and exclusions, but from the selfishness of an | saying one to another, behold, are not al individual, or of a few, to appropriate to these which speak Galileans? and how hear themselves what belongs to many? Were we every man in our own tongue, wherein the operation of this spirit confined to the we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and things of time, it might be accounted for. Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, The desires of the human mind are unbound- and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontas, and ed, and the objects of pursuits are few and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and small. What another acquires seems to be in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strapso much taken away from me. Though ingers of Rome, Jews and Proselytes"_" and truth there is provision sufficiently ample for the same day there was added unto them abou: all; bread enough and to spare, room enough three thousand souls." Since that period wat and to spare, were the real wants and the have been the triumphs of the Prince of reasonable wishes of nature to settle the dis- Peace! What myriads are now prostrate betribution. But that the kingdom of heaven fore Him who sitteth upon the throne, and should be subjected to a monopoly; that its before the Lamb, adoring the wonders of rekeys should be seized by the bold hand of an deeming grace, looking, with angels, into usurping individual or of an arrogant party, the great mystery of godliness, if haply they would exceed belief, did not the history even “ may be able to comprehend with all saints, of the Christian Church establish the fact. what is the breadth, and length, and depth, The disciples of Christ themselves brought and height; and to know the love of Christ, into his school all the contractedness of their which passeth knowledge!" And what still Jewish education. Even the mild and affec- more glorous triumphs remain to be displaytionate John was tainted with it. “ Master," ed, when“ the fulness of the Gentiles shall said he, “ we saw one casting out devils in be come in, and all Israel shall be saved," thy name: and we forbade him, because he when “great voices in heaven” shall say, followeth not with us." They are for calling - The kingdoms of this world are become the down fire from heaven to consume a whole kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; village of Samaritans, in resentment of a and he shall reign for ever and ever!" mere piece of incivility. They must have The multitudes who shall thus flock to the the highest places when their Master should Saviour, as doves to their windows, from the come to the throne. The kingdom must be east and from the west, from the south and restored to Israel, whatever might become from the north, as they are partakers of the of the rest of the world. This spirit, though faith of the patriarchs, so they shall at length frequently and severely reprobated by their be made partakers of their joy : “ they shak benevolent Master has unhappily been trans- sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in mitted, and mutual anathemas and excom- the kingdom of God." What an assemblage munications have been thundered by furious of delicious images! What prospects has sectaries, who have one after another deso- the Gospel opened to the children of pen! lated the earth, to secure to themselves the Those travellers into a far country have reundivided possession of a heaven which they turned to their Father's house. They purare incapable of enjoying. If the Saviour sued various tracks, but all led bomeward. of men says, “ many shall come,” who dares They were strangers to each other in to limit the Holy One of Israel, and to say, strange land, but the prevailing family like"few shall be saved ?"

ness now lets them see that they are brothers. • Many shall come from the east and They sometimes fell out by the way, but now west." The other two cardinal points are there is perfect love. They had heard of the specified in a corresponding passage of the names of their venerable ancestors and res gospel according to St. Luke, chap. xiii. 29. pectable kindred, now they see, and know, The import of the expression is obvious. It and rejoice in them. Their pilgrimage is denotes the attractive influence of Christian- ended, their “ warfare is accomplished." ity over men of every region under heaven, " They shall sit down." They were laid

" and the universal paternal care and love of in the grave, they fell asleep, they saw eorHim who “ hath made of one blood all na- ruption. Now they are children of the tions of men, for to dwell on all the face of resurrection; refreshed by the sleep of death, the earth." The day of Pentecost exhibited they have acquired immortal vigour, they the first fruits of this glorious harvest. When have put on incorruption. Sitting is the the apostles,"filled with the Holy Ghost, spake posture assumed for the enjoyment of social with other tongues as the spirit gave them intercourse, and that is the idea here conatterance," "there were dwelling at Jeru- veyed. The family is assembled, the banquet salem Jews, devout men, out of every nation is prepared, perfect harmony reigns. When under heaven. Now, when this was noised men return to the bosom of their friends from abroad, the multitude came together, and tedious and painful journeys, from perilous were confounded, because that every man voyages, from destructive warfare, affectica heard them speak in his own language. suggests many an inquiry, many a communiAnd they were all amazed, and marvelled, I cation. Alas, how often do we fondly anti

