SERMON CXI.

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

LUKE Vii. 16.

CHRIST A PROPHET.

-A great Prophet is risen up amongst us. [Text taken from the Gospel for the Day.]

THE miracle, by which the widow's son was restored to life, was treated by the spectators as a testimony, that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and the Prophet whom God was to raise up like unto Moses. With what justice the title Prophet is ascribed to our Saviour, will appear from a consideration of the prophecies themselves. These cannot, perhaps, be better or more clearly arranged, than in the order of the events, to which they allude.

The transactions, which ended with the death of Jesus, were foretold in terms so plain and direct, with such a truth and minuteness of circumstance, as manifestly to exclude every suspicion, that can be founded on the happiness of conjecture, or the obscurity of application. That these sufferings were to be brought upon him by the enmity of the Jews, assisted by the treachery of an apostle, who was frequently hinted at, and at length openly pointed out to the rest of the apostles and to himself,-that in the moment of distress the eleven would all of them forsake their Lord,-and that he among them, who was of greatest courage,―he, who was directed to strengthen his brethren,-he, who was the rock, on which was to be built the church of Christ,'-that he would not only be guilty of the same weakness, but would thrice deny that he knew him; that the Jews would deliver up a man, whom they could accuse of no crime, and whom they had lately hailed with 'Hosanna to the Son of David;' that they would deliver him up to a foreign nation, whose authority they all reluctantly admitted, and many pretended, from principles of religion, to deny and abhor,-and that the Romans, without any motive whatever, would mock, insult, and scourge him, and, at last, merely to gratify the demands of a turbulent and despised populace, condemn him to a cruel and disgraceful death, which was reserved for the punishment of the meanest and most

abandoned criminals; these circumstances are such, both in their number and nature, that though they may perhaps, after the fact, be explained consistently enough with the principles of human conduct; yet is it quite inconceivable, that they could ever be the objects of human foresight and expectation.

To support the minds of his disciples at this awful crisis, Jesus had before assured them, that the scene of his ministry on earth, though to be thus interrupted, would not yet be fully closed; but that on the third day he would rise again' from the dead, and go before them into Galilee.' [Matt. xxvi. 32.] The prediction, however, of his resurrection, though delivered in the plainest terms, appears to have been, by the apostles, very imperfectly understood, and to have left so weak an impression on their minds, that they scarcely had any hope of the event; nay that, even after the event, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen, they believed not.' [Mark xvi. 11.] Yet the Jews, whether they were guided by stronger judgement, or impelled by more active passions, had certainly obtained truer notions of the meaning of the prophecy, though to them it was neither so frequently repeated, nor so clearly expressed. But how difficult soever it may be, to account for the ignorance of the apostles, and the knowledge of the Jews, and to assign to each its distinct cause, the use and effect of both may be easily seen; both of them furnish us with an argument for the previous delivery of the prophecy, and both of them undoubtedly contributed to enlarge that accumulated mass of evidence, which arose on every side to establish the reality of its completion.

With the same affectionate concern for his disciples, which anticipated all their wants, to reconcile their minds to his final departure from them, Jesus assured them, that he would not leave them comfortless, that he would pray the Father, who would send them another Comforter:'[John xiv. 16.] not merely to support them under their approaching trial, but also to prepare them for the successful discharge of their future ministry, to teach them all things, and to bring to their remembrance whatsoever he had himself said unto them.' [John xiv. 26.] And not only their minds were to be thus illumined with wisdom from above, but even the course of nature was to be subjected to their control, that they might fully evidence to the world, the authority under which they acted, and the truth

of what they taught. 'These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.' [Mark xvi. 17, 18.]

