And this was the general effect of his preaching. Publicans and sinners thronged to hear him, received his doctrine, and found rest for their souls. As this discrimination gave a general offence, he took occasion to deliver the parable of the prodigal, (Luke xv. 11;) in the former part of which he gives a most endearing view of the grace of God, in pardoning and accepting the most undeserving. He afterwards, in the close, shows the pride, stubbornness, and enmity of the selfrighteous Pharisees, under the character of the elder brother.* While his language and deportment discovered the disobedience and malice of his heart, he pretended that he had never broke his father's commands. The selfcondemned sinner, when he first receives hope of pardon, experiences a joy and peace in believing. This is represented by the feast and fatted calf. But the religious orderly brother had never received so much as a kid: he had found no true comfort in all his formal round of duties; and therefore was exceedingly angry that the prodigal should at once obtain those marks of favour which he, who had remained with his father, had always been a stranger to. But the capital exemplification of this, and indeed of every doctrine of the gospel, is contained in the account given of the thief upon the cross, (Luke xxiii. 39–42;) a passage which has perhaps been more mistaken and misrepresented by commentators, than any other in the New Testament. The grace of God has shone so bright in this instance, that it has dazzled the eyes even of good men. They have attempted to palliate the offender's crime, or at least to suppose that this was the first fault of the kind he had committed; that perhaps he had been surprised into it, and might, in other respects, have been of a fairer character. They conjecture, that this was the first time he had heard of Jesus; and that there was not only some sort of merit in his faith and confession under these circumstances, but that the death of Jesus happily coinciding with his own, afforded him an advantage peculiar to himself; and that, therefore, this was an exempt case, and not to be drawn into a precedent to after times. If it was my professed design to comment upon this malefactor's case, I should consider it in a different light. The nature of his punishment, which was seldom inflicted but on those who were judged the most atrocious criminals, makes it more than probable that It may be objected to this interpretation, That the father speaks to the elder brother in terms of complacence: Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. But this is not the only place where our Lord addresses the Pharisees in their own style, accord ing to the opinion they conceived of themselves. Thus (Matt. viii. 12,) he says, "The children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness.-He does not mean those who were truly the children of the kingdom, but those who pretended to be so. VOL. II. D he did not suffer for a first offence. Nor was he simply a thief. The history of those times abounds with the mischiefs committed by public robbers, who used to join in considerable bands, for rapine and murder, and commit the greatest excesses. In all likelihood, the malefactors crucified with Jesus were of this sort, accomplices and equals in guilt; and therefore judged to die together, receiving (as appears by the criminal's own confession on the cross) the just reward of their deeds.* Here was indeed a fair occasion to show the sovereignty and triumph of grace, contrasted with the most desperate pitch of obdurate wickedness. To show, on the one hand, that the compassion and the power of Christ were not diminished when his sufferings were at the height, and he seemed abandoned to his enemies; and, on the other, the insufficiency of any means to change a sinner's heart, without the powerful efficacy of divine grace. The one malefactor, brought at length to deserved punishment, far from repenting of his crimes, regardless of his immediate appearance before God, thought it some relaxation of his torments, to join with the barbarous multitude in reviling Jesus, who hung upon a cross by his side. He was not ignorant that Jesus was put to death for professing himself the Messiah; but he upbraided him with his character, and treated him as an impostor. In this man we see the progress, wages, and effects of sin. His wickedness brought him to a terrible end, and sealed him up under a fatal hardness of heart; so that he died desperate, though Jesus Christ was crucified be fore his eyes. But his companion was impressed by what he saw; his heart relented; he observed the patience of the divine sufferer; he heard him pray for his murderers; he felt himself miserable, and feared the God with whom he had to do. In this distress he received faith to apply to Jesus; and his prayer was granted, and exceeded. He who sent the fair-spoken ruler away sorrowful, answered the first desire of a malefactor at the point of death: "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." This certainly was an instance of free distinguishing grace. Here was salvation bestowed upon one of the vilest sinners, through faith in Jesus, without previous works, or a possibility of performing any. And as such, it is recorded for the en Barabbas's gang. They had made an insurrection, com* It seems probable, from history, that these were of mitted murder, and were, with their ringleader, con victed and condemned. He, in dishonour to Jesus, was spared, whilst these, his accomplices, were executed with him. Compare Matt. xxvii. 