the Jordan, resorted to him, and were baptized by him in Jordan, confessing their sins." Of Jesus, it is said (Matt. iv. 25), " And vast multitudes followed him from Galilee, from Decapolis, from Jerusalem, from Judea, and the banks of the Jordan." It was true, then, that every man was pressing into the kingdom of heaven; or, as our Saviour expressed himself on another occasion (more fully to the same effect), "The kingdom of heaven is invaded, and the invaders take possession of it by force" (Matt. xi. 12). The numbers that presented themselves before Jesus certainly rather resembled armies invading a kingdom, than individuals coming to be instructed. The strong language here employed was indeed literally fulfilled, when five thousand men, after being miraculously fed with a few loaves and fishes, combined and determined to make him king by force.* The language employed by our Saviour is then appropriate. But though at first the people came in immense numbers, no sooner did they ascertain that he refused to establish a worldly kingdom, and to bestow on his followers power, honour, and grandeur, than they finally deserted him. It was then true that his real disciples formed but a little flock.

There is an acknowledged difficulty in tracing the connection between the three verses, marked 16, 17, and 18. But though the connection be not expressed either in the words or in the manner employed, yet it is discernible by a little care. In the 15th verse, our Saviour accuses the Pharisees of extreme depra

St John vi. 15.

vity of character; then, in the 16th, he mentions the great advantages that they enjoyed, which ought to have prevented that depravity. For they had the law and the prophets, which were sufficient to instruct, to warn, and to guide them, till the time of John the Baptist. When John came, he furnished additional means of knowledge; for he announced the Messiah, and urged on the Jews the duties of repentance and improvement. The people, in the evident expectation that the kingdom of heaven was about to be established, collected in multitudes, like an invading army. We know, too, that the Jews, both Pharisees and people, did look forward to the erection of the kingdom of the Messiah as a period of power, and grandeur, and liberty. Perhaps, too, they expected to be relieved from the wholesome restraints of the moral law; for they evidently felt those restraints. Our Saviour, therefore, took this opportunity of undeceiving them, by giving them a positive assurance, in the 17th verse, that so far was this from being the case, that heaven and earth should sooner perish, than that one tittle of the law should fail. Now, what can we understand by this declaration, but that no part of the moral law would ever be abrogated.

Verse 18. But what can we say of the eighteenth verse? How are we to give any satisfactory reason for its position here, or shew its connection with the verse preceding? We are not surely to suppose, that our Saviour, whose wisdom was perfect, would introduce any observation, however important, in an abrupt, incoherent manner, and which had no reference

to the subject on which he was discoursing. Nor, surely, are we carelessly to allow that the sacred historian would misplace any declaration or injunction of our Saviour, and insert it where it would lose half its value, by leading the reader rather to wonder at its position, than to attend to its truth and import

ance.

Well, then, it may be asked, how are we to shew the connection of the following words with the verse preceding?"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away, or divorced, committeth adultery." It is evident that these words express a particular instance or case, connected with the moral law, and contained in the general declaration mentioned in the 17th verse. In other words, no part of the moral law, not even the least tittle shall be abrogated; consequently, the law respecting adultery and divorce shall remain unaltered. But why should a breach of the Seventh Commandment be called a tittle, as if of inferior importance? Not, certainly, in the opinion of our Saviour. But he undoubtedly refers to the opinion of the Pharisees, who had corrupted the proper meaning of the Seventh Commandment to such a degree, as in a great measure to set it aside. For it appears they were in the practice of divorcing their wives on any pretext whatever; while the wife, thus divorced, united herself to a second husband.* Our Saviour, therefore, assured them, that whatever they might think of a violation of the marriage-contract, the law of

St Matt. xix. 3.

marriage would still be continued, and that it would condemn, as a crime highly pernicious to society, all such divorces and forbidden marriages. Thus, we trust, we have been able to shew that these three verses have a close and direct connection with one another.

LECTURE LXIII.

PART I.

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.

ST LUKE xvi. 19.

CONTENTS -The rich man defective in character, though not accused of crimes-Not blamed for being rich, nor for his sumptuous fare, nor gorgeous raiment His leading principles, vanity and sensuality Probably an infidel.-Character of Lazarus.—No virtues ascribed to him.- What, then, was the object of the Parable?-To shew the effects of great riches and great poverty on the character. -Death does not annihilate.-State after death fixed and permanent. The information given to the Jews sufficient for the time.The Christian probationary state more elevated.-A conclusion drawn respecting the office of angels.

EVERY reader of taste must be struck with the simplicity of our Saviour's parables, with the topics which he selects, and the characters which he introduces. Here only two persons are presented. Let us then consider,—

I. The persons and circumstances.

II. The particular doctrines taught or inferred.

I. The persons and circumstances introduced. 1. Nothing is directly mentioned of the principles,