Matthew (Sections 130-146)

Section 130 "If Thou be the Son of God."—Matthew 4:3.

There is no sin in being tempted; for the perfect Jesus "was in all points tempted like we are": Hebrews 4:15.

Temptation does not necessitate sinning; for of Jesus, when tempted, we read,—"yet without sin." Not even the worst forms of it involve sin: for Jesus endured without sin the subtlest of temptations, from the evil one himself.

It may be needful for us to be tempted—

• For test. Sincerity, faith, love, patience, are thus put to proof.

• For growth. Temptation develops and increases our graces.

• For usefulness. We become able to comfort and warm others.

• For victory. How glorious to overcome the arch-enemy!

• For God's glory. He vanquishes Satan by feeble men. Solitude will not prevent temptation.

It may even aid it. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. Nor will fasting and prayer always keep off the tempter; for these had been fully used by our Lord. Satan knows how to write prefaces: our text is one.

He began the whole series of his temptations by a doubt cast upon our Lord's Sonship, and a crafty quotation from Scripture.

He caught up the echo of the Father's word at our Lord's baptism, and began tempting where heavenly witness ended.

He knew how to discharge a double-shotted temptation, and at once to suggest doubt and rebellion: this was such— "If thou be the Son of God, command," etc.

I. The tempter assails with an "if."

1. Not with point-blank denial. That would be too startling. Doubt serves the Satanic purpose better than heresy.

2. He grafts his "if" on a holy thing. He makes the doubt look like holy anxiety concerning divine Sonship.

3. He ifs a plain Scripture. "Thou art my Son": Psalms 2:7.

4. He ifs a former manifestation. At his baptism God said, "This is my beloved Son." Satan contradicts our spiritual experience.

5. He ifs a whole life. From the first Jesus had been about his Father's business; yet after thirty years his Sonship is questioned.

6. He ifs inner consciousness. Our Lord knew that he was the Father's Son; but the evil one is daring.

7. He ifs a perfect character. Well may he question us, whose faults are so many.

II. The tempter aims the "if" at a vital part.

1. At our sonship. In our Lord's case he attacks his human and divine Sonship. In our case he would make us doubt our regeneration.

2. At our childlike spirit. He tempts us to cater for ourselves. "Command that these stones be made bread."

3. At our Father's honor. He tempts us to doubt our Father's providence, and to blame him for letting us hunger.

4. At our comfort and strength as members of the heavenly family. By robbing us of our sonship, he would leave us orphans, and consequently naked, poor and miserable.

Thus he would have us hindered in prayer. How could we say, "Our Father" if we doubted our sonship? Matthew 6:9.

Thus he would destroy patience. How can we say, "Father, thy will be done," if we are not his sons? Luke 22:42.

Thus he would lay us open to the next shot, whatever that might be. Doubt of sonship leaves us naked to the enemy.

III. The tempter supports that "if" with circumstances.

1. You are alone. Would a Father desert his child?

2. You are in a desert. Is this the place for God's Heir?

3. You are with the wild beasts. Wretched company for a Son of God!

4. You are an hungered. How can a loving Father let his perfect Son hunger?

Put all these together, and the tempter's question comes home with awful force to one who is hungry, and alone. When we see others thus tried, do we think them brethren? Do we not question their sonship, as Job's friends questioned him? What wonder if we question ourselves!

IV. When overcome, the tempter's "if" is helpful.

1. As coming from Satan, it is a certificate of our true descent.

He only questions truth: therefore we are true sons.

He only leads sons to doubt their sonship; therefore we are sons.

2. As overcome, it may be a quietus to the enemy for years.

It takes the sting out of man's questionings and suspicions; for if we have answered the devil himself we do not fear men.

It puts a sweetness into all future enjoyment of OUR FATHER.

3. As past, it is usually the prelude to angels coming and ministering to us, as in our Lord's case. No calm is so deep as that which follows a great storm. Mark 4:39.

Friend, are you in such relation to God that it would be worth Satan's while to raise this question with you? Those who are not heirs of God are heirs of wrath.

Selections

What force there is often in a single monosyllable! What force, for instance, in the monosyllable "If," with which this artful address begins! It was employed by Satan, for the purpose of insinuating into the Saviour's mind a doubt of his being in reality the special object of his Father's care, and it was pronounced by him, as we may well suppose, with a cunning and malignant emphasis. How different is the use which Jesus makes of this word "if" in those lessons of Divine instruction and heavenly consolation, which he so frequently delivered to his disciples when he was on earth! He always employed it to inspire confidence; never to excite distrust. Take a single instance of this:—"If God so clothe grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" What a contrast between this divine remonstrance and the malicious insinuation of the great enemy of God and man!—Daniel Bagot.

God had but one Son without corruption, but he had none without temptation. Such is Satan's enmity to the Father, that the nearer and dearer any child is to him, the more will Satan trouble him, and vex him with temptations. None so well-beloved as Christ; none so much tempted as he.—Thomas Brooks.

Satan doth not come to Christ thus, "Thou art not the Son of God"; or, "That voice which gave thee that testimony was a lie or a delusion." No, he proceeds by questioning, which might seem to grant that he was the Son of God, yet withal might possibly beget a doubt in his mind.—Richard Gilpin.

Oh, this word "if"! Oh, that I could tear it out of my heart! O thou poison of all my pleasures! Thou cold icy hand, that touchest me so often, and freezest me with the touch! "If! If!" —Robert Robinson.

Section 131 "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."—Matthew 4:19.

Conversion is most fully displayed when it leads con-verts to seek the conversion of others: we most truly follow Christ when we become fishers of men. The great question is not so much what we are naturally, as what Jesus makes us by his grace: whoever we may be of ourselves, we can, by following Jesus, be made useful in his kingdom. Our desire should be to be men-catchers; and the way to attain to that sacred art is to be ourselves thoroughly captured by the great Head of the College of Fishermen. When Jesus draws us we shall draw men.

I. Something to be done by us.

"Follow me."

1. We must be separated to him, that we may pursue his object.

We cannot follow him unless we leave others. Matthew 6:24.

We must belong to him, that his design may be our design.

2. We must abide with him, that we may catch his spirit. The closer our communion with Christ, the greater our power with souls. Near following means full fellowship.

3. We must obey him, that we may learn his method.

Teach what he taught. Matthew 28:20.

Teach as he taught. Matthew 11:29; 1 Thessalonians 2:7.

Teach such as he taught, namely, the poor, the base, children, etc.

4. We must believe him, that we may believe true doctrine.

Christ's own teaching catches men; let us repeat it.

Faith in Jesus on our part is a great force to beget faith.

5. We must copy his life, that we may win his blessing from God; for God blesses those who are like his Son.

II. Something to be done by him.

"I will make you" Our following Jesus secures our education for soul-winning.

1. By our following Jesus he works conviction and conversion in men: he uses our examples as a means to this end.

2. By our discipleship the Lord makes us fit to be used.

True soul-winners are not self-made, but Christ-made. The making of men-catchers is a high form of creation.

3. By our personal experience in following Jesus he instructs us till we become proficient in the holy art of soul-winning.

4. By inward monitions he guides us what, when, and where to speak.

These must be followed up carefully if we would win men.

5. By his Spirit he qualifies us to reach men. The Spirit comes to us by our keeping close to Christ.

6. By his secret working on men's hearts he speeds us in our work.

He makes us true fishers by inclining men to enter the gospel net.

III. A figure instructing us.

"Fishers of men." The man who saves souls is like a fisher upon the sea.

1. A fisher is dependent and trustful.

2. He is diligent and persevering.

3. He is intelligent and watchful.

4. He is laborious and self-denying.

5. He is daring, and is not afraid to venture upon a dangerous sea.

6. He is successful. He is no fisher who never catches anything.

See the ordination of successful ministers. They are made, not born—made by God, and not by mere human training.

See how we can partake in the Lord's work, and be specimens of his workmanship: "Follow me, and I will make you."

Hooks

I love your meeting for prayer, you cannot have too many of them: but we must work while we pray, and pray while we work. I would rather see a man, who has been saved from the gulf below, casting lifelines to others struggling in the maelstrom of death, than on his knees on that rock thanking God for his own deliverance; because I believe God will accept action for others as the highest possible expression of gratitude that a saved soul can offer.—Thomas Guthrie.

Ministers are fishers. A busy profession, a toilsome calling, no idle man's occupation, as the vulgar conceive it, nor needless trade, taken up at last to pick a living out of. Let God's fishermen busy themselves as they must, sometimes in preparing, sometimes in mending, sometimes in casting abroad, sometimes in drawing in the net, that they may "separate the precious from the vile," etc. Jeremiah 15:19, Matthew 13:48; and no man shall have just cause to twit them with idleness, or to say they have an easy life.—John Trapp. The minister is a fisherman. As such he must fit himself for his employment. If some fish will bite only by day, he must fish by day; if others will bite only by moonlight, he must fish for them by moonlight.—Richard Cecil.

I watched an old man trout-fishing the other day, pulling them out one after another briskly. "You manage it cleverly, old friend," I said, "I have passed a good many below who don't seem to be doing anything." The old man lifted himself up and stuck his rod in the ground. "Well, you see, Sir, there be three rules for trout-fishing, and 'tis no good trying if you don't mind them. The first is, Keep yourself out of sight; and the second is, Keep yourself farther out of sight; and the third is, Keep yourself farther still out of sight. Then you'll do it." "Good for catching men, too," thought I.—Mark Guy Pearse.

Lord, speak to me, that I may speak In living echoes of thy throne: As thou hast sought, so let me seek Thy erring children, lost and lone.

O lead me, Lord, that I may lead The wandering and the wayward feet;

O feed me, Lord, that I may feed Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.

O strengthen me, that while I stand Firm on the Rock, and strong in thee, I may stretch out a loving hand To wrestlers with the troubled sea.

O teach me, Lord, that I may teach The precious things thou dost impart; And wing my words, that they may reach The hidden depths of many a heart.

—F. R. Havergal. The best training for a soul-saving minister is precisely that which he would follow if his sole object were to develop the character of Christ in himself. The better the man, the more powerful will his preaching become. As he grows like Jesus, he will preach like Jesus. Given like purity of motive, tenderness of heart, and clearness of faith, and you will have like force of utterance. The direct road to success in saving souls is to become like the Saviour. The imitation of Christ is the true art of sacred rhetoric—C. H. S.

Mr. Jesse relates that certain fish give preference to bait that has been perfumed. When the prince of evil goes forth in quest of victims, there does not need much allurement added to the common temptations of life to make them effective. Fishers of men, however, do well to employ all the skill they can to suit the minds and tastes of those whom they seek to gain.—G. McMichael.