39. How can it be expected that no more than a constant repetition of Christ's death should be an invincible means of changing the heart, when the actual sight of his sufferings was attended with so little effect! Sin must be felt as the disease and ruin of the soul, and the sufferings of Jesus acknowledged as the only possible reinedy, before we can truly sympathize with him, and say, "I am crucified with Christ." encouragement of all who see themselves | cious in all that truly believe; and nothing destitute of righteousness and strength, and less than this faith is sufficient to give any that, like the thief on the cross, they have man a right to the name of a Christian. no refuge or hope, but in the free mercy of God through Christ. 5. The medium by which the gospel becomes the power of God unto salvation, is faith. By faith we do not mean a bare assent, founded upon testimony and rational evidence, that the facts recorded in the New Testament are true. A faith of this sort experience proves to be consistent with a wicked life; whereas the gospel-faith purifies the heart, and overcomes the world. Neither do we mean a confidence of the forgiveness of sin, impressed upon the mind in a sudden and instantaneous manner. Faith is indeed founded upon the strongest evidence, and may often be confirmed by ineffable manifestations from the fountain of light and comfort; but the discriminating property of true faith is, "a reliance upon Jesus Christ for all the ends and purposes for which the gospel reveals him;" such as the pardon of sin, peace of conscience, strength for obedience, and eternal life. It is wrought by the operation of the Holy Spirit, and presupposes a knowledge of him, and of ourselves; of our indigence, and his fulness; our unworthiness, and his merits; our weakness, and his power. The true believer builds upon the person and word of Christ (Matt. vii. 24; xvi. 18) as the foundation of his hope. He enters by him as the only door (John x. 9) to the knowledge, communion, and love of God: he feeds upon him by faith in his heart, with thanksgiving, as the bread of life (John vi. 54-57;) he embraces his righteousness as the wedding-garment (Matt. xxii. 11; Rom. xiii. 14) whereby alone he expects admission to the marriage-feast of heaven: he derives all his strength and comfort from his influence, as the branch from the root (John xv. 4, 5:) he entrusts himself to his care, as the wise and good shepherd of his soul, John x. 14. Sensible of his own ignorance, defects, and his many enemies, he receives Christ as his teacher, priest, and king (John vi. 68;) obeys his preceptor, confides in his mediation, expects and enjoys his powerful protection. In a word, he renounces all confidence in the flesh (Phil. iii. 3,) and rejoices in Christ Jesus as his Saviour; and thus he attains to worship God in spirit and in truth, is supported through all the conflicts and trials of life, possesses a stable peace in the midst of a changing world, goes on from strength to strength, and is at length made more than conqueror, through him that has loved him. This is the life of faith. The degree and exercise of it is various in different persons, and in the same person at different times, as has been already hinted; but the principle elf is universal, permanent,, and eca 6. The final cause or great ends of the gospel, respecting man, are holiness and happiness (Matt. i. 21; xxv. 34; John xvii. 24;) the complete restoration of the soul to the favour and image of God, or eternal life begun here, to be consummated in glory. What has been already said renders it needless to enlarge upon this head; nor shall we concern ourselves here to vindicate the doctrine we have laid down from the charge of licentiousness: because it is our professed design, in the progress of this work, to prove, from the history of the church, not only that these principles, when rightly understood, will infallibly produce obedience and submis sion to the whole will of God, but that these only can do it. Wherever and whenever the doctrines of free grace and justification by faith have prevailed in the Christian church; and according to the degree of clearness with which they have been enforced, the practical duties of christianity have flourished in the same proportion. Wherever they have declined, or been tempered with the reasonings and expedients of men, either from a well meant, though mistaken fear, lest they should be abused, or from a desire to accommodate the gospel, and render it more palatable to the depraved taste of the world, the consequence has al ways been, an equal declension in practice. So long as the gospel of Christ is maintained without adulteration, it is found sufficient for every valuable purpose; but when the wisdom of man is permitted to add to the perfect work of God, a wide door is opened for innumerable mischiefs:—the divine commands are made void, new inventions are continually taking place, zeal is diverted into a wrong channel, and the greatest stress laid upon things either unnecessary or unwarrantable. Hence perpetual occasion is given for strife, debates, and divisions, till at length the spirit of christianity is forgot, and the power of godliness lost, amidst fierce contentions for the form. To sum up this inquiry in a few words: the gospel is a wise and gracious dispensation, equally suited to the necessities of man, and to the perfections of God: it proclaims relief to the miserable, and excludes none but those who exclude themselves: it convinces a sinner, that he is unworthy