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cipate the communications of distant friends, preparation for the inheritance of saints in who are never to return! But of the expect- light, for the kingdom which cannot be moved. ed guests, of the innumerable company in- Let us not presume to “ darken counsel by vited to “ the marriage of the Lamb," not words without knowledge." Let us not preone shall be missing, no bitter recollection sume to draw aside the veil which separates shall intrude, no painful apprehension shall a material world from the world of spirits, arise. And with what subjects of conversa- which interposes between time and eternity. tion are they eternally supplied ! With Scripture itself, after exhausting every image, what enlarged views of those subjects do every idea of negative and of positive glory they discourse! The glories of nature are and felicity, as descriptive of " the kingdom contemplated with new eyes, and excite of heaver,” refers us to a future revelation emotions before unfelt. The mystery of Pro- of that glory. Paul, “ caught up to the vidence, once so intricate and inscrutable is third heaven, caught up into paradise," adunravelled; the mighty plan, the minute mitted to the intercourse of celestial beings, parts, the universal and the individual inte- and sent back to earth, finds himself incaparest are found in perfect unison. The won ble of describing the heavenly vision. The ders of redeeming love, intermingling with words which he heard were unspeakable, the glories of creation and the mystery of which it is not lawful, which it is not possiProvidence, communicating to them all their ble for a man to utter. In this blessed, unbeauty, all their importance. What a theme defined, undescribed state we leave it: “ It for the whole company of the redeemed, for is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, interchange of personal experience, for mu- neither have entered into the heart of man, tual congratulation and delight! What ex- the things which God hath prepared for them alted employment, what inexhaustible source that love him.” of joy for the endless days of eternity !

The contrast is dreadful : “ But the chil. They shall sit down with Abraham, and dren of the kingdom shall be cast out into Isaac, and Jacob.” There is a natural desire outer darkness, there shall be weeping and in man to be in the company of the eminent- gnashing of teeth." By “the children of ly great, and wise, and good. But this de- the kingdom," our Lord undoubtedly means sire is tempered by a consciousness of our to denote the posterity of Abraham after the own inferiority. We shrink from the pene- flesh, the original heirs of the promises, the trating eye of wisdom, we feel “ how awful depositaries of the covenants, who, with all goodness is,” we blush inwardly at the thought the advantages of birth, of education, of a of our own littleness. But those ingathered revelation which they acknowledged to be outcasts from the east and west feel no un- divine, and of which they made their boast, easy apprehensions on being introduced to obstinately rejected the promised Messiah, to society so dignified, for “ there is no fear in whom all their prophets give witness; who, love." They indeed feel their inferiority, valuing themselves upon, and vainly resting but it excites no mortification. They are in in a mere natural descent from illustrious their proper place, and they have their pro- ancestors, without inheriting a particle of per measure of glory. While time was they their spirit, wilfully excluded themselves pronounced those venerable names with awe, from the kingdom of heaven. Their means they accounted those persons happy who of knowledge, their peculiar privileges were could claim kindred to men so highly distin- a horrid aggravation of their guilt, and a full guished, admission to the court of the Gen- justification of their tremendous punishment. tiles terminated their ambition, birth had The blessedness of the righteous in the hea. excluded them for ever from the common- venly world, is, in the preceding verse, wealth of Israel. Now they find that they represented under the well-known and famiare the real posterity of Abraham, “ born, not liar image of the banquet, or marriage feast, of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of and various passages of the gospel history the will of man, but of God.” If any man throw light upon the allusion, particularly hath not the spirit of Abraham, he is none of the parable of the ten virgins. Those sohis. By the spirit they are related to the fa- lemnities were usually celebrated in the ther of the faithful, and he joyfully acknow-night season. The apartments destined to ledges them as his children, and heirs with the entertainment of the guests were superbhim of the promises.

