and only regulates the extent to which its observance should be enforced. He shows that works of necessity and mercy may be done on the Sabbath Day; but He says not a word to justify the notion that Christians need not " remember the day to keep it holy."

Let us be jealous over our own conduct in the matter of observing the Sabbath. There is little danger of the day being kept too strictly in the present age. There is far more danger of its being profaned and forgotten entirely. Let us contend earnestly for its preservation among us in all its integrity. We may rest assured that national prosperity and personal growth in grace, are intimately bound up in the maintenance of a holy Sabbath.*

* The concluding words of the passage now expounded are remarkable. "The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." They have received some rather strange interpretations, which it may be well to notice,

1. Chrysostom, Grotius, Calovius, and others, think that the " son of man " in this place means " any man," any one naturally born of the family of Adam, and not Christ Himself. To say nothing of the objections that might be brought against the doctrines involved in such a sense, it is an unanswerable objection that the expression " son of man" is never used in this way in the New Testament. Whitby says that it occurs eighty-eight times, and always applies to Christ.

2. Others say that our Lord's meaning is, to assert His own right to dispense with the observance of the fourtb commandment. This however seems a very unsatisfactory interpretation. Our Lord declares plainly in one place, that He came " not to destroy the law but to fulfil." He challenges the Jews in another place to convict Him of any breach of the law: "which of you convinceth me of sin?" His enemies, when they brought Him at last before Caiaphas, did not charge Him with breaking the fourth commandment. No doubt they would have done so, had He given them occasion, either by His teaching or practice.

The true meaning appears to be, that our Lord claims the right to dispense with all the traditional rules, and man-made laws about the Sabbath, with which the Pharisees had overloaded the day of rest. As Son of man, who came not to destroy but to save. He asserts His power to set free the blessed Sabbath from the false and superstitious notions with which the Kabbins had clogged and poisoned it, and to restore it to its proper meaning and use. He declares that the Sabbath is His day, — His by creation and institution, since He first gave it in Paradise and at Sinai, — and proclaims His determination to defend and purify His day from

1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil } to save life or to kill.-" But they held their peace.

5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man. Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,

8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaja, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto

9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of

12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

These verses show us our Lord again working a miracle. He heals a man in the synagogue, " which had a withered hand." Always ahout His Father's business, — always doing good, — doing it in the sight of enemies as well as

Jewish imposition, and to give it to His disciples as a day of blessing, comfort, and benefit, according to its original intention.

Two tilings are implied in our Lord's words. One is His own divinity. The " Lord of the Sabbath day " could be no less than God Himself. It is like the expression, " In this place is one gi'eater than the temple." (Matt. xii. 6.) The other is His intention of altering the day of rest from th*^ seventh day of the week to the first. At the time that He spoke, neither of these things doubtless were apparent to the Jews, and probably not to His disciples. After His ascension they " would remember his words."

A passage in Mayer's Commentaiy is worth reading. " It is certain

that Christ being a perfect pattern of doctrine in all things, did not transgi-ess, or maintain any transgi-ession against any law of God. "Wherefore it is to be held that all His speech here tendeth to nothing else but to convince the Pharisees of blindness and ignorance, touching the right keeping of the Sabbath according to the commandment, it being never required to rest so strictly as they thought." — Mayer's Commentary. 1631.

of friends, — sucli was the daily tenor of our Lord's earthly ministry. And He " left us an example that we should follow His steps." (1 Peter ii. 21.) Blessed indeed are those Christians who strive, however feebly, to imitate their Master!

Let us observe in these verses, how our Lord Jesm Christ was watched hy His enemies. We read that "they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath Day, that they might accuse Him."

What a melancholy proof we have here of the wickedness of human nature! It was the Sabbath Day, when these things happened. It was in the synagogue, where men were assembled to hear the word and worship God. Yet even on the day of God, and at the time of worshipping God, these wretched formalists were plotting mischief against our Lord. The very men who pretended to such strictness and sanctity in little things, were fuU of malicious and angry thoughts in the midst of the congregation. (Prov. v. 14.)

Christ's people must not expect to fare better than their master. They are always watched by an illnatured and spiteful world. Their conduct is scanned with a keen and jealous eye. Their ways are noted and diligently observed. They are marked men. They can do nothing without the world noticing it. Their dress, their expenditure, their employment of time, their conduct in aU the relations of life, are all rigidly and closely remarked. Their adversaries wait for their halting, and if at any time they fall into an error, the ungodly rejoice.

