And lastly, it teacheth us to conceive of the ivord, together with the good- ness and power thereof, ivith admiration and wonderment.
In the next place, observe, from the calumniation of the scribes, that rebellion and opposition agai)ist goodness is never without show of reason; and men they will never go to hell, but they have reason for it. They will countenance rebellion by defaming and scandalisiug the people of God ; and to that end they will be sure to take things with a strong hand. Austere John ' hath a devil ; ' sociable Christ ' is a wine-bibber.'
And the reason is, the pride of man, that will not be thought so foolish as to speak, or do anything without reason, and therefore when it is wanting they will feign one. In every calumniation they do so, and the calumnia- tion and scandal here was the greater, because it was raised by the scribes and pharisees, the great doctors and the wise rabbis, whose word must carry such credit with it, as alone to condemn Christ: * We would not have brought him to thee were he not worthy of death,' Mat. xxvi. 6Q ; and whose life must be a rule to others : * Doth any of the pharisees believe in him,' John vii. 48.
For use therefore of this doctrine, let us account it no strange matter if we he traduced, disgraced, and scandalised, for it was Christ's and John's lot. Great slanders must be maintained from great men, such as them that sit in Moses's chair, the pharisees and scribes. John's holiness should have procured reverence, and Christ's sociableness should have been rewarded with love ; but it is the lot of them and all Christians : ' The disciple is not above his master,' Mat. x. 24. They may do well, but must look to hear ill. Wicked men when they learn to think well, they will learn to report well.
Let ns grieve at their estate, and comfort ourselves in Christ, who will maintain our cause.
Thirdly, Be innocent as doves, and be ever doing good, that our lives may give them the lie, and stop others from giving credit to their malicious aspersions.
Fourthly, Let us look that xve approve ourselves to God, who shall judge us. Stand or fall to him, and pass* not for the judgment of man, and of such as shall be judged themselves.
* Cf. Glossary, sub voce. — G.
THE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL.
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Lastly, Let its take heed we take not a thing in the wrong sense aud of vain prejudice. Men are witty-'.= to lay stumbling-blocks in their own way to heaven. This preacher is too strict, that too mild ; this too plain, that too poor. Like the children Christ speaks of here, nothing will please them : hence, in the last place, we may learn from the example of Christ, that it is not ill to speak ill of ill men, in case of apology and prevention of scandal ; for Christ's example doth warrant it. But to proceed. Ver. 35, * Eut wisdom is justified of all her children.' From the connection of these words with the former, by this word ' but,' we may observe, that is is the lot of God's truth to have diverse entertainments in this world. Some will be children of wisdom, and justify it ; others, as the Pharisees, will scandalise it ; and the reason is, from the diversity of mens natures in this world, wherein are contrary seeds f and contrary ser- vants to contrary kingdoms. Some will flock after Christ ; others will say, ' he deceiveth the people,' John vii. 12. Yet as there is ' a generation of vipers,' so there is a generation of children belonging to the kingdom, that swim against the stream, like the stars that have a retrograde motion to the residue. But for the meaning of the words, by ' wisdom' here is meant the doctrine of the gospel, not only as it is in books, but as it is in the ministry. And briefly the ways of God laid out in his ordinances, and taught by weak men, all this is understood in this word ' wisdom,' and this word 'justified,' that is approved and received ' of her children,' that is, of her followers, being such as wisdom begets to a new life. In these words let us consider, first, that there is a doctrine ivhich is icisdom ; and this teacheth what God intends to us, and we should return unto him. This reason will evince that God being so good unto man, he should have some thanks at his hands, and some acknovA'ledgment of duty to him, by way of worship, which it is most fit God himself should institute ; and the rule hereof, joined with practice, is that wisdom here meant, for there is diverse wisdoms : first, as it is in God, and so it is a depth unsearchable. ' Man knoweth not the price hereof,' Job xxviii. 13. Secondly, there is a wisdom communicated to Christ, who hath a twofold wisdom, infinite as God, and finite as man ; and a wisdom as he is God and man joined together ; and this is called wisdom of union. In the next place, there is a wisdom of vision, and this the saints and angels have in heaven, and we shall have hereafter; and there is a wisdom of revelation, which is revealed in the Scripture to us by the Spirit, and this is the wisdom meant in this place, as it is comprehended either in principles laid down in the gospel, or in conclusions inferred necessarily from them, or in our improvement of them, to the right and best end, which is God's glory and our salvation. This is wisdom ; and called so here by way of emphasis, shewing it is the only excellent wisdom, which will further appear in these respects.