with him" (John iii. 2). It mUBt be added that the credentials of this accuBed but wonderful Personage are already multiplied, and of the mOBt pronounced character alike in deed and in word, The blasphemy is that his detractors say that hie work is ~t of that God whose working be does, but of the devil whose working he undoes! III. THE EXPOSURE AND REBUKE OB' THIS BLASPHEMY. The Pharisees spoke their blasphemy as an aside ; or perhaps from a little distance off, whence they come, and now draw near enough to Christ for him to address them and " their thoughts" per- sonally, though " their thoughts " had not been openly and with any "courage of con• viction" addressed in language to him. 1. Universal reason expressed in universal proverb exposes and rebukes the blasphemy. Satan won't divide against himself, says Christ; and they all know it. 2. A practical alternative question storms the position and abashes the blasphemy. "If," says Christ, "I by Beelzebub cast out devils," dare to put it in words, "by whom your children cast them out?" "but if I by the finger of God," which is "the Spirit of God, cast them out, then that kingdom of God" which you are refusing to enter, and which you are striving to prevent, is veritably" come to you." What about your neglect of it, and your malignant opposition to him who brings it? Strong and armed as confessedly Satan is, and his "palace" long time" kept," now it is before your eyes, though you may not, will not, confess it with the tongue, that a Stronger has "come upon him," has "overcome him," has "bound him," has "taken from him all his armour, wherein he trusted, and has divided his spoils." It is upon the ruins of that house, that palace, that kingdom which your blasphemy says is already divided against itself, that " the kingdom of God is come unto yo1L" And now henceforth, he that does not know me, know to be" with me," and to gather with and for me, "is against me," and dooms himself to "scatter," and he scattered. IV. THE TERRIBLE WARNING IN THE MATTER OB' BLASPHEMY, VIZ. THAT "AGAlliST THE HoLY GHOST," NOW PRONOUNCED BY CHRIST. The language of Christ on this subject offers itself for the simplest acceptance,'and humble and awed faith of all. Not- withstanding its brevity, its exceedingly simple diction, and the apparently designed wording of it, so that it shall not fail to reach its ai-m, it remains, after all the centuries, a passage that finds no absolutely satisfactory exposition, and that can command not one really just parallel by aid of which to determine and define it. To generalize upon it is easy, and to say continuous resistauce of the Holy Spirit is likely, only too likely, to lead to final resistance of him, and that to the fatal doom here pronounced. is safe enough, and at the same time safely far enough from the exactness of the language and the point of its warning, here found. The apostle warns not to "quench" the Holy Spirit of God, after warning not to "grieve" him. But at what point long and repeated grieving may avail to quench we cannot fi..x, nor, if we could, woulcl this enable us any more certainly to decipher what is here written, not of some prolonged rebellion against the Holy Spirit, but apparently of some such state of heart as may in a moment precipitate the unforgivable sin. We believe that it must be a "merciful and wise obscurity" that lies upon this passage ; none the less solemn, but perhaps more so; none the less useful, but perhaps more so. 'l'he comment or St. Mark (iii. 30), " Because they said, He bath an unclean spirit," seems to bring us nearest of all to the exact description of the sin, already adjudicated on by Christ, both for the time before the full gospel day, and thence to the end. And we believe that the dread testimony and warning goes to this-that there is a blasphemy of the tongue against the Holy Ghost, which speaks a blasphemy of the heart against him, such and of such sort, that though not to be pronounced upon (while wheat and tares grow together), the all-seeing One knows, and declares of it, that it cannot know the grace of repentance, and cannot have the infinite boon of forgiveness extended to it. V. OHRIBT'S EMPHATIC DENIAL OB' ANY FORM OJ' CONVENTIONAL AND ARTIFIOIAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE HEART AND INNER QtrALITY AND INGRAVEN CHABAOTl!:R OF MEN, AND THEffi WORDS AND ACTIONS. It is as true of the highest as of tho lowest; and it is also as true of them both, and of all others whomsoever, as of the tree and its fruit. So literally and precisely true is this, that though it were possible that a " word," for instance, were so "idle," so light, so useless, so inactive, devoid of energy, inoperative, that it inferred no danger to any one in all the world outside, it should not the less be true that it inferred danger to the speaker of it. What witness must i~ f!lleds bear about him, and against him I These concluding verses a.re, without mistake, 516 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [oH. xn. 1-50.
e. summing up of most pre.ctice.l e.nd forcible e.pplice.tion to the "genere.tion of vipers" in the first inste.nce, e.nd e.lso e. reminder of widespread and deeply significe.nt impor;< ta.nee to e.ll of us.-B.