ly illuminated. The bridegroom and his “ They shall sit down with Abraham, and train came to the banqueting house in magniIsaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." ficent procession, by lamp or torch light. This implies a participation of all the privi- The invited guests were admitted through leges of saints on earth, communion and the wicket, to prevent promiscuous intrusion. fellowship with one another, as members to- As soon as the nuptial band had entered the gether of that body whereof Christ is the doors were shut. The careless and the tarhead, and joint “ fellowship with the Father, dy were of course excluded, and no after and with the Son Jesus Christ.” Such is the expostulation or entreaty could procure adkingdom of God in this world, and such the mittance; they were left in outer darknces, rendered more hideous by comparison with other prisoners, on the disastrous voyage the splendour which reigned within ; left, in which terminated in shipwreck on the island the cold and damps of the night, to their own of Melita, paid singular attention to the apos bitter reflections, dreadfully aggravated by tle, followed his advice, and spared the rest the idea of a felicity to them for ever inac- of the prisoners, that he might preserve Paui's cessible. By a representation so powerfully life. And upon their arrival at Rome, when impressive, so easily understood, so awfully this generous officer delivered over the rest alarming, were the elders of the Jews ad- of his charge to the captain of the guard, be monished of the guilt, danger, and misery of had sufficient credit and ability to express rejecting the counsel of God against them- his friendship for our apostle, by procuring selves, of refusing the testimony which God for him a greater enlargement of liberty: had given to his Son Christ Jesus.

“Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with After this very solemn digression, Jesus a soldier that kept him.” returns to the subject which had given rise From this interesting story let us learn, to it, the servant's malady, and the master's 1. To despise no man's person, feelings, marvellous faith. He bestows a present re- opinions, profession, or country. His persoa ward on the one, by instantly relieving the is what God made it, and he makes nothing other. " And Jesus said unto the centurion, that is in itself contemptible. You are bound Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so in equity to respect the feelings of another, be it done unto thee. And his servant was for you wish that your own should not be healed in the selfsame hour." Here the Sa- handled rudely. It ill becomes one who has viour condescends to be dictated to. He himself formed so many erroneous opinions, yields to the prayer of a faith so very extra- and veered about so frequently with the litordinary, he proceeds no farther on his way ting gale, to prescribe a standard of opinica to the centurion's house. The petition runs, to other men. Unless a profession be radi"speak the word only, and my servant shall cally, and in its own nature sinful, those w bo be healed;" he speaks the word, he wills the follow it ought not to be condemned in the cure, and virtue goes out of him to perform it. lump: if it expose to peculiar temptations to

Neither of the evangelists pursue the history act amiss, he who resists the temptation and of the centurion farther. But we have every overcomes himself is the more estimable. thing to hope, every thing to believe of a Over the place of his birth a man had no man who so eminently distinguished himself more power than over the height of his staas an excellent soldier, a kind master, a mo- ture, or the colour of his skin. It is an object derate ruler, a pious worshipper of God, and of neither praise nor blame. The apostie an humble but firm believer in Jesus Christ. Peter received a severe and just rebuke on In his history the Christian world has to boast this head by a vision from heaven. He was of another of the triumphs of the Captain of prepared, and he needed to be prepared, for salvation, of another successful invasion of the exercise of his ministry at Cesarea, and Satan's kingdom, of another display of divine to the family and friends of the excellent perfection in the person of Jesus Christ. It Roman centurion already mentioned, and is not unworthy of remark, that various per- whom his Jewish pride had taught him to sons of the same rank and profession, that of hold in contempt, by a thrice repeated mancenturion, stand with high marks of approba- date which he dared not to disobey: "What tion on the sacred page. Next to this most God hath cleansed, that call not thou comrespectable character, we find another em- mon." Let us consider it as addressed to ployed on a very trying occasion. He, with ourselves. “Why dost thou judge thy brothe company under his command, was ap- ther? or why dost thou set at nought thy pointed to see the sentence of crucifixion brother? for we shall all stand before the executed, for soldiers are put upon many a judgment-seat of Christ.” painful service, and he was not an uncon- 2. The fearful doom denounced against uncerned spectator of that awful scene. “ Now believing Jews ought to operate as a warping when the centurion, and they that were with to still more highly privileged Christians, lest him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and any man “fall after the same example of those things that were done, they feared unbelief." ** For if the word spoken by angreatly, saying, truly this was the Son of gels was steadfast, and every transgression God." The name of Cornelius of Cesarea, and disobedience received a just recompence the centurion of the Italian band, is renowned of reward; how shall we escape if we nein all the churches of Christ, as “a devout glect so great salvation; which at the first man, and one that feared God with all his began to be spoken by the Lord, and was house, which gave much alms to the people, confirmed unto us by them that heard him!" and prayed to God alway.” He is further We sometimes express contempt for the honourably reported of by those of his own pagan world, sometimes affect to pity the household, as a "just man, and of good report blinded nations, and without hesitation prsamong all the nation of the Jews.” The sume to pass a sentence of final condemnacenturion who had charge of Paul and the tion upon them. The unhappy tribes of