of the smallest mercy, at the same time that i gives him a confidence to expect the greatest; it cuts off all pretence of glorying in the flesh, but it enables a guilty sinner ts glory in God: to them that have no might it increases strength; it gives eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; subdues the enmity of the heart; shows the nature of sin, the spirituality and sanction of the law, with the fullest evidence; and, by exhibiting | Satan; he was branded as an impostor, madJesus, as made of God, wisdom, righteous man, and demoniac; he was made the sport ness, sanctification, and redemption, to all of servants and soldiers; and, at length, who believe, it makes obedience practicable, publicly executed with every possible cireasy, and delightful. The constraining love cumstance of ignominy and torture, as a of Christ engages the heart, and every fa- malefactor of the worst sort. culty in his service. His example illustrates and recommends his precepts; his presence inspires courage and activity under every pressure; and the prospect of the glory to be revealed is a continual source of joy and peace, which passeth the understanding of the natural man. Thus the gospel filleth the hungry with good things; but it sendeth the rich and self-sufficient empty away, and leaves the impenitent and believing in a state of aggravated guilt and condemnation. CHAPTER III. Concerning the true grounds of the opposition our Lord met with in the course of his ministry: and the objections and artifices his enemies employed to prejudice the people against him, and prevent the reception of his doctrine. What could be the cause and motives of such injurious treatment? This is the subject of our present inquiry. It might indeed be answered very briefly, as it has been, by ascribing it to the peculiar wickedness and perverseness of the Jews. There is not a fallacy more frequent or pleasing to the minds of men, than, while they act contrary to present duty, to please themselves with imagining how well they would have behaved in another situation, or a different age. They think it a mark of virtue to condemn the wickedness of former times, not aware that they themselves are governed by the same spirit. Thus these very Jews spoke highly of the persons of the prophets, while they rejected their testimony, and blamed their forefathers for shedding innocent blood, at the time they were thirsting for the blood of Jesus, Matt. xxiii. 29, 30. It is equally easy at present to condemn the treachery of Judas, the cowardice of Pilate, the blindness of the people, and the malice of the priests, who were all personally con If our knowledge of the history of Jesus was confined to the excellence of his cha-cerned in the death of Christ. It is easy to racter, and the diffusive goodness that shone think, that if we had seen his works, and forth in all his actions, we should hardly con- heard his words, we would not have joined ceive it possible, that any people could be with the multitude in crying, Crucify him; so lost to gratitude and humanity as to op- though, it is to be feared, many who thus pose him. He went about doing good: he flatter themselves have little less enmity raised the dead, healed every disease, and against his person and doctrine than his relieved the distresses of all who applied to actual murderers. On this account, I shall him, without any difference of cases, cha- give a detail of the true reasons why Christ racters, or parties, as the sun, with a rich was opposed in the flesh, and of the measures and unwearied profusion, fills every eye employed against him, in order to show, that with his light. Wisdom flowed from his lips, the same grounds of opposition are deeply and his whole conduct was perfect and in-rooted in the fallen human nature; and how culpable. How natural is it to expect, that a person so amiable and benevolent, so blameless and exemplary, should have been universally revered.* But we find in fact it was far otherwise. Instead of the honours he justly deserved, the returns he met with were reproach, persecution, and death. The wonders of his power and goodness were maliciously ascribed to *The Heathen moralists have supposed that there is something so amiable in virtue, that could it be visible, it would necessarily attract the love and admiration of all beholders. This sentiment has been generally admired; and we need not wonder, since it flatters the pride of man without thwarting his passions. In the Lord Jesus this great desideratum was vouchsafed; virfue and goodness were pleased to become visible, were manifest in the flesh. But did the experiment answer to the ideas of the philosophers? Alas! to the reproach of mankind. Jews and Gentiles conspired to treat him with the utmost contempt. They loved darkness, and therefore could not bear the light. They had more compassion and affection for the most infamous malefactor; therefore, when the alternative was proposed to them, they released Barabbas, a robber and a murderer, and nailed Jesus nad virtue to ti·eross. probable it is, that if he was to appear again in the same obscure manner, in any country now called by his name, he would meet with little better treatment, unless when the constitution and laws of a civil government might interpose to prevent it. But it may be proper, in the first place, briefly to delineate the characters of the sects or parties mentioned by the evangelists, whose leaders, jointly and separately, both from common and distinct motives, opposed our Saviour's ministry, and cavilled at