and heard all his discourses ; who, moreover, were assured on the most infallible testimony respecting his resurrection from the dead; who saw also the very same miracles wrought by his followers as had before been wrought by himself; I say, the probability was, that the Jews would have immediately become his most devoted followers. But the conduct of this infatuated people was altogether contrary to all such expecta- tions ; and they fulfilled the prophecies which they did not understand.]
Such was the fact stated by St. Paul. Let us now attend to,
II. The instruction to be gathered from it —
Surely, in this fact, we may see the following truths :
1. That how earnest soever we may be after salvation, we never shall attain it, if we seek it in a self-righteous way —
[Some of the Jews, we know, were very earnest in their endeavours to fulfil their law. Paul's description of himself in his unconverted state, abundantly proves thisf. So at this time many are very studious to approve themselves to God, according to the light that is in them : but they know not in what way to come to him. They do not see the nature and extent of the moral law; which, having been once violated, can never justify an immortal soulg. They do not see that there is a new and living way opened for them into the holy of holies by the sacrifice of the Son of Godh. They know not what our blessed Lord has so plainly told them, " I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me1." But we must declare to all such persons, that they are fatally deluded : " their zeal is not according to know- ledge :" whilst they go about to establish a righteousness of their own, and refuse to submit to the righteousness provided for them by God, they cut themselves off from all the blessings of the Gospel k. Nor is it only by an avowed reliance on their works alone that they bring this evil on themselves : they do it with equal certainty by blending their own works in any
measure, or in any degree, with the merits of Christ1
Know then, all of you, that, if ever you would be partakers of Christ and of his salvation, you must seek to be found in Christ, not relying in any respect on your own righteousness, but trusting altogether in his alone"1 If you would gain
f Phil. iii. f>, 6. ? Gal. iii. 10. h Heb. x. 19, 20.
1 John xiv. (J. k Rom. x. 2 — 4.
1 Gal. v. 2, 1. with Rom. xi. 6. m Phil. iii. 9.