A.D. 29. goest about to reprehend. He that cleanses a blot with blotted fingers, makes a greater blur." F. Quarles. feast of the dedication a He sacrificed a of burnt offering, sow on the altar Curiatius; and three on the other, the sons of Horatius. While 22-24. dedication, the encania, or renovation; i.e., its renewal or restoration by Judas Maccabæus (B.c. 167), aft. its pollution by Antiochus Epiphanes.a winter, wh. explains this walking in the porch, rather than without; prob. stormy weather. and made broth Solomon's porch, by some it is thought that this was a part of of it, with wh.he the Temple left standing when the Babylonians destroyed Jerus.d sprinkled Temple in deri- make.. doubt? lit. "raise up the mind," hence, “hold in sion of the sacred suspense." This a pretence of theirs. plainly, as if His works did not plainly show who and what He was. services. the b The feast began on 25th of Chisleu, i.e., 18th of our Dec, and lasted 8 days. General illumination in Jerusalem and throughout the country. 1 Macc. iv. 4159; 2 Macc. x. 1 -8; Jos. Ant. xii. 7-9. c Ac. iii. 11; v. 12; 1 K. vi. 3. d Tholuck; Jos. Ant. xx. 9, 7. e Montgomery. Christ's The Seasons.— "Who loves not Spring's voluptuous hours, Who love's not Winter's awful form, Yet who would choose, how grand soever, The shortest day to last for ever!"e 25-28. works, a more reliable, as evidence, than the plainest sheep follow words. They proved He possessed the attributes, hence it was needless that He should claim the name of Messiah. because Him a Jo. v. 36. Jo. iv. 6. c v. 4. b Jo. viii. 47; 1 sheep, who recognise the Shepherd's voice, and obey Him. I give, the beginning, promise, and title, even now. perish, or fail; either out of My love and care here; or out of My presence hereafter. pluck, snatch. Steal, as a thief. d Jo. xvii. 12; xviii. 9; He. vii. 25. "These He calls Christ's flock.-I. The distinguishing properties of Christ's sheep. II. The Shepherd extends to them His peculiar care, etc.: His sheep, by 1. He knows His sheep; 2. He gives to His sheep eternal life; 3. gentleness, and He will never permit His sheep to perish.e reason of their Beveridge. meekness, and Christians are sealed.-During a Sabbath morning service, & patience, and gentlemen observed his little boy persistently holding his fingers innocency, and usefulness in the in his ears. Surprised, he asked, "Charlie, why do you do so?" world." Bp. Why," said he, "Mr. Earle made us all cry in Sunday-school this morning, and I don't want to cry here in church: so I am Hear, not not going to hear what he says." Looking around him, however, Basil. They hear and seeing nobody seemed to be crying, he removed his fingers and obey, and from his ears. Just then, Mr. Earle asked if all would be willnever dispute or ing to have a plain broad seal put upon their foreheads, so that, they taste and wherever they went, everyone could see it, and learn that they do not trouble were Christians? This arrested the attention of the little boy, question, saith ask questions; A.D. 29. and he whispered, "Father, what is a Christian?" The unconverted father replied as best he could. The little boy looked and mud that searchingly into his father's forehead, and asked, "Father, are clear water of you a Christian? I don't see any seal on your forehead." The life."- Farindon. question sped straight to his heart as an arrow of conviction: he "Faith has a power of taste knew not what to reply. He determined not to yield to his conby which it victions; took his usual Sunday pleasure-drive: but all zest was gone, for his little boy's sermon was rankling in his bosom, and his eyes went constantly to the forehead of everyone he passed in search of the "seal." His convictions grew stronger, he sought pardon, and was soon rejoicing in hope. b relishes the honey of God's Word."- Augus tine. e Anon. sheep are safe 29, 30. Father," who loved them. gave.. me, of His Christ's love to Me. greater. . all, who may try to pluck them away. able, however anxious, strong, crafty. hand, ref. to Almightiness. I.. one, wh. should settle the question of the Divinity of Christ, unless we can believe that He, who is the truth, spoke ambiguously and with the intention to deceive. The Divinity of Christ.-I. Establish the sense: 1. That Jesus is one with the Father in an infinite essence, is evident from the connection of the text with that which precedes it; 2. The fury of the Jews at this declaration of the Saviour fixes its sense; 3. The reasons which they allege. "Thou being a man makest Thyself God;" 4. The answer of the Redeemer. II. Evidences of the truth: 1. The honours which revelation demands for Christ; 2. The perfections and works attributed to Him; 3. The idea which it gives us of the manner of the Saviour's existence.d a Jo. xiv. 28. 6 Jo. xvii. 2. c Jo. xvii. 11-22. 