Doubtless there were many other things conspicuous in his ministrations : his gracefulness and ease, his tenderness and compassion, his zeal and diligence, could not fail of attracting notice ; but the points above specified, are those which seem more particularly adverted to in the words of our text.]
Such was the preaching of our Lord. Let us now consider,
II. The effect produced by it on his hearers —
They appear to have been exceedingly struck with his address ; yet not so affected as we might have hoped. We shall endeavour to point out,
1. How far the effect was good —
[The word which we translate " astonished," does certainly imply a very deep impression made upon their minds. This impression consisted partly in admiration, with which they were filled ; and partly in conviction, with which they were pene- trated ; a conviction of the truth, the importance, and the beneficial tendency of all he had spoken. The novelty, united with the circumstances before mentioned, made his ministry appear as superior to that of others, as the effulgence of the sun
a Mic. iii. 8.
is to the light of a twinkling star. One sentiment evidently pervaded the whole multitude, " Never man spake like this man." At the same time they felt in their consciences, that, if this was religion, they had hitherto been ignorant of it in their minds, and destitute of it in their hearts.
Now these two feelings were doubtless good, inasmuch as they argued an openness of mind, a freedom from offence, and a desire of further instruction : and accordingly we find, that, " when he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him." But, from all that is recorded, we have no reason to conclude that the impression made upon them was altogether such as might have been washed.]
2. Wherein it was defective —
\They should have been ''pricked to their hearts'' with a deep sense of their wickedness, and should have been led to cry out, like those on the day of Pentecost, " What shall we do to be saved?" Without such humiliation as this they could never be truly penitent : they never could abhor themselves, as every penitent must do, in dust and ashes.
They should have also given up themselves entirely to the Lord Jesus Christ. He required all to take up their cross and follow him : but this was effected only to a very small extent, even to the hour of his death : the whole number of his fol- lowers amounted at the last to no more than one hundred and twenty. Hence it is evident, that, whatever effects were pro- duced on this audience, they were only transient ; and, conse- quently, that the word preached did not profit the people, " not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."
They should have been brought to a new and heavenly life. Every thing that falls short of this is in vain. W^e must " obey from the heart that form of doctrine into which we are deli- vered;" just as metal, that assumes the shape of the mould whereinto it is poured^. But we see not in this audience any such tenderness of spirit, such melting of heart, such surrender of their souls, such transformation of their lives. They appear only to have been like Ezekiel's hearers, who were delighted with his oratory, but were uninfluenced by his reproofs''.]
Learn then from hence,
1. How ineffectual is the word without the Spirit —
[If any words could of themselves convert the souls of men, surely the words of our Lord Jesus Christ would have produced this effect. But even his discourses were often as water spilled upon the ground. So it was also when his disci- ples preached : " Paul might plant; and Apollos water, but God
^ See Rom. vi. 17. the Greek. <= Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32.
1335.] THE EFFECT OF OUR LORd's PREACHING. 287
alone can give the increase." The truth is, that nothing ever has been done, or ever can, for the saving of immortal souls, but by the operation of the Spirit of God. It is the Spirit that quickeneth us from the dead : it is the Spirit that opens the un- derstanding and the heart: it is " the Spirit that enables us to mortify the deeds of the body," and that renews us altogether after the Divine image. When, therefore, we come up to the house of God, let us look, through the means, to Him who alone can render the means effectual for our good. Let us remember, that the ministry of Christ himself will produce no saving effects without the Spirit ; and that the word, by whom- soever delivered, if accompanied with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, shall be sharper than a two-edged sword, and be more powerful than " the hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces."]