2. With candour —
[While some are light and trifling, others make inquiries only that they may carp and cavil at the word. Such were the Herodians, the Sadducees, and Pharisees of old, who brought forth their respective difficulties, merely to ensnare Jesus, and entangle him in his talkg: and such were those also, who " urged him vehemently to speak of many things, that they might find something whereof to accuse himV But we should rather imitate the Beraeans, who, instead of deter- mining at once that all which they heard from time to time was folly and delusion, " searched the Scriptures daily, to find whether things were as they had been represented to them " ]
3. With humility—
[There are many things revealed to us in the Gospel which are contrary to the generally prevailing opinions of
d Acts xxviii. 22. e Acts xvii. 32. f 2 Tim. iii. 7.
s Matt. xxii. 15—17, 23—28, 34—36. " Luke xi. 53, 54.
mankind : " they are even foolishness unto the natural man ; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." In order to understand them aright, we must receive them simply on the authority of God ; and conclude them to be true, because he has revealed them. We must beg of him " the gift of his Holy Spirit, that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God :" for then only shall we know him, when " he gives us an understanding to know him," and reveals his dear Son in our hearts as the hope of glory. If we are so wise that we will not seek instruction from him, God will "take us in our own craftiness" ]
4. With diligence —
[It is not a transient or superficial inquiry that will suffice : we must " search for wisdom, and dig for her as for hid treasures." We must not presently give over the pursuit, because we find that we have not yet attained : the promise is, "Then shall ye know, if ye follow on to know the Lord." There are in the Gospel heights and depths which cannot be explored : and therefore, however deep our acquaintance may be with this stupendous mystery, we should still " not count ourselves to have attained," but continue to " give attendance to reading," and to pray with unabated fervour, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law!" ]
5. With a determination to embrace whatever we may find to be agreeable to the mind and will of God —
[This is the main point : " If we will do God's will, we shall know of the doctrine whether it be of him." If we will not receive the truth in the love of it, God will give us over to believe a lie, in order to our more aggravated condemna- tion1. To receive it speculatively will be to no purpose: for it were better to be wholly ignorant of it, than to " hold it in unrighteousness," or turn from it after having once professed to embrace it k ]
Address —
[As Pilate askpd of Jesus, "What is truth?" so you are come hither professedly to make the same inquiry. Be- hold then, in Christ's stead we answer your inquiry : This is truth ; that Jesus is the Christ ; and that his people look unto him as the Saviour of the world. This is truth; that Jesus is also the King of Israel ; and that all who are his, submit to his government Now go not away, as Pilate did, regard-
' 2 Thess. ii. 10—12.
k Rom. i. 18. Ileb. vi. 4— G. 2 Pet. ii. 21.
1721. 3 pilate's attempt to save jesus. 161
less of your own question ; but reflect upon it ; consider its importance ; meditate on the answer given to it ; and examine
your own hearts, how far you understand it how far
you feel it and how far your lives are conformed to