3rd cent., taught that there was but one person Godhead; refuted by the Sabellius, in this word are. In the 4th cent. Arius taught that Christ is not God; con The hand of the Son is spoken of as the hand of the Father to let thee see, by a bodily representation, that both have the same nature-that the of the Father is in the Son also." -Hilary. nature and virtue "In will, consent, this refuted by the word one. Visit to a dying sceptic by Dr. Joseph Fletcher.-On entering "This is the the chamber of this apparently dying sceptic, he beheld the speech of attenuated form of one who had been a tall, athletic man, scious power... struggling under the ravages of a disease at once the most painful and incurable. Dr. F. commenced by some kind inquiries respecting his disease; after suggesting some little things calculated to soothe his pain, and, in his own peculiar way, expressing his sympathy, alluded to the sufferings of Christ, who died for us, and gave Himself a ransom for sinners; who, equal with the Father, and one with Him, humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, that, through His blood, we might have peace with God. Hearing this, the dying man said, " Sir, I do not believe that; I wish I could, as my dear wife does there; she believes all you say." "Well," said Dr. F.," but you say you wish you could, and that is a great essence, power, point towards attaining it, if you are sincere. Now what do you One' frees thee believe concerning Jesus Christ?'' Why," said he, very from Arius, who inarticulately, "I believe that such a man once lived, and that denies the eternal he was a very good, sincere man; but that is all." It was a Divinity of principle with Dr. F., when reasoning with unbelievers, if they acknowledged the smallest portion of truth, to make it a position from which to argue with them. This mode he adopted in the present case, and said, “You believe that Jesus Christ was a good man-a sincere man. Now do you think that a good man would Trinity." - E. wish to deceive others, or a sincere man use language which must Leigh. mislead ? "Certainly not," said he. "Then how do you d Huet. reconcile your admission that He was a good man with His "It is exceedsaying to the Jews, 'I and My Father are one'? When they ingly dangerous took up stones to kill Him, because He had made Himself equal with the Father, He did not undeceive them, but used language 66 and dominion... Christ; 'Are' frees thee from Sabellius, who denies the distinction of the persons in the to make comfort a ground of con A.D. 29. 66 confirmatory of His Godhead: and He further said, 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give fidence, unless the nature, unto them eternal life.' Now could any mere man say, 'I give source, and ef- unto them eternal life'? Could any angel, even, however fects of that com- exalted?" Stop!" cried the dying man, with an excited voice; fort be considered; for it! "stop, sir! I never saw this before; a new light breaks in upon may result en- me. Stop, sir!" Holding up his emaciated hand, as if fearing tirely from igno- that a breath might obscure the new light breaking in upon his rance and self- benighted soul, and with a countenance lighted up with a sort of flattery in a variety of ways." preternatural expression, quite indescribable, but with eyes intently fixed upon Dr. F., after a short but most solemn pause, he exclaimed, the big tears rolling down his almost transparent face, "Sir, you are a messenger of mercy sent by God Himself to save my poor soul. Yes! Christ is God, and He died to save sinners! yes, even me." e -T. Scott. e Memoirs of Rev. J. Fletcher, D.D. the Jews attempt to 31-33. stone (see on viii. 59). works,a mirs. of mercy. for which.. me, à charge of ingratitude. good.. not, yet stone Christ did not the works say He was Divine more plainly than His words? blasphemy' [i. 59, 83, 149, 212]. a 1 Ti. vi. 18. b Ma. xxvi. 65; When He denied not Bigotry in the graveyard.-"While I was chaplain to the Jo. v. 18; v. 30. British factory at Hamburg, a gentleman belonging to the factory our died at a village about ten miles distant. Application was made blessed Lord was to the pastor of the parish for leave to have him buried in his charged with blasphemy for churchyard; but, on being told that he was a Calvinist, he making Himself refused. 'No,' said he, there are none but Lutherans in my equal with God, churchyard; and there shall be no other.' This being told me the matter, but (says Dr. Thomas), "I resolved to go and argue the matter with only absolved it him, but found him inflexible. At length, I told him he made me think of a circumstance which once happened to myself when I was a curate in Thomas Street. I was burying a corpse, when c Dr. Thomas, a woman came and pulled me by the sleeve in the midst of the Bp. of Salisbury. service, saying, 'Sir, sir, I want to speak to you.' 'Prythee,' says I,woman, wait till I have done.' 