godly out of temptation?" Peter afterwards, when strengthened by a fuller measure of the Holy Spirit, did not doubt, but pursued a steady, even, and resolute course of zealous labours in his Master's cause. The very trials which he had met with, and which showed him at the same time his own weakness, and the strength which he might depend upon, and which "is made perfect in weakness,”. contributed to the formation of that character, which, in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we so justly admire. No doubt this is one reason why the believer in Christ is often permitted to remain in trying circumstances, that he may learn to depend upon the "grace which is sufficient for him." Sometimes it has seemed best to the providence of God, that even to those who are faithfully engaged in his service there appears no glimpse of comfort: they are as the disciples on their voyage: the night dark and long, the wind contrary, the waves tempestuous. Yet, in all these difficulties and extremities, their gracious God intends nothing but his greater glory and theirs: the triumph of their faith, the crown of their victory. Faith is confirmed, when it is exercised; and circumstances are allowed which call it into exercise, that it may be confirmed. 32. And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth, thou art the Son of God. 34. And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. 32 Cor. xii. 2. The whole context, from verse 1 to 10, strongly illustrates this passage in Peter's history. 35. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased: 36. And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. Such was the compassionate mode in which it pleased our Lord to manifest his divine nature. We ought to reflect with gratitude, that "his glory has abated nothing of his mercy. He is still the sure and bountiful physician, who heals all our diseases, and takes away all our infirmities. The people of Gennesaret were easily induced to beseech his aid in favour of their sick friends and if we would have recourse to him in our spiritual maladies, it would be as impossible that we should be without help, as that he should be without power and mercy. 994 LECTURE XXXVIII. CORRUPTION OF THE HEART. MATT. XV. 1-20. (Mark vii. 1-23.) 1. Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4. For God con.manded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6. And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Our Lord instances, by one notable example, the way in which the Pharisees, and such-like interpreters of the law, had perverted the commandments of God. The law, which required children to honour father and mother, of course required that they should provide for them, if able, as the lowest evidence of honouring them. To elude this duty, the Pharisees allowed that portion of income which should be so employed, to be devoted as a gift, a gift intended for the treasury of the temple in which the Pharisees were interested. And the payment of this gift (called by St. Mark corban) exempted a man from the necessity of assisting his parents. 1 Die utterly. 2 Mark vii. 11. It is said to have been a custom of Jewish usurers, when they met with a tardy debtor, to transfer the debt to the poor's box. Then the debtor was obliged to pay, or to appear cruel to the poor, and impious towards God. This illustrates the practice alluded to in the text.-Origen ap. Bulkley. Quoted by Bloomfield, Recensio Critica, in loco. 7. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 10. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man ; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13. But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15. Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. It is so much easier, and costs so much less selfdenial, to observe certain ceremonies, and even to submit to certain privations, than to control the heart and mortify sinful desires, that there is always a tendency in man to treat such observances as piety. The Mahometan, who knows not what it is to govern and subdue his passions, will be scrupulously exact in prostrations, in ablutions, and in formal repetitions of prayer. And the apostles, it seems, had been so accustomed to attach importance to these outward things, that they could not conceive them to be no necessary part of real religion: they could not understand that the observance of them did not recommend a man to God, or the neglect of them defile him. Declare unto us this parable. 16. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17. Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies : 20. These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. 993 Out of the heart proceed murders. The first murder, for example, proceeded from envy and malice, which had got possession of the heart of Cain. "Wherefore slew he Abel? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." It was not then the weapon stained with his brother's blood which defiled Cain: nor would the water which might cleanse his hands from that defilement wash away the guilt which he had contracted. It was the envy and malice of his heart which really polluted him. Pilate washed his hands before the multitude, requiring them to attest that he was "innocent of the blood of the just person" whom he allowed them to crucify. But the real stain was in his heart, when he sacrificed conscience, duty, and justice, to his supposed interests in the world, lest he should be accused of not being "Cæsar's friend." "Judas, which had betrayed Jesus, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned, in that I 31 John iii. 12. |