then for how many things, both temporal and spiritual, you are indebted to God ; and begin immediately to render to him his dues. That which, above all, he requires is, the tribute of a grateful heart. O that he may receive it daily from us ; and that we may devote ourselves to him in body, soul, and spirit!]
2. That we are peculiarly responsible for our treat- ment of Jesus Christ —
[Christ is the Father's greatest gift. Our past abuse of all his other mercies may be forgiven, provided we be duly sen- sible of this mercy. However long we have alienated God's property, yea, however shamefully we have abused his other messengers, if now we repent us of our sins, and turn to him in the name of Jesus, he will pardon our past transgressions, and remember our iniquities no more. But, if we continue to slight the Saviour, all other changes will be to no purpose. We may turn from profaneness to morality, or may even pro- fess a regard for Jesus himself; yet if we do not cordially receive him for all the ends and purposes for which he was sent into the world, we shall only deceive ourselves to our eternal ruin. Let us then " look on him whom we have pierced, and mourn." Then shall God's indignation be turned to love ; and we shall be made partakers of his eternal inheritance.]
Luke xx. 17, 18. And he beheld them, and said, What is this
then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the
same is become the head of the corner ? Whosoever shall fall
upon that stone shall be broken ; but on whomsoever it shall
fall, it will grind him to poivder.
MANY truths delivered by our Lord militated strongly against the carnal notions of his hearers : they were ready on many occasions to reply, " This is an hard saying, who can hear it?" But he invariably appealed to their own Scriptures in confirmation of his word. Nor could any better method of silencing their objections be possibly devised. He had just warned the priests and elders that they would "kill their Messiah ; and that God would on that account transfer his Church to the Gentiles a. Thev, not
a ver. 13 — 16.