When we see our blessed Lord supposing it applied to himself, it will be desirable to ascertain,
II. To whom it may with propriety be addressed —
You will bear in mind, that our Lord was supposed to possess and exercise such powers as fully attested his divine mission. These powers the people of Nazareth, therefore, called upon him to display amongst them : and on his compliance with these terms, they suspended their acceptance of him as their promised Messiah. Had he never given suffi- cient proof of his divine mission, they would have been justified in demanding more convincing evi- dence of it. But what he had done at Capernaum was abundantly sufficient to shew that God was with him of a truth ; and therefore their demand was un- reasonable, and the refusal of it was a just punishment
d Luke vi. 41, 42.
for their incredulity. But we may well apply the proverh,
1. To the proud moralist, who pours contempt upon the Gospel —
[Many, like the Pharisees of old, adhere to the law of works, and regard the Gospel as foolishness. Their principles, they judge, are quite sufficient for the effecting of every thing that is necessary for their salvation. Then, I say, ' Prove it to us. You profess that you have satisfied others : but, before we can acquiesce in your high pretensions, we call upon you to satisfy us. " Physician, whoever thou art, heal thyself," and let us see in thee a proof of the efficacy of those principles of which thou boas test. That thev will suffice to " cleanse the outside of the cup and platter," we readily admit : but that they will operate effectually to the cleansing of the inside, we greatly doubt. We will admit the truth of all that was alleged by thy great prototype in the Temple : " I thank thee, O God, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican : I fast twice in the week ; I give tithes of all that I possesse." But, in our view of religion, humility, and faith, and love, are very primary and essential parts : and we beg leave to ask, What evidence thou givest us of these ? we see not of these any proof whatever : and, till we see them visibly wrought into the frame and constitution of thy soul, we must call in question all thy high pretensions ; and must con- sider thy rejection of the Gospel as a proof of thine own pride, and ignorance, and unbelief ]
2. To the censorious professor, who dishonours the Gospel —
[Almost all classes of Christians are ready to censure and condemn those who differ from them : and, even in their own society, there are but too many who cast on each other unkind and censorious reflections: and, in fact, those who are the most faulty themselves are the foremost in finding fault with others. This disposition greatly prevailed amongst the Pharisaic Jews ; who, boasting of their high privileges, were forward to condemn others, whilst they themselves were guilty of the very same or worse enormities than those which they censured in others. Hence St. Paul, in the true spirit of this proverb, reproved them ; saying, " Thou who teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest, a man should not steal, dost thou steal? thou that sayest, a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilegef?" Now, in this, must I reply to
e Luke xviii. 11, 12. f Rom. ii. 21,22.