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Africa, in particular, Christian Europe calmly minded, but fear: for if God spared not the reduces to the condition of beasts of burden natural branches, take heed lest he also spare in this world, with hardly an effort to amelio- not thee." I conclude with the solemn derate it in the next. And yet they are men, nunciation of Christ himself, respecting the they possess many virtues which ought to men of his generation, and which is still in put their tyrants to the blush, and which will equal force. “The men of Nineveh shall one day rise up in judgment against them. rise in judgment with this generation, and We despise the miserable Jews, and stigma- shall condemn it: because they repented at tize them as infidels, as if all those who bear the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater the name of Christ actually believed in him. than Jonas is here. The queen of the south “Boast not against the broken-off branches;" shall rise up in the judgment with this gene—thou wilt say: The “branches were bro- ration, and shall condemn it: for she came ken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear because of unbelief, they were broken off

, the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greatand thou standest by faith. Be not higher than Solomon is here."

HISTORY OF JESUS CHRIST.

LECTURE CX X X.

After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multi.

tude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? (and this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.) Philip answered him, "Two hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes, but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five

barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.—John vi. 1–14.

a man.

The course of nature is a standing mira- | man? The same observation applies to the cle. To be an atheist is to cease from being religion of the Gospel. Here the learned

To think of arguing with such a have no advantage whatever over the illiteone is to undertake a labour as fruitless as rate. It consists of a few plain, unadorned attempting to reason the lunatic into a facts, authenticated by the testimony of a sound mind. A case like this ought to ex- cloud of unsuspected witnesses; of a few cite no emotion but compassion, mixed with simple, practical truths, level to the most orgratitude to God that he has not reduced us dinary capacity; and of a few precepts of to a condition so deplorable. Refinement in self-evident importance, which it highly conreasoning is, in general, both unprofitable cerns every man to observe. Should it be and inconclusive. The man of plain com- alleged that these are blended with things mon sense may advantageously observe and hard to be understood, it is admitted. And devoutly acknowledge the wisdom and good- here again the wise and prudent have no ness of the Great Supreme in the regular superiority over the vulgar, but both meet ebbing and flowing of the tide, though he the God of grace as well as the God of nacannot trace the process of the sun's action ture exercising his divine prerogative, in on the waters of the ocean; or of the wind, ministering to the necessities, while he checks in conveying the fluid to the mountain's top; the pride and presumption of man. or of gravity, sending it down to water the The miracles of our blessed Lord which plains beneath; or the supposed influence of have hitherto passed in review, had a more the moon, or of the melting of the polar ices, limited object. Their design was to relieve producing an alternate and regular flux and individual, or domestic distress; they were reflux on our shores, or in our rivers. Of | an appeal, public indeed, to the understandwhat importance is the theory of vegetation, ing and senses of all who witnessed them, compared to the simple but valuable labour but slightly felt

