reject
* rif^Yi. ^ Phil. iii. 8.
*■ uvukicc, Comp. Roin, xi. 32. with Eph. ii. 2.
<* 1 John iii. 23, * Ps, cxviii,22.
reject his Gospel : they cry out against it, as discouraging the practice of good works, as opening the very flood-gates of iniquity, and (strange as the contradiction is) making the way to heaven so strait and difficult that no one can walk in it Thus, instead of building on Christ as the foundation-stone, they make him only " a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence V]
How far this is to be traced to any antecedent pur- poses of God, will appear more distinctly, while we mark the difference between them, II. In their states before God —
In the words of the text there is a double anti- thesis, which is rather obscured by the present translation, but which should be noticed in order to a clear understanding of the passaged
" These (the Unbelievers) stumble at the word, being disobedient " —
[In what manner they stumble at the word, has been already noticed. We must now endeavour to trace their stumbling to its proper causes.
It is certainly, in the first instance, owing to their own "dis- obedience." Men are filled with pride, and are unwilling to embrace any sentiment that tends to abase them. They are also full of worldly and carnal lusts, which they cannot endure to have mortified and subdued. In short, their prejudices and their passions are altogether adverse to the Gospel : so that, when the word is preached to them, they instantly set themselves against it. In vain are proofs adduced ; in vain are motives urged ; in vain are all human efforts to conciliate their regard to Christ •, the language of their hearts is, " I have loved strangers, and after them will Igo*"." The contempt which the Pharisees poured on Christ, on account of his pro- hibiting the love of money, is traced by the Evangelists to this very source ; " The Pharisees were covetous, and they de- rided him'." And our Lord expressly recommends obe- dience as the best preparative for receiving the knoM'ledge of his Gospel; " If any man will do my will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God ^"
But, according to the words of the text, it seems as if
men's
' Isai. viii. 14.
s The wDids in italics, ver. 8. should be left out; and 0« be trans- lated " these." The double antithesis will then be clear: — 'f^lv he is precious; aTrniia-i "hi he is a stumbling-block. O/, ///<'?c, stumble through iht'ir own depravity ; 'Tfcui Se enjoy your privileges as a chosen generation
^ J.;r. ii. 25. ' Luke xvi. 14. " John vii. IJ.