Section 132

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works?

"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me,
ye that work iniquity."—Matthew 7:21-23.

One of the best tests of everything is how it will appear in the moment of death, in the morning of resurrection, and at the day of judgment. Our Lord gives us a picture of persons as they will appear "in that day."

Riches, honors, pleasures, successes, self-congratulations, etc., should all be set in the light of "that day." This test should especially be applied to all religious professions and exercises; for "that day" will try these things as with fire. The persons here depicted in judgment-light were not gross and open sinners; but externally they were excellent.

I. They went a long way in religion.

1. They made an open profession. They said, "Lord, Lord."

2. They undertook Christian service, and that of a high class: they habitually prophesied and worked miracles.

3. They had obtained remarkable success.

Devils had owned their power.

4. They were noted for their practical energy.

They had done many wonders: they were active in many ways.

They had done wonders. Astonished everybody.

5. They were diligently orthodox.

They did everything in the name of Christ. The words "Thy name" are mentioned three times.

II. They kept it up a long while.

1. They were not silenced by men. No one discovered their falsehood, or detected their inconsistency.

2. They were not openly disowned by the Lord himself during life.

3. They were not made a laughing-stock by being left to use the holy name without result. Acts 19:13-17.

Devils were cast out.

4. They expected to enter the Kingdom, and they clung to that false hope to the last.

They dared to say, "Lord, Lord," to Christ himself, at the last.

III. They were fatally mistaken.

1. Their tongue was belied by their hand. They said, "Lord, Lord," but did not do the will of the Father.

2. They used the name which is named by disciples, but did not possess the nature of obedient servants. Luke 6:46.

3. They prophesied, but did not pray.

4. They cast out devils, but the devil was not cast out of them.

5. They attended to marvels, but not to essentials.

6. They wrought wonders, but were also workers of iniquity.

IV. They found it out in a terrible way.

They had the information from the mouth of him whom they called Lord. Here let us carefully notice—

1. The solemnity of what he said. "I never knew you." He had been omitted from their religion. What an oversight!

2. The terror of what it implied: they must depart from all hope, and continue for ever to depart.

3. The awful truth of what he said. They were utter strangers to his heart. He had not chosen them, nor communed with them, nor approved them, nor cared for them.

4. The solemn fixedness of what he said. His sentence would never be recalled, altered, or ended. It stood, "depart from me."

Brethren, the Lord cannot say to some of us that he does not know us, for he has often heard our voices, and answered our requests.

He has known us— In repentance, seeking mercy, and receiving it. In gratitude, blessing his gracious name. In adversity, looking for his aid, and enjoying it. In reproach, owning his cause under ridicule. In difficulty, seeking help and safety under his wing. In love, enjoying happy fellowship with him. In these and many other ways he knows us.

Professor, does Jesus know you? The church knows you, the world knows you; does Jesus know you?

Come unto him, ye strangers, and find eternal life in him.

Warnings In many simple works God is more seen than in wonderful works. The Pharisee at heaven's gate says, "Lord, I have done many wonderful works in thy name"; but, alas! has he ever made the Lord's name wonderful?—T. T. Lynch.

Pollok describes the hypocritical professor as— The man that stole the livery of heaven To serve the devil in.

I knew you well enough for "black sheep," or, rather, for reprobate goats: I knew you for hirelings and hypocrites, but I never knew you with a special knowledge of love, delight, and complacency. I never acknowledged, approved, and accepted of your persons and performances. See Psalms 1:6; Romans 11:2.—John Trapp. Not "I once knew you, but cannot own you now"; but "I never knew you;—as real penitents, suppliants for pardon, humble believers, true followers."—E. R. Conder.

Note our Lord's open confession before men and angels, and specially to the men themselves—"I never knew you." I knew about you; I knew that you professed great things; but you had no acquaintance with me; and whatever you knew about me, you did not know me. I was not of your company, and did not know you. Had he once known them, he would not have forgotten them.

Those who accept his invitation, "Come unto me," shall never hear him say, "Depart from me." Workers of iniquity may now come to the Saviour for mercy; but if they set up a hope of their own, and ignore the Saviour, he will bid them depart to endure the rigors of his justice. Is it not striking that preachers, casters-out of devils, and doers of wonders, may yet be workers of inquity? They may work miracles in Christ's name, and yet have neither part nor lot in him.—C. H. S.

"Depart from me,"—a fearful sentence, a terrible separation. "From me," saith Christ, that made myself man for your sakes, that offered my blood for your redemption. "From me," that invited you to mercy, and you would not accept it. "From me," that purchased a kingdom of glory for such as believed on me, and have resolved to honor their heads with crowns of eternal joy. "Depart from me": from my friendship, my fellowship, my paradise, my presence, my heaven.—Thomas Adams.

Section 133 "And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him."—Matthew 8:7.

"Say in a word, and my servant shall be healed." —Luke 7:7. The centurion who cared for the religious welfare of the people, and built them a synagogue, had also a heart of compassion for the sick. It is well when public generosity is sustained by domestic kindness. This servant was his boy, and perhaps his slave; but he was dear to him. A good master makes a good servant.

It is well when all ranks are united in sympathy: captain and page are here united in affection. The master showed his affection by seeking help. Heart and hand should go together. Let us not love in word only.

It is well that the followers of Jesus should be ready to help all sick folk; and that healing should be still associated with prayer to Jesus.

Mark the growingly manifest faith of the centurion, and the growing manifestation of Jesus.

Centurion sends elders with request to "come and heal."

Jesus will come and heal.

Centurion comes himself asking for "a word." Jesus gives the word, and the deed is done.

We see in this passage a miracle in the physical world, and are thereby taught what our Lord Jesus can do in the spiritual world.

Let us imitate the centurion in seeking to Jesus about others.

We learn from the narrative—

I. The perfect readiness of Christ.

1. He did not debate with the elders of the Jews, and show the weakness of their pleas,—"He was worthy": Luke 7:4-5.

2. He cheerfully granted their request, although it was needless for him to come. "Then Jesus went with them": Luke 7:6.

3. He did not raise a question about the change which the centurion proposed, although he was already on the road. Luke 7:6.

4. He did not suspect the good man's motive, as some might have done. He read his heart and saw his true humility.

5. He did not demur to the comparison of himself to a petty officer. Our Lord is never captious; but takes our meaning.

6. He promptly accepted the prayer and the faith of the centurion, gave the boon, and gave it as desired. Our Lord's love to sinners, his forgetfulness of self, his willingness to please us, and his eagerness to fulfil his own mission, should encourage us in prayer to him for ourselves and others.

II. The conscious ability of Christ.

1. He is not puzzled with the case. It was singular for the servant to be at once paralyzed and tormented; but whatever the disease may be, the Lord says, "I will come and heal him."

2. He is not put in doubt by the extreme danger of the servant. No, he will come to him, though he hears that he is stricken down, and is utterly prostrate.

3. He speaks of healing as a matter of course. His coming will ensure the cure: "come and heal."

4. He treats the method of procedure as of no consequence.

He will come or he will not come, but will "say in a word"; yet the result will be the same.

5. He wonders more at the centurion's faith than at the cure.

Omnipotent grace moves with majestic ease.

We are worried and fretted, but the Lord is not.

Let us thus be encouraged to hope.

III. The abiding method of Christ.

He is accustomed to heal by his Word through faith. Signs and wonders are temporary, and answer a purpose for an occasion; but both faith and the Word of the Lord are matters for all time. Our Lord did not in the case before us put in a personal appearance, but spake, and it was done; and this he does in our own day.

1. This is coming back to the original form of working in creation.

It is apparently a greater miracle than working by visible presence; at any rate, the means are less seen.

2. This method suits true humility. We do not demand signs and wonders; the Word is enough for us. Luke 7:7.

3. This pleases great faith; for the Word is faith's chosen manifestation of God. It rejoices more in the Word than in all things visible. Psalms 119:162.

4. This is perfectly reasonable. Should not a word of command from God be enough? Mark the centurion's reasoning. Matthew 8:9.

5. This is sure to succeed. Who can resist the divine fiat? In our own case, all we need is a word from the Lord.

6. This must be confidently relied on for others. Let us use the Word, and pray the Lord to make it his own word.

Henceforth, let us go forward in his name, relying upon his Word!

Insertions Had the centurion's roof been heaven itself, it could not have been worthy to be come under of him whose word was almighty, and who was the Almighty Word of his Father. Such is Christ confessed to be by him that says, "only say the word." None but a divine power is unlimited: neither hath faith any other bounds than God himself. There needs no footing to remove mountains, or devils, but a word. Do but say the word, O Saviour, my sin shall be remitted, my soul shall be healed, my body shall be raised from dust, and both soul and body shall be glorified.—Bishop Hall.

"I have been informed," says Hervey, "that when the Elector of Hanover was declared by the Parliament of Great Britain successor to the vacant throne, several persons of distinction waited upon his Highness, to make timely application for valuable preferments. Several requests of this nature were granted, and confirmed by a kind of promissory note. One gentleman solicited the Mastership of the Rolls. Being indulged in his desire, he was offered the same confirmation which had been vouchsafed to other successful petitioners; upon which he seemed to be overcome by grateful confusion and surprise, and begged that he might not put the royal donor to such unnecessary trouble, protesting that he looked upon His Highness's word as the best ratification of his suit. With this compliment the Elector was not a little pleased. 'This gentleman,' he said, 'treats me like a king; and, whoever is disappointed, he shall certainly be gratified.' " Our Lord can cure either by coming or by speaking. Let us not dictate to him the way in which he shall bless us. If we were permitted a choice, we ought not to select that method which makes most show, but that in which there is least to be seen and heard, yet most to be admired. Comparatively, signs and wonders show less of him than his bare Word, which he has magnified above all his name. Marvels dazzle, but the Word enlightens. That faith which sees least sees most, and that which hath no eyes at all for the visible hath a thousand eyes for the invisible. Lord, come in thy glory, and bless me, if such be thy will; but if thou wilt stay where thou art, and bless me only through thy will and Word, I will be as well content, and even more so if this method the more honors thee! —C. H. S.

Section 134

"And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man named Matthew,
sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me.
And he arose, and followed him."—Matthew 9:9.

Matthew is here writing about himself. Note his modesty in the expression—"a man, named Matthew," and his omission of the fact that the feast mentioned in verse 10 was held in his own house. The story is placed immediately after a miracle, as if to hint that Matthew's conversion was a miracle.

There are points of similarity between the miracle and the conversion.

Matthew was spiritually palsied by his sin, and his money-making; hence he needed the divine command, "Arise, and walk."

