2. That men are qualified according to the dispensation wherein God useth them. John, as a preacher of repentance, was austere ; Christ, as a giver of pardon, mild and affable. John was to come in the spirit and power of Elias, and therefore to imitate him in his course of life. He was sent forth to raise and awaken a sleepy world besotted in security. But Christ, who was to come with the glad tidings of salvation, and to call sinners to grace and pardon, chose to appear in a meek, sweet, and social way of converse, that his benignity
Mat. XI. IS, 19.] of her children. 95
in drawing the most grievous sinners to himself might thereby be manifested.
3. That men are apt to complain, quarrel, and except against what is done by God, and whatsoever methods are used to reduce them to a sense of their duty. Both John and Jesus were sent by God, but men have ever somewhat to say: John is too rough and austere, and Clirist too sociable and familiar with sinners. They dislike the severity of the one, and the free converse of the other. So in other cases, old men, they say, dote, young men are too rash ; some they find fault with be- cause they are so facile and easy ; with others, because they are obscure and deep. People are always unsatisfied.
4. That neither the severity of the law, nor the glad tidings of salvation, will of themselves work upon men, unless God set in by his Spirit : for both the dispensation of John and Jesus was without its effect.
5. Though some obstinately refuse the gospel, yet others accept of it, and live accordingly. "Wisdom hath her children, who justify and defend her ways as much as others impugn and oppose them. Acts xvii. 34. God seldom lighteth a candle but he hath some lost groat to seek.
All these points might be profitably insisted on, but I shall make use of this text to give you this observation : —
That Jesus Christ, when he came to set up the go«pel, did not tie himself to a wilderness-life of austerity in total abstinence from com- mon meat and wine, as John the Baptist did, and as they thought that he that professed extraordinary sanctity should have done.
In the prosecution of this point I shall use this method : —
1. I shall show you that the censures of the two things disliked in Christ were not just.
2. Give you the reasons why he lived and chose this form and sort of life.
3. The profitable observations that we may build thereon.
1. That the censures of the two things disliked in Christ were not just. The two things disliked in Christ were : —
[1.] His diet.
[2.] His company.
[1 .] His diet. He ' came eating and drinking : ' he did eat and drink as other men, but with great piety, and with great temperance and sobriety. His piety was remarkable : John vi. 11, 'And Jesus took the loaves ; and when he had given thanks, he distributed them among the disciples ; ' and ver. 23, ' Xigh unto the place where they had eaten bread, after the Lord gave thanks.' All our refresh- ments should be sanctified ; they are great mercies, though ordinary. They come down from heaven, and direct us to seek the blessing thence, from whence we have the comforts themselves. Though we have but slender provisions, we should be thankful ; Christ gave thanks for five barley-loaves and two fishes. Mark, here he doth not mention the miracle, but the thanksgiving. Christ had expressed himself in such a way as made deep impression on the standers-by, and would fully convince us that the blessing of all enjoyments is in God's hand.
96 WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED [Mat. XI. 18, 19.
His temperance and sobriety is observable ; five barley-loaves and two fishes were carried about, as the standing provision for himselt and family, Luke ix. 13. Christ's provision is such as may teach sobriety and contentment with a mean condition unto all. At another time he beggeth a draught of water to quench his thirst, John iv. 7. And theretore the exceptions against his diet were not just.
[2.] Against his company. They accused him of eating with publicans and sinners in the text. So Luke xv. 2, ' This man re- ceiveth sinners, and eateth with them ;' because He went to them as a physician to heal their souls, Luke v. 30. He conversed with the meanest, and refused not familiarity with the poorest and worst, as was needful for their cure. The pharisees thought it to be against all decorum that he would speak and converse with all sorts of people, publicans and harlots not excepted ; but Christ coming to save all sorts of people, it was necessary that he should converse with all sorts of people.
2. The reasons why he lived and chose this sort of life.
[1.] Because he would not place religion in outward austerities and observances. Men superstitiously appoint to themselves unnecessary tasks, and forbid themselves many lawful things, and this they call by the name of holiness. When Satan, who is usually a libertine, pre- tendeth to be a saint, he will be stricter than Christ himself ; as the pharisees were in the choice of their company and outward obser- vances. Christ foresaw this spirit would be working in the world: ' Touch not, taste not, handle not, after the commandments and doc- trines of men,' Col. ii. 21, 22. That men were apt to place religion in a simple abstinence from the common comforts of life, under a j)re- tence of more than ordinary mortification : neither eat, nor taste, nor touch. Over-doing in externals is usually an undoing in religion : the quaker's spirit and the monkish sj)irit is an apocryphal and bastard sort of iioliness, a spirit that suiteth not with the temper of the gtispel and the example of Christ.