'No, sir: I must speak to you immediately.' Why, then, what is the matter?' 'Sir,' says she, 'you are burying a man who died of the small-pox next my poor husband, who never had it.' The story had the desired effect, and the pastor permitted the bones of the Calvinist to be interred in his churchyard." c from the crime." -Dean Young. charge of blasphemy answered a Ac. x. 26; xiv. 12. 6 Ps. lxxxii. 6; Ro. xiii. 1. c Is. xi. 2, 3; xlix. 1, 3; Jo. vi. 27. d Phi. ii. 6. e"Frequent men tion is made in the O. T. of a per son who is called 34-36. answered, candour, truth, honesty, demanded a flat denial if He were not Divine. Utmost folly, also, to lie under the imputation of such a charge without reason. Comp. this with conduct of Peter and Paul," who anxiously corrected mistakes wh. favoured their position, etc. written'..gods, if they were called gods by God Himself, how can I be guilty of blasphemy for calling Myself the Son of God. broken, you cannot obliterate or explain it away. sanctified, set apart to a holy work and office. because.. said, etc.,d rather explain why such men are called gods in the Scriptures. Conception of God in Immanuel.-In forming a conception of God, men have sometimes lifted Him above all human sympathies God, and is God, into the heavenly sphere; and then they raise Him above the and yet is dis- help of heavenly intelligence, and at last remove Him so far that the God and only the most lithe and nimble imaginations can reach Him at Father of all." all; and then, when they have put Him above all men, and Justin Martyr's angels, and thrones, and dominions, they think they have a true tinguished fr. A.D. 29. who accused the conception of God. They think that to be Divine requires one to be lifted out of and above all sympathy with created things. It is natural, but it shows how unskilful we are in reply to the Jews fashioning our ideas of the Head of the Universe; for, if there is early Christians one thing more resplendent than another, it is God Immanuel. of worshipping And what is God Immanuel but this: God with us-God brought more gods than down to our sympathy and fellowship? one. f H. W. Beecher. the works of Christ are Father those of the 37, 38. works," mirs. of power, love, mercy. Father, such as He alone can do, or would be likely to do in the same circumstances. though.. me, prejudice ag. Me prevents your looking at the work: separate betw. Me and the work, examine a Jo. xiv. 10, 11; the latter alone, on its own merits. that.. believe, for then xv. 24. you turn fr. the work to the worker. Father," whose power b Col. ii. 9; Jo. alone could accom. them. is.. me, by whom they were visibly v. 19; Ma. i. 23. done. Indisputable evidence.-Show-I. What men might look for in the works of God: 1. Mercy; 2. Wisdom; 3. Love; 4. Power. II. That the works of Jesus were marked by these characteristics. III. That not to see these features in the works of Jesus is to be blinded by prejudice. IV. That to reject the Divinity of Him who did such works is the height of folly. c J. Bate. then the opposition of Son because He does nothing of doeth, He doeth the same. They are one, because they are equal in not the Father, because He is sent."-Hilary. things the Father honour. He is If words are not enough let deeds speak. If the words of Himself; He is reasoning are not enough to convince the sceptic that man has a God, because soul as well as a body, then we refer him to the works which man whatsoever has accomplished, and claim that they are sufficient to produce belief. So we would say, If the words which Jesus and His Apostles spake have not a weight of evidence strong enough to convince the Socinian that He is one with the Father, or Divine, then let him consider the works of Jesus Christ, and thence derive satisfactory proofs that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. "For the very works' sake," let him believe.< 39-42. again.. him, as He once spoke of God as His Father, etc. escaped, see Gk., "He went forth," -"miraculously," a "without any difficulty.' ." place, Bethany (see on Jo. i. 28). abode, waiting His time, and still working. John a Alford. miracle, yet they believed John. spaked.. true, have b Bengel. been fulfilled. many.. there, who would prob. neither have c "Lest Не believed, nor thought of Him elsewhere. Assoc. of idea. Place should appear to be equal, to reminds them of Jo. and his words ab. Christ. "Posthumous Christ."-T. fruit of services of John."e He retires to Bethany beyond Jordan Aquinas. Many believed on Him there.-This history may illustrate-I. The law of the association of ideas.-Define and explain. One circumstance bringing another to memory. The scene of John's e Bengel. preaching recalled his words: they compared what John said "Performing no with what Jesus did. They believed John to be a prophet, and miracle, he was saw how Jesus fulfilled his account of the Messiah. Things out yet 2 miracle of school may remind you of things heard within it. II. The through all futimidity of inquirers.