It is good for aU Christians to keep this before their minds. Wherever we go, and whatever we do, let us remember that, like our Master, we are "watclied." The thought should make us exercise a holy jealousy over all our conduct, that we may do nothing to cause the enemy to blaspheme. It should make us diligent to avoid even the "appearance of evil." Above all, it should make us pray much, to be kept in our tempers, tongues, and daily pubHc demeanour. That Saviour who was " watched " Himself, knows how to sjnnpathize with His people, and to supply grace to help in time of need.

Let us observe, in the second place, the great principle that our Lord lays down about Sabbath observance. He teaches that it is lawful "to do good " on the Sabbath.

This principle is taught by a remarkable question. He asks those around Him, whether it was " lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath days, to save life, or to kill? " "Was it better to heal this poor sufferer before Him with the withered hand, or to leave him alone? Was it more sinful to restore a person to health on the Sabbath, than to plot murder, and nourish hatred against an innocent person, as they were doing at that moment against Himself? Was He to be blamed for saving a life on the Sabbath? "Were they blameless who were desirous to kill? No wonder that before such a question as this, our Lord's enemies " held their peace."

It is plain from these words of our Lord, that no Christian need ever hesitate to do a really good work on the Sunday. A real work of mercy, such as ministering to the sick, or relieving pain, may always be done without scruple. The holiness with which the fourth commandment invests the Sabbath Day, is not in the least degree invaded by anything of this kind.

But we must take care that tlie principle here laid down by our Lord, is not. abused and turned to bad account. "We must not allow ourselves to suppose that the permission to " do good," implied that every one might find his own pleasure on the Sabbath. The permission to "do good," was never meant to open the door to amusements, worldly festivities, travelling, journeying, and sensual gratification. It was never intended to license the Sunday railway train, or the Sunday steam-boat, or the Sunday Exhibition. These things do good to none, and do certain harm to many. They rob many a servant of his seventh day's rest. They turn the Sunday of thousands into a day of hard toil. Let us beware of perverting our Lord's words from their proper meaning. Let us remember what kind of " doing good " on the Sabbath His blessed example sanctioned. Let us ask ourselves whether there is the slightest likeness between our Lord's works on the Sabbath, and those ways of spending the Sabbath for which many contend, who yet dare to appeal to our Lord's example. Let us fall back on the plain meaning of our Lord's words, and take our stand on them. He gives us a liberty to "do good" on Sunday, but for feasting, sight-seeing, party-giving, and excursions, He gives no liberty at all.

Let us observe, in the last place, the feelings which the conduct of our Lord^s enemies called forth in Sis heart. We are told that " He looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts."

This expression is very remarkable, and demands special attention. It is meant to remind us that our Lord Jesus Christ was a man Hke ourselves in all things.

sin only excepted. Whatever sinless feelings belong to the constitution of man, our Lord partook of, and knew by experience. We read that He " marvelled," that He " rejoiced," that He " wept," that He " loved," and here we read that He felt " anger."

It is plain from these words that there is an " anger " which is lawful, right, and not sinful. There is an indignation which is justifiable, and on some occasions may be properly manifested. The words of Solomon and St. Paul both seem to teach the same lesson. "The north wind driveth away rain, so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue." " Be ye angry and sin not." (Prov. XXV. 23. Ephes. iv. 26.)

Yet it must be confessed that the subject is full of difficulty. Of all the feelings that man's heart experiences, there is none perhaps which so soon runs into sin as the feeling of anger. There is none which once excited seems less under control. There is none which leads on to so much evil. The length to which ill-temper, irritability, and passion, will carry even godly men, all must know. The history of "the contention" of Paul and Barnabas at Antioch, and the story of Moses being provoked till he " spake unadvisedly with his Hps," are familiar to every Bible reader. The awful fact that passionate words are a breach of the sixth commandment, is plainly taught in the Sermon on the Mount. And yet here we see that there is an anger which is lawful.