his doctrine. These were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians. The Pharisees, including the Scribes (who were chiefly of this sect,) were professedly the guardians of the law, and public teachers of the people. They were held in high veneration by the common people, for the aus-. † See Matt. xxiii; Mark vii. 13; and Luke xviii 9-14. From this, however, terity of their deportment, the frequency of | to the ground at once. their devotions, and their exactness in the we may learn their characteristic; they less essential parts of the law. They ob- were the cautious reasoners of those times, served the traditions of the elders, were still who valued themselves on examining every adding to them; and the consequence was thing closely, refusing to be influenced by (as it will always be in such a case,) that the plausible sounds of antiquity and authey were so pleased with their own inven- thority. tions, as to prefer them to the positive commands of God; and their studious punctuality in trifles, withdrew their regard from the most important duties. Their specious show of piety was a fair outside, under which the grossest abominations were concealed and indulged. They were full of pride, and a high conceit of their own goodness they fasted and prayed to be seen and esteemed of men; they expected reverence and homage from all, and challenged the highest titles of respect, to be saluted as doctors and masters, and to be honoured with the principal seats in all assemblies. Many of them made their solemn exterior a cloak for extortion and oppression; and the rest, if not hypocrites in the very worst sense, yet deceived both themselves, and others, by a form of godliness, when they were in effect enslaved by their passions, and lived according to the corrupt rule of their own imaginations. The Herodians (Matt. xxii. 16; Mark iii. 6) were those who endeavoured to ingratiate themselves with Herod. It is most probable that they received their name and distinction, not so much from any peculiar sentiments, as from attempting to accommodate their religion to the circumstances of the times. The Pharisees, boasting of their privileges as the children of Abraham, could hardly brook a foreign yoke; but the Herodians, from motives of interest, were advocates for Herod and the Roman power. Thus they were opposite to the Pharisees in political matters, as the Sadducees were in points of doctrine; and therefore the question con cerning tribute was proposed to our Lord jointly by the Pharisees and Herodians, the former designing to render him obnoxious to the people, if he allowed of tribute, the latter to accuse him to the government, if he refused it. From what has been said, it is evident the The Sadducees, their antagonists and ri- leading principles of these sects were not vals, were equally, though differently, remote peculiar to themselves. They may rather from the true knowledge and worship of be considered universally as specimens of God. They not only rejected the tradition the different appearances a religious profesof the elders, but a great part of the scrip- sion assumes where the heart is not divinely tures likewise; and admitted only the five enlightened and converted to the love of the books of Moses as of divine authority. From truth. In all such persons, however high the this circumstance, together with the dif- pretence of religion may be carried, it canficulty (Matt. xxii. 23) they proposed to our not proceed from a nobler principle, or aim Lord, and the answers he gave them, it at a nobler object than self. These disposiappears, that they were persons, who, pro- tions have appeared in every age and form fessing in general terms to acknowledge a of the christian church, and are always acrevelation from God, yet made their own tive to oppose the self-denying doctrines of prejudices and mistakes, under the dignified the gospel upon different pretences. The name of reason, the standard to determine man, who, fond of his fancied attainments what books should be received as authentic, and scrupulous exactness in externals, desand in what sense they should be under- pises all who will not conform to his rules, stood. The doctrine of a resurrection did and challenges peculiar respect on account not accord with their notions; therefore they of his superior goodness, is a proud Pharirejected it (Acts xxiii. 8,) together with see. His zeal is dark, envious, and bitter; those parts of scripture which asserted it his obedience partial and self-willed; and most expressly. Their question concerning while he boasts of the knowledge of God, the seven brethren seems to have been a his heart rises with enmity at the grace of trite objection, which they had often made, the gospel, which he boldly charges with and which had never been answered to satis-opening a door to licentiousness. The mofaction till our Lord resolved it. But the dern Sadducee (like those of old) admits of whole difficulty was founded upon false prin- a revelation, but then, full of his own wisciples; and when these were removed, all fell * That the Sadducees received only the law of Moses, is the general opinion; though I do not say that it has been either indubitably proved, or universally held. That they put their own sense upon the scriptures (whether in whole or in part,) which they did profess to receive, is manifest, from their asserting that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit. A tenet which contradicts not one or a few texts, but the whole strain and tenor both of the law and the