the Son of man, who was in heaven.* And, as Moses placed on high the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be set on high. For God so loved the world, as to give his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, may not perish, but obtain everlasting life. For God sent† not his Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He, who believes in him, shall not be condemned, but the unbeliever is already condemned, for not believing in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation: The light came into the world, and men preferred darkness to the light, because their deeds were evil. For he who does evil, hates the light, and shuns it, lest his deeds should be detected: but he, who obeys the truth, comes to the light, that his works may appear to have been performed by God.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and doubtless, as a teacher of Israel, and a member of the grand sanhedrim, he walked in the commandments of the Lord blameless. He might, therefore, like thousands in modern times, think it very strange, if not absurd, that Christ should speak to him of a new birth. But, to use the cogent language of Dr, Clarke on the passage, without the baptism or regeneration of the Holy Spirit, the reader may take Jesus Christ's word for it, that in his present state he cannot enter the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is holy and spiritual, and a spiritual regeneration is therefore essentially necessary to prepare the soul for a holy and spiritual kingdom. May all, therefore, hear and understand the language of Christ, Ye must be born from above.

* To ascend into heaven, or be in heaven, is a figurative expression, signifying an intimate acquaintance with the mysteries of God's kingdom, Deut. xxx. 13; Psa. lxxiii. 17; Prov. xxx. 4; John i. 18; Rom. xi. 34. I have translated wv, was, agreeably to John ix. 25. Dr. Clarke supposes our Lord used the phrase, no man has ascended into heaven, to correct a notion among the Jews, that Moses had ascended into heaven in order to get the law. I should rather think not-but, that Christ uses the negative in the comparative sense, implying, that no man had obtained so great acquaintance with divine things, as the Son of man.

+ God sent not his Son to condemn the world. Limited Jews imagined the Messiah would destroy the Gentile nations, but God had decreed otherwise; and loving the world, the whole world, sent his Son to save mankind; and, if ever the purpose of God, and the

SECTION

TWENTY-SEVENTH.

JESUS WALKS IN THE CORN-FIELDS.

About that time, being second-first* Sabbath, Jesus walked through the corn fields; and his disciples, being hungry, began to pluck the ears of corn, and

object of Christ's mission, be accomplished, an innumerable multitude out of all nations, shall be glad in his salvation. Notwithstanding the unbeliever is condemned, and cannot enjoy life, or salvation, unless God redeem him from darkness and spiritual death. But, blessed be the name of the Most High God, millions of condemned unbelievers have been saved from unbelief and wrath, and even now chant redeeming love.

*Second-first is a literal translation of the Greek devregoneWTW, and the usual rendering of the Latin versions. Notwithstanding the meaning is very obscure, and this phrase being found nowhere in the New Testament, except in this place, the learned have been very much divided about its signification. Three explanations of the phrase have enlisted their favourite advocates:-1. Grotius and Hammond say, the Jews called the Sabbaths of the three great festivals, prime, or first Sabbaths; but, as the passover began their ecclesiastical year, the passover Sabbath was called the first, the Sabbath of the pentecost the second-first, and the Sabbath of the feast of tabernacles the third-first Sabbath. But very cogent objections can be urged against this opinion; for, supposing it were on the first Sabbath of Nisan, or of the passover, as Clemens of Alexandria would have it, that Christ walked in the corn-fields, the disciples would have transgressed two laws by plucking the ears of corn: first, a breach of the law, which enjoined the observation of the Sabbath; and, second, a violation of the law, prohibiting the collecting of grain before the wave-sheaf was offered on the next day after the feast of unleavened bread, or sixteenth of Nisan, Levit. xxiii. 14, 15; but the charge of the Pharisees extended only to profanation of the Sabbath. Nor could the time be the Sabbath of pentecost, for then the harvest was fully gathered, and the first loaves offered, in thanksgiving to the God of harvest, for the favour conferred by the bounties of the season. 2. Nor is it probable that the opinion of Epiphanius and Beza is more tenable; for had it been on the last day, or Sabbath of the passover, it is not likely that Christ and his disciples should have left the feast, on the last and great day, to proceed on their return to Galilee. Notwithstanding this second opinion is much more reasonable than the first; for, as the Jews counted the Sabbaths from the passover to pentecost, the Sabbath next to the commencement of the passover would be called the first Sabbath, and the seventh or last day of the passover happening within a day or two, might be called second-first. 3. Scaliger, Lightfoot, Casau

eat them, after rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees observing, said: Why do ye that which is unlawful to be done on the Sabbath? Jesus answered:† Have ye not read what David did, when he and his companions were hungry? How he

bon, Whitby, Beausobre and L'Enfant, seem to have attained the truth on this subject, and explain the phrase thus :-The first day of the passover was a Sabbath, Exod. xii. 16; Levit. xxiii. 7. The morning after the Sabbath, the priest offered the first-fruits, invoking God's blessing on the harvest, and his leave to collect it. From that day they counted seven Sabbaths to the pentecost, Levit. xxiii. 15; and for ease in remembering, they called the first Sabbath after the second day of unleavened bread, second-first, and the second Sabbath, second-second; meaning the first, second, third Sabbath after the wave-offering.