Let us leave this subject with an earnest prayer, that we may all be enabled to take heed to our spirit in the matter of anger. We may rest assured that there is no human feeling which needs so much cautious guarding as this. A sinless wrath is a very rare thing. The wrath of man is seldom for the glory of God. In every case a righteous indignation should be mingled with grief and sorrow for those who cause it, even as it was in the case of our Lord. And this, at all events, we may be sure of, — ^it is better never to be angry, than to be angry and sin.*

13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

16 And Simon he sumamed Peter;

17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he sumamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

18 And Andrew, and Philip, and

Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddseus, and Simon the Canaanite,

19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

21 And when his friends heard o^ tV, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

The beginning of this passage describes the appointment of the twelve apostles. It is an event in our Lord's earthly ministry, which should always be read with deep interest. What a vast amount of benefit these few men have confered on the world! The names of a few Jewish fishermen are known and loved by millions all over the

* In connection with this suhject, Bishop Butler's Sermon on Resentment deserves perusal. He says at the conclusion of it:

" That passion, from whence men take occasion to run into the dreadful sins of malice and revenge, even that passion, as implanted in our nature by God, is not only innocent but a generous movement of mind. It is in itself, and in its original, no more than indignsr tion against injury and wickedness, — that which is the only deformity in the creation, and the only reasonable object of abhorrence and dislike." — Bishop Butler.

globe, while the names of many kings and rich men are lost and forgotten. It is they who do good to souls who are had "in everlasting remembrance." (Psalm cxii. 6.)

Let us notice in these verses, how many of the twelve who are here named, had been called to he disciples before they tcere ordained apostles.

There are six, at least, out of the number, whose first call to follow Christ is specially recorded. These six are Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Matthew. In short there can be little doubt that eleven of our Lord's apostles, were converted before they were ordained.

It ought to be the same with all ministers of the Gospel. They ought to be men who have been first called by the Spirit, before they are set apart for the great work of teaching others. The rule should be the same with them as with the apostles, — " first converted, then ordained."

It is impossible to overrate the importance of this to the interests of true religion. Bishops and presbyteries can never be too strict and particular in the enquiries they make about the spiritual character of candidates for orders. An unconverted minister is utterly unfit for his office. How can he speak experimentally of that grace which he has never tasted himself? How can he commend that Saviour to his people whom he himself only knows by name? How can he urge on souls the need of that conversion and new birth, which he himself has not experienced? Miserably mistaken are those parents, who persuade their sons to become clergymen, in order to obtain a good living, or follow a respectable profession! What is it but persuading them to say what is not true, and to take the Lord's name in vain? None do such injury to the cause of Christianity, as unconverted, worldly ministers. They are a support to the infidel, a joy to the devil, and an offence to

Let us notice, in the second place, the nature of the office to which the apostles toere ordained. They were to "be with Christ." They were to be "sent forth to preach." They were to have " power to heal sicknesses." They were to "cast out devils."

These four points deserve attention. They contain much instruction. Our Lord's twelve apostles, beyond doubt, were a distinct order of men. They had no successors when they died. Strictly and Kterally speaking, there is no such thing as apostolical succession. 'No man can be reaUy called a "successor of the apostles," unless he can work miracles, and teach infallibly, as they did. But stni, in saying this, we must not forget, that in many things the apostles were intended to be patterns and models for all ministers of the Gospel. Bearing this in mind, we may draw most useful lessons from this passage, as to the duties of a faithful minister.

Like the apostles, the faithful minister ought to keep up close communion with Christ. He should be much "with Him." His fellowship should be "with the Son." (1 John i. 3.) He should abide in Him. He should be separate from the world, and daily sit, like Mary, at Jesus' feet, and hear His word. He should study Him, copy Him, drink into His Spirit, and walk in His steps. He should strive to be able to say, when he enters the pulpit, "that which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you." (1 John i. 3.)

Like the apostles, the faithful minister ought to be a preacher. This must ever he his principal work, and receive the greatest part of his thoughts. He must place it above the administration of the sacraments. (1 Cor. i. 17.) He must exalt it above the reading of forms. An unpreaching minister is of little use to the church of Christ. He is a lampless light-house, a silent trumpeter, a sleeping watchman, a painted fire.

Like the apostles, the faithful minister must labour to do good in every way. Though he cannot heal the sick, he must seek to alleviate sorrow, and to increase happiness among all with whom he has to do. He must strive to be known as the comforter, the counsellor, the peacemaker, the helper, and the friend of all. Men should know him, not as one who rules and domineers, but as one who is "their servant for Jesus' sake." (2 Cor. iv. 5.)

Like the apostles, the faithful minister must oppose every work of the devil. Though not called now to cast out evil spirits from the body, he must be ever ready to resist the devil's devices, and to denounce his snares for the soul. He must expose the tendency of races, theatres, balls, gambling, drunkenness. Sabbath-profanation, and sensual gratifications. Every age has its own peculiar temptations. Many are the devices of Satan. But whatever be the direction in which the devil is most busy, there ought the minister to be, ready to confront and withstand him.

