The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 227

them; but the long ~st~nement of bis claime lea,IR on 1md down to a decieive rejec- tion; at length the m1~d 1s fuUy me.de up, the eoul resolveJ. tbl\t it will seek ita good el~cwh~re, tuat the pntient Sanour may knock but he will wait in vain. 2. It may 1-.roced from motives that are_ dist,>nctly unworthy. It wae a procedure on the pnrt of these Ge.darenee that was simply shameful; they preferreJ. their swine to a Divino Restorer; they would rather k_ecp their property than entertain One who would bring bt•alth to tbe1r homes and wi~dom to their hearts. When men reject Christ, they ~oldom put before their minds the alternative as it really is in the eight of God; but traced far enough, seen in the light of truth, viewed as it will have to be one day rcga,ded, it is an unholy and an unworthy preference of the human to the Divine, or o[ the present to the future, or of the fleshly to the spiritual; it is a preference which God condemns, and for making which the soul will one day reproach itself. 3. It may be only too su.c=sf'lil. It was so here. Jesus did not contest the point; he did not assert bis right to go where be pleased and labour where he liked, He _yielded to their urgency; "He went up into the ship, and returned back again." Man bas a power wbicll may well make him tremble, of resisting aud rejecting the Divine; of sending away the messenger and the message which come from God himself; of silencing the voice ""hich speaks from heaven. "How often would I I . . . but ye would not ; " "Ye shall not see me until," etc. (eh. xiii.). This is the record of many a soul's history in its relation to Christ. We send away from our hearts and homes the Lord that would heal and save ancl enrich us. II. THE WELCOME oF CHRIST. "The p<'ople gladly received him" (ver. 4:0); they welcomed him," for they were all waiting for him "-were in expectation of his coming. 1. The spirit in which it is offered. ·we cannot suppose that every one then present had the same feeling about our Lord's return. Probably there were those who were iufluenced by a legitimate but unspiritua.l curiosity; others by a desire to be healed, or to secure his sen-ices as Healer of sickness for their friends; others by a wish to learn more of his wondrous wisdom; others by a reverent thankfulness and a desire to manifest their gratitude to him. Many motives take men into the presence of Cbri,;t. Some are low aud very near the ground, that may or may not go unblessed. Others are higher and more hopeful. And yet others a.re certa.in to be recompensed. They who receive Christ's word in the love of it, who go to him to learn of him anJ. to be heal,,d by h.iru, or who want to be employed by him in bis cau~e, n,ay make sure of a full-hlilldcd welcome by him. 2. Its reception by og_r Lord. We know tha.t this is cordial and full of blessing. "If any man . . . open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and be with me." If, wbeu Jesus Christ offers himself to us as our Teacher and Saviour, we heartily welcome him as such, there will be for us an enrichmeu.t uf soul surpassing all that we can imacrine-reconciliation to the livin"' Gud; his own blessed and unfailing friendship; a iife of sacred service, holy usefi.J..ness, and abiuing joy ; a death of peace and hope; an i=orlality of glory.-C. Vere. 45, 46.-0hrist's discriminating notice. Who can help being interested in the woman who is the subject of this sacred story? She bas suffered long; she has wasted her suustance in vain endeavours to be healed. Now a. new hope springs up in her heart· though excited by this hope she shrinks from the publicity which she fears is 1,ecea:ary for its fulfilment. At last faith and hope triumph over tirui<lity, and she comes into the presence of Christ. We are sympathetically present iL that crowd; yve_ see her stealing into it, pushing her way nearer and nearer to the Master, at length t1m1dly stretching out her band and touching the 1!3-Cred fringe of bis garment. We almost pity this trembling woman, albeit we kuow that she is healed, as Je"us turne and says, " Who touched me? " We know that it is only by a great spiritual effort that she tells her story to the Master in the presenoe of the people, and our hearts draw yet nc-arer in trllilt and luve to that Divine Healer, to our Divine Lord, as we hoar him ~ay, "Daughter, be of guod comfort: thy faiLh bath ma.de thee whole; go in peace.'' The i..ucident may speak to us of- L THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BODILY AND BF.AL BPffiITOAL OONTAOT, .. There are times when hande wucL ours, but only ~end an icy cl..tiil uf unsympathizing indifference to the heart· wLen eyee gaze into ours, but with a glazed look that cannot read our liuul.s; when' the wul,ituJe thruug anJ. i,rcss u~, but we cannot say,' Sowol..tody hath ffll. vm. 1-66.] TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKK 227