The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 481

II. A RELIEF, 1. (Jhrist offers pardon to the guilty. (1) He gives rest to the- conscience ; removes the sense of guilt. (2) He gives peace to the heart. 2. Ghrist o_(fers purity to the unholy. (1) This his merits have purchased. (2) His Spirit is efficient. (3) His promises are assuring (see Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27; 1 These. v. 23). 3. Christ offers grace f<>r the needy. (1) He will remove the thorn in the flesh, (2) or he will enable us to rise above the affliction. IIL THE HEANB. 1. We must go to CJhrist. (1) We may go to church without going to Christ. (2) We may go to the Lord's table without going to Christ. (3) We must have a personal interview and acquaintance with him. To this end we must seek him. In his house ; at his table; at the footstool of his throne. 2. We must approach him humbly. (1) In the contrast of his glorious purity we sink abashed. "I loathe myself when God I see, And into nothing fall." (2) We should pray for the grace of his Spirit. 3. We must a:PP"oach him obediently. (1) By ceasing to do evil. Every idol must be thrown down. (2) By learning to do well. Acts of justice. Acts of mercy. Habits of truth and goodness. 4.. We muat approach him believingly. (1) Realize Christ here-now. (2) Realize that he is here, and now ready to remove your burden. (3) You will soon realize that his service is rest-present, everlasting. How lamentable that all do not come to Jesus I Angels lament this. Good men lament it. There is no excuse for those who will not seek such a blessed Saviour.- J. A. M. Ver. 2.-The mission of miracles, "When John had hoard in the prison tha worka of Christ." Archbishop Thomson says, "Many Fathers are ipleased to say that John had no doubts himself; that his faith was too strong for that, and that he only sent the two disciples to Jesus that they might have their faith refreshed by a stronger draught than their own master could administer. I cannot and do not believe it. There can hardly be a doubt that in thus sending his disciples to inquire of Jesus he wished to satisfy a doubt and a misgiving that had sprung up in his mind. 'Why this tarrying? Why this great delay? Why not proclaim the truth upon the mountain- tops and in the city tha_t Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, is come, that the people might bow down to him, and then rise as one man to shake off the Roman yoke?' It was his own misgiving, The faith is still there, but clouded over for the moment by a certain doubt, 'Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?'" Arch- bishop Trench explains the force of the term "works" as applied to our Lord's miracles. "A further term by which St. John very frequently names the miracles is eminently- eignificant. They are very often with him simply 'works.' The wonderful is for St. John only the natural form of working for him who is dwelt in by all the fulness of God. He must, out of the necessity of his higher being, bring forth these works greater than man's." "These miracles are the fruit after its kind which the Divine tree brings forth; and may, with a deep truth, be styled the' works' of Christ, with. no further addition or explanation." I. THB PECULIABITIEB OF THE CHRISTIAN MIRACLES. It is well to remember that the Christian is not the only set of miracles; their characteristic features can best be seen on comparing them with others, especially those recorded, with more or less authority, in ecclesiastical history. Note these peculiarities : 1. The miracles of Christ were kept within remarkablu limitations. The fewness, not ehe abundance, surprises us. Christ's restraint of miracle is far more surprising than his working miracles at o.11. 2. The miracles of Christ were purely philanthropic in their character. The apparent exceptions are proofs of the truth, for they were philanthropic to the disciples, parts of their spiritual training. 3. Tue miracles of Christ were in foll harmony with the character and words of their author. 4. Less is made of the miracles of Christ 1\11 credentials than we shruld have expected. IL THE PURPOSE o, TilE CHRISTIAN ltllBACJ.ES. The true way to the vindication of the miracles is to show that the rlllUon of a thing affords the best proof of its existence. Some of the heavenly bodies have been discovered, not by sight with the. help of the telescope, but by the reason for their exi~tence, which W:LS founti in thfl  ',,8 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO sr. MATTHEW. [OH. X[, 1-30.