There may be points of likeness also between Matthew's personal story and our own. These may be profitably considered.

I. His call seemed accidental and unlikely.

Jesus had often been at Capernaum, which he had selected to be "his own city"; and yet Matthew remained unsaved. Was it likely that he would now be called? Had not his day of grace closed?

Jesus was about other business; for we read, "as Jesus passed forth from thence." Would he now be likely to call Matthew?

Jesus left many other persons uncalled; was it not highly probable that the tax-gatherer would be passed by?

Yet Jesus called to himself this "man, named Matthew," while many another man had no such special call.

"He saw a man, named Matthew," for he foresaw him.

He knew him, for he foreknew him. In all which there is a parallel between Matthew and ourselves.

II. His call was altogether unthought of and unsought.

1. He was in a degrading business. None but the lowest of the Jews would care to gather taxes for the Roman conqueror. His discipleship would bring no honor to the Lord Jesus.

2. He was in an ensnaring business. The publicans usually made a personal profit by extorting more than was due. He was not paying away, but sitting "at the receipt of custom; and this is a pleasing exercise." Money is bird-lime to the soul.

3. He would not have dared to follow Jesus, even if he had wished to do so. He felt himself to be too unworthy.

4. He would have been repulsed by the other disciples had he proposed to come without the Lord's open invitation.

5. He made no sign in the direction of Jesus. No prayer was offered by him, nor wish expressed toward better things. The call was of pure grace, as it is written, "I am found of them that sought me not."

III. His call was given by the Lord, with full knowledge of him.

Jesus "saw a man, named Matthew," and he called him.

1. He saw all the evil that had been in him, and was yet there.

2. He saw his adaptation for holy service, as a recorder and penman.

3. He saw all that he meant to make of him.

4. He saw in him his chosen, his redeemed, his convert, his disciple, his apostle, his biographer. The Lord calls as he pleases, but he sees what he is doing. Sovereignty is not blind: but acts with boundless wisdom.

IV. His call was graciously condescending. The Lord called "a man, named Matthew,"—that was his best.

He was a publican—that may not have been his worst.

He allowed such a sinner to be his personal attendant; yea, called him to that honor, saying, "Follow me."

He allowed him to do this immediately, without putting him into quarantine. He was to follow the Lord there and then.

V. His call was sublimely simple.

1. Few were the words: "Follow me."

It is very tersely recorded, "He saw . . . he saith . . . he arose."

2. Clear was the direction: "Follow me."

3. Personal was the address: "He saith unto him."

4. Royal was the command: "He saith."

VI. His call was immediately effectual.

1. Matthew followed at once. "He arose, and followed him."

2. He followed spiritually as well as literally. He became a sincere, devout, earnest, intelligent disciple.

3. He followed wholly: bringing his voice and his pen with him.

4. He followed growingly, more and more.

5. He followed ever after, never deserting his Leader. What a call was this! None could have given it but the Lord.

VII. His call was a door of hope for others.

1. His salvation encouraged other publicans to come to Jesus.

2. His open house gave opportunity to his friends to hear Jesus.

3. His personal ministry brought others to the Saviour.

4. His written gospel has convinced many, and will always do so. Are you up to your neck in business? Are you "sitting at the receipt of custom?" Yet may a call come to you at once. It does come.

Hear it attentively, rise earnestly, and respond immediately.

Good Words

God often calls men in strange places. Not in the house of prayer, not under the preaching of the Word; but when all these things have been absent, and all surrounding circumstances have seemed most adverse to the work of grace, that grace has put forth its power. The tavern, the theatre, the ballroom, the gaming-house, the race-course, and other similar haunts of worldliness and sin, have sometimes been the scenes of God's converting grace. As an old writer says: "Our calling is uncertain in respect of place, for God calls some from their ships, and some from their shops; some from under the hedges, and others from the market; so that, if a man can but make out unto his own soul that he is certainly called, the time when and the place where, matter little."

How I now loved those words that spake of a Christian's calling! As when the Lord said to one, "Follow me"; and to another, "Come after me." Oh! thought I, that he would say so to me: how gladly would I run after him! I could seldom read of any that Christ did call, but I presently wished, "Would I had been in their clothes! Would I had been born Peter, or John!" I often thought, "Would I had heard him when he called them, how would I have cried, 'O Lord, call me also!' " But I feared he would not call me.—John Bunyan.

We read in classic story how the lyre of Orpheus enchanted with its music, not only the wild beasts, but the very trees and rocks upon Olympus, so that they moved from their places to follow him; so Christ, our heavenly Orpheus, with the music of his gracious speech, draws after him those less susceptible to benign influences than beasts and trees and stones, even poor, hardened, senseless, sinful souls. Let him but strike his golden harp, and whisper in thy heart, "Come, follow me," and thou, like another Matthew, shalt be won.

Section 135 "He was moved with compassion on them." —Matthew 9:36. The expression is very strong (ἐσπλαγχυίσθη.) All that was within him was stirred by the sight which he beheld. He was full of emotion, and showed it in his whole person. His yearning compassions gathered around (περὶ) the people.

Exhibit the picture of Jesus under strong emotion. This is a portrait of him as he appeared on many occasions.

Indeed, the words before us might sum up his entire life. Let us behold his compassion as manifested in—

I. The great transactions of his life.

1. The Eternal Covenant, in its conception, arranging, provisions, etc., is full of compassion to men.

2. The Incarnation of our Lord shows matchless compassion.

3. His living in the flesh among men declares it.

4. His bearing the death penalty is the highest fruit of it.

5. His intercession for sinners proves its continuance. This is a wide subject. In every act of his grace the Lord of love manifests tender pity to men.

II. The special instances recorded by the evangelists.

1. In Matthew 15:32, we see a fainting crowd, hungry, etc. A crowd is a sad sight: a crowd when faint, is far more so. Such crowds are perishing in our cities today.

2. In Matthew 14:14, the sick are most prominent in the throng.

Jesus lived in a vast hospital, himself suffering, as well as healing, the diseases of men.

None can tell how deep is his pity for suffering humanity.

3. In the case mentioned in the text he saw an ignorant, neglected, perishing crowd. The sorrows, dangers, and sins of spiritual ignorance are great. The Lord Jesus is the Shepherd of the unshepherded.

4. In Matthew 20:34, we see the blind. Jesus pities spiritual blindness.

Dwell upon the interesting details of the two blind men.

5. In Mark 1:41, we see the leper. Christ pities sin-polluted men.

Jesus compassionated the man who said, "If thou wilt, thou canst."

6. In Mark 5:19, we have the demoniac. Jesus pities tempted souls. The man out of whom he cast a legion of devils was to be dreaded, but the Lord gave him nothing but compassion.

He pities rather than blames those sore vexed by the devil.

7. In Luke 7:13, we meet with the widow of Nain. The bereaved, the widow and fatherless are specially near to the heart of Jesus.

These instances should encourage similar cases to hope in our Lord.

III. The foresight of compassion.

Knowing our ignorance, needs, sorrows, the Lord Jesus has provided beforehand for our wants—

1. The Bible for our guidance and comfort.

2. The minister to speak as man to man, tenderly, experimentally.

3. The Holy Spirit to comfort us, and help our infirmity, in prayer, etc.

4. The mercy-seat as our constant resort.

5. The promises to be our perpetual food.

6. The ordinances to help our memories, and make truth vivid to us. The whole system reveals a most compassionate Saviour.

IV. Our personal recollections prove this compassion.

Let us remember how tenderly he dealt with us.

1. He tempered our convictions with intervals of hope.

2. He ended them ere they drove us to despair.

3. He has moderated our afflictions, and sustained us under them.

4. He has taught us, as we have been able to bear it. "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."

5. He has put us to graduated tasks.

6. He has returned to us in love after our backslidings.

Let us trust in this divine mercifulness for ourselves.

Let us commend it to those around us.

Let us imitate it in dealing compassionately with our fellows.

Touches for the portrait The literal translation is—"All his bowels were agitated, and trembled with sympathy and compassion." The ancients believed the bowels to be the seat of sympathy, or mercy. The Greek word used here to denote compassion is the most expressive that human language is capable of employing, insomuch that our version utterly fails to convey the vastness and fulness of the meaning of the original.—Dr. Cumming.

Compare the impression produced upon Xerxes by the sight of his enormous army. "His heart swelled within him at the sight of such a vast assemblage of human beings; but his feelings of pride and pleasure soon gave way to sadness, and he burst into tears at the reflection that in a hundred years not one of them would be alive."

How a tender-hearted mother would plead with a judge for her child ready to be condemned! Oh, how would her bowels work; how would her tears trickle down; what weeping rhetoric would she use to the judge for mercy! Thus the Lord Jesus is full of sympathy and tenderness (Hebrews 2:17), that he might be a merciful High Priest. Though he hath left his passion, yet not his compassion. An ordinary lawyer is not affected with the cause he pleads, nor doth he care which way it goes; profit makes him plead, not affection. But Christ intercedes feelingly; and that which makes him intercede with affection is, it is his own cause which he pleads in the cause of his people.—Thomas Watson.

"Five hundred millions of souls," exclaimed a missionary (many years ago), "are represented as being unenlightened! I cannot, if I would, give up the idea of being a missionary, while I reflect upon this vast number of my fellow-sinners, who are perishing for lack of knowledge. 'Five hundred millions' intrudes itself upon my mind wherever I go, and however I am employed. When I go to bed, it is the last thing that recurs to my memory; if I awake in the night, it is to meditate on it alone; and in the morning it is generally the first thing that occupies my thoughts."

We may suppose that there was nothing in the external appearance of these multitudes which, to the common eye, would indicate their sad condition. We may suppose that they were "well-fed and well-clad," and that their hearts, under the influence of numbers, as is generally the case, were buoyant with pleasurable excitement; that good humor sunned their countenances, and enlivened their talk, and that—both to themselves, and to the ordinary spectator—they were a happy folk. But he, who seeth not as man seeth, looked down through the superficial stream of pleasurable excitement which now flowed and sparkled, and saw—What? Intellect enslaved, reason blinded, moral faculties benumbed, souls "faint" and lost,—"scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd."—David Thomas.

Section 136

"What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye
hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops."—Matthew 10:27.

Usefulness is the great desire of our souls if we are Disciples of Jesus.

We believe that it will most surely be attained by our making known the gospel. We have full faith in "the foolishness of preaching."

We feel that we have need to receive that gospel personally from the Lord himself, or we shall not know it so as to use it aright.

We must not run till we are prepared. This verse describes, and by implication promises, the needful preparation of heart. Our Lord will speak in our ear: he will commune with us in solitude.