-Here they were free to listen, inquire, and Though he did confess. In Jerusalem there were enemies abroad; they might no miracle, while ture ages. be put out of the synagogue. The Sunday-school is a place so many far less distinguished apart; a place of instruction. In the world you may sometimes saints accomfind it difficult to fix your mind on good things, or confess your plished many, love to the Saviour. III. The compassion of Jesus.-He led yet people to this place on purpose to instruct them. He selected it. exists in whose Knew what the result would be. Sometimes, when people are whose sake, so no saint person, and for many A.D. 29. were miracles afraid of man, or fail to receive instruction in the sanctuary, He leads them into the baptism of sorrow and trial; and many Vouch-believe on Him then who had rejected Him before. You have safed."-Singlin. great opportunities now; take care you do not slight them, or "Thus did the Jesus may withdraw Himself, and you may be glad to travel far seed, though to find Him: 1. To connect things you see with the lessons you long buried, hear; 2. Not to be afraid to confess Jesus; 3. To love this kind spring up; and the faithful Saviour. preacher of re- Association of religious ideas.-Make everything that stands pentance, while connected with religion just as pleasant as it can be. Do you dead, yet spoke for the honour know what the power of association is? Did you ever study that of his Master, matter? Do you know how we have redeemed many things in and the gather- human experience from vulgarity, and made them as redolent as ing unto Him of the gate of heaven? For instance, do you know of any one thing be saved."-Bp. that is so gross as eating? When you consider that a man such as should Sumner. f The Hive. g H. W. Beecher. throws into that hole which we call the mouth, chunk after chunk, and grinds it, and disposes of it, is there anything that is more purely an animal operation? And yet, is there anything more refined or fuller of sweet suggestions than the table? Do we "By what strange law of mind is it not use the word table to signify the blessings of the household? that an idea long We have so surrounded the table, by conversation and affection, overlooked, and and the higher offices of life, that we forget that gross fact around foot as a useless which they all of them cohere. These are the blossoms, and that stone, suddenly is the root underground as it were. Do you consider that this is sparkles out in a single illustration of a principle as broad as life, and that on new light, as a the one hand, by association you can make the highest and the mond?" Mrs. noblest things most mean and beggarly, while, on the other hand, you can surround the meanest and most beggarly things with the noblest and highest associations?9 trodden under discovered dia Stowe. the sickness CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH. a 1-4. Lazarus (God his help), Heb. Eleazar, of whom we hear of Lazarus nothing beyond his hist. in this Gospel. Bethany [i. 150, Reasons assigned for this extra-330, 331], now called Lazarie; of wh. the Arab form is elordinary mir. Azariyeh: fr. Lazarus. it.. Mary, etc. [i. 352], more full being recorded recorded by Jo. presently; now, by anticipation mentioned, that by Jo. alone:- one cause of the love and gratitude manifested then-i.e. the (1) Ma., Mk., Lu, living, perh., raising of her brother-may be kept in mind. sisters, whose lifetime of distinctive traits would be respectively exercised in the sick room. Laz. might have sent, however dif. in some points, they were alike in this. him, persecution had to whom else than to Him who came first into their thoughts. they written the Lord. . lovest, they might have said "who loveth thee." hist. (cf. Jo. xii. Christ's love to us the ground of hope. is sick, they simply adopted by Gro-acquaint Him with the fact. said, showing He knew what the tius, Wordsworth, result would be. but, etc. (see on vv. 40—42, 45.) in involved him in 10, 11). This view etc.; (2) The plan was etc., rejected by Resurrection of Lazarus.-I. The circumstances that led to it: Alford, Trench, 1. The sickness of Lazarus; 2. The message conveyed to Jesus; of Ma., Mk., Lu., 3. The manner in which the information was received; 4. The mirs. wrought in which this wonderful miracle was distinguished: 1. The tenderest to record intimation He gave of His intended journey. II. The features by blind sympathy; 2. Deep devotion; 3. The most absolute authority. man at Jericho III. The diversified effects which were produced: 1. Highly being the only gratifying; 2. While they were pleasing in many cases, they were of very different in others.d Galilee alone, the cure of exception. This, the view |