18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

19. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her

children.

Our Lord here demands the attention of those around him. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. He to whom God has given a head that can understand, a heart that can feel; he that has the sense of a man, and faculties of an intellectual being;-let him use them now, use them on this matter, use them in what concerns his soul and the way of its redemption.

This, however, is too often the last thing on which men will exercise a sound understanding. They are like perverse children, who refuse to be pleased, whether their companions are serious or gay. They will find fault with every way in which religion is represented to them. One while, it is too easy, and gives encouragement to vice: or else it is too severe, and incompatible with the business of the world. So the Jews complained of John the Baptist for his austerity and seclusion; and murmured against Jesus, because he held intercourse with mankind.

In the mean time, Wisdom is justified of her children. The wise children are those who see the truth, and pursue it. These approve their own choice, are satisfied with the resolution which they have made, to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." And as these justify wisdom, so does wisdom justify them. It rewards them now

with " righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost:" and it will hereafter reward them with "an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away."

LECTURE XXIX.

REJECTION OF THE GOSPEL.

MATT. xi. 20-30.

20. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

21. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

23. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

1

Tyre is called in Isaiah a "crowned city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth." (xxiii. 8.) Sidon was also famed for its wealth aud luxury. And the destruction of both these cities was foretold by the prophets, as a judgment from God.

25. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

26. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

It appears awful, even to us, when we see men "rejecting the counsel of God against themselves," and closing their eyes to the mighty works which have been done for their salvation. How then must it have appeared to him, who really and fully knew the value of that deliverance which he offered. He might well leave his testimony against the proud and exalted, the wise and prudent, who were confident that they themselves were guides of the blind, (see Rom. ii. 18,) but who really remained in darkness, while the babes whom they despised, "received the kingdom of God" with the simplicity of "little children." It seemed good to Him who does all things well, to enlighten these "meek and humble" hearers, while "the rich he sent empty away."

The truly wise, however, and the truly prudent man, will be the first to receive the gospel. His prudence will seek a mode of reconciliation with God: and the reconciliation effected by Christ Jesus will approve itself to his wisdom.

27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

How this contradicts common opinion! No man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Yet most

men suppose that they have a knowledge of God, of his intentions and purposes, quite independently of what the gospel teaches them. Let every one revolve in his mind this short sentence; and inquire, Is it through the Son that I seek to know, or hope to know, the Father? The philosopher may know him to be the Creator of the world: but what we want is to know him, not as the God, but as our God: not as the universal Father, but as our Father: as having "accepted" us "in the beloved;" and made us his "children by adoption." Christ will reveal him as such to every one who hearkens to the invitation which follows.

28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29. 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.

30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Such is the general invitation, which is so refreshing to the weary and heavy laden. The last sentence had declared, that the Son alone could reveal a saving knowledge of the Father. But here we learn, that none need perish for lack of that knowledge their want, their necessity, is the pledge that it shall be given them: come unto me, all ye that labour. And who that reflects upon himself by the light of Scripture, does not labour and feel heavy laden? If he remembers the past, he must say with David, "My wickednesses are like a sore burthen, too heavy for me to bear!" If he looks towards the future, he "sees a law in his members warring against the law of his mind."

What he requires is the rest here promised;-something which he can lean upon. I am burthened with the sense of sin; but Christ has eased me of the load; "there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." I am perplexed with the feeling of my infirmities: but Christ has said “ My grace is sufficient for thee." And so he gives me

rest.

Still it is plain, from all reason and from all Scripture, that an effort must be made on the part of every man to entitle him to this promise; to let him enjoy this rest. And that effort is here described as taking upon us the yoke, the service of Christ, and learning of him. This every one must consent to do, must make it his choice to do. The yoke is not so put upon us that we are to remain ignorant and passive under it; but we must take it upon ourselves.

Two inducements, however, are held out; Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. He who gives this invitation, though "he was in the beginning with God, and was God," yet stoopeth down to behold the inhabitants of earth, nay, even to favour those whom others overlook: he is meek and lowly of heart, not like the Pharisees who spoke of "the people that knew not the law," as "cursed."

And further, his yoke is easy, and his burthen light. We must not misinterpret this, so as to contradict other words of our Lord, which tell us, that "narrow is the gate that leadeth unto life;" that those must "strive who would enter in;" which warn us to us to "watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation," for that " many are called, but few chosen." The meaning is, that the