In considering the history of the infant church, it is natural to feel some surprise, when we are informed, that the very Apostle, who had the singular weakness to deny his Lord, was afterwards the most active in his service, and was the first who boldly preached in his name, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles. And when we recollect, that these almost contradictory circumstances in the conduct of this Apostle, had been both of them expressly foretold by Jesus; it cannot but increase our admiration of that intuitive discernment, with which the Saviour of the world surveyed, not only the course of external events, but the more intricate and hidden motions of the human heart. Of the prophecies here alluded to, I shall cite only that which relates to the point more immediately before us,—the strenuous exertions of St. Peter in the first establishment of the gospel; and this prediction, if it be not perhaps necessarily confined to the particular facts that have been stated, is, however, certainly conceived in terms which are highly expressive of the Apostle's general character, and set before us, in the strongest light, both the fortitude of the man, and the success of his ministry. I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' [Matt. xvi. 18.]

Though the conversion of the Gentiles was not undertaken by this Apostle till four years after the death of Christ, nor even then without the express command and co-operation of heaven; yet that the Gentiles were to become partakers of the new covenant, had been foretold in numerous passages, some of them asserting this proposition separately, and others connecting it with the rejection of the Jews, from the privilege, which they had so long exclusively enjoyed, of being the peculiar people of God. Thus the acceptance of the Gentiles is figured in the parable of the Prodigal: their being to be placed on an equal footing with the Jews, is intimated in that of the labourers, who were, at different hours, hired into the vineyard; and is more openly declared by Christ, in his character

of the good Shepherd: Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.' [Johnx.16.] And again: The stone which the builders rejected, is become the head of the corner.' [Matt. xxi. 42.] An expression, not so much denoting the eminence and dignity of his office, as its effect to unite both Jews and Gentiles in one building and church. But, whatever may be the obscurity of this passage, it is immediately followed by one, which can hardly be misunderstood: Therefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.' [Matt. xxi. 43.] And lastly, in the parable of the king, who made a marriage for his son: The king saith to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they, which were bidden, were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye find, bid to the marriage.' [Matt. xxii. 1, &c.]

The great event, declaratory of the final rejection of the Jewish people, and the close of the Mosaic economy, was the destruction of Jerusalem. This event, therefore, was repeatedly and circumstantially predicted. Thus, in the parable last quoted, the king sendeth forth his armies, and destroyeth those murderers, and burneth up their city. Thus also, the pathetic address, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee,' concludes with this awful denunciation, Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.' [Luke xiii. 34, 35.] The nature and extent of this desolation, are more clearly pointed out in a similar passage of the same Evangelist: For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another.' [Luke xix. 43, 44.] But it is most fully and particularly unfolded in that minute description, which has been preserved by three of the four Evangelists. After the enumeration of the signs, when these things would come to pass,' it is added, There shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people; and they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.'

[Luke xxi. 24.] Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled.' [Matt. xxiv. 34. And the gospel must first be published among all nations.' [Mark xiii. 10.] The nearness of the time, which was thus fixed for the accomplishment of this great revolution, -the interval which, short as it would be, was to be distinguished also by a revolution in religion still more extraordinary than this in power,—the signs, which were to precede the event predicted,-the nation, which was to effect it,-the extreme misery of the besieged inhabitants,-the total ruin of the city, and the complete dispersion of the people in every country of the world, these several points are all so particularly and distinctly marked, and have all been fulfilled with so great a degree of exactness, as to make the narration resemble history, rather than prophecy.

Then as to the limit, which seems to be graciously assigned to the sufferings of this once-favoured people, the event is yet indeed in the counsels of God; it is an event, however, which is still plainly possible and we may observe, as one mark of its probability, that there is not, nor ever was, upon earth, any other nation, which had been so long and so widely dispersed, whose restoration, I will not say, could possibly be effected, but if it were effected, could possibly be ascertained.

So soon was the civil and religious polity of the Jews to be abolished; and with it would cease, of course, their powerful opposition to the planting and growth of Christianity. Of the violence of this opposition, the apostles had been often forewarned. The service, on which they were sent, was constantly represented to them as a service of difficulty, danger, and suffering; in which they would be persecuted by the Jews, oppressed by the Gentiles, abandoned by friends, betrayed by relations, and opposed by all men. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.' [Matt. x. 16.] They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you; delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons; being brought before kings and rulers, for my name's sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. And ye shall be betrayed by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and ye shall be hated of all men.' [Luke xxi. 12-17.] Yea the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think he doeth God service.' [John xvi. 2.]