I. An invaluable privilege. The disciple is associated very nearly with his Lord, and received into closest fellowship with him.

We see before us three important matters.

1. We are permitted to realize our Lord's presence with us personally.

He is still on speaking terms with us: still is he our Companion in the night, our Friend in solitude.

2. We are enabled to feel his word as spoken to us.

Immediately: "I tell you." Personal contact.

Forcefully: "in the ear." Not as thundered from Sinai, but as whispered by "a still, small voice." Still, very effectually.

3. We are privileged to receive such communications again and again: "I tell you . . . ye hear."

We need precept upon precept, line upon line. Our Lord is willing to manifest himself to his own, day by day.

We shall be wise to make occasions for hearing his voice in solitude, meditation, prayer, communion, etc.

We shall do well to use occasions of the Lord's own making, such as the Sabbath, sickness, the night-watches, etc.

We need for a thousand reasons this private tuition, this personal communication with our Commander-in-chief.

II. A preparatory process.

We do not rightly perceive what we have to make known till Jesus personally imparts his holy teaching to our inmost hearts.

We see by reason of personal contact with our Lord—

1. Truth in its personality; living, acting, feeling; for he is "the way, the truth, and the life." Truth is no theory or phantom in Christ. Substantial truth is spoken by him.

2. Truth in its purity is found in him, in his written teaching, and in that which he speaks to the heart. Truth from man is mixed and adulterated; from Jesus it is unalloyed.

3. Truth in its proportions; he teaches all truth, in its true relations. Christ is no caricaturist, partisan, or politician.

4. Truth in its power. It comes strikingly, persuasively, convincingly, omnipotently from him. It quickens, and sustains.

5. Truth in its spirit. His words are spirit, life, love.

6. Truth in its certainty. "Verily, verily," is his motto.

7. Truth in its joyfulness. He speaks delight unto the soul. The truth in Jesus is glad tidings.

See the advantage of studying in Christ's College.

III. The consequent proclamation.

What Jesus has told us alone in the dark we are to tell out openly in the light.

Courting publicity, we are to preach "upon the housetops."

What is this message which we have heard in the ear?

We bear our willing witness that—

1. There is peace in the blood of Jesus.

2. There is sanctifying power in his Holy Spirit.

3. There is rest in faith in our Lord and God.

4. There is safety in conformity to our great Exemplar.

5. There is joy in nearness to Jesus our Lord. As we hear more we will tell more.

Oh, that men would receive our earnest testimony! Will not you receive it, who hear us at this present hour?

Private Pencillings

Claus Hames, one of the most useful preachers in Germany, once met a friend to whom he told how many times daily he was obliged to speak. His friend presently asked, "But, Friend Hames, if thou hast so much to say, when art thou still? And when does the Spirit of God speak to thee?" That simple question so impressed Hames that he resolved from that time to devote a portion of each day to retirement and silent study.

"How is it?" said a Christian man to his companion, as they were both returning from hearing the saintly Bramwell, "How is it that Brother Bramwell always tells us so much that is new?" The companion answered, "Brother Bramwell lives so near the gates of heaven that he hears a great many things which the rest of us do not get near enough to hear." —J. H. Hitchens. Of a certain preacher it was said: "He preaches as if Jesus Christ were at his side. Don't you see how every now and then he turns around as if he were saying: 'Lord Jesus, what shall I say next?' "

Take my lips, and let them be Filled with messages from thee.

—F. R. Havergal.

Then sorrow touched by thee grows light, With more than rapture's ray; As darkness shows us worlds of light We never saw by day.

—Thomas Moore.

Men learn in suffering what they teach in song.

Possessors of divine truth are eager to spread it. "For," as Carlyle says, "if new-got gold is said to burn the pocket till it be cast forth into circulation, much more may new-found truth." A servant was desired by his master to carry a present of fish to a friend, and to do it as quickly as possible. In all haste the man seized a basket, and set out; but when he reached his journey's end he became a laughing-stock, for he had forgotten the fish: his basket was empty. Teacher! Preacher! let not the like happen to thee.

Often in the South of France have I needed to have a fire lighted; but I have found little or no comfort from it when my wish has been granted. The dwellers in that mild region build their fire-places so badly that all the heat goes up the chimney. No matter how big the blaze, the hearth only seems to warm itself. Thus many professors of our holy faith would seem to get grace, and light, and pious feeling for themselves only: their heat goes up their own chimney. What is told them in the dark they keep in the dark, and that which is spoken in their ear never blesses any other ear.—C. H. S.

Section 137 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." —Matthew 10:30.

How considerate of our fears is the lord jesus! he knew that his people would be persecuted, and he sought to cheer them. In how sweet and homely a way he puts things! He deigns to speak about the hairs of our head. Here is a proverb, simple in words, but sublime in sense.

We think we see four things in this sentence.

I. Foreordination. The text may be read, "have all been numbered." It is of the past as well as of the present.

1. Its extent. Predestination extends to everything.

All the man; his being as a whole is foreknown. "In thy book all my members were written": Psalms 139:16.

All that concerns him is foreknown; even to his hair, which may be shorn from him without damage to life or health.

All that he does; even the least and most casual thought, or act.

All that he undergoes. This may affect his hair so as to change its color; but every hair blanched with sorrow is numbered.

2. Its source. The counting is done by the Lord.

3. Its lessons. Jesus mentions this foreordination for a purpose. To make us brave under trial. To teach us to be submissive. To help us to be hopeful. To induce us to be joyful.

4. Its influence. It ennobles us to be thus minutely predestinated.

If God arranges even our hairs, we are honored indeed. To be the subject of a divine purpose of grace is glorious.

II. Knowledge.

We are known so well as to have our hairs counted.

Concerning this divine knowledge let us note—

1. Its character.

Minute. "The very hairs of your head."

Complete. The whole man, spirit, soul, and body, is thus most assuredly well-known to the Omniscient Lord.

Pre-eminent. God knows us better than we know ourselves, or than others know us; for neither we nor they have numbered the hairs of our head.

Tender. Thus a mother values each hair of her darling's head. Sympathetic, God enters into those trials, those years, and those sicknesses which are registered in a man's hair.

Constant. Not a hair falls from our head without God.

2. Its lessons.

Concerning consecration, we are taught that our least precious parts are the Lord's, and are included in the royal inventory. Let us not use even our hair for vanity.

Concerning prayer. Our heavenly Father knoweth what things we have need of. We do not pray to inform him of our case.

Concerning our circumstances. These are before the divine mind, be they little or great. Since trifling matters like our hairs are catalogued by Providence, we are assured that greater concerns are before the Father's eye.

III. Valuation. The hairs of our head are counted because valued.

These were poor saints who were thus highly esteemed. The numbering mentioned in the text suggests several questions.

If each hair is valued, what must their heads be worth?

What must their bodies be worth?

What must their souls be worth?

What must they have cost the Lord, their Redeemer?

How can it be thought that he will lose one of them?

Ought we not greatly to esteem them? Is it not our duty, our honor, our joy to seek after such of them as are not yet called by grace?

IV. Preservation. The hairs of their head are all numbered, because they are to be preserved from all evil. l. From the smallest real loss we are secured by promise. "There shall not a hair of your head perish": Luke 21:18.

2. From persecution we shall be rescued. "Fear not them": Matthew 10:28.

3. From accident. Nothing can harm us unless the Lord permits.

4. From necessity. You shall not die of hunger, or thirst, or nakedness. God will keep each hair of your head.

5. From sickness. It shall sanctify rather than injure you.

6. From death. In death we are not losers, but infinite gainers. Resurrection will restore the whole man.

Let us for ourselves trust, and not be afraid.

Let us set a high value upon souls, and feel an earnest love for them.

Pins

"Hairs"—of which ye yourselves are heedless. Who cares for the hairs once dragged out by a comb? A hair is a proverbial expression for an utter trifle.—John Albert Bengel.

If God numbers their hairs, much more does he number their heads, and take care of their lives, their comforts, their souls. This intimates that God takes more care of them than they do of themselves. They who are solicitous to number their money, and goods, and cattle, yet were never careful to number their hairs which fall and are lost and they never miss them: but God numbers the hairs of his people, and not a hair of their head shall perish: Luke 21:18. Not the least hurt shall be done them, but upon a valuable consideration: so precious to God are his saints, and their lives and deaths! —Matthew Henry.

There are who sigh that no fond heart is theirs, None love them best—Oh! vain and selfish sigh!

Out of the bosom of His love He spares— The Father spares the Son, for thee to die: For thee He died—for thee He lives again:

O'er thee He watches in His boundless reign.

Thou art as much His care, as if beside Nor man nor angel lived in Heaven or earth:

Thus sunbeams pour alike their glorious tide To light up worlds, or wake an insect's mirth:

They shine and shine with unexhausted store—

Thou art thy Saviour's darling—seek no more.

—John Keble. An Italian martyr, in the sixteenth century, was most cruelly treated in the prisons of the Inquisition. His brother, who with great difficulty obtained an interview with him, was deeply affected by the sight of his sufferings. "My brother," said the prisoner, "if you are a Christian, why do you distress yourself thus? Do you not know that a leaf cannot fall to the ground without the will of God? Comfort yourself in Christ Jesus, for the present troubles are not to be compared with the glory to come."

If pestilence stalk through the land, ye say "This is God's doing"; Is it not also his doing when an aphis creepeth on a rosebud?—

If an avalanche roll from its Alp, ye tremble at the will of Providence; Is not that will concerned when the sear leaves fall from the poplar?

—Martin F. Tupper.

Section 138 "He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."—Matthew 10:38.

Before his crucifixion, our Lord has a foresight of it, and does not hesitate to realize himself as bearing his cross. With equal prescience he foresees each true disciple receiving and taking up his own personal cross. He sees none exempted.

Picture to the mind's eye a procession led by a cross-bearing Jesus, and made up of his cross-bearing train. This is not a pageant, but a real march of suffering. It reaches through all time. The chief requirement of a disciple is to follow Jesus in all things, in cross-bearing as in all else.

Cross-bearing is trying, laborious, sorrowful, humiliating.

Cross-bearing is inevitable to the follower of Jesus. We are bound to take up our cross or give up all idea of being Christians.

Let us obediently inquire—

I. What is my peculiar cross?

"He that taketh not his cross."

1. It may be the giving up of certain pleasures or indulgences.

2. It may be the endurance of reproach and unkindness, or remaining in poverty and obscurity for the good of others.

3. It may be the suffering of losses and persecutions, for Christ's sake.

4. It certainly means the consecrating of all to Jesus: the bowing of my whole self beneath the blessed burden of service with which he honors me.

