m

When he had miraculously fed a great multitude, and their language was, "This " is truly that prophet who should come into the world;" he constrained his disciples, by uncommon earnestness of persuasion, to enter into a ship and go before him to the other side of the lake and it is probable that the prejudices of the disciples made them unwilling to comply, when they had heard from so many an acknowledgment of their master's prophetical character, and perhaps expected from them the strongest marks of their attachment. The reason of our Lord's conduct is manifest. He knew that the people were about to come and take him by force to make him a" king; and therefore he dismissed his apostles, commanded the multitude to disperse, and retired to a mountain himself alone.

q

Our Lord sought not his own glory, but his that sent him. He received not testimony Por honour from men; but deemed them of no account when compared with the witness and approbation of God. He particularly taught his followers to avoid ostentation in religious duties; and assured them that if, in the performance of such actions, their end was the praise of men, they had their reward. His expostulation with the Jewish rulers was, "How can ye believe who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh from the only God?" Their crime consisted in their undue estimation of human honour, and in their comparative disregard to

r

n John vi. 15.

John vii. 18.

P C. v. 34, 41.

so high and noble an object as the praise of God. They did "all their works to be seen of men ;" and "sought the praise of men more than the praise of God." But our Lord sometimes mentioned the praise of men as a natural and desirable attendant on right actions: for he knew that we could not be insensible to worldly reputation, and that our pursuit of it was to be wisely "regulated, and not forbidden. He placed it among the motives to humility; "When thou art bidden to a marriage feast, go and sit down in the lowest place; that, when he that bade cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have honour in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee." And when Mary anointed him with very precious ointment, he not only called it a good work, but added, "Verily, I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also that, which this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her." He taught us the value of just praise by bestowing it on the faith of the Samaritan leper, of the blind man near Jericho, of the a Centurion, of the woman who had been a sinner, of the Syrophenician woman, and of her who was persuaded that she should be healed if she only touched the hem of his garment: by commending and distinguishing Peter for confessing him to be the Christ, by extolling the charity of the widow who cast two mites into the treasury, and by

с

Matt. xvi. 16-19.

8 passing a direct and high encomium on the character of Nathanael, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.

When our Lord spake of himself, there is often a striking delicacy. "I have sent you to reap that whereon ye have not laboured; others have labour"I say ed, and ye are entered into their labours." unto you, that in this place is somewhat greater than the temple." Substitute the first person instead of the humble periphrasis in the following passages among many other, and the difference will be very perceptible: "Hereafter ye shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." "The Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath day." The m Son of Man shall send forth his angels."

n

"The Son of Man

shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels." It was humility as well as piety, that led him to make and to repeat the following remark: "Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven." And, actuated by the same principles, when one asked him, "Good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ?" he thus introduced his reply: "Why P callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God."

E John i. 47.

See Tillotson's Sermon on the last text, fol. p. 8. i Matt. xii. 6. por is the true reading. So our Lord uses y lava, and sier Ecaquãrlos, when he speaks of hir

h John iv. 38.

self, v. 41, 42.

* John i. 51.

Matt. xii. 8.

n C. xvi. 27. See also c. xiii. 37. xxiv. 27. xxvi. 64, &c.

C. xiii. 41

• Luke

The learned Dr. a Priestley has ingeniously suggested that the mission of the seventy, took place shortly before the feast of tabernacles; and that "perhaps our Lord dismissed his train partly with a view to travel with less appearance of ostentation." When, on the return of the seventy, he had occasion to speak magnificently of the gospel, he turned him to the disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which. see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye sce, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Once indeed he intimated to Peter his royal descent from David. This circumstance was well known to the apostles and to other Jews; for he was often addressed by the appellation of the Son of David. And I think that our Lord alludes to the fact on account of the prophecies relating to it.

There are times also, when he asserts his high and inconceivable dignity; though he full discovery of it to his disciples.

u

humbly left the "Dost thou be

lieve on the Son of God?" "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." With respect to assertions of this kind it is sufficient to say, that our Lord came into the world that he might bear witness to the truth; however he might be blasphemed and persecuted for advancing it. He likewise

W

b

appealed to the excellence of his moral character. "y Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.' "I do always those things that please the Father." "Which of you convinceth me of sin ?" "I am the good shepherd." Here we must observe that one design of Jesus's coming into the world was to set men a perfect example. It was therefore suitable to his peculiar circumstances as a prophet, to turn the eyes of men towards his disposition and actions. The yoke of the law was so galling and grievous, that his pure and spiritual religion might well be called light and easy and the Jewish teachers were so severe and morose, and accordingly imposed on men such intolerable burdens, that our Lord's meekness and lowliness, which formed a strong contrast to their sternness and pride, was a most auspicious omen to his followers. And he promoted the reception of his

C

z John viii. 29.

3

46.

c. x. 11.

y Matt. xi. 29. The following passage occurs in Plutarch of self praise. 'Ez di s μόνον ἀλύπως καὶ ἀνεπιφθόνως, ἀλλὰ καὶ χρησίμως καὶ ἀφελίμως προσοισέιν ἐςὶ τὰς ἐπαίνες, ἵνα μὴ τολο πράττειν, ἀλλ ̓ ἕτερόν τι διὰ τότε δικαμετ ὅρα πρῶτον εἰ, προςοπῆς ἕνεκα καὶ ζήλο καὶ φιλοτιμίας τῶν ἀκκόντων, αυ τὸν ἄν τις ἐπαινέσειεν.—Ἡ γὰρ ἔργον ἐμὲ καὶ λόγον ἔχεσα προτροπη, καὶ παράδειγμα καὶ ζῆλον οικεῖον, ἔμψυχός εσι, καὶ κινεῖ καὶ παροτρύνει, καὶ μεθ' ὁρμῆς καὶ προαιρήσεως ελπίδας ὡς ἐφικτῶν καὶ ἐκ ἀδυναίων παρίσησι. But since we should apply praise, not only without causing pain and envy, but also usefully and profitably; that we may not seem to do it, but to aim at some what else by means of it; consider in the first place whether any one praises himself to exhort his hearers, and to raise in them emulation and a desire to excel. For the exhortation which comprehends both actions and words, and an example and incitement of its own, is an animated one; and moves and urges us on, and impels and determines the will, while it inspires hope of an end which is attainable and not impossible, p. 544. ed. Paris. 1624,