infatuated zealots, that they had not been suffered to imbrue their hands in the blood of God's only Son.
But it was also judicial : for, by means of his departure, the people of Nazareth were deprived of many temporal benefits, which, if they had received him more worthily, he would have imparted to them : they were deprived also of his spiritual instructions, which, if duly improved, would have converted and saved their souls.]
2. As it respects us —
[In this escape of his we see, what care he will take of us, and tvhat care we ought to take of ourselves.
Every faithful servant of God must expect persecution. But he is immortal till his work is done. God will screen him from his enemies, how numerous, potent, or inveterate soever they may beg. Look at Paul when a conspiracy was formed against his life ; and at Peter when chained in an inner prison in order to be brought forth the next day for execution : how seasonably, and in what an unlooked-for manner, did God in- terpose for their deliverance11! Thus will he exert his almighty power on behalf of all who serve him faithfully, unless indeed the hour is come for them to receive their full reward. We never need to fear the face of man : for God has " put a hook in the nose, and a bridle in the jaws," of every man ; " nor can any have even the smallest power against us, except it be given him from above."
But notwithstanding our assurance of Divine protection, we ought to take all prudent precautions to avoid the fury of our enemies, and to avail ourselves of those methods of escape which God in his providence has opened to us. " If they persecute us in one city, we should flee to another," and like Paul, when " let down by the wall in a basket," elude the resentment which we cannot pacify. We must not indeed deny Christ, or decline any duty, even though death should be the inevitable and immediate consequence of our fidelity : but we must never court death, if we have an opportunity of saving our lives by privacy or flight.]
Infer —
1. What need have all Christ's followers to count
the cost before they take up a profession of religion !
[Ministers indeed, for the most part, are called to stand foremost in the post of danger, and to bear the brunt of the battle : but every soldier of Christ is called to " endure hardness," and to " fight a good fight." If by our life and
8 Zecli. ii. 5. Isai. xxxiii. 21, 22. 2 Kings vi. 10, 17. }l Acts xxiii. 12, 13, 1(3—24. Acts xii. 5—8.