5. It also includes the endurance of my heavenly Father's will with patience, acquiescence, and thanksgiving. My cross is well, wisely, kindly, and surely chosen for me by my Lord.

It is only meet that I should be made like my Lord in bearing it.

II. What am I to do with it?

"Taketh . . . followeth after me."

1. I am deliberately to take it up. Not to choose a cross, or pine after another form of trial. Not to make a cross by petulance and obstinacy. Not to murmur at the cross appointed me. Not to despise it, by callous stoicism, or wilful neglect of duty. Not to faint under it, fall beneath it, or run from it.

2. I am boldly to face it. It is only a wooden cross, after all.

3. I am patiently to endure it, for I have only to carry it a little way.

4. I am cheerfully to resign myself to it, for my Lord appoints it.

5. I am obediently to follow Christ with it. What an honor and a comfort to be treading in his steps! This is the essential point.

It is not enough to bear a cross, we must bear it after Jesus.

I ought to be thankful that I have only to bear it, and that it does not bear me. It is a royal burden, a sanctified burden, a sanctifying burden, a burden which gives communion with Christ.

III. What should encourage me?

1. Necessity: I cannot be a disciple without cross-bearing.

2. Society: better men than I have carried it.

3. Love: Jesus bore a far heavier cross than mine.

4. Faith: grace will be given equal to the weight of the cross.

5. Hope: good to myself will result from my bearing this load.

6. Zeal: Jesus will be honored by my patient endurance.

7. Experience: I shall yet find pleasure in it, for it will produce in me much blessing. The cross is a fruitful tree.

8. Expectation: glory will be the reward of it. No cross, no crown.

Let not the ungodly fancy that theirs is a better lot: the Psalmist says, "many sorrows shall be to the wicked."

Let not the righteous dread the cross, for it will not crush them: it may be painted with iron colors by our fears, but it is not made of that heavy metal; we can bear it, and we will bear it right joyously.

Nails When Alexander the Great marched through Persia, his way was stopped with ice and snow, insomuch that his soldiers, being tired out with hard marches, were discouraged, and would have gone no further; which he perceiving, dismounted his horse, and went on foot through the midst of them all, making himself a way with a pickaxe, whereat they all being ashamed, first his friends, then the captains of his army, and, last of all, the common soldiers followed him. So should all men follow Christ their Saviour, by that rough and unpleasant way of the cross that he hath traversed before them. He having drunk unto them in the cup of his passion, they are to pledge him when occasion is offered; he having left them an example of his suffering, they are to follow him in the selfsame steps of sorrow.—John Spencer. The cross is easier to him who takes it up than to him who drags it along.—J. E. Vaux.

We are bid to take, not to make our cross. God in his providence will provide one for us. And we are bid to take it up; we hear nothing of laying it down. Our troubles and our lives live and die together.—W. Gurnall.

Must Jesus bear the cross alone, And all the church go free?

No, there's a cross for every one, And there's a cross for me.

"No man," said Flavel, "hath a velvet cross." As an old Yorkshire working-man, a friend of mine, said, "Ah! it is blessed work, cross-bearing, when it's tied on with love."—Newman Hall.

Welcome the cross of Christ, and bear it triumphantly; but see that it be indeed Christ's cross, and not thine own.—Wilcox.

Christ's cross is the sweetest burden that ever I bore; it is such a burden as wings are to a bird, or sails to a ship, to carry me forward to my harbor.—Samuel Rutherford.

Whatever the path is, Christ is there, and to be with him is joy enough for any creature, whether man or angel. He does not send us to walk in a dreary, desolate road. He does not say, "Go ye," pointing to a lonely way in which he is not to be found; he says, "Come after me," so that we need not take a single step where his footprints cannot be seen, and where his presence may not still be found. If the sharp flints cut our feet, they have wounded his before. If the darkness gathers thickly here and there, it was a denser gloom that surrounded him. If ofttimes we must stand and fight, it was through fiercer conflicts that he passed. If the cross is heavy to our shoulder, it is light when compared with the one he bore. "Christ leads me," said Baxter, "through no darker room than he went through before." If the road were a thousand times rougher than it is it would be well worth-while to walk in it for the sake of walking with Christ there. Following Jesus means fellowship with Jesus, and the joy of that fellowship cannot be told.—P.

Section 139 "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart;
and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."—Matthew 11:28-30.

Jesus had first taught the solemn truth of "human responsibility" (verses 20-24), and afterwards he had joyfully proclaimed in prayer the doctrine of election: now he turns to give a free and full invitation to those who are needing rest. These three things are quite consistent, and should be found in all Christian preaching.

Remember who he is who thus invites men to come to him. The Son of the Highest, the revealer of God then and now; he bids men draw near to himself without fear, and rest in such nearness. The Saviour ever living, having once died, is waiting to receive and save all who will come to him; and such he will bless with rest. In our Lord's gracious invitation you note—

I. A character which describes you.

1. Laboring, "all ye that labor," in whatever form. In the service of formal religion, in the attempt to keep the law, or in any other way of self-justification. In the service of self to get gain, honor, ease, etc. In the service of the world to discover, invent, legislate, etc. In the service of Satan, lust, drink, infidelity, etc.

2. Laden. All who are "heavy laden," are called.

Laden heavily because weary, vexed, disappointed, despairing.

Laden with sin, guilt, dread, remorse, fear of death.

Laden with care, anxiety, greed, ambition, etc.

Laden with sorrow, poverty, oppression, slander, etc.

Laden with doubt, temptation, conflict, inner faintness, etc.

II. A blessing which invites you.

1. Rest to be given. "I will give you rest." To the conscience, by atonement and pardon. To the mind, by infallible instruction and establishment. To the heart a rest for love. Jesus fills and contents the heart. To the energies, by giving an object worth attaining. To the apprehensions, assuring that all things work for good.

2. Rest to be found. "Ye shall find rest unto your souls." This is rest upon rest, deepening, settling. This is rest which comes of conquered passion, desire, etc. This is rest which comes of being fully consecrated to the Lord.

How such rest would cheer you, strengthen you, save you!

How it would counteract the labors and the loads!

III. A direction to guide you.

1. "Come unto me."

Come to a person, to Jesus, the living Saviour and Example.

Come at once, Jesus is ready now. Are you?

Come all who labor and are loaded. None will be refused.

Come laden, with your burdens on your hearts, and "I will give you rest." Come as you are. Come by faith.

2. "Take my yoke upon you." Be obedient to my command. Be willing to be conformed to me in service and burden-bearing. Be submissive to the afflictions which I may lay upon you.

3. "Learn of me."

You do not know; but must be content to learn.

You must not cavil; but have a mind to learn.

You must learn by heart, and copy my meekness and lowliness.

IV. An argument to persuade you.

You wish to be like your Lord in restfulness and service; then come and learn of him, and remember that he is—

1. A lowly Teacher: bearing with failure, repeating his lessons, assisting the disciple, restoring the fallen.

2. Laying no heavy burden. "My yoke is easy," etc.

3. Giving rest by the burden which he causes you to bear: "Take my yoke . . . and ye shall find rest."

Magnets The immediate occasion of the invitation, with its deep earnestness of pity and sympathy, was found, I doubt not, in the outward appearance of the crowd actually surrounding Jesus. Probably by this time it was about sunset. After a day of exhausting toil for our Saviour himself; the workman from the field, the busy trader, the fisher with his nets, the slave with his burden, the rich man with his heavier burden of care, the gray-haired sinner stooping under the weight of years, and inly burdened with remorse and fear;—these, and such as these, met the Saviour's eye, which read their hearts; but in them he saw represented our toiling, suffering world, and uttered a voice of invitation meant to reach, and destined yet to reach, all mankind. "I will give you rest." Rest for the burdened conscience, in pardon; for the unquiet intellect, in truth; for the aching, thirsty heart, in divine love; for the care-fretted spirit, in God's providence and promises; for the weary with sorrow and suffering, in the present foretaste, and shortly in the actual enjoyment of "his rest."—E. R. Conder.

"Come," saith Christ, "and I will give you rest." I will not show you rest, nor barely tell you of rest, but I will give you rest. I am faithfulness itself, and cannot lie, I will give you rest. I that have the greatest power to give it, the greatest will to give it, the greatest right to give it, come, laden sinners, and I will give you rest. Rest is the most desirable good, the most suitable good, and to you the greatest good. Come, saith Christ; that is, believe in me, and I will give you rest; I will give you peace with God, and peace with conscience: I will turn your storm into an everlasting calm; I will give you such rest, that the world can neither give to you nor take from you. —Thomas Brooks.

Lord, thou madest us for thyself, and we can find no rest till we find rest in thee!—Augustine. A poor English girl, in Miss Leigh's home in Paris, ill in body and hopeless in spirit, was greatly affected by hearing some children singing "I heard the voice of Jesus say." When they came to the words, "weary, and worn, and sad," she moaned, "That's me! That's me! What did he do? Fill it up, fill it up!" She never rested until she had heard the whole of the hymn which tells how Jesus gives rest to such. By-and-by she asked, "Is that true?" On being answered, "Yes," she asked, "Have you come to Jesus? Has he given you rest?" "He has." Raising herself, she asked, "Do you mind my coming very close to you? Maybe it would be easier to go to Jesus with one who has been before than to go to him alone." So saying, she nestled her head on the shoulder of her who watched, and clutching her as one in the agony of death, she murmured, "Now, try and take me with you to Jesus."—The Sunday at Home.

There are many heads resting on Christ's bosom, but there's room for yours there.—Samuel Rutherford.

Section 140 For variety we add another outline on a portion of the same text.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."—Matthew 11:28. This text is often preached from, but never too often, since the sorrows with which it deals always abound, and the remedy is always effective. This time we purpose to view it from our Lord's side.

He entreats the weary to come to him. He beseeches them to learn of him. He not only receives those who come, but begs them to come.

What is this desire which burns in his bosom? And whence comes it?

Let us carefully consider—

I. Who is he?

1. One who has been rejected, yet he cries, "Come unto me."

2. One whose rejection involves us in fearful guilt, yet he is ready to forgive, and to bestow rest upon us if we come.

3. One who knows his Father's purpose, but fears not to give a pressing invitation to all who labor and are heavy laden.

4. One who has all power to receive such as come, and to give rest to them all. This is no vain invitation, saying more than it means.

5. One who as the Son of God is infinitely blessed, and yet finds new joy in giving rest to poor restless men.

II. Whom does he call, and why?

1. Laborers, with more than they can do: disquieted, unhappy.

These he calls to himself that he may give them rest, and cause them to find rest.

