appellation0. His Apostles met with precisely the same reception. St. Paul was accounted a babbler; and when speaking most unquestionably " the words of truth and sober ness," was thus reviled ; " Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning hath made thee mad d." And is it not thus at the present day ? Is not every one who delivers the word of God with fidelity and boldness represented as a fanatic, and a deceiver ? Some condemn the matter of his discourses, as visionary, as erroneous, as unnecessarily strict, or as lax even to licentiousness. Others condemn the manner: if it be firm, it is harsh; if affectionate, it is canting; if written, it is dull; if unwritten, it is enthusiastic, and devoid of sense. In a word, it is now as in the days of old : when John came, neither eating nor drinking, it was said he had a devil ; and when our Lord came with condescending freedom, " eating and drinking," it was said of him, " Behold a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners :" and in like manner we, " whether we pipe or mourn," are equally unacceptable to our hearers, and obnoxious to their censure e.
It is worthy of observation too, that the opposers of the Gospel seem never to entertain a doubt but that they are quite correct in all the censures which they pass upon those who minister the word unto them. " Doth he not speak parables?" was in the apprehension of Ezekiel's hearers an obvious fact ; and the inference which they drew from it, namely, That he was unworthy to be regarded, was in their estimate perfectly legitimate and undeniable. So now the folly of all who preach the Gospel, and the consequent propriety of disregarding every thing they say, are considered as so plain, that none but per- sons equally weak with themselves can entertain a doubt upon the subject.]
If such be indeed the treatment generally given to the Lord's messages, it will be useful to inquire, II. Whence it is they are so treated —
Doubtless persons who mean well may both speak and act with considerable indiscretion, and may by their injudicious conduct cause the way of truth to be evil spoken of. But as the treatment of God's messages is the same by whomsoever they are deli- vered, we must look for the reason of it, not so much in the messengers, as in those to whom they are sent. There are then in the hearers of the Gospel many obstacles to a just reception of it ;
c Matt, xxvii. 63. d Acts xvii. 18. and xxvi. 24.
« Matt. xi. 16—19.
1110.] men's treatment of the gospel. 409
1. A pride of understanding —
[Men think themselves qualified to sit in judgment upon the word of God, just as much as upon any human compo- sition ; and, when it accords not with their pre-conceived opinions, they do not hesitate to pronounce it foolishness f. To receive it with the docility of little children they would con- sider as a degradation to them. They account it not indeed a degradation to children to receive instruction from their parents, or their authorized instructors ; but they see not any such distance between the mind of God and theirs, as to call for any such submission to him on their part, though " they are born like a wild ass's colt." Hence it must necessarily arise that they will stumble, and be offended, at the great mys- teries of redemption.]
2. An independent spirit —
[" Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" is the reply, which, not Pharaoh only, but the whole host of rebels, make to the commands of God. It is awful to observe how little weight the authority of God has in influencing the con- duct of the world. Tell them how much their interest will be affected by this or that line of conduct, and they will give a patient attention to your advice : but speak of God's judg- ments, and they will " puff at them" with sovereign contempt2. Such treatment they themselves would not endure, for a mo- ment, from a child or servant of their own : but they offer it to God without any self-reproach, or any fear of his displeasure. They will not indeed confess that they thus oppose themselves to their Maker : they will maintain, that the word spoken to them is no just expression of his will : but this is a mere cover to their rebellion : they will not comply with his commands, and therefore they will deny altogether that they proceed from him, or else will so interpret them as altogether to change their import, and evade their force.]