Jesus upbraids the cities where his miracles were wrought. 309 lviii. There is a sense in which it still suffers violence: and how sad is SECT. the degeneracy of our natures, that we should exert so little warmth in such a pursuit, and so much for every trifle! Instead Mat. of that holy ardour with which men should press into it, they fold XI. 12. their hands in their bosoms, and lose themselves in soft luxurious dreams, till the precious opportunity is for ever gone. May Divine Grace display the crowns and palms of victory before our eyes, in so awakening a manner, that we may joyfully seize them, whatever obstacles may lie in our way, whatever must be done, or whatever must be borne to secure them! VII. SO Let us not, as we love our own souls, through a proud self- Luke sufficiency reject the gracious counsels of God which are addressed to us, lest we should be another day condemned by publicans and sinners. Divine providence and grace are using a variety of methods with us: let not our perverseness and folly, like that of the Jews, frustrate them all; but rather let us shew ourselves the 35 children of wisdom, by falling in with its measures and improving as well as applauding them. SECT. LIX. Our Lord laments over the impenitent cities of Galilee, acknowledges the Divine sovereignty in the dispensations of the gospel and invites sinners to come to him. Mat. XI. 20. to the end. MAT. XI. 20. THEN began he to wherein most of his MAT. XI. 20. lix. upbraid the cities THEN, after Jesus had in general reproved SECT. the Jews for the perverseness of their carriage mighty works were under the great advantages that they enjoyed, he Mat. done, because they re- began particularly to upbraid the cities in which XI. 20. most of his miracles had been wrought because they pented not. Chorazin! Wo unto 21 Wo unto thee, did not repent, and believe in him: And in 21 thee, Bethsaida! for the most affectionate and solemn manner he deif the mighty works clared, how terrible would be the consequence which were done in of their impenitence and unbelief; and said, IVo Tyre and Sidon, they unto thee, O Chorazin, and Wo unto thee, O Bethwould have repented saida, where I so often have conversed and long ago in sackcloth taught! for surely if the miracles which have been you, had been done in and ashes. wrought in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon 328 ixii. The woman's exclamatian upon hearing Christ. SECT. he labours most artfully to disguise himself and his character, breaks out like you, in some unMat. guarded moment, into such language as betrays XII. 35. the shame he would conceal. (Compare Luke vi. 43-45, sect. liv.) 36 36 But I say unto you, That every idle But take heed, how you suffer your tongues to run on in this profane and licentious man- word that men shall ner; for I solemnly declare unto you, That in the speak, they shall give awful day of the final and universal judgment, account thereof in the men shall give a strict and impartial account for day of judgment. every unprofitable, and much more for every pernicious word which they shall speak and C 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, wo be to them who have used that noble faculty of speech only to vain or to wicked purposes. 37 For let every particular hearer apply it to himself: it is not by thine actions alone, but in some degree by thy words, thou shalt at last be justified, or by thy words thou shalt be then condemned, as by the tenor of these, the disposition of thy heart is shewn and thy true character discovered. And while he was speaking these things, a cerX1.27 tain pious woman was so transported with a mixture of pleasure at hearing his words, and certain woman of the indignation at the unworthy treatment he met company lift up her with from his adversaries, that she could not voice, and said him, Blessed is the forbear lifting up her voice, and crying out from womb that bare thee, amidst the crowd, she said unto him, O thou and the paps which Luke b For every unprofitable, and much more such vile and criminal discourses as those LUKE XI. 27. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a Divine thou hast sucked! unto If any, on the whole, are dissatisfied with the account of things here given, I would beg leave to ask them, whether unprofitable talk be not a sinful wasting of time? and whether that must not render a man in some degree criminal before God? C c Or by thy words thou shalt be condemned.] Since both the clauses in this verse cannot belong to the same person, it is plain that xa here, as the Hebrew particle Ve in many places, is put for the alternative Or: and agreeably to this we find that instead of x, the particle n is here inserted in many ancient copies. dWhile he was speaking these things.] Luke brings in this story at the end of the parable of the relapsing demoniac, which was delivered just at the conclusion of the discourse before related. And though it is uncertain at what exact time this exclamation was made, yet what was now said might be a proper occasion for it; or, if it be a little transposed, the reader will excuse it, as it serves for a fit appendix to this short sectio 1, and likewise prevents the more unequal length of the following. e From amidst the crowd.] So Ex ศษ as plainly signifies; and it may thus, I think, be very properly connected with the words which follow it in the original. Reflections on the account we must give of our words. 28 But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they God, and keep it. 329 lxii. Divine Teacher, Happy is the womb of her that SECT. But he modestly and seriously replied, Nay, that hear the word of rather happy are they who hear the word of God which I preach, and keep it in their hearts as a vital principle of holy obedience; for they will be entitled to eternal blessings, infinitely more valuable than any natural relation to me could give, or any opportunities of the most intimate converse with me, separate from such a practical regard to my instructions. IMPROVEMENT. WHOSE heart does not echo back the exclamation of this Luke XI. 27. pious woman? Yet who does not too frequently forget that weighty and important answer which succeeded it? Let us not only hear, but keep the word of Christ; and we shall thus be happy in a nearer union with him than ever could arise from any natural relation to him, and shall ere long have opportunities of more noble and more delightful converse with him than those, with which the virgin Mary herself was honoured during the time of his abode on earth. XII. 33. Let us especially attend to those instructions we have here received, and judge of ourselves by our fruits; never flattering our- Mat. selves that our hearts are good, if our lives are abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate: (Tit. i. 16.) And