2. Heavy laden ones, with more than they can bear: oppressed, sorrowful, ready to die.

3. The poor and illiterate who need to be taught.

4. The spiritually burdened, who much need a helping hand, and can only find it in him.

III. What causes his desire for them? Not his own need of them. Not their personal worthiness. Nor aught that they are or can ever be. But—

1. He has a love to our race. "My delights were with the sons of men": Proverbs 8:31. He would have these resting with himself.

2. He is himself a man, and knows the needs of men.

3. He has done so much to buy us rest that he would fain give it to us.

4. He delights to do more and more for us: it is his joy to give good things to men.

5. He knows what our ruin will be unless we find rest in him.

6. He knows what our bliss will be if we come unto him.

IV. How then shall we treat this call?

1. It is very earnest; let us heed it.

2. It is very simple; let the poorest seize upon it.

3. It exactly suits us. Does it not suit you?

4. It is very gracious; let us accept it.

Echoes The most condescending affections that ever he discovered, the most gracious invitations that ever he made, were at those times when he had a sense of his glory in a particular manner, to show his intention in his possessing it. When he spake of all things delivered to him by his Father, an invitation to men to come unto him is the use he makes of it. Matthew 11:27-28. If this be the use he makes of his glory, to invite us, it should be the use we should make of the thoughts of it, to accept his proffer. A nation should run to him because he is glorified. —Stephen Charnock.

"Come unto me," is the invitation of this Blessed One so intensely human, though so gloriously divine. "Unto me," in whose arms little children were embraced, on whose bosom a frail mortal lay: "unto me," who hungered, thirsted, fainted, sorrowed, wept, and yet whose love, and grief, and pains, and tears wore the expression of emotions felt in the mighty heart of God.—Caird.

Lord, I have invited all, And I shall Still invite, still call to thee: For it seems but just and right In my sight, Where is all, there all should be.

—George Herbert.

It runs thus—you to me, and I to you. Here is a double communion set up. This is all to our advantage, and to the display of our Lord's great graciousness. We come, and therein he obtains the company of a beggar, a leper, a patient, a repulsive rebel: this is no gain to anything in him except his pity. But surely he expects something of us to reward him for receiving us? By no means. We are to come to him, not that we may give him something, but that he may give everything to us. What a Lord is this!

Section 141

"And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and
said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"—Matthew 14:31. Our Lord did not question the doubter till he had saved the sinker. His rebukes are always timely. The question was not only well-deserved as a rebuke, but it was specially instructive, and no doubt it proved useful in after years. When the grace of faith is really present, doubt has to answer for itself, and to die if it cannot defend itself.

Oh, that it may die in us at once!

We will put the question of our test to the two great classes of men.

I. Wherefore dost thou doubt, O Christian?

1. Let us mention some supposable valid reasons. Can you quote past experience of broken promises? Is the present evil beyond the power of Omnipotence? Are the promises abolished? Are the purposes of grace annulled? Has God himself changed? Is his mercy clean gone for ever?

None of these supposable reasons have any existence.

2. Let us hear your actual reasons; if you dare state them. My sense of guilt is peculiarly deep and clear. My inbred sin has risen upon me with terrible fury. My failures justify despair when viewed by the side of other men's attainments, and my own obligations. My trials are so peculiar, so fierce, so long, so varied. My heart fails me. I can bear up no longer. My fears predict greater evils still, and threaten ultimate ruin.

Many such insufficient reasonings becloud the mind; and it may be wisdom to look them in the face, and so dissipate them.

3. Let us view these reasonings from other standpoints.

How would you have viewed them when first you believed?

How did you view former trials when they came in your way; and how do you view them now that you have overcome them?

What do you think of your trials when you are lying in Jesus' bosom—assured of his love?

How do you speak of them when you are instructing others?

How will they appear to you when you get to heaven?

Jesus is now near you. How can you take such gloomy views of things in his presence?

4. Shall we hint at the true reasons of your doubting?

You were self-confident, and that confidence has failed you.

You looked too much to things seen by the light of sense; and now that it is dark, you are in consequence troubled.

You took your eye off from your Lord.

Perhaps you neglected prayer, watching, repentance, etc. When you find out the real reason of your doubt, cry for pardon, and seek to the Holy Spirit to restore faith, and set you right.

II. Wherefore dost thou doubt, O sinner? The Lord's hand is stretched out to save sinking sinners. Do not distrust the power of Jesus to save you from sinking.

1. Let us suppose good reasons for your doubting. Have others believed and perished? Have you yourself tried faith in Jesus, and found it vain? Has the blood of Jesus lost its power? Has the Holy Spirit ceased to comfort, enlighten, renew? Is the gospel abrogated? Is God's mercy clean gone for ever?

None of these can be answered in the affirmative.

2. Let us hear your apparent reasons. Your sins are great, numerous, aggravated, and singular.

You cannot think that salvation is for you.

You have refused the gospel call so long. Your heart is so dreadfully hard and unfeeling.

None of these are sufficient reasons for doubting Almighty love.

3. Let us learn the way to deal with such unreasonable doubting.

Repent of it, for it dishonors the power and promise of the Father, the blood of Jesus, and the grace of the Holy Spirit.

End it, by simply believing what is so surely true.

Run as far as possible the other way. Believe up to the hilt. In every case, let us be sure that to believe God is sanctified common-sense, and to doubt him is an extravagance of folly.

Modern Instances

Mr. Haslam has reported a conversation between two poor aged Christians to the following effect: "Oh!" said the husband, who was evidently the weaker vessel, "I've got so little faith, I do get these 'ere doubts so much." "Yes," added the wife, "and ye keeps them, Peter, and brings them to me."

Though the providence of God may be exceedingly dark, the language of faith is, "The Lord is ready to save." If you look into your past experience, you will find that God has done great things for you. Is it not true that nine-tenths of all the difficulty you have anticipated have never come to pass at all? I have great sympathy with Billy Bray, whose wife said to him, when he came home having given all his money away, "I never saw such a man in my life. Thee'lt go and look after other people's wives and children, and help them, and thee own wife and children may starve." Billy, with great force, said, "Well, woman, thee'st never starved yet"; and that was the fact, for there she stood, a living witness to his word.— Henry Varley.

Good old Mr. Crisp, who had been President of the Baptist College at Bristol for fifty years, was towards the end of his life fearful that his faith would fail. Being reminded of the passage, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" he said, after repeating and dwelling on the last words, "No, it would be wrong to doubt; I cannot, I dare not, I will not doubt!"—S. A. Swaine, in "Faithful Men."

When darkness long has veiled my mind, And smiling day once more appears, Then, my Redeemer! then I find The folly of my doubts and fears.

I chide my unbelieving heart; And blush that I should ever be Thus prone to act so base a part, Or harbor one hard thought of thee.

—Cowper.

Certain persons think that doubting is a needful part of Christian experience, but it is by no means the case. A child may have a deep experience of its father's love, and yet it may never have known a doubt of him. All the experience of a Christian is not Christian experience. If many Christians are despondent, it is no reason why I must be: it is rather a reason why I should watch against it. What if many sheep suffer from the fly; am I to be anxious to have my fleece fly-blown in order to be like them? Never doubt the Lord till you have cause for it; and then you will never doubt him as long as you live.

Section 142

"And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place,
"And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you.
And they went their way."—Matthew 20:3-4. The reason for employing these people must have been gracious.

Surely the good man could have waited till the next morning; but he charitably chose to employ the needy ones at once. He did not need laborers, but the poor men needed their pennies.

Certainly it is sovereign grace alone which leads the Lord God to engage such sorry laborers as we are.

Let us inquire—

I. How may the lord be said to go out?

1. Inasmuch as the impulse of grace comes first in every case, and none go into the vineyard till he calls them.

2. Inasmuch as there are times of revival, when the Lord goes forth by the power of his Spirit, and many are brought in.

3. Inasmuch as there are times of personal visitation with most men when they are specially moved to holy things.

II. What is the hour here mentioned?

It represents the period between 25 and 35 years of age, or thereabouts.

1. The dew of youth's earliest and best morning hour is gone.

2. Habits of idleness have been formed by standing in the market-places so long. It is harder to begin at the third hour than at the first. Loiterers are usually spoiled by their loafing ways.

3. Satan is ready with temptation to lure them to his service.

4. Their sun may go down suddenly, for life is uncertain. Many a day has closed at its third hour.

5. Fair opportunity for work yet remains; but it will speedily pass away as the hours steal round.

6. As yet the noblest of all work has not been commenced; for only by working for our Lord can life be made sublime.

III. What were they doing to whom he spoke?

"Standing idle in the market-place."

1. Many are altogether idling in a literal sense. They are mere loafers and dilettanti, with nothing to do.

2. Many are idle with laborious business—industrious triflers, wearied with toils which accomplish nothing of real worth.

3. Many are idle because of their constant indecision. Unstable as water they do not excel. James 1:6.

4. Many are idle though full of sanguine intentions; but as yet their resolves are not carried out.

IV. What work would the Lord have them do?

He would have them work by day in his vineyard.

1. The work is such as many of the best of men enjoy.

2. The work is proper and fit for you.

3. For that work the Lord will find you tools and strength.

4. You shall work with your Lord, and so be ennobled.

5. Your work shall be growingly pleasant to you.

6. Your work shall be graciously rewarded at the last.

V. What did they do in answer to his call?

"They went their way." May you, who are in a similar time of the day, imitate them?

1. They went at once. The parable indicates immediate service.

2. They worked with a will.

3. They never left the service, but remained till night.

4. They received the full reward at the day's end.

Let us pray the Lord to go out among our young men and women.

Let us expect to see such come into the church, and let us guide them in their work, for they come into the vineyard to labor.

Let us inquire if some will come now.

Spades Have you never thought with extreme sadness of the many men and women upon our earth whose lives are useless? Have you never reflected upon the millions of people who waste in nothingness their thoughts, their affections, their energies, all their powers, which frivolity dissipates as the sand of the desert absorbs the water which is sent upon it from the sky? These beings pass onward, without even asking themselves toward what end they journey, or for what reason they were placed here below.—Eugène Bersier.

All activity out of Christ, all labor that is not labor in his church, is in his sight a "standing idle."—Archbishop Trench. A good minister, now in heaven, once preached to his congregation a powerful sermon, founded upon the words of Christ, "Why stand ye here all the day idle?" The sermon did good to many, among whom was a lady who went to the minister the next day, and said, "Doctor, I want a spade." We should be happy to put spades into the hands of all our idle friends. There are Sunday-school spades, Mission-room spades, Tract-distribution spades, Sick-visitation spades, etc., etc. Who will apply for them?—Home Evangel.

What can I do the cause of God to aid? Can powers so weak as mine Forward the great design? Not by young hands are mighty efforts made.