How great is the responsibility of ministers! How heavy their work, if they do their duty! How much they need the prayers of all praying people, in order to support and strengthen their hands! No wonder that St. Paul says so often to the churches, "Pray for us."

Let us notice, in the last place, how our Lord Jesus Christ's zeal teas misunderstood by His enemies. We are told that they "went out to lay hold of him, for they said, he is beside himself."

There is nothing in this fact that need surprise us. The prophet who came to anoint Jehu was called a "mad fellow." (2 Kings ix. 11.) Festus told Paul that he was "mad." Few things show the corruption of human nature more clearly, than man's inability to understand zeal in religion. Zeal about money, or science, or war, or commerce, or business, is intelligible to the world. But zeal about religion is too often reckoned foolishness, fanaticism, and the sign of a weak mind. If a man injures his health by study, or excessive attention to business, no fault is found: — " He is a diligent man." — But if he wears himself out with preaching, or spends his whole time in doing good to souls, the cry is raised, "He is an enthusiast and righteous over-much." The world is not altered. The "things of the Spirit" are always "foolishness to the natural man." (1 Cor. ii. 14.)

Let it not shake our faith, if we have to drink of the same cup as our blessed Lord. Hard as it may be to flesh and blood to be misunderstood by our relations, we must recollect it is no new thing. Let us call to mind our Lord's words, "He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me." Jesus knows the bitterness of our trials. Jesus feels for us. Jesus will give us help.

Let us bear patiently the unreasonableness of unconverted men, even as our Lord did. Let us pity their blindness and want of knowledge, and not love them one whit the less. Above all, let us pray that Grod would change their hearts. Who can tell but the very persons who now try to turn us away from Christ, may one day become new creatures, see all things differently, and follow Christ themselves?

■ 22 And the Scribes which came I 27 No man can enter into a strong down from Jerusalem said, He hath man's house, and spoil his goods, ex- Beelzebub, and by the prince of the cept he will first bind the strong man; devils casteth he out devils. and then he will spoU his house.

23 And he called them unto him, 28 Verilj' I say unto you, All sins and said unto them in parables, How shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, can Satan cast out Satan? and blasphemies wherewith soever

24 And if a kingdom be divided they shall blaspheme:

against itself, that kingdom cannot 29 But he that shall blaspheme astand. gainst the Holy Ghost hath never

25 And if a house be divided against forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal itself, that house cannot stand. * damnation:

26 And if Satan rise up against i 30 Because they said, He hath an himself, and be divided, he cannot unclean spirit.

"We all know how painful it is to have our conduct misunderstood and misrepresented, when we are doing right. It is a trial which our Lord Jesus Christ had to endure continually, all through His earthly ministry. "We have an instance in the passage before us. The " Scribes which came down from Jerusalem " saw the miracles which He worked. They could not deny their reality. "What then did they do? They accused our blessed Saviour of being in league and union with the devil. They said, "He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils."

In our Lord's solemn answer to this wicked accusation, there are expressions which deserve special attention. Let us see what lessons they contain for our use.

"We ought to notice, in the first place, how great is the evil of dissensions and divisions.

This is a lesson which is strongly hrought out in the beginning of our Lord's reply to the scribes. He shows the absurdity of supposing that Satan would " cast out Satan," and so help to destroy his own power. He appeals to the notorious fact, which even his enemies must allow, that there can be no strength where there is division. " If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."

This truth is one which does not receive sufficient consideration. On no point has the abuse of the right of private judgment produced so much evil. The divisions of Christians are one great cause of the weakness of the visible church. They often absorb energy, time, and power, which might have been weU bestowed on better things. They furnish the infidel with a prime argument against the truth of Christianity. They help the devil. Satan indeed is the chief promoter of religious divisions. If he cannot extinguish Christianity, he labours to make Christians quarrel with one another, and to set every man's hand against his neighbour. None knows better than the devil, that " to divide is to conquer."

Let us resolve, so far as in us lies, to avoid all difierences, dissensions, and disputes in religion. Let us loathe and abhor them as the plague of the churches. "We cannot be too jealous about all saving truths. But it is easy to mistake morbid scrupulosity for conscientiousness, and zeal about mere trifles for zeal about tbe truth. Nothing justifies separation from a church but the separation of that church from the gospel. Let us be ready to concede much, and make many sacrifices for the sake of unity and peace.