, imperfectly understood, and and experience of the gardener and husband- / little improved, except by the parties more

immediately interested in them. They were the multitude, recorded with exactly the granted to importunity, and as a reward to same circumstances in all the four evangethe prayer of faith. That which is the sub- lists. Mark affixes an additional date. It

ject of the passage now read, embraces a was at the time when the disciples returned much wider range than any of these, and is from the execution of their first commission, the spontaneous effusion of his own divine with an account of their success: “And the benevolence and compassion. Ten thousand apostles gathered themselves together unto persons, at a moderate calculation, were at Jesus, and told him all things, both what they once the witnesses and the subjects of the had done, and what they had taught." On miracle, and in a case wherein it was im- this Jesus proposed a temporary retirement possible they should be mistaken, for they from the public eye, for the conveniency of had every sense, every faculty exercised in private conversation, of repose, and of the ascertaining the truth. And here he waits necessary refreshment of the body: " And not, as in other cases, till the ery of misery he said unto them, come ye yourselves apart reaches his ear, but advances to meet it, to into a desert place, and rest a while: for there prevent it; he outruns expectation, and has were many coming and going, and they had à supply in readiness, before the pressure of no leisure so much as to eat. And they dewant is felt.

parted into a desert place by ship privately;" The duration of Christ's public ministry, and this, as before, prepared for the miracle from his baptism to his passion, has been of the loaves and fishes. The self-same cir. calculated from the number of passovers cumstances are minutely narrated in Luke's which he frequented. This, as may be sup- gospel. These mark the precise epoch when posed, has occasioned considerable variety of Christ went over the sea of Galilee, and reopinion. The attentive reader will probably tired with the twelve to a mountain in the adopt that of our illustrious countryman, desert of Bethsaida. But though he went Sir Isaac Newton, who reckons five of these by water, to escape for a season the multiannual festivals within the period. The first, tudes which thronged after him, the place of that recorded in the 2d chapter of St. John's his destination is discovered, and thousands, Gospel, at which he purged the temple, filled with impatience, admiration, gratitude, predicted his own death and resurrection, hope, outstrip the speed of the vessel, by a and performed sundry miracles. The second, circuitous journey along the shore of the according to that great chronologist, took lake. Their motives were various. The place a few months after our Lord's con- powerful principle of curiosity attracted versation with the woman of Samaria, which many. A thirst of the word of life impelled he founds on that text, John iv. 35—“Say others. “A great multitude followed him, not ye, there are yet four months, and then because they saw the miracles which he da cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, lift on them that were diseased," and many had up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they themselves“ need of healing." An affecting are white already to harvest." The third, a view is exhibited of Christ's benevolent few days prior to the sabbath, on which the character. As from the elevation of the disciples walked out into the fields, and mountain he beheld the people pressing forplucked the ears of corn, when he cured the ward by thousands to the spot where he was, impotent man at the pool of Bethesda. The all thoughts of food, of rest, of accommodafourth, that which was now approaching at tion lost in an appetite more dignified and the era of this miracle; and the fifth, that pure, his bowels melted: “And Jesus, when at which he suffered. The people were now he came out, saw much people, and was therefore flocking from all parts of Galilee, moved with compassion toward them, because on their way to Jerusalem to keep the pass- they were as sheep not having a shepherd : over: and this accounts for the very extraor- and he began to teach them many things." dinary number who at this time attended his The sight of a great assembly of men, preaching and miracles.

women, and children, must ever create a “ After these things,” says John. The lively interest in every bosom alive to the other three evangelists connect this scene, feelings of humanity. The view of his in respect of time, with a most memorable mighty host melted Xerxes into tears, merely event in the history of Christianity, the de- from reflection on their natural mortality. capitation of John Baptist in the prison. What then are the “ bowels and mercies" of When these melancholy tidings were told to the compassionate friend of mankind, on surJesus, Matthew informs us, that “ he departed veying innumerable myriads ready to perish thence by ship into a desert place apart: and everlastingly for lack of knowledge, dying when the people had heard thereof they fol- in their sins! He feels even for their bodily lowed him on foot out of the cities. "And wants, which, in the ardour of their spirits, Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, they seem to have themselves forgotten, and and was moved with compassion toward a supply is provided before the cravings of them, and he healed their sick;" and then nature have found out that it was necessary, immediately follows the miracle of feeding i And thus a gracious Providence, in things