Not mighty efforts, but a willing mind, Not strong, but ready hands The vineyard's Lord demands; For every age fit labor he will find.

Come, then, in childhood, to the vineyard's gate:

E'en you can dress the roots, And train the tender shoots—

Then why in sloth and sin contented wait?

To move the hardened soil, to bend and lift The fallen branch, to tread The winepress full and red, These need a stronger arm, a nobler gift:

But all can aid the work. The little child May gather up some weed, Or drop some fertile seed, Or strew with flowers the path which else were dark and wild.

—J. H. Clinch.

"Are you not wearying for the heavenly rest?" said White-field to an old minister. "No, certainly not!" he replied. "Why not?" was the surprised rejoinder. "Why, my good brother," said the aged saint, "if you were to send your servant into the fields, to do a certain portion of work for you, and promised to give him rest and refreshment in the evening, what would you say if you found him languid and discontented in the middle of the day, and murmuring, 'Would to God it were evening'? Would you not bid him be up and doing, and finish his work, and then go home, and enjoy the promised rest? Just so does God require of you and me that, instead of looking for Saturday night, we do our day's work in the day."

Section 143 "Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

"Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

"So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered to gether all as many
as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests."—Matthew 22:8-10. The grand design of God is to make a marriage for his Son. Our Lord Jesus has espoused his Church, and there must be a feast at the wedding. Is it not meet that it should be so? A feast would be a failure if none came to it, and therefore the present need is that the wedding be "furnished with guests."

I. The first invitation was a failure. This is seen in Jewish history.

Among Gentiles, those to whom the gospel invitation specially comes are, as a rule, unwilling to accept it.

Up to this hour, children of godly parents, and hearers of the Word, many of them refuse the invitation for reasons of their own. The invitation was refused—

1. Not because it involved suffering, for it was a wedding-feast to which they were bidden.

2. Nor because there were no adequate preparations,—"The wedding is ready."

3. Nor because the invitations were not delivered, or were misunderstood,—they "were bidden."

4. But because they were not fit for the high joy.

They were not loyal to their King.

They were not attached to his royal Son.

They were not pleased with his noble marriage.

They were wrapped up in self-interest.

They were cruel to well-intentioned messengers.

5. Therefore they were punished with fire and sword. But this destruction was no wedding-feast for the King's Son. This punishment was no joy to the King.

Love must reign: mercy must be glorious; Christ must reveal his grace; otherwise he has no joy of his union with mankind.

Therefore—

II. The commission was enlarged.

1. Disappointment must arouse activity and enterprise,— "Go ye."

2. Disappointment suggests change of sphere,—"into the highways."

3. A wide invitation is to be tried,—"as many as ye shall find, bid."

4. A keen outlook is to be kept,—"as many as ye shall find."

5. Publicity is to be courted,—"went out into the highways.'

6. Small numbers,—ones and twos, are to be pressed in. This is said to have been the result of the anger of the King. So good is the Lord that his wrath to despisers works good for others.

III. The new mission was fulfilled. The particulars of it will be suggestive for ourselves at this present era.

1. The former servants, who had escaped death, went out again.

2. Other servants, who had not gone at first, entered zealously into the joyful but needful service.

3. They went in many directions,—"into the highways."

4. They went out at once. Not an hour could be left unused.

5. They pointed all they met to one center.

6. They welcomed all sorts of characters,—"as many as they found."

7. They found them willing to come. He who sent the messengers inclined the guests: none seem to have refused. This blessed service is being carried on at this very hour.

IV. The great design was accomplished.

1. The King's bounty was displayed before the world.

2. His provision was used. Think of grace and pardon unused!

3. The happiness of men was promoted: they feasted to the full.

4. Their grateful praise was evoked. All the guests were joyful in their King as they feasted at his table.

5. The marriage was graced.

6. The slight put upon the King's Son, by the churls who refused to come, was more than removed.

7. The quality of the guests most fully displayed the wisdom, grace, and condescension of the Host. The whole business worked for the highest glory of the King and his Son.

Amen! So let it be among us!

Wedding-cards The wicked, for the slight breakfast of this world, lose the Lamb's supper of glory (Revelation 19:9); where these four things concur, they make a perfect feast:—A good time, eternity; a good place, heaven; a good company, the saints; good cheer, glory.—Thomas Adams. The devil does not like field-preaching; neither do I. I love a commodious room, a soft cushion, a handsome pulpit; but where is my zeal if I do not trample all these under foot in order to save one more soul?—John Wesley.

"Call them in"—the Jew, the Gentile;

Bid the stranger to the feast;

"Call them in"—the rich, the noble, From the highest to the least:

Forth the Father runs to meet them, He hath all their sorrows seen;

Robe, and ring, and royal sandals, Wait the lost ones: "Call them in."

—Sacred Songs and Solos. From hedges and lanes of conscious nakedness and need, the marriage-festival is furnished with guests. To the poor the gospel is preached, and the poor in spirit gladly listen, whether they are clothed in purple or in rags.—William Arnot.

We might do better if we went further afield. Our invitations to Christ which fall so feebly on the ears of those who regularly hear us, would be welcomed by those to whom we never deliver them. We are fools to waste time in the shallows of our churches and chapels when the deep outside teems with waiting fishers. We need fresh hearers: the newer the news to any man, the more likely is he to regard it as good news. Music-hall work, out-door preaching, and house-to-house visitation have virgin soil to deal with, and there is none like it. Invite the oft-invited—certainly; but do not forget that those who have never been invited as yet cannot have been hardened by refusals. Beggars in the highways had never been bidden to a marriage-feast before; and so, when they were surprised with an invitation, they raised no questions, but gladly hastened to the banquet.

Section 144 "They that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut."—Matthew 25:10.

During the waiting period, the virgins seemed much alike, even as at this day one can hardly discern the false professor from the true. When the midnight cry was heard the difference began to appear, as it will do when the Second Advent approaches. When the Bridegroom was actually come, they were finally divided.

Let us prayerfully consider—

I. The ready, and their entrance.

1. What is this readiness? "They that were ready."

It is not a fruit of nature. None are ready to enter the marriage-feast of glory while they are in an unregenerate condition.

It must be a work of grace; since we are unable to make ourselves fit for the vision of God, and the glory of Christ is too bright for us to be naturally fit to share in it.

It should be our daily concern. He who is ready for the marriage-feast is ready to live, and ready to die—ready for anything.

It mainly consists in a secret work wrought in us. In being reconciled to God by the death of his Son. In being regenerated, and so made meet for glory. In being anointed with the Spirit, and fitted for holy service. In being quickened into a high and holy fellowship with God. In being delighted with God, and so being ready to enjoy him.

It should be our present inquiry whether we are now "ready."

Some make no profession, never pray, nor praise.

Others make profession, but neither love, nor trust; they have lamps, but no oil with which to keep them burning.

2. What is this entrance? A going in unto glory to be for ever with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

Immediate. "They that were ready went in." No sooner was the Bridegroom come, than they went in. Love brooks no delays.

Intimate. They "went in with him." This is the glory of heaven, and the crown of its joys, that we go into them with Jesus, who remains our constant companion therein.

Joyous. "They went in with him to the marriage."

Personal. "They went in": each one entered for herself.

Eternal. "The door was shut"—to shut them in for ever.

"He shutteth, and no man openeth." Revelation 3:7.

Actual. In all the marriage-festival each one of the wise virgins had a share: indeed, they enjoyed more than appears in the parable, for they were brides, as well as maids of honor.

What a world of meaning lies in that abundant entrance which will be ministered to all the faithful! 2 Peter 1:11.

II. The unready, and their exclusion.

1. What is this unreadiness?

It was the absence of a secret essential; but that absence was consistent with much apparent preparation.

These persons had the name and character of virgins.

They had the lamps or torches of true bridesmaids.

They were companions of the true virgins.

They acted like the true; in their virtues and in their faults.

They awakened as the true did, startled by the same cry.

They prayed also, after a fashion,—"give us of your oil."

Yet were they never ready to enter in with the King.

They had no heart-care to be found ready, hence flaming external lamps, but no hidden internal oil.

They had no faith-foresight; they had not provided for the probable waiting, and the late coming.

They played the fool with Christ's wedding feast, not thinking it worth the purchase of a little oil, but going to it with torches which would inevitably go out in smoke.

They put off till night what should have been done at once.

2. What is this exclusion?

It was universal to all who were not ready.

It was complete; "the door was shut,"—shut for those without quite as surely as for those within.

It was just; for they were not ready, and so slighted the King.

It was final. Since the fatal news that the door was shut, no news has come that it has been opened, or that it ever will be.

What if the cry were heard at this moment, "Behold he cometh?" As yet the door is not shut. Be ready ere it closes.

Flashes from the Lamps

"Uncle Ned," a colored Baptist of the South, was talking with his former master's son. "Child," said the old man solemnly, "yer talk is too highfalutin' for me; but de Bible is plain as A B C, whar it says yer got ter 'pent and be baptizen, or yer will be damned. Ise erfeared, fact I knows, yer's not dun nuther. 'Member, honey, ther Scripture says—'keep yer lamp trum an' er burning, an' yer ile-can full to pour in it.' " "Now, Uncle Ned," was the evasive reply, "I hope you don't think my lamp is without oil, do you?" "Child, 'tain't even got no wick in it. Fac' is, Ise erfeared yer ain't even got a lamp," muttered the old negro, as he mournfully shambled off. The poet Cowper tells us that, when under conviction of sin, he dreamed that he was walking in Westminster Abbey, waiting for prayers to begin. "Presently I heard the minister's voice, and hastened towards the choir. Just as I was upon the point of entering, the iron gate under the organ was flung in my face, with a jar that made the Abbey ring. The noise awakened me; and a sentence of excommunication from all the churches upon earth could not have been so dreadful to me as the interpretation which I could not avoid putting upon this dream." Have you not felt a fainting of heart, and a bitterness of spirit, when, after much preparation for an important journey, you have arrived at the appointed place, and found that the ship or train, by which you intended to travel, had gone with all who were ready at the appointed time, and left you behind? Can you multiply finitude by infinitude? Can you conceive the dismay which will fill your soul if you come too late to the closed door of heaven, and begin the hopeless cry, "Lord, Lord, open to us?"—William Arnot. A lady, who heard Whitefield, in Scotland, preach upon the words, "And the door was shut," being placed near two dashing young men, but at a considerable distance from the pulpit, witnessed their mirth; and overheard one say, in a low tone, to the other, "Well, what if the door be shut? Another will open." Thus they turned off the solemnity of the text. Mr. Whitefield had not proceeded far when he said, "It is possible there may be some careless, trifling person here today, who may ward off the force of this impressive subject by lightly thinking, 'What matter if the door be shut? Another will open.' " The two young men were paralyzed, and looked at each other. Mr. Whitefield proceeded: "Yes; another will open. And I will tell you what door it will be: it will be the door of the bottomless pit!—the door of hell!—the door which conceals from the eyes of angels the horrors of damnation!"

