state; but he baffled all their plots, and excited the renewed admiration of the people. Lastly, they accused him of sedition against the Roman emperor, saying boldly, though falsely, before Pontius Pilate, that he had dissuaded the Jews from giving tribute to Cesar, calling himself Messiah the king (chapter xxiii. 2).

While we view, with astonishment and regret, the melancholy picture of human nature which is presented to us in the character and conduct of the scribes and Pharisees, it is incumbent on us to direct our careful attention to the admirable display of the wisdom of God, in making the defects and crimes of the wicked men of that age, subservient to the proof and establishment of Christianity; for it is the distinguishing honour of Christianity to have its truth attested, not merely by its friends, who were the best and most enlightened men of the age, but by its enemies, many of whom were most unprincipled and corrupted in character, though some of them possessed both abilities and learning. It is then a very remarkable fact, that the enemies of Christianity, without their own knowledge, and contrary to their own wishes, are made efficacious witnesses for Christ and his religion. It may be asked, if such evidence was not necessary, why was it granted? From pure benevolence, as well as wisdom; that even the most incredulous and unprincipled should be obliged to see that that surely must be true which is supported by every kind of evidence, not only by the testimony of friends and disinterested persons, but of enemies and wicked men.

The scribes and Pharisees were perhaps better fitted than any class of men that ever lived, to detect and expose frauds, if there had been any, or errors, or omissions, or imperfections, in the character of the founder of Christianity, or in the doctrines which he taught, if there had been anything specious, or even doubtful. Their whole character, both natural and acquired their good and bad qualities, fitted them, above all other men, for the office. They had the best opportunities of hearing all the public discourses of Jesus-of examining all his miracles-of knowing his character and actions, which were undisguised and open to the slightest observation. They followed him from place to place; they stationed spies to watch him; they had frequent consultations too, for the purpose of concerting plots to entrap him, to calumniate his character, and to bring him to a violent death. If then there had been the smallest flaw in his character, or inconsistency in his conduct; if his miracles had not been undeniable and overpowering, they would have triumphed in the discovery. They tried to misrepresent his actions, but their misrepresentations refuted themselves, so that none believed them. We have then every reason to believe, that not a single inhabitant of Palestine had any doubts of the divine mission of Jesus, except men so blinded by prejudice that no evidence whatever could convince, or at least could satisfy them.

Besides the scribes, who were united with the Pharisees, there was another sect which opposed Jesus, called Sadducees. These were distinguished by wealth and independence, and unquestionably, also

by their unbelief of a future state. While then the Pharisees were influenced by a disposition to believe too much, the Sadducees were inclined to believe too little.

In these two sects were combined all the passions, and all the prejudices, and all the arts, which could be directed against Jesus. On the part of the Sadducees, licentiousness and infidelity; and, on the part of the Pharisees, were arrayed pride and ambition, vanity and envy, self-interest and revenge, bigotry and superstition. Yet, instead of doing the slightest injury, these men unwittingly strengthened the evidence, removed the objections, and demonstrated by their entire failure, that the character of Jesus was purity and benevolence, perfection and wisdom; that the truth of his miracles was clear and irresistible, and that the religion which he taught was brought from heaven for the benefit of mankind.

LECTURE LXXX.

AUTHORITY OF JESUS DEMANDED.

ST LUKE XX. 1-9.

CONTENTS-Jesus did not declare himself at an early period; but it was necessary that he should acknowledge himself Messiah before he left the world.-Two phrases explained.-Who the persons were who demanded the authority of Jesus; they were the chief priests, scribes, and elders; or a considerable number of those classes.-Manner in which they approached him-What were their motives -Why they came in a body-The object which they had in view. Conduct of Jesus truly wise. Inferences.

JESUS had for the first time permitted the people to pay him royal honours, though on all former occasions he had carefully declined them. After he had fed five thousand with a few loaves and fishes, the multitude were ready to acknowledge him as Messiah. But finding no disposition on his part to declare himself king of the Jews, they became impatient, and resolved, as an act of their own, to overcome his obvious reluctance, by proclaiming his entry on his reign against his will, in the hope that he would be prevailed on to yield to their zeal and loyalty. But so rash a proceeding would have produced an insurrection against the Roman government; and pre

vented him, as Prince of Peace, from establishing a kingdom of righteousness. As now, however, his ministry and his life were to terminate in a few days, it was necessary that he should publicly, in his own person, acknowledge his high mission and dignity, before he left the world. There was no farther occasion, therefore, to restrain the feelings of the people. He accordingly entered Jerusalem in a kind of regal procession, preceded and followed by multitudes, who hailed him in language that was equivalent to proclaiming him king. He had afterwards exercised a high degree of authority, which belonged to no private individual, by actually removing the market, which the Jews had profanely permitted to be held in the court of the Temple. He continued for some days to go in the morning, from Bethany to Jerusalem, to teach publicly in the Temple, and to return thither inthe afternoon or evening.

We are told in the first verse of this chapter, that he taught the people and preached the Gospel. It may be justly asked, Is it not the same thing to teach the people and to preach the Gospel? In our age and in our language these phrases may appear to have the same meaning; but, in the original, they are quite distinct. The phrase to preach the Gospel, here signifies to announce the glad tidings of the Messiah's reign. To teach the people, again, uniformly signifies to urge the duties required by the Christian religion. Now this teaching, in the days of Christ and his apostles, was usually commenced with a proclamation, such as this, The kingdom (or reign) of heaven is at hand. This then is the mean