turning to His disciples, He congratulated them on their happiness in having been permitted to behold the commencement of. the effects produced by the setting up of His kingdom upon the earth. Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 98 From the time of the fall of our first parents, the coming of the great Deliverer of mankind, the Seed of the woman, who was to bruise the serpent's head, was the object of the expectation of the people of God. Abraham rejoiced in the prospect of the coming of the day of Christ,99 his Seed in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed. Jacob declared that he had waited all the days of his life for the salvation of God.' King David expressed his anxious desire, Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion. And as the time for the fulfilment of the promise drew nearer, other prophets and kings had their expectations and desires directed towards it; and delighted would they have been, if they could by any means have been assured beforehand that they should with their own eyes behold the Saviour of mankind, God 98 Gen. iii. 15. 99 John viii. 56. Gen. xlix. 18. 2 Psalm xiv. 7. manifest in the flesh; and hear the gracious words of life and salvation which proceeded from His mouth. Those were indeed highly favoured persons, who were permitted to see and hear the Son of God, when He appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh. We, however, who live under the Christian dispensation, have, it may be said, more valuable privileges than many of these persons had. How many who saw Christ and heard Him, knew Him not, believed not in Him.* We have the privilege of being able to compare the prophecies of the Old Testament respecting Him, with their fulfilment; and to see how the wondrous plan of the love of God to man was carried into execution. We see the vision and prophecy sealed up, the book of Divine revelation completed, and the whole of the will of God respecting the salvation of mankind fully declared. May we rejoice in the light with which we are favoured, as the children of the light, to the glory of the God of all grace. When our Saviour had addressed His disciples on the subject of their blessedness in beholding the introduction of a new dispensation of God to man, it is said, Behold, a certain lawyer, a teacher or expounder of the law of Moses, stood up, and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? This question 3 Romans viii. 3. 4 John xii. 37. turning to His disciples, He congratulated them on their happiness in having been permitted to behold the commencement of. the effects produced by the setting up of His kingdom upon the earth. Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 98 From the time of the fall of our first parents, the coming of the great Deliverer of mankind, the Seed of the woman, who was to bruise the serpent's head, was the object of the expectation of the people of God. Abraham rejoiced in the prospect of the coming of the day of Christ,99 his Seed in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed. Jacob declared that he had waited all the days of his life for the salvation of God.1 King David expressed his anxious desire, Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion. And as the time for the fulfilment of the promise drew nearer, other prophets and kings had their expectations and desires directed towards it; and delighted would they have been, if they could by any means have been assured beforehand that they should with their own eyes behold the Saviour of mankind, God 98 Gen. iii. 15. 99 John viii. 56. 1 Gen. xlix. 18. 2 Psalm xiv. 7. manifest in the flesh; and hear the gracious words of life and salvation which proceeded from His mouth. Those were indeed highly favoured persons, who were permitted to see and hear the Son of God, when He appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh. We, however, who live under the Christian dispensation, have, it may be said, more valuable privileges than many of these persons had. How many who saw Christ and heard Him, knew Him not, believed not in Him.* We have the privilege of being able to compare the prophecies of the Old Testament respecting Him, with their fulfilment; and to see how the wondrous plan of the love of God to man was carried into execution. We see the vision and prophecy sealed up, the book of Divine revelation completed, and the whole of the will of God respecting the salvation of mankind fully declared. May we rejoice in the light with which we are favoured, as the children of the light, to the glory of the God of all grace. When our Saviour had addressed His disciples on the subject of their blessedness in beholding the introduction of a new dispensation of God to man, it is said, Behold, a certain lawyer, a teacher or expounder of the law of Moses, stood up, and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? This question 3 Romans viii. 3. 4 John xii. 37. was proposed, not in order to obtain information on the important subject to which it related, but with an insidious or treacherous design, for the purpose of finding matter of accusation against Him, as one who wished to set aside the law of Moses. Our Saviour answered him, by referring to the standard by which he professed to abide. He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? The way to everlasting life was to be found in the writings of Moses, as well as in other parts of the sacred volume, which our blessed Lord had no design of abrogating or annulling. And the lawyer answering, said, in the words of Moses,5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. Love is the fulfilling of the law of God, both under the Old and the New Testament dispensations. None but those who truly love God will have eternal life. Jesus therefore said unto him, Thou hast answered right; this do, and thou shalt live. He who thus loves the Lord his God here on earth, and proves the truth of it by the love of his neighbour, shall live for ever with God in His eternal kingdom. This lawyer, however, when he had heard our Saviour's reply, passed over the first and great commandment, as if the observance of it were 5 Deuteronomy vi, 5. Leviticus xix. 18. |