Section 145

"And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and
a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and
mocked him saying, Hail, King of the Jews!"—Matthew 27:29. The shameful spectacle! What element of scorn is lack-ing!

Roman soldiers mocking a supposed rival of Cæsar are sure to go to the utmost lengths in their derision.

Jesus himself is a victim so novel in his gentle weakness that they set no bounds to their scorn. The spectacle is as cruel as it is derisive. Thorns and rough blows accentuate mockeries and scoffs.

Roman legionaries were the brutalized instruments of a race noted for its ignorance of all tenderness; they wrought cruelties with a singular zest, being most at home in amusements of the most cruel kind.

Let us go into the Hall of the Praetorian guard, and watch with our Lord in the hour of his mockery.

I. Here learn a lesson for your heart. In the Lord of glory thus made the center of cruel scorn—

1. See what sin deserved. It is laid on him.

Ridicule for its folly. It should be despised for its mad rebellion against the omnipotent will of the great King.

Scorn for its pretensions. How dared it propose to usurp dominion over hearts and lives which belonged alone to God?

Shame for its audacity. It dared defy the Eternal to battle. Oh, wretched, braggart sin!

2. See how low your Saviour stooped for your sake.

He is made the Substitute for foolish, sinful man; and is treated as such.

He is scoffed at by soldiers of the meanest grade.

He is made a puppet for men who play the fool.

3. See how your Redeemer loved you.

He bears immeasurable contempt, bears in silence, bears to the bitter end; and all for love of his people.

4. See the grand facts behind the scorn.

He is a King in very surety. They said, "Hail, King!" and he is indeed the King whom all shall hail.

He is glorified by conquering earth's sorrow: he is crowned with thorns. What a glorious diadem! No other coronet ever betokened such a conquest.

He rules by weakness; a reed is his sceptre. What a glory to be able to reign, not by force of arms, but by patience and gentleness!

He makes men bow the knee: real homage is his; he reigns, whether men will have it so or not.

He is the true Monarch of the Jews. In him the dynasty of David endures for ever, and Israel has hope of glory.

5. See that you honor and love him in proportion to this shame and mockery.

Bernard used to say, "The more vile Christ hath made himself for us, the more dear he ought to be to us." Can you ever reach so great a height?

II. Here learn a lesson for your conscience.

1. Jesus may still be mocked. By deriding his people. "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Men mock the Master in the servant. By contemning his doctrine. Many do this who affect to admire his character. This is the peculiar sin of the present age. By resolves never fulfilled. Sinners vow, but never pay; confess faults, and cling to them. This is to insult the Lord. By beliefs never obeyed. It is common to pretend to a belief which never affects the life, mocking great truths by acting contrary to them. By professions never justified. May not many a church-member be guilty of putting the Lord to an open shame in this fashion?

2. If guilty of mocking him, what shall you do? Do not despair, but confess and lament your sin. Do not give all up for lost. Believe and live. Do not repeat the sad offense. Repent, and quit the crime. Do not abide in sullen silence. Honor him whom you once despised.

3. What shall you do in any case?

Crown him with love.

Sceptre him with obedience.

Bow the knee of worship.

Proclaim him King by your personal testimony.

Ye sinners, destroy the sins which grieved your Saviour!

Ye saints, defy all the contempt of the world for his sake!

Laments and Honors

Whither, O whither, dost thou stoop, O thou co-eternal Son of thine eternal Father? Whither dost thou abase thyself for me? I have sinned, and thou art punished; I have exalted myself, and thou art dejected; I have clad myself with shame, and thou art stripped; I have made myself naked, and thou art clothed with robes of dishonor; my head hath devised evil, and thine is pierced with thorns; I have smitten thee, and thou art smitten for me; I have dishonored thee, and thou, for my sake, art scorned; thou art made the sport of men, for me that have deserved to be insulted by devils!—Bishop Hall.

Christ's head hath sanctified all thorns; his back, all furrows; his hands, all nails; his side, all spears; his heart, all sorrows that can ever come to any of his children.—Samuel Clark, in "The Saint's Nosegay."

Here we see our King receiving the best homage the world would give him. His robe was some old cloak of purple. Behold his crown, platted of thorns! His coronation is performed by a ribald soldiery. His sceptre is a reed; his homage is given by the knee of scorn; his proclamation by the mouth of ridicule. How then can we expect honor for ourselves?

Let us never despise the weak, or scoff at brethren who may appear singular, or oppress any man of woman born. Haply we may be following the act of these Prætorians, and may be insulting saints more like to Jesus than we are ourselves. To be ridiculed may give us communion with the Lord Jesus, but to ridicule others will place us in fellowship with his persecutors.—C. H. S.

During the last moments of a gracious lady, speech had left her: but she managed to articulate the word "Bring." Her friends, in ignorance of her meaning, offered her food, but she shook her head, and again repeated the word "Bring." They then offered her grapes, which she also declined, and, for the third time uttered the word "Bring." Thinking she desired to see some absent friends, they brought them to her: but again she shook her head; and then, by a great effort, she succeeded in completing the sentence- Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all; and then passed away to be with Jesus.—Newman Hall.

Section 146

"And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail.
And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

"Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that
they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me."—Matthew 28:9-10.

All that concerns our Lord after his resurrection is calm and happy. A French writer calls the forty days on earth, "the life of Jesus Christ in glory"; truly it was glory as full as earth could then bear. His tomb was empty, and consequently the disciples' griefs would have been over had they fully understood what that vacant grave meant.

Then was their choicest time for living fellowship with their risen Lord, and he did not fail to grant them the privilege on many memorable occasions.

Since our Lord is risen, we also may have happy communion with him.

These are days in which we may expect him to manifest himself to us spiritually, as he did for forty days to the disciples corporeally.

Let us not be satisfied unless it is often said of us, "Jesus met them."

I. In the way of service Jesus meets us.

"As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them."

1. He may come at other times, as he did to those who visited the sepulchre, to those walking out to Emmaus, to others fishing, and to the eleven assembled for mutual consolation.

2. He is likeliest to come when we are doing his work, since—

We are then most awake, and most able to see him.

We are then in special need of him.

We are then most in accord with him.

3. But come when Jesus may, it will be a blessed visitation, worthy to be prefaced by a "Behold!" Oh, that he would come now!

II. When Jesus meets us, he has ever a good word for us. The fittest motto for resurrection fellowship is "All hail!"

1. A word of salutation. He is not ashamed to call us brethren, and welcome us with "All hail!"

2. A word of benediction. He wishes us well, and expresses his hearty, sacred desire by the words "All hail!"

3. A word of gratulation. He was glad to see these women, he gave them glad tidings, he bade them be glad, he made them glad, he was glad with them, saying, "All hail!"

4. A word of pacification. He afterwards said, "Be not afraid"; but this was virtually contained in his "All hail!" His presence can never mean us harm; it ever works us health.

III. When Jesus meets us, it becomes us to arouse ourselves.

We ought at such times to be like the disciples, who were—

1. All alive with hopeful energy. "They came." In eager haste they drew near to him. What life it would put into preachers and hearers if the Lord Jesus would manifestly appear unto them! Dullness flees when Jesus is seen.

2. All aglow with happy excitement. They "held him by the feet,"—hardly knowing what they did, but enraptured with the sight of him.

3. All ardent with reverent love. They "worshipped him." What heartiness they threw into that lowly adoration!

4. All amazed at his glory. They were prostrate, and began to fear.

5. All afraid lest they should lose their bliss. They grasped him, and held him by the feet.

IV. From such a meeting we should go on a further errand.

1. We must not plead spiritual absorption as an excuse for inactivity, but we must "go" at our Lord's bidding.

2. We must seek the good of others because of their relation to our Lord. He says, "tell my brethren."

3. We must communicate what our Lord has imparted— "go tell."

4. We must encourage our brethren by the assurance that joy similar to ours awaits them—"there shall they see me." Thus shall we best realize and retain the choice benefits of intercourse with the Lord. Not only for ourselves, but mainly for the benefit of others, are we to behold our Lord.

Let us go to holy work hoping to meet Jesus as we go.

Let us go to more holy work when we have met him.

Let us labor to "abide in him," looking for his promised appearing and exhorting others to do the same.

Illustrative

It is said that a venturesome diplomatist once asked the Emperor Nicholas who was the most distinguished of His Majesty's subjects. According to report, the Czar replied that the most distinguished Russian was he whomsoever the Emperor honored by speaking to him. Royal vanity dictated that reply, but we speak "words of truth and soberness" when we say that the most distinguished of men is he whom the Lord of hosts honors by admitting to communion with himself. "Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth." In vain thou strugglest to get free, I never will unloose my hold;

Art thou the Man that died for me? The secret of Thy love unfold.

Wrestling, I will not let thee go, Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

—Charles Wesley.

There is a striking legend illustrating the blessedness of performing our duty at whatever cost to our own inclination. A monk had seen a beautiful vision of our Saviour, and in silent bliss he was gazing upon it. The hour arrived at which it was his duty to feed the poor at the convent-gate. He would fain have lingered in his cell to enjoy the vision; but under a sense of duty, he tore himself away from it to perform his humble service. When he returned, he found the blessed vision still waiting for him, and heard a voice, saying, "Hadst thou stayed, I would have gone. As thou hast gone, I have remained."

It is a blessed thing to go forth with the Master's message after having seen him; it is delightful to meet him on the way when we are going to tell his disciples; and it is inexpressibly pleasant to find him in the assembly bearing witness with us. To go from the Lord, for the Lord, with the Lord, is such an agreeable combination that it cannot be described, but must be personally experienced. The Lord Jesus is by no means niggardly in his converse with his people: he meets us as often as we are fit to be met, and oftener; and he uses such familiarities as could never have been expected had they not been already enjoyed. Who would have dreamed of his saying "All hail!" if he had not himself selected the term?—C. H. S. A good theme might be found in the words of the message recorded in our text. Jesus prepares his messengers by saying "Be not afraid." Those who bear tidings for him should be calm and happy. He calls his disciples by a sweet name, "my brethren"; invites them to meet him; appoints a well-known trysting-place; and promises to be there. Whatever else they had begun to do, they must make this their chief business, to be at Galilee to commune with him, to put themselves at his disposal, and to receive his commission.—C. H. S.