prophets. | dom and importance, he arraigns even the revelation he seems to allow at the bar of his narrow judgment; and as the sublime doctrines of truth pass under his review, he affixes without hesitation, the epithets of absurd, inconsistent, and blasphemous to whatever thwarts his pride, prejudice, and ignorance, and those parts of scripture which cannot be warped to speak his sense, he dis cards from his canon as interpolated and supposititious. The Herodian is the man, however denominated or dignified, who is governed by interest, as the others by pride, and vainly endeavours to reconcile the incompatible services of God and the world, Christ and Belial. He avoids the excesses of religious parties, speaks in terms of moderation, and is not unwilling to be accounted the pattern and friend of sobriety and religion. He stands fair with all who would be religious upon cheap terms, and fair in his own esteem, having numbers and authority on his side. Thus he almost persuades himself he has carried his point, and that it is not so impossible to serve two masters as our Lord's words seem to import; but the preaching of the pure gospel, which enforces the one thing needful, and will admit of no compliances with worldly interests, interferes with his plan, and incurs his resentment likewise, though, perhaps, he will show his displeasure by more refined and specious methods than the clamorous rage of hot bigotry has patience to wait for. We now proceed.—The first great cause why Jesus was rejected by those to whom he appealed, may be deduced from the tenor of his doctrine, a summary of which has been given in the former chapter. It offended the pride of the Pharisees, was repugnant to the wise infidelity of the Sadducees, and condemned the pliant temper of the Herodians. The doctrines of free grace, faith, and spiritual obedience were diametrically opposite to their inclinations. They must have parted with all they admired and loved if they had complied with him; but this is a sacrifice too great for any to make who had not deeply felt and known their need of a Saviour. These, on the contrary, were the whole, who saw no want of a physician, and therefore treated his offers with contempt. Besides, their dislike to his doctrine was increased by his manner of enforcing it. He spoke with authority, and sharply rebuked the hypocrisy, ignorance, ambition, and avarice of those persons who were accounted the wise and the good, who sat in Moses's chair, and had hitherto been heard and obeyed with reverence. But Jesus exposed their true characters: he spoke of them as blind guides; he compared them to painted sepulchres,* and cautioned the people against them, as dangerous deceivers, Matth. xxiii. 27. It is no wonder, therefore, that on this account they hated him with a perfect hatred. Again, they were exceedingly offended with the high character he assumed as the Son of God, and the Messiah. On this account, they condemned him to die for blasphemy. They expected a Messiah indeed, who they professed was spoken of in the scriptures; but they understood not what the scriptures had revealed, either concerning his divine nature or his voluntary humiliation, that he was to be the Son and Lord of David, yet a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. They denied his divinity, and themselves unwittingly fulfilled the prophecies that spoke of his sufferings; affording, by their conduct, a memorable proof how fatally persons may mistake the sense of the word of God, while they profess highly to esteem it. What farther increased their contempt of his claims, and contributed to harden their hearts more implacably against him, was the obscurity and poverty of his state. While they were governed by worldly wisdom, and sought not the teaching of God's Spirit, they could not but suppose an utter repugnance between the meanness of his condition and the honours he vindicated to himself. They expected a Messiah to come in pomp and power, to deliver them from the Roman yoke. For a person truly divine, who made himself equal with God, to be encompassed with poverty and distress, seemed such profane contradiction, as might justify every mark of indignity they could offer him. And this difficulty must equally affect every unenlightened mind. If man had been left to devise in what manner the Lord of the universe would probably descend to dwell awhile with poor mortals in a visible form, they would undoubtedly have imagined such a scene, if their thoughts could have reached it, as is described by the prophets on other occasions: the heavens bowing, the earth shaking, the mountains ready to start from their places, and all nature labouring to do homage to her Creator. Or, if he came in a milder way, they would at least have contrived an assemblage of all that we conceive magnificent,a pomp and splendour surpassing all the world ever saw. Expecting nations crowding to welcome his arrival, and thrones of gold, and palaces of ivory, would have been judged too mean to accommodate so glorious a guest. But the Lord's thoughts and ways are different from man's. The beloved Son of God, by whom all things were made, was born in a stable, and grew up in an obscure and mean condition. He came to suffer and to die for sin, to sanctify poverty and affliction to his people, to set a perfect example of patience and submission; therefore he made himself of no reputation, but took upon him the form and offices of a servant. This was the appointment of divine wisdom; but so incredible in the judgment of blinded mortals, that |