in particular let us remember, that not our actions only, but the fruits of our lips, are to be brought into the solemn acccount which we 36 must give to the great Judge of all the earth; and that the day is coming, when all our idle and unprofitable talk, which has procceded from the evil treasure of a depraved heart, will undergo a 37 strict examination, and we must answer not for our actions only, but shall be justified or condemned by our words. And, if foolish and wicked speeches are to be accounted for in the day of judgment. let us set a watch on the door of our lips to prevent them; and labour daily to use our tongue so, that it may indeed be, as it is in scripture called, our glory. (Psal. xvi. 9. xxx. 12.) For that purpose, let it be our great care to lay up a good trea-35 sure of Christian knowledge and experience in our hearts; that while too many are poisoning those that are round about them with erroneous principles and vicious discourses, the opening of our lips may be of righteous things; and we may still be ready, upon 312 lix. The yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden light. and he to whomsoever SECT. and glories of my person and kingdom, that no knoweth any man the one fully knows the Son, but the Father; neither Father, save the Son, does any truly know the Father, but the Son, and the Son will reveal him. XI. 27. he to whom the Son is pleased to reveal him: For Mat. I have that knowledge of him to which no creature can pretend; and it is my great errand to the world to discover his nature and will, and lead his wandering creatures into a saving 28 acquaintance with him; A work which I undertake with the greatest cheerfulness and delight and therefore, come unto me by faith, all ye that labour, and are heavy burdened, whether with the distresses of life, or with the sense of guilt (see Psal. xxxii. 4. xxxviii. 4.) or with the load of ceremonial observances which your unmerciful teachers are so ready to impose (Mat. xxiii. 4.) and I will ease you of the grievous burdens you are sinking under. 29 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden; and[ will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke Be persuaded then to take my yoke upon you, and to learn of me, as my obedient disciples; for me, for I am meek and I am meek, condescending and lowly in heart', lowly in heart; and ye and will impose no unnecessary hardships upon shall find rest unto your you: but on such an application to me, you shall souls. 30 For my yoke is light. find that refreshment to your souls which you in vain would seek elsewhere; that composure, satisfaction and joy, which nothing but humility and meekness, with an entire subjection to 30 me, can give. For such is the genius of my gospel, that though it will indeed bring you easy, and my burden is under some restraints, they are not only tolerable, but, on the whole, desirable: and I may truly say, that my yoke is easy and gentle; or,. if there be a mixture of difficulty attending it, such assistances and encouragements are provided, that with them my burden is light and pleasant to those who by divine grace are engaged to submit to it. (Compare 1 John v. 3.) sure, that our Lord might with great pro- * No one knows the Son, but the Father.] 1 For I am meek, condescending and lowly in heart.] Some have apprehended that our Lord here intends peculiarly to recommend the imitation of his humility and meek IMPROVE ness as what would especially tend, in the natural consequence of things, to promote the repose and tranquillity of their minds; and Dr. Watts, in a very beautiful manner, has paraphrased the words thus in his Hymns. (Book I. Hymn 127.) But I ap prehend our Lord chiefly means to remind them of the general lenity of his temper, which would engage him to decline all grievous impositions and unnecessary burdens, and tenderly to instruct them in the way to pardon and life. Compare Mat. xii. 19, 20. sect. li. m My burden is light and pleasant.] Exapgov properly signifies both light and pleasant; Reflections on the sovereignty of the Divine dispensations. 313 IMPROVEMENT. lix. 21-24 WHAT can we imagine more dreadful than the guilt and con- SECT. demnation of those who hear the gospel only to despise it! How can we read the doom of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, Mat. without trembling for ourselves, lest we should incur the like sen- XL tence! Such have been our religious advantages and opportunities, that, like them, we have indeed been lifted up to heaven: The Lord grant that we may not, by our misimprovement and disobedence, be cast down to the lowest hell! that Tyre and Sidon, and even Sodom and Gomorrah, may not at last rise up in judgment against us, and call down on our heads a punishment more intolerable than that which has fallen upon them, or which they must even then feel! Our vain curiosity may perhaps be ready to ask, Why were these advantages given to them that abused them, rather than to those who would have improved them better? But let us impose upon our minds a reverential silence; since the great Lord of heaven and 26 earth giveth not an account of any of his matters, (Job xxxiii. 13.) It is so, Father; for so it seemeth good in thy sight! Still we see the gospel hid from many who are esteemed the 25 wisest and most prudent of mankind; and, blessed be God, we still see it revealed to some, who, in comparison of them, are but babes. Let not this offend us; but rather taking our notions from the word of God, let us learn to honour these babes as possessed of the truest wisdom, and adore the riches of Divine grace, if we are in their number, while many of superior capacities are left to stumble at this stone till they fall into final ruin. Whatever objections are brought against Christ and his ways, 27 may we ever adhere to them, since all things are delivered to him by the Father! From him therefore may we seek the true knowledge of God, as ever we desire everlasting life! We have all our burdens of sin and of sorrow! While we labour 28 under them, let us with pleasure hear the gentle and melodious voice of a Redeemer, thus kindly inviting us to come unto him, that 29 we may find rest to our souls. Let us with pleasure subject ourselves to him, and go on in our holy course with that improvement and cheerfulness which become those who learn by their own daily experience that his commandments are not grievous, and feel that 30 his yoke is easy and his burden is light. pleasant; and xenos, easy, may be also rendered gentle and agreeable; and so with great propriety may express that true pleasure and cheerfulness which are the genuine result of a sincere subjection to Christ's go-, vernment, which is plainly the meaning of taking his yoke. (Compare Deut. xxvii. SECT. 47, 48. 1 Kings xii. 4. and Isa. x. 27.)-It a One |