0 Scribes, Pharisees, lawyers, Herodians.
p In all that he taught about his person, work, and offices, and in all he did, in working miracles, &c.
i They came to catch, ensnare, and provoke him.
r They would rather ascribe his miracles to Beelzebub, and his doctrines to madness, impiety, and inspiration of the devil.
s Even on the cross itself.
Herodians professed indifference for all religion : yet they all combined against Christ. Thus they shewed what was in their hearts.]
The preaching of Christ still makes the same dis- covery—
[Christ is still a butt of contradiction in the world. Before his Gospel is preached, all seem to be agreed ; but when he is set forth, discord and division ensue*: then the externally righteous people shew their enmity; then the indifferent dis- cover the same readiness to persecute. On the other hand the humility of others appears : many publicans and harlots gladly embrace the truth, and many believers manifest a willingness to die for Christ.]
By way of improvement we may inquire,
1. What self-knowledge have we gained from the
preaching of Christ ?
[He has been often " set forth crucified before our eyes." This must in a measure have revealed our thoughts to us. What discoveries then has it madeu? Let us take the Gospel as a light with which to search our hearts. Let us beg of God to illumine our minds by his Holy Spirit.]
2. What effect has the preaching of Christ pro- duced on our lives ?
[We must either rise or fall by means of the Gospel. Are we then risen with Christ to a new and heavenly life ? or are we filled with prejudice against his Church and people? Let us tremble lest he prove a rock of offence to us. If we rise with him now to a life of holiness, he will raise us ere long to a life of glory.]
*. Matt. x. 34—36.
u Has it shewn us our natural pride and self-righteousness, our self-sufficiency and self-dependence, our light thoughts of sin, our ingratitude, our unbelief, our enmity against God and his Christ 1 If it have not taught us these humiliating lessons, we have learned no- thing yet to any good purpose.