*Among the principal works forbidden on the Jewish Sabbath, are enumerated ploughing, sowing, reaping, binding, thrashing, winnowing, cleaning, and grinding. The Pharisees reasoned thus :-It is forbidden to reap, or to gather the ears of corn, for this is a sort of reaping, Exod. xxxiv. 21; therefore, these men break the Sabbath. Again it is forbidden to grind, but these men rub the ears of the corn, which is a kind of grinding; therefore, they profane the Sabbath. The law of the Sabbath was so strict, that the Jews were not allowed to kindle a fire, or dress any victuals; therefore, they were obliged to prepare such things as were needed on Friday afternoon, which was called the preparation. Their Sabbath began at sunset, the usual time of the end and beginning of the Jewish day. As soon, therefore, as the sun was going down on Friday, so far as to shine only on the tops of hills, they lighted their lamps. So superstitious was the regard paid to the Sabbath by the Jews, that they would not defend themselves from a public enemy on the Sabbath, as appears from the history of their wars with Antiochus Epiphanes, and the Romans. To sanctify the Sabbath, was to do no work thereon; and, to profane the Sabbath, was to do any work during that sacred day of rest. An exception was allowed for the priests, who lighted the holy fire, and slew the sacrifice, which would have been a profanation of the Sabbath, had not these things been enjoined by God; hence the Jews said-There is no Sabbath in the temple, Numb. xxviii. 9. See the Introductions of Beausobre and Lamy.

+ Our Lord excuses his disciples by three pertinent and conclusive arguments: 1. Necessity-They were hungry; and that God, who preferred mercy to sacrifice, would yield to the setting aside of an arbitrary injunction, for the practice of mercy or benevolence in a case so urgent. 2. Precedent-David and his companions, when hungry, entered the house of God, or court of the tabernacle, kept at

entered the house of God, and ate the shew-bread, and gave also to his companions; which ought not to be eaten, except by priests alone? Or, have ye not read in the law, that the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I tell you, a greater than the temple is here. And had ye known what means: I prefer mercy to sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the innocent. The Sabbath was instituted for the benefit of man, but man was not made on account of the Sabbath; therefore, the Son of man* is ruler even of the Sabbath.

Nob, in the house of Abimelech, and ate of the twelve loaves presented to the Lord, as an offering every Sabbath; and placed on the golden table, were hence called loaves of the presence, 1 Sam. xxi. 6; Exod. xxix. 32; Levit. viii. 31; xxiv. 6. 3. Authority-The priests, in the temple, performing the service prescribed by the law of Moses, were held blameless on account of the commandment; therefore, as Moses, by the authority of God, made this exemption on be half of the priests, so Jesus, possessing a still higher authority and commission, had a still greater right to make exception on behalf of his disciples, when actually engaged in attending on the Son of man, in his ministry, as the priests served God, in the temple. Moreover, this Son of man, having come to establish a new dispensation, had a right to dispense with, and abrogate whatever, in the Mosaic ritual, was unfavourable to the manifestation and execution of his glorious and gracious dispensation of mercy and benevolence; therefore, this Son of man was Lord of the Sabbath by authority; and every son of man is ruler of the Sabbath by necessity.

* Some have supposed that the phrase, Son of man, implies man in general; but this interpretation is very lax, and would insinuate that man might dispose of the Sabbath according to his pleasure, which, if admitted, would soon terminate the observation of the Sabbath, and the practice of religious duties. Jehovah instituted the Sabbath, not only as a type of that rest which remains for the people of God, but as a means of promoting the temporal and spiritual welfare of mankind: and true religion never will impede the execution of his benevolent design. God requires nothing from man, but what tends to the happiness and advantage of man. In condescension to man's wants, he prohibited the labour of man and beast on that day, that proper and suitable seasons of rest and refreshment might be afforded to the body, and spiritual vigour and nourishment imparted to the soul. The obligation, therefore, to keep holy the Sabbath, is binding on all that know God, and nothing but spiritual death, profanity, and destruction, can attend the wilful neglect of God's holy commandment to sanctify the Sabbath.

CURE OF A WITHERED HAND.

And departing thence, he entered into the synagogue on another Sabbath, and taught. And, lo! there was a man whose right hand was withered; and the scribes and Pharisees maliciously watched him, with the design of obtaining an accusation against him, if he should heal on the Sabbath. But knowing their thoughts, he said to the man whose hand was withered: Arise, and stand in the midst. And when he arose and stood, they asked Jesus: Whether it be lawful to healt on the Sabbath? Jesus answered: I would also ask you, Which is lawful on the Sabbath, to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy? But they were silent. Then, looking round on them with anger, being grieved at the hardness of their hearts, he said: What man

* The original word, napernov, implies, to watch maliciously, or with an evil intention, Mark iii. 2; Luke xiv. 1; xx. 20. Raphelius adduces many authorities to prove that it signifies, to observe privately and insidiously what another does. The context fully proves this to be the meaning of the term; and shows the base and treacherous conduct of the Pharisees.

+ The practice of medicine among the Jews was chiefly confined to the priests, who thought it profane to practise the healing art on the Sabbath. One of the decisions of the School of Schammai was-Let none console the sick, or visit the mourner on the Sabbath. It was principally against such decisions our Lord directed his reproof; for the School of Hillel had, in some respects, decided otherwise; and it was allowed to prepare medicine, or perform such other services as were absolutely necessary for the preservation of life.

For hardness, or rather callousness, the Codex Bezo, and four of the Itala, read deadness; the Vulgate, and some of the Itala, blindness. Join all these together, and they will scarcely express the fulness of this people's wretchedness. By a long resistance to the grace and Spirit of God, their hearts had become callous, they were past feeling. By a long opposition to the light of God, they became dark in their understanding, were blinded by the deceitfulness of sin; and thus were past seeing. By a long continuance in the practice of every evil work, they were cut off from union with God, the fountain of spiritual life; and becoming dead in trespasses and sins, they were incapable